Whenever times got tough for me, if something was on my mind or I was feeling down I would turn to my music library. Chance the Rapper and Drake were my two go-to artists. They have been huge figures in my life thus far.
CHANCE THE RAPPER
The newest, most innovative style, original thoughts, and distinct voice in the rap industry all belong to one fresh face; twenty-year-old, Chancelor Bennett. The Chicago born artist, best known by his stage name Chance The Rapper, has risen to superstardom within the hip-hop world at lightning speed. Over the course of just one short year he went from being a small-buzz, music-making, high school student, to being named SPIN magazine’s 2013 “Rapper of the Year.” Accolades aside, Chance the Rapper has been the most influential person in my life over the last calendar year. I know the last assertion seems pretty far-fetched, especially when one takes into consideration that I have never received personal advice from him, let alone even had a serious conversation with him. However, that claim is not an exaggeration by any means. Chance The Rapper's music has gotten me through a lot this past year, from my happiest days to my lowest moments. His music, his interviews, his personal story, his performances, his love for his hometown, all aspects of his very short career have inspired me. Coming from a household in which I grew up without a father figure led me to venture out in search of advice, encouragement and a sense of direction. Fortunately I have found all of those things through the realm of music. Drake has accounted for the first wave of support over my first three years of high school, and Chance has picked up where he left off. look what you've done |
Cocoa Butter kissesCocoa Butter Kisses is a song all about nostalgia. He reminisces on more innocent times in life like the faint smell of cocoa butter that stayed on his skin after his mother would give him kisses or show affection as well as hugging his grandmother. I listen to this song and reflect on my own life. Whenever I would have tough days or I was getting stressed out I would play this track and think back to more simple times. Times when my mother would take me to the petting zoo at our local park, or when she would homeschool me and teach me through real life experiences, like dropping me off alone at a convenient store with money to buy a loaf of Cuban bread and I had to make sure I was getting the right amount of change from the store clerk. This song just takes me back to happier days of my life, something at always puts me in a good mood no matter what was happening around me that day. This song never fails to leave me with a grin stretching from ear to ear.
Lost --- oh the number of times I have listened to this song... According to my iTunes play count Chance the Rapper's Acidrap free album is by far the most played collection of songs on my account. All thirteen songs on the album are the top 13 songs I have played most frequently according to iTunes. And the list reveals that I have listened to this specific song, "Lost," over five times more than the second one on the list. That helps put things in perspective. This was my go to track whenever I was feeling any sort of negative emotion. If I was sad, felt unworthy, was low on my self-esteem, or felt altogether lost in the sense of what I was doing with my life; this song was on repeat. I would listen to this song over and over again until I came to a revelation or some sort of epiphanic moment. |
Drake - Look what you've done
As mentioned before, Drake was the big figure in my life, as far as inspiration or direction goes, before Chance. From 2011 - 2012, I had Drake's sophomore album "Take Care" on loop. One of the songs that stuck out most to me at that phase of my life is titled "Look What You've Done." Rapgenius.com's review for the track says "Drake gives a legitimately touching tribute to his mother, Sandi, his grandmother Evelyn and Uncle Steve in this Take Care highlight." The part that would stick out to me is in the first verse where Drake is recounting a conversation he had with his mother, Drake raps "And you tell me I'm just like my father - my one button, you push it." This is very analogous to my personal story. Me and my mom's relationship with my father is extremely strained, to say the least. I have modeled my life around trying to be the complete opposite of him. |
Therefore, whenever my mom compares me to him it is truly a shot to my heart. It is the worst insult I can ever receive, and she knows that. However, no matter how mad that makes me I need to come to the understanding that my mom only tells me that to really put me in check, and that she does it out of love for me and wants to help me be different than my father was. That is why I listen to this song so much, not only does Drake say how much that same insult bothers him, but also, in the following couple lines he says "you love me, and I love you, and your heart hurts, mine does too. And its just words, and they cut deep but it's our world, it's just us two." Which helps me remember me and my mothers true relationship and how she is honestly doing it from the goodness of her heart and out of her immense care for me.
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