Cloyde Vandenburg
English 101
Professor: Hall
Come into the light
âI was supposed to have you to hold, but you just kept me in the darkâ. Music, a huge influence on society and Serves as a universal language and way to the soul. With just a mere song oneâs mentality can change including their perspective on the world. Chris Brown âHeartbreak on a full moonâ double album is compacted with a wide range of songs; forty-five to be exact and another ten added as the deluxe version âCuffing Seasonâ.
Eight:
Since I was eight years old I have been a Chris brown fan; yes, that includes knowing every song on every album and being super annoyed whenever someone mentions the Rihanna incident. It’s hard being a Chris brown fan, the simple mention of his name causes and immediate debate and the main topic is him being a âwoman beaterâ. No, the past cannot be changed, but he took responsibility for his actions knowing that he would lose big time, yet through all struggles and doubt he raises to the top to reclaim the throne as one of the best entertainers since Michael Jackson. Though he may be one of the best in the industry critics say that is music is lacking. Stated by Vulture author Craig Jenkins; who is reviewing the album says that âChris is better at shatteredâ (Thereâs A Decent Album Hidden in Chris Brownâs Bewildering Heartbreak on a Full Moon; seventh paragraph). By this he means the quality of his music is better when he is expressing his feelings and not about what he is going to do in the bedroom. To cap off the harsh but truthful criticism Craig states that âIâm starting to think he’ll be one of those artists whose classic is their greatest hit collection, who could’ve done so much better if he could only get out of his own wayâ. With this statement, it’s clear that the only person holding Chris brown back is himself, implying that his music could be better. Yes, his controversial life over shadows his music yet instead of talking about the music the conversation is mostly about him constantly being in the courtroom, Stated by Chris himself in his documentary âWelcome to my lifeâ he says âthey should be talking about how I’m the baddest mother f@#$%# on the stage; instead of how I’m the baddest mother f@#$%# in the courtroom (Thereâs Actually a Decent Album HiddenâŚ., third paragraph). It is obvious that the frustration of always being seen in the wrong way can be heard from this statement, but at the end of the day the conversation should be on the music. Even if you’re not a fan, you can’t deny that the man is quite talented, some may say he’s the living legacy of Michael Jackson himself, due to Chris learning from Michael by just watching him on television.
Past:
Ever since I was a kid I’ve loved music, and not only just one genre, or language, it has always been various types of music ranging from: hip hop, trap, soca, Afrosoca, reggae, reggaeton and more. Over the years Iâve always said I don’t listen to music I feel it, what I mean is that instead of just listening to a song; I dissect the song and understand it for more than what it is. The truth is that music got me through many obstacles that life can throw at me, especially Chris Brown’s music. The thing about his music specifically is that I can relate to most of the songs, something I can’t seem to do with other artists. âHeartbreak on a full moonâ; double album released on Halloween of 2017 and the album I feel was made just for me with songs like âTrust Meâ, âparadiseâ âhurt the sameâ, âI love herâ and more are all so relatable and coincidentally me getting dumped a month before the release I think it was made for me. Two songs helped me move on and accept what took place. Those two songs were âParadiseâ and âHurt the sameâ. Two very different yet similar songs, both giving off crazy depressing vibes yet the more you listen to the lyrics the more you understand the words and eventually grow out of the depressing funk, or in my case wake up and move on. Being dumped after two years puts one in that’s unrecognizable to oneself, became someone almost completely different from who I usually am. In a nutshell that was my lowest point ever, with no one to talk to but myself at 2am in the morning the it thing I could do was listen to music and laugh.
Present:
Funny how two songs can change your perspective of everything, never was the type to accept things as it is, always ran away from the truth until there was nowhere left to run. Funny how two songs can make you realize that it is ok to feel the way you do, to feel lost and alone. It is funny, for just two songs to make you feel whole again, that no matter how dark it may get it’ll get better, not immediately but slowly and surely you will. âParadiseâ being the more depressing song with the hook âfell out of paradiseâ was a big reminder of my relationship being that it was a good one in every way, the song takes you to a sunken place only to bring you back towards the beginning of the main rap verse that starts by saying âYea we fell off, you moved on I’m tryna play it offâ hits that soft spot and hype you up at the same time. Even if you aren’t out of that slump by the end of the song there’s âHurt the Sameâ which is a mixture of (I’m over it) and (why am I still feeling like this). Starting strong with âSick and tired of the bullshit you won’t get another chanceâ sets up the and changes the mood completely. It also a reminder of all the dumb decisions made, giving second chances which weren’t deserved, but if I get the chance to do it all over again, well letâs thatâs a story for another time. The songs allow the listener to interpret it in any way they choose, to feel however they choose, like art there is no right answer, it’s only you and the music. Though it may seem that I haven’t changed that may be true but what did change is my approach to every obstacle, with each challenge that is presented to me, I greet it with a smile.
That’s it:
Music, a universal language and way to the soul, with just one song your entire view in life can change the way you approach every obstacle. With two songs, I finally accepted everything I ran from and welcomed each challenge with a smile, all thanks to my favorite music artist Chris brown and his album âHeartbreak on a full moonâ. With the double album being his tenth he proves that no matter what it may be, he will always come back stronger proving why he is one of the best entertainers since Michael Jackson. With two songs from the album âParadiseâ and âHurt the sameâ helped me get out of a slump that would have proven challenging to get out of.
Bibliography:
Jenkins, Craig. âThere’s a Decent Album Hidden in Chris Brown’s Bloated Heartbreak on a Full Moon.â Vulture, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2017, www.vulture.com/2017/11/review-chris-brown-heartbreak-on-a-full-moon.html.
https://youtu.be/S9ccpbsbtvE
https://youtu.be/7uv-ntLL4C4
