My Main Musician, Macklemore
The first time I heard “Otherside” I was in my friend’s truck and we were driving home for Thanksgiving break from university. The drive is roughly 5 hours and the song was on repeat the entire trip with no desire to change it. When I returned back to my dorm after the break, I showed my roommate the music video and we both fell in love. After all these years, album after album, I am still in awe at the range of his songs, where in one he’ll tackle social issues or addiction, in another, he is playful and doesn’t take life too seriously. Trying to pick my favorites from his repertoire is damn-near impossible, but here are a few that continue to inspire me deeply. I share with you my favorite parts and lines of each song, with hope they fuel your soul like they do mine.
Hold your Head up
This chorus has become my mantra and has uplifted and encouraged me to hold my damn head up when life has gotten hard - so. many. times.
[Chorus x2]
Hold your head up, there's a light in the sky
I know you're fed up, but you must try to survive
Each moment's precious, don't let life pass you by
Keep focused, keep your eyes on the prize[Verse 1]
A friend of mine once told me, "We have many paths in this journey"
They act in different directions, so when you question don't be worried.
There’s not a wrong one, beauty can be found in all of them .
You'll meet people whose paths intersect, but you don't know how long you'll walk with them.
Cause the truth is, and it's so hard, but you'll never know how long we'll continue with our loved ones down this rugged road,
the path veers and it's clear that we must steer alone.
I've learned if you can't hold on to that moment that exists - let it go - cause freedom is God.
Freedom is acknowledging the mask you have on and possessing the strength to take it off
Freedom is accepting every step of the path
And when it's hard having faith in the ability to embrace it, that's where you are[Verse 2]
This is my trial, tribulations, and it must go down
But where's the up? I'm stuck with the broken smile
No joking now, wanting to grab a swish and smoke this out
The moment of a man choosing what path I will go down
Do I give in, give up, or get up and live right now?
With a split gut pick myself up and spit my style
This is the only thing that can hold my ground
You're born into this world alone, and alone you'll go out
All I have is myself and everyone else I doubt
You can only trust yourself and depend on the help of the pound
Inside of the chest that beats with the breath of the nowBut I can withstand this world, but it seems so foul
Flood of emotions, it's like I'm being held down to drown
Hell's right around the corner, but I can turn it around
You always have a choice, no matter the situation you're not bound
To nothing, no one, you're chosen for this job
This is your life, you can't escape this bitch when it's hard
Just know that it passes, but you'll collect scars
They never go away, but they will make you who you are
This is a beautiful struggle, I share it in song cause
Inhale Deep
[Verse 1]
Yo, we all know that life can get hectic
But if you live in the second
You exist in the present
And that's how you stay connected
Through good times and hardships if you learn to just accept it
And know that every struggle in life is there to teach you a lesson
It's times like this that make you
It's always the darkest part of the night right before the sun has its breakthrough
The spirit's there to knock you down, but if you make that the end
You'll never know the beauty of being able to stand up again
And face it with patience
The basis is dealing with judgements and hatred, depressed hopeless feelings
But I've been told that you only create your own ceiling
And life is limitless and knowing this is what the spirit is
Make the Money
This one bangs. As a scientist, I have to hone in on passion because money is not the motivation. This reminds me that its’ not about money, it’s about passion, practice and perseverance.
[Verse 1]
Now, this is my job, I will not quit it
Pulled me out the depths when I thought that I was finished
Yeah I questioned if I could go the distance
That's just the work, regardless of who's listening
Listen, see I was meant to be a warrior
Fight something amongst me, leave here victorious
Classroom of kids, or a venue performing
If I'd done it for the money I'd have been a fucking lawyer
Concrete, vagabond, van telling stories
Humbled by the road, I'm realizing I'm not important
See life's a beautiful struggle, I record it
Hope it helps you maneuvering through yours and
That's why we stay in the lab at night
I've been staring into this pad for over half my life
A true artist won't be satisfied
So I guess that's the sacrifice
And I say[Hook x2]
Make the money, don't let the money make you
Change the game, don't let the game change you
I'll forever remain faithful
All my people stay true, I say
[Verse 2]
See, you keep the issues but you take away the drugs
And I had to find out who I really was
Who I really wasn't
So sick of who I was becoming
Yeah, tired of running
Time to look at the man in the mirror until I can learn to love him
Glorious
The melody, rhythm and words just pack such a punch that I without a doubt, feel glorious. Also - BEST.MUSIC.VIDEO.EVER
[Verse 1]
You know I'm back like I never left
Another sprint, another step
Another day, another breath
Been chasing dreams, but I never slept
I got a new attitude and a lease on life
And some peace of mind
Seek and I find I can sleep when I die
Wanna piece of the pie, grab the keys to the ride
And shit I'm straight
I'm on my wave, I'm on my wave
Get out my wake, I'm running late, what can I say?
I heard you die twice, once when they bury you in the grave
And the second time is the last time that somebody mentions your name
So when I leave here on this earth, did I take more than I gave?
Did I look out for the people or did I do it all for fame?
