April 24, 2019. Earl Sweatshirt breaks the stage at the NOVO. After a rollercoaster of genres by his friends, Earl dives into the crowd initiating a mosh pit of death. I’m suddenly engulfed in sweat, fists to my ribs, and elbows to my face. In this entanglement of bodies. However, I smile in reverence as I wonder to myself, “where has this been all my life?”
As he begins his set, I’m transported to a time he brought me out of the hard times:
depression
rage
emptiness.
A time where I listened to him religiously and took everything to heart.
In “Chum” he tells me to
“Get up off the pavement, brush the dirt up off my psyche.”
When
“I’m afraid I’m going to blow it”
Because of pressure by others, I’m reminded to
“Take no advice”
And trust in myself in “Burgundy.”
Whether it be nights I struggle with anxiety and depression or even days riddled with joy, I take Earl’s words to heart and
“Stop whining
It ain’t no problem.”
Photo credit: Christian Park
