I woke up today with some motivation to write something. I didn’t know exactly what, but here we are. I actually forgot about the first article I did for this series, so I figured I’d come back to it.
Music has a tendency to give us these beautiful moments that we simply can’t forget. Like the first time you heard your parents play you a Michael Jackson song or the songs that you had downloaded on your first iPod.
It’s those type of moments that always keep us coming back to listen to our favorite artists and even explore into the world of new artists. We are always chasing feelings, whether it’s the feeling of listening to a great song for the first time or the feeling of fulfillment after accomplishing a personal goal.
With our favorite artists, we’ll always remember their old stuff, but whenever they have a new release we still always tune in. That’s what makes music beautiful to me, the ability to let us venture into both past and new worlds simultaneously.
We’ve already discussed some of my previous “perfect music” moments before, but that’s nowhere near all of them. So let’s get into it.
Kanye West – All Of The Lights (Interlude)
This 1:02 sounds like what I would feel love is personified. The piano behind the strings is magical. No matter what time it is in the day, if you hear this song you just want to sit down and enjoy it. Some things don’t need to be so upbeat or hyper. Sometimes in life, especially as we all get older, you just want to chill. This song is perfect for that.
Frank Ocean – Godspeed (0:23 – 1:42)
Man…
It’s crazy to think how one persons voice paired with some instruments can impact millions and millions of people in the world. This song for Frank is his own personal way of getting out his own story and his own feelings.
However, for those millions of people I mentioned before, it’s probably their own safe space to let themselves feel those feelings. The only difference is they tie those feelings to their own personal experiences while using his story as a vessel.
“I let go of my claim on you. It’s a free world”
I’ve always said this, and it is truer than ever now, music is the best when you can relate to it. When you can empathize with the artist to what they are going through. It makes it all that more personal.
Here’s an excerpt from my “Blonde” review on how this album is a learning experience for Frank himself.
“This album is executed wonderfully. It’s creativity in both theme and instrumentals are what separates Frank from the rest of the pack. It’s what makes the world stop at a hint of a release or feature from him.
In a mix of moving on and reminiscing, Frank takes the listener through a journey that has shaped him into the person that he is today. Through all these experiences, song after song, he learns more about himself. And that’s the beauty of this album.“
PARTYNEXTDOOR – WEST DISTRICT (3:58 – 4:24)
It’s not hard to pick this song for this list at all, considering the fact that it is my favorite ever song by Party. I just finished an album review for this guy so I don’t want to go on too much about this record in particular.
However, you must know, that this song is much deeper than it appears on the surface level.
At the beginning, he’s clearly met a girl who he thinks is special, but he’s trying to convince himself that he’s not falling for her.
I try to play numb to shit like this.
But I’m cool, ’cause this isn’t love (Yeah).
We all have obsessions. Sh, sometimes, sometimes”
He’s deflecting his true feelings about this girl, because he’s worried about people looking at him as soft. His pride is not letting him be open about these feeling, despite the fact that he knows deep down he wants her badly.
“Ain’t shit pretty, but my b**** and my mama
Anyone can get the drama”
Which makes the exact moment that I chose in this song matter so much. The change in instrumental, tone and even lyrics represents him finally accepting his feelings and letting them out.
“I’m true to you, I’m true to these words
Baby, get it through to you
How I’m getting through cause I’m concerned, baby
Is it true to you? How’s it feel with me?
This story that you gone make tonight
You gon’ tell that shit for life
I don’t want it just tonight, I want forever”
This is that real art ladies and gentlemen. This is why Party will forever be one of my favorite artists to listen to. I’ll be 49 driving home from dropping my kids off at practice bumping this. Also me saying I wouldn’t go on too much about this song clearly was a lie. When I get going, I get going y’all can’t blame me for that.
Don Toliver – Swangin’ On Westheimer (0:03 – 1:25)
Donny is just one of those guys that no matter what song he makes, it’s going to be something that you can listen to on a late night drive. This song, is just one of them ones. If you can’t feel what I’m feeling about this song, then you have to go to YouTube and type in this song but “slowed”. Thank me later.
J. Cole – Love Yourz (1:47 – 3:04)
No matter what anyone says about Cole, we’ll always this song. A song that could speak to everyone going through any type of struggle. My friend Terrell told me that his dad used say “comparison is the thief of joy.” This song is that quote personified. Because honestly, there’s no such thing as a life that’s better than yours…
“But you ain’t never gon’ be happy ’til you love yours”
Bryson Tiller – The transition between “Intro (Difference)” & “Let ‘Em Know“
Remember what I talked about earlier at the beginning of this article? When I said you will always remember the first time you heard an album that you love. Well I remember the exact feeling I had when I pressed play on “TRAPSOUL” and these were the first two songs that played. And then after all that to get “Exchange”… There’s a reason this man is one of my favorite artists ever.
“Ayy, I say, with me it’s different
Let me show you the difference”
Drake – Polar Opposites (2:40 – 3:57)
When I wrote my article about my top 30 Drake songs of all time, this wasn’t released yet. If I wrote it now, there would be a very high chance that you would see it in the top five.
“Blocked me on everything, that’s so immature, so unprovoked, I
Don’t even know why”
When I’m sitting on the beach in Greece this summer, as the sun is setting, I’ll play this song and just stare into the distance. How can people even think that Drake is not one of the best all time if songs like this exist?
“Sun is setting on the Atlantic, I bet a full moon is gonna show
Wondering what rocks your boat
What keeps your heavy heart afloat”
Kanye West & Kid Cudi (KIDS SEE GHOSTS) – Reborn (4:00 – 5:03)
Man I wish they were still cool. Ye & Cudi have made a lot of good music together, but in my humble opinion, none were better than this one right here.
People sometimes clown on Kid Cudi and his “humming” on the track but you can’t listen to this song and tell me it would hit the same if they weren’t there. There’s some magical production on this song and it all comes together with Cudi. Simple as that.
“Keep movin’ forward, keep movin’ forward
Ain’t no stress on me Lord, I’m movin’ forward”
That concludes the second part of the “perfect music” moments series. There are a lot more moments that I want to talk about, but that’ll be for another time.
As for now, I’ll get back to listening to this new Gunna album so I can write the review soon. It’s crazy what a little free time can do for the mind and its creativity.
This is YSN, until next time, signing out.