Legend it's exodus searching for euphoria
Trudging through the mud to find the present, no ignoring us
Got 20, 000 deep off in the street like we some warriors
My mama told me never bow your head, woo![Chorus]
I feel glorious, glorious
Got a chance to start again
I was born for this, born for this
It's who I am, how could I forget?
I made it through the darkest part of the night
And now I see the sunrise
Now I feel glorious, glorious
I feel glorious, glorious[Verse 2]
I'm feeling glorious
The crib looking Victorian (oh yes it is)
You know that we been going in
Since we hopped out that Delorean (Delorean, yeah we win)
En garde, things are just things
They don't make you who you are
Can't pack up a U-Haul and take it with you when you're gone
We posted on the porch, my family's glasses to the stars
My grandma smiling down on me like woo, that boy got bars
Okay, okay, yes I do
I said amen and hallelujah, let me testify too
Another morning, a morning, don't let self get in my way
I got my breath, I got my faith and I remember why I came[Bridge x2]
We gon' be alright, put that on my life
When I open my eyes, hope I see you shine
We're planting a flag they don't understand
The world is up for grabs
Firebreather
Macklemore goes rock? And it works? Should I be shocked? Probably not at this point.
I am thankful it exists because it’s definitely one to get me through my toughest workouts.
[Verse 1]
Turn the block to Woodstock
Retire? Don't think that I could stop
Jet-ski the way I ride the beat
And fuck your wave, I'ma die knowing that I did me
I got some words and I cannot let them die in me
This is arena status
Our bones end up in the ground, does it even matter?
Make some good music, get what you put in
Get out and go and leave the planet
Now what the hell did you think this is?
We're born, we're dying, in-between we live
Love, prosper, hands to the sky, catch a gospel
Roll the dice, nah, I ain't betting on tomorrow
Chain looking like Orion's Belt
Jacket looking something like a lion pelt
Had to take a break and find myself
They put me in a box by myself
The same writers criticizing my rhymes
Are the same writers that gentrifyin' Bed-Stuy
I can't even see the hate, I should probably check my eyes
I got 50,000 phones pointed at me in the sky[Pre-Chorus: Reignwolf]
Between a rock and a hard place
Cold blooded with a stone face
Firebreather, firebreather
Born under a blood moon
But the sun is coming up soon
Firebreather, firebreather
[Verse 2]
What the fuck you think I'm doing it for?
Hungry like it's my rookie year, and I'm new to the sport
The game is tied up, they looking at you in the fourth
Do you take the shot or pass it, this is ten-thousand hours
And I'm working on my Master's, liabilities, and assets
And I'm showing up to practice, shooting early, getting baskets
There's no father to my style, I'm just a freckle-faced bastard
An animal in the jungle, running, hunting with a habit (woo)
Abracadabra that motherfucker is magic
It's '81 and Madonna is on me dancing
I'm sorry momma, I got it, I know I should mind my manners
I'd probably go double-platinum if I could think of an ad-lib
I'm jazz Prince, I rap a lot
I grew up on Scarface, now Brad's my dawg (woo)
Irish goodbye, sayonara and we mobbin'
Put the nail in the coffin, motherfucker, I'm on one
Victory Lap
My other life mantra, “Cause you know you got a whole world to change, But understand who you got to change first". Enough said.
[Verse 1]
And they say, "Don't forget where you come from
Don't die holding on to your words
Cause you know you got a whole world to change
But understand who you got to change first"And I was like "Fuck that", humility bust back
I remember the days with nothing but a bus pass
I was just a little shorty hoping that I could find a bum to buy a 40 for me
And have enough for a bud sack
Yeah, and I dance on that instrumental
Unorthodox like Basquiat with the pencil
Give me a microphone and a beat box I could vent to
Music the only medium that I could find myself through
Recluse, sipping on some lean I would let loose
Looking in the mirror, watching myself lose
Cleaned up in '08, got a job making barely minimum wage
To get into that page
Hit the road with RL, performing in front of 8 people
And that shit will check your ego
About around that time I'm watching that EP go
From nothing to getting us booked around the country
I know no limits, life can change in an instant
8 People turn into sold out shows in a minute
And I'm watching my pops in the back row grinning
With his glass up to my mom, toasting this Guinness[Chorus]
And we on (we on)
Good music, it lies in the ambiance
When we leave here
Will these words live on
Till then, we keep on making the songs[Verse 2]
I remember that Freshman edition
Last year thinking to myself like
Yah, nah, I won't win it yet
Probably won't get it, but I'm gonna give it everything
Play my position
The next 11 months I gave it all everything I had left in me
Left blood, sweat, tears in every god damn city
No label, no deal, no publicist, indie
Just music that connected and fans that rode with me
Throw me a gold mine, and a co-sign
While you're riding a couple dope rides
2 women, both dimes
Not gonna lie, that shit sounds so nice
But I got creative control and my souls mine
I wouldn't trade it, maybe I'm crazy
I put on for my city
Seattle that raised me
Rule 4080, it's really not changing
Now a days make good music, the people are your label[Bridge]
Oh my god, feels like a victory lap
Can I have that moment
Can I talk my shitAnd they say, "Don't forget where you come from
Don't die holding on to your words
Cause you know you got a whole world to change
But understand who you got to change first”
