My first year here in Sacramento was the year I got married. During that year, each week I wrote and recorded raps. Thanks to regular Skype calls with my friend, English rapper Martin Lavender (aka “Lord Lav”), I had a weekly reason to create something new and send it to him. I have an entire collection of them sitting on my computer, mostly unheard by the rest of the world.
Today I would like to share three raps from that period: “Positively Awesome,” “Life is Beautiful,” and “Carefree.” As their titles suggest, each of them are decidedly upbeat and positive. Enjoy!
“
Positively Awesome”
I’m positively awesome, you got to listen, hopefully
with your mind open to my lines so you can vibe with me,
Not doing all this work and rapping for you on the beat
So you can pass it off as weak, or forget you ever thought of me,
Product of all I’ve seen, mix of many qualities
From frivolity to pain that got me on my knees
Through the flames, through the gains, all of these
Always learning, taking away the best methodologies
Constant study means that I’m improving constantly,
No need for apologies, ambitious personality
I’m looking up, keep raising my mentality,
Overcoming normality is something I’m always down to achieve
Let’s get down to things I’ll skip with the formalities
Got no time to waste I’m aware of my mortality
so I’m sitting in my chair here for hours a week
preparing for my crowd as I am tearing up and down the keys
Doing all that I can with each melody
Learning to multi-task while I advance with all I’m balancing
Playing piano while I’m soaking in the sound of beats
Combining several talents and making something out of these
Now that the audience is sitting down for me
This stage is gonna be lit on fire from all you’re about to see
I’m paying forward gratefully all that’s been handed down to me
The beautiful gift of music from the heavens raining bountifully
“Life is Beautiful”
I wake up in the morning, know exactly who I am
In the beauty of the music I get lost inside this jam
I will never get in my own way again
When I See myself in the mirror now I see a man
I won’t ever drop this stick that has been handed to me
It is my turn to talk and say exactly what I see
So Listen to my message , you do not have to agree
but I will make a difference, as I’m passing on this glee
Life is beautiful there is no more reason to grieve
Things are not as bad as you sometime might perceive
the world is open for you and we’re holding out our hands
you get a standing ovation from up and down the stands
so let your heart expand, let yourself rejoice
you got a choice, it is time to raise your voice
it may not all be sorted, but keep following your course
don’t be disappointed, you are honoring your source
and what’s in store, moving forward, claiming what is yours,
regaining all your force, and banging down all the doors,
no reason to be closed, man, laid in earth and frozen
lost in all your woes, now is the time to open
pain got you a little off track,
but that is all gone now, now you’re all back
Sing to the skies and re-energize
and rise and open up your eyes, don’t you realize that
IIIIIIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
“Care Free”
I’m sitting here gazing on this mystical twig,
Watching newt next to fig, as the roots dig
Below. while the stoney brook soaks,
the horny toad croaks,the boney old oaks that
reach to the sky, the lonely field grows
Its green rye. Watching leaves dry,
angling trees rise Dangling bee hive,
I’m chasing the butterfly, this day undefined,
I’ve got time, I’m playing something divine
Midday the sun is high,The rays stun my mind,
the sun shine rules, the shade protects,
rain water collects where kids play in the pool
Nature’s school, I’m a boy once again,
The trees embrace me as friends,Tom and Huck Finn
just took me for a swim, I’m looking for my grin
But it’s far ahead of me playing with the wind
Enticing me onward, I’m a song bird
hopping about in delightful saunter,
Life’s a wander I don’t think I’ll ever return,
I’m loving the wave from every fern,
gonna be saved by the scent from the earth,
I jump in the game and revel in mirth
for all that I’m worth Not gonna come back
so full of the Lord, I’m a thumbtack
on an outdoor bulletin board loving the pull of the
soaring breeze flowing past me
I know exactly who I am, so no one ask me
to do anything, can’t you see? I’m care free