blog 9

Blog entery number 9

This is on of my favorite song/poem or lyrics; whatever you want to call it. Tell what you guys think of it.

HERE FOR YOU-BY OLIVER HART AKA MICHAEL LARSEN

Were all born into this river without knowing how to swim

And eventually we learn how to keep this water under our chin

Some times this river is so cold to be in

Freezing my soul, solidifying my skin

Regardless of how far I see, I never see my travels in

Were carried by the current, being driven by the wind

The scenery we pass, we'll never see again

So we store it up as memories and don't let go of them

Were under a spell thinking the river should go straight

He said, "(holds?) and desire to control our own fate"

But all the pain we experience as a result of our expectations

Because it's the rivers nature to twist and turn

The shit can burn

And I know it

I have the same conflict

But I try to sit and flow with this rivers natural process

And sometimes when I watch myself float downstream

I see the beauty of it all, and it feels like a dream

And at that time I appreciate the rivers course

Some part of God, reality, momentum, force

I stare up at the naked moon, and she stares down at me

(I'll cite false boundaries and all my powers to see)?

The universe is not something separate from yourself

I know you feel alone, but that's why I'm here to help

I know you feel alone, but just look up at the stars

And everything that is out there is what you really are

We gotta learn to see the beauty in each moment of life

Everyone has different pasts and we're seeking the light

The world is divided between peasants and kings

But the truth is everyone is looking for the same thing

Now I want you to know

The role you play is part of the whole

Without you it couldn't be, and I mean that with compassion

So if you need anything, I mean anything at all

I'm here for you; all you gotta do is ask man

I'm here for you, in the same way that you're here for me

Each person in an intricate piece of infinite

I feel that if you could see what I see

Then we as humanity could be free

I'm here for you, not for any self centered reasons

Because existence is interdependent and all related,

Connected in its different manifestations of one single mind

You ain't isolated from the world even though it feels like that sometimes

I see the hurt when I look into your eyes

How you struggle to hold it and keep in bundled inside

It drives a dull blade deep in my heart; it makes me want to cry

So I offer you a hand to help wash away the rainy skies

I'm running out of words, but I haven't yet made my message clear

So if none of this makes sense, I just want you to know I'm here

As a musician, as a friend, as a teacher, as a student

To grow and realize everything is in constant movement

Each problem that we face is just a part of this movement

It seems helpless, but if we stick together we'll get through it

And return to the essence from which we've been uprooted

And wake humanity from these illusions

The second you can look into the sky and see your own reflection

You know your head is in the right direction

The river riding always moves, but with it I live

And everything is perfect, just the way it is

We gotta learn to see the beauty in each moment of life

Everyone has different pasts and we're seeking the light

The world is divided between peasants and kings

But the truth is everyone is looking for the same thing

Now I want you to know

The role you play is part of the whole

Without you it couldn't be, and I mean that with compassion

So if you need anything, I mean anything at all

I'm here for you; all you gotta do is ask man

I'm here for you; all you gotta do is ask man

I'm here for you; all you gotta do is ask man

essay 3

                                                                                                            Edgar Gonzalez   

                                                                                                            Wed 6pm

                                                                                                           

                                 Michael Larsen (Nov, 9, 1981- Oct 16, 2010)

           

            Michael Larsen, Also known as Oliver hart and Eyedea is a very complex and intelligent poet.  His appearance is mostly a gloomy look with hair consuming half of his facial structure. His distinct style of poetry is what catches my attention. Michael Larsen died in his sleep, found by his mother and later more information was released regarding his death by the police, he overdosed on some sort of opiate due to lack of sleep.  As he said once “…see I don’t write for the future, I write about the future, for the present, i write with my past, about the future for the present. On this I stand...” or the other romance based quote “Miss the companionship I once took for granted, The way you helped me manage, the partnership that vanished, But I don’t expect you to stay chained by the ankle, There’s so much world to see so, fly free my angel I’m dying without you, but it’s teaching me to live Heaven isn’t something someone else can give It’s all inside of me”.  Michael Larsen’s rhymes were generally philosophically or thematically based and continue to influence artists and enthusiasts alike from his inception to the present. Overall, Michael Larsen’s delivery, content, intent/message of and compose his distinct type of music and poetry. (Album First Born (2001) (with DJ Abilities, as Eyedea & Abilities)

