are you missing important signs?
“Uh, I'm tryna learn something new
I'm tryna find myself, I'm searching deep for Kendrick Lamar
I read about Napoleon Hill and try to know God
They say he the key to my blessings, and if I speak the good
Into existence, that instant my dreams will unlock
Money flow like water, I'll just wait at the dock
And by the way I'ma start, finding more light to shed
Like a small garage in your backyard.”
“Uh, I'm tryna learn something new
I'm tryna surround myself with people that inspire me
Or at least inquire similar desires
To do what it T-A-K-E just to reach the T-O-P
I'm talking ideas, motivation
It's more than making, enemies”
- Kendrick Lamar
These quotes are from the beginning of a couple of verses from an old Kendrick Lamar song called “Cut You Off (To Grow Closer)” and I’ve bolded the parts that stood out to me as I listened to it today.
Kendrick was only 23 when he released the album that this song is on, so I assume he was 22 or 23 when he wrote the lyrics, and it’s impressive to see where his head was at that time. Not many early twenty-year-olds are reading Napoleon Hill and understanding the message, or realizing that what they put out into the world comes back to them, or consciously surrounding them Selves with people who will make them better.
One of the reasons Kendrick is my favorite artist is because of his lyricism–not only the double, triple, and sometimes quadruple entendres he’s known for, but because of the subject matter he covers in some of his songs. This old song is just an example–by sharing the lessons he’s learned and what he is striving to achieve, he is putting these ideas into the minds of his listeners.
The valuable messages of “Cut You Off” extend beyond the two quotes I’ve highlighted–you can see it even in the title with the (To Grow Closer); the premise of the song is letting go (“cutting off”) of the people in your life who do not help you grow closer to your authentic Self.
Hip-hop has a lot of offensive songs, has controversial topics, and uses derogatory language, but you can also find a lot of songs with positive messages and important lessons embedded in them.
Lessons and clues to discover your own answers are all around us—in music, books, movies, conversations, etc. You just have to be open to receiving them.
See you tomorrow and keep pursuing,
JC
🦅 Some ways I might be able to help you live your authentic life:
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