“The Good life, Let’s Go on a Living Spree. They Say the Best Things in Life are Free.” -Kanye West

When listening to music, do you ever just take a moment to actually understand the lyrics? I mean, actually listen to the lyrics. For example, sometimes I just listen to the music by simply going along with the beat and use the music as a means to tune out my surroundings. By doing this, I unfortunately miss out the music’s underlying message. Music is a piece of art. Like a piece of artwork, music is a masterpiece that has an ultimate message. In order to appreciate music’s beauty, one must not solely listen, but meditate and let the lyrics go into the ears and straight to the heart. There is a reason why most people say that music is their ultimate escape.

You probably will not believe me if I told you that I once read somewhere that among the United State’s population’s IQs, rappers are among the highest. You can form your own opinion for yourself, but I certainly believe it. It all goes back to listening. Do you ever actually listen to rappers lyrics? I mean the words are ingenuous. The lyric’s metaphors, the way the sentences are constructed, the wordplay and the rhyming are just a few examples of what makes rapper’s lyrics so incredible. Now I turn to the aforementioned lyric by Kanye West.

When I am stressed while doing work, I always turn to music. As I plug my headphones in, a sort of ease and solitude overcomes me. It is almost as if music empowers me. Call me crazy, but I certainly am not lying. I can almost feel like all my anxiety is being taken out of me. And I am a pretty anxious person. My anxiety even gives me anxiety. Literally, as the lyrics settle in my mind, my brain circulates and interconnects a maze of messages. Everything will be okay. This is our reality. There is no escaping. Life is not a daydream. Now, be present.

Life really is good. I do not know why we all tend to fixate what is wrong with our lives. Because damn, life is good. I am a firm believer that we tend to think that life isn’t really that peachy because we are afraid to live. We are afraid to be present. We are afraid to notice. We are afraid to become our full potential. In the wise words of Kanye West, it is time to go on a living spree because the best things in life are free. BUT, as ingenuous as these lyrics are I find something wrong with Kanye West’s lyrics. West said: “the best things in life are free,”; however, life is free. So wouldn’t that equate life being the best? How come we never are cognizant to the mere fact that life is free. We all LOVE free stuff. I am ready for a shopping spree. I am ready to start living. Are you?