           

Michael’s delivery was well executed with a clear tone of voice and perfectly in sync with the music instrumentation.  His vocals were distinct with middle to a high pitched rasp. It is more like an acquired taste for most, but once you surpass the unusual voice, the benefits are outstanding.  As said by a blogger “Eyedea's delivery style was compelling enough to listen to over and over again. His passion itself--that was the "hook" to his poetry. When he rapped, it was the verbal equivalent of 20 massive fists punching holes in the concrete wall between the conscious and the unconscious.”(Blogger Will Conley)

           

When speaking of content, we talk about lyrics, composition, arrangement; instrumentation etc. How well is Michael’s piece of work constructed? His poetry revolves around vast emotions a human being is capable of releasing and or conjuring up. His poetry includes a considerable amount of metaphors.  His music wasn’t only hip-hop, it also consists of blues rock and jazz inspiration. Overall, Michael Larsen’s sharp-tongued lyricism is what helped him advance and achieve his goal as a musician. Recently Michael’s style focused on fusing together elements of rock and rap.  The sound evolved into something more layered and massive than anything in the realm of contemporary hip-hop. Never the less, Michael’s content impacted the hip-hop culture in many ways further expanding its horizons.

           

When we speak of his intent or message; what he is trying to pass to the listener  is quite clear.. As an avid listener towards his music as well as poetry;    he always tries to imply that we as human beings are not truly alone, that we can surpass the mental disease called depression.  In one of his quotes he states “I see the beauty of it all, and it feels like a dream and at that time I appreciate the rivers course some call it god, reality, momentum, the force; I stare up at the naked moon and she stares down at me outside false boundaries and (ill look outward to see?) The universe is not something separate from yourself I know you feel alone, but that’s why I am here to help, I know you feel alone, but just look up at the stars and everything that’s out there is what you really are”. Clearly, he speaks of moving on “following the rivers course” and repeats to the listener not to feel alone as well as to cope and stay strong. As a teen, going through depression; he alone made it so that depression itself never worsened or changed my state of mind when I this disease.  (Album The Many Faces Of Oliver Hart (2001))

            Michael Larsen’s delivery, content and intent/message, are factors that make him an interesting individual as well as poet/rapper/musician. He alone helps others to cope with their vast emotions that are encapsulated in the human brain. In short, Eyedea’s style was ahead of the so called hip-hop scene. Oliver Hart’s support and guidance of conquering depression was upfront and comforting; but the man that spawned these aliases was the ultimate provider of philosophical and ideological thoughts; his name was Michael Larsen. 

           

             

CITATION

Blog: Conley,Will (2010, October 19) “man of manywords” http://manofmanywords.blogspot.com/2010/10/what-eyedea-meant-to-me.html

Music Recording:

Larsen, Michael (2001). Album The Many Faces Of Oliver Hart (2001))

Larsen, Michael (2001).  Album First Born (2001) (with DJ Abilities, as Eyedea & Abilities

fam!!

Family

            My Family is an important factor in my life now. Sadly, it took me a bad experience to realize this simple fact. Family always comes first its part of our six societal institutions with the following of economics, education, religion, government and healthcare. Then why we ask? First because it’s first, second because it is emotionally intense, and third because it lasts a lifetime.  Family tends to always encourage an individual to do good hence, moral support. Without a family one may survive but will no fully reap the rewards/benefits and life learning lessons that one can acquire. Those family members that have committed mistakes in their lives can foretell or even help avoid mistakes they have made in their lives; of course depending on how open you are with the individual can be a factor that defines that exceptional help. Everybody ends up creating a family of their own if not humans; animal pets as well. People are not meant to be alone. In other words people with weak communication amongst their family can be just as bad as not having one. I can say that is true from experience. My family consist of a Mexican heritage yet its not fully enforced on us; we melted in the Chicano culture yet I as individual has been ridiculed as too white or white washed. In all family is the greatest asset that one can have, therefore cherish it because soon you will have one.