Hey guys, as you know, I am always trying to come up with new ideas for my blog for you guys because I believe in the quality of the content I create. I always want to make sure that it is something that my audience enjoys and finds some value/ worth in. So this time around I thought that I introduce a new series, called “More Music Mondays” one where I share my love of writing through song-writing— a skill that I plan to hone in on now and in the years to come. Though I do not practice song-writing as much as I’d like to, I do recall moments in time when I had the itch to do so. I remember the first time I discovered my love for poetry was 3rd grade. I want to say the title of the poem was something along the lines of “bright stars”. It was a poem about the stars and how natural it is for a star to stand out from the rest. I really don’t know what came into me or what I was really thinking when I wrote it, but it just kinda flowed out from my little 7 year old brain. My teachers took notice of this poem, and had me recite it in front of the class. I believe that was the very first time I realized I had some sort of skill in writing. Though I did find joy in writing, I didn’t truly believe I had some talent in it. If that makes sense. Fast forward to high school, and I turned in another poem for one of my theology course assignments. My teacher, who happened to be a graduate of Yale University, guess saw something in my writing and ended up praising me for it in front of my classmates. I would like to thank my 3rd grade and my teacher Mr. Grindon for taking notice in something I subconsciously loved, even when I didn’t believe in myself.
For me, poetry is something that I find very sacred and intimate and now that I have rediscovered my passion for music, I thought that I could somehow combine the two together. And what other way than through songwriting? I think I was around 11 when I attempted to write my first song with the guitar. I remember sitting on my bed as words floated around in my head to match the melodies I had in mind. Though I did find joy in it, I stopped half way and never finished it. Fast forward to college, and I carried that song-writing itch with me. I think the biggest regret I have is never finishing what I started. There’s this song-writing/ singing/ rapping challenge called “Gone”. The challenge is to rap and/or sing over the beat of the song “Gone” by Monica. I took to my notebook and drew inspiration from what I knew I love best, poetry and writing. Most people wrote about heartbreak over their ex or past relationship on the beat, but I thought I’d put my own spin to it. Because to me, there is much more important things (not that heartache isn’t one of them, just that there is more to life than boys and lust). I wrote this almost two years back in December of 2017. And came up with this. Probably not as catchy without the beat, rapping, and all but looking back, I forget how much writing means to me. Here it goes:
“I know what you’re thinking, no I ain’t lyin
this rap bout to fire
just me, a pen, some rhymin’
I got some things to say
penny for your thoughts
here we go, let’s get it, bout to drop some bars
I’m young, 21, with a future so bright
with some ride or dies, family so tight
we got our fights, but we come out alright
we good, hood, chill like a Saturday night
let’s talk dreams, your vision, one of a kind?
I’m talking’ what got you feeling’, what says on your mind
is it the money, the lamb, them yeezy boost shoes
is it the protests, president, what you hears on the news?
hard to find real in a world of fake
where we got disbelievers, lurkin’ ass snakes
our system corrupt killing’ those with guts
who inform, who teach, who inspire the rest of us
we take, we get but don’t remember their names
we think lust, drugs, the glory, the fame
but that really enough to fulfill us inside?
to focus on love, all distractions aside?
Imperfect’s perfect, but where’s the line
we fools sit-in’ here, pretendin everything’s fine”
Again, rough work. We all start somewhere.
To me this is only the beginning. Here’s to the music.
