As a person who is always asked about my music taste-- because this is mainly how people in my generation connect with one another- people are always surprised by the fact that I am into Rock music. Rock music meaning bands like Bring Me The Horizon, Asking Alexandria and Bad Omens. If you are not familiar with these bands or up to date on your rock let me fill you in. These bands are considered Heavy Metal with moments of screaming and songs that are sung like children’s lullabies.

Since I was in 8th grade, I have been listening to this kind of music. It started with a bored afternoon poking around YouTube. As a child, my parents always told me to listen to Rap or Hip-Hop which did have swearing words and vulgar language so I did. Accidently, I listened to Black Veil Brides’ Knives and Pens ( and have never regretted it.) This song was raw to me and unlike anything I have ever seen. After hours of listening to similar songs, I fell in love with their songs, the lyrics and the community that was built around it. Although, I do not listen to Black Veil Brides anymore, their original songs (pre-2013) are the reasons I fell in love. Black Veil Brides on YouTube is often connected to Asking Alexandria and Bring Me The Horizon.

I kept seeing the same video related to Black Veil Brides music videos which happened to be Asking Alexandria’s The Final Episode. It was an immediate love-- and they happened to be the very first concert I attended in 2016. I still listen to them because their music is real and they have never changed. They are all about being yourself and that is what I love. The band members are close with each other in a familial way and that makes their chemistry all the better.

That is the same with Bring Me The Horizon-- instant love-- from hearing Chelsea Smile. I recently found out about Bad Omens at Asking Alexandria’s 10 Years in the Black tour. Their music made me dance and mouth the words like I have heard the songs 1,000 times before. This and the fact that I connected with the lyrics by hearing them once, made me fall in love with them

I have often been told that I am Black and I should not be listening to this kind of music. That Rock is White people music, but how can music that makes me relax, feel like I am okay and that I belong not be for me because of my race. This does not change the way I feel about the music that I listen to. Everyone has their own individual taste in music and race should have no factor. My taste in music is still developing and I listen to whatever gives me goosebumps and send chills down my spine. I think for anyone who has been told they cannot listen to something-- because of race, gender or anything-- you should because it makes you happy.