Lyrically Speaking-I

"We gotta start with love between ourselves Then we can love one another. Don't point the finger at someone else 'Cause it's up to you to discover That the truth alone can set you free. See, you must pull back the covers. The world is dressed in black and white And the music is the color. 'Cause without the truth We can't be healed And if there's no feeling Then there's no love…” -Steph Jones, "Melody To Snap To" Hatred…racism…sexism…homophobia…Black on Black crime…Klu Klux Klan…Nazis…terrorists…Crips…Bloods…West Coast…East Coast… So many of today’s conflicts exist because of the problems of our ancestors. Throughout history, people have always found ways to separate themselves from the rest of society. Oftentimes, this meant finding “fault” in others as a means to elevate oneself. But, the reality is, one was never truly elevated. It was simply a ritual of passing self-hatred on to others. It’s a shame that in today’s society when one is happy and at peace with life he or she is considered “fake” or “egotistical”. What’s wrong with having high self-esteem? Isn’t that what we’re teaching our little girls? We tell them to find beauty in themselves, but when women do, we say they are “vain” or “conceited”. We tell our little boys to be strong and tough, but when men do, we say they are “cold” and “heartless”. Does anyone else see the problem in this? The problem is, who are we to tell anyone anything when it comes to self-esteem? In American Hustle, Katt Williams said it bluntly: “…It’s called self-esteem! It’s esteem of your [expletive] self…!” So, how come we try so hard to control or label someone else when we cannot be honest with ourselves because that’s where it starts. The key to loving, cherishing, and respecting others starts within. When a person can look into the mirror and smile regardless of the bruises, scars, stretchmarks, or what have you, that person deserves to feel amazing and empowered. And instead of calling them “uppity” or “self-centered”, you should ask, “How can I feel that way about myself?” Despite the urge to like ourselves only enough to appear a certain way to others, we have got to stop hating ourselves altogether. I am 21 years old, 5’4, never weighed more than 115 pounds, and in a size 5 pants (though they’re always too long and have to be cuffed). And I love myself. At times I get bothered by little things my family and peers used to (and still do) tease me about, like what my mother calls my “protruding collarbone”, but for the most part I love myself and I’m getting more and more comfortable with my size (or lack of size). And it’s not just about appearance. I love the person that I’m becoming. I love the songs that I write and sing (despite a family member telling me my voice isn’t strong enough). I love the way my body moves in hip-hop class (despite years of believing I could never tighten up my style). And I abosolutely love my caramel complexion and “chestnut” eyes (despite how often my husband assures me that they’re “brown”). Because I am learning to love and accept myself more everyday, I always seek ways to project that on to others. So, I no longer have a problem telling the lady coming out of the store that she looks beautiful today or letting my muse of the moment know how inspired I am. And don’t even get me started on saying “I love you” or just trying to show appreciation for and make things easier for the people who make my day easier, like the mailman at my job who always brings in our mail even though we have mailboxes outside. Love is not something we should keep. It’s meant to be shared in its appropriate form. And what better way to show love and unity than through music? It’s amazing how a simple melody can unite people. I recently went to Reggae Night with a friend and everyone was just having a great time enjoying the live music. In high school, I told a classmate how much I loved Gavin DeGraw and we bonded. She even told me to make sure I get the edition of his album with the bonus cd! Music just has a way of reaching a deep place inside of us that nothing else can touch. That place is where our truth lies. It’s where the love hides beneath layers of pain we hold onto. Let it go! Let go of the hurt. Ignore the brainwashing of our forefathers. We don’t need to hate ourselves or one another any more. All we need is a melody to snap to… “The world needs a melody to snap to We all need a melody to snap to The world needs a melody to snap to A melody to snap to… The world needs a melody to snap to All we need's a melody to snap to The world needs a melody to snap to Snap to…A melody to snap to…" -Steph Jones, "Melody To Snap To" ***Lyrically Speaking-I Written by: Ccep J. Dew, West Coast Editor as published in eXcape the matriX magazine www.eXcapethematriX.com