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There are few things in life that can offer pure unadulterated joy, few things that can be so crass yet so smooth. So raw, yet so culminating.

Music is a never-ending flow of joy, sorrow, drama, happiness, love, sensuality and any other emotionally-centered choice of word.

This mix of instruments, blended with vocal abilities has guided me through the major part of my life, through thick and thin, through the good and the bad, just by being there, just by relating to how I feel – either through lyrics or musical abilities. It translated my feelings into sound, into voice. I feel it running through my body, touching every extremity, twitching every muscle to its rhythmic tone.

I always get into debates and arguments regarding what ‘real’ music is. Ultimately, and I say this upfront and with no excuse, anything that achieves that joy for you is fine by me – in any case, who am I to judge that? Perhaps due to my experiences with Music and how it has affected me, I have a different opinion on what ‘real’ Music is.

I don’t find repetitive nonrhythmic musical sounds (or electronic for that matter) to be ‘real’ music – because I can’t seem to connect to it, there’s no irrational connection that I have with other forms of music; i.e. Soul/Neo-Soul, Jazz, Acoustic, and sometimes Hip Hop. I can’t stand what can be referred to as ‘commercial’ music – not because popularity is a measurement tool for the quality of music, but what is coming out as commercial music isn’t about music whatsoever, its more about serving basic human instincts – invigorating sexuality, propelling rebellious emotions. It isn’t about talent, it isn’t about blending musical instruments, it isn’t about vocal hymns. That to me is not just anti-Music, but its also devious – the somewhat preying nature of mainstream Music to rid of what is truly a remarkable form of art for something so cheap, so mundane – *sigh* its painful just thinking about it; the constant drone of Rihanna’s ELA ELA AIH AIH haunts my dreams. I’ll keep it at that before I start going on a rant about other forms of Music.

Music is driving down a long strip of road jamming to D’Angelo’s ‘Cruisin’: “Baby let’s cruise, away, from here. Don’t be confused baby, the way is clear.”

Music is Raheem DeVaughn describing the word love “It’s that old four letter word, that i feel when I touch you yeah. Its that old four letter word, that I taste when I kiss you yeah. Its that old four letter word, that I recognize, so familiar.”

Music is being in a doomed relationship and singing along with John Mayer’s “It’s not a silly little moment, It’s not the storm before the calm. This is the deep and dying breath of this love that we’ve been working on….. We’re going down, And you can see it too. We’re going down, And you know that we’re doomed. My dear, We’re slow dancing in a burning room.”

Music is seeing the bigger picture through Lauryn Hill’s (& D’Angelo’s) “Now the skies could fall. Not even if my boss should call. The world it seems so very small. ‘Cause nothing even matters at all”

Music is seeing the pain in the world through Lupe Fiasco’s flow “So through the Grim Reaper sickle sharpening, Macintosh marketing, Oil field augering, Brazilian adolescent disarmament, Israeli occupation, Islamic martyrdom, precise, Yeah, laser guided targeting, Oil for food, water, and terrorist organization harborin, Sand camouflage army men, CCF sponsorin, world conquerin, telephone monitorin, Louis Vuitton modelin, pornographic actress honorin, String theory ponderin, bullimic vomitin, Catholic priest fondlin, pre-emptive bombin and Osama and no bombin them, They breakin in my car again, deforestation and overloggin and , Hennessy and Hypnotic swallowin, hydroponic coughin and, All the world’s ills, sittin on chrome 24-inch wheels”

Music is getting excited and bumping to the beat of Jeezy’s “Everyday we hustlin, everyday we hustlin, everyday we hustlin’”

Music is slow dancing to Michael Buble’s “She may be weary, women do get weary, wearing the same shabby dress – and when she’s weary, try a little tenderness”

Music is getting in touching distance with your childhood when the beat drops and you hear “Here comes the hotstepper, murderer. I’m the lyrical gangster, murderer. Excuse me mister officer, murderer. Still love you like that, murderer”

Music is Maxwell relating completely to your situation “I was reborn, when I was broken. I wouldn’t believe, I couldn’t believe. Been through a storm, no use in hoping, that you would come rescue me, somehow your love set me free….. And I, I can let my life pass me by. Or I can get down and try. Work it out this lifetime. Work it on out this time.”

Music is hearing Prince ask “If I was your girlfriend?” – be confused, then understand it so clearly.

Music is India Arie breaking down racial boundaries by singing “I am not my hair. I am not this skin. I am the soul that lives within”

Music is Jill Scott inviting her lover for a long walk “You’re here, I’m pleased
I really dig your company, your style, your smile, your peace mentality, lord, have mercy on me, I was blind, now I can see, what a king’s supposed to be, baby I feel free, come on and go with me… Let’s take a long walk around the park after dark, find a spot for us to spark conversation, verbal elation, stimulation, share our situations, temptations, education, relaxations
elevations”

…. Music is what emotions sound like.