I know, I know, you clicked on this blog to check on my mental health and to make sure I’m not high, right?
But before you call the men in the white an with the straight jackets, hear me out for a few minutes … please … I promise, the discussion is at least worth some thought.
For those who don’t know who this Eurycotis floridana (< Good those words, it’s worth a chuckle) presenting person is, here’s a brief synopsis.
Now, let’s get us all up to speed on why he’s been in the news this week with this eloquent gem of a statement.
And now that we’re all caught up, and thoroughly disgusted, let’s talk.
Clearly this young man (and I’m using the term loosely) is “problematic”. In addition to a slew of internet antics and troglodyte like behavior in general, he’s also facing a rape charge. 
But as I sat and unpeeled the layers of him and this situation that bought him to the headlines of CNN (insert face palm for American media), I had this crazy thought:
Kodak Black is Low Key Important!
It pained me to write that just now … I really want y’all to know that. BUT, never fear, let’s suspend our judgment for the sake of conversation for a bit and go down this rabbit hole of this wild ass theory of mine in 4 short bullets.
Let’s unpack it, shall we …
Balance: The world is made of good and evil; pleasure and pain, light and dark. You simply can’t have one without the other. And while he’s clearly not the pinnacle of anything positive, that dichotomy in life is not only omnipresent, but necessary. It’s a concept almost as old as time itself … or at least as old as the first person to figure it out. This man is a living, breathing example of what not to be; how not to act; what not to do. Obama is the yin; Kodak is the yang. And while the world certainly doesn’t need to see such a poor representation of a person of color, I don’t recall him asking us for our permission to be his raggedy ass self. And that brings me to my second point.
He Doesn’t Censor Himself: While I clearly don’t agree with anything he says concerning this situation (or any other situation for that matter), he’s uncensored. Let’s be real for a second. This world has become hyper sensitive. You have to watch EVERYTHING YOU SAY AND DO because of this self-imposed microscope called social media. But that’s not life. In real life, people can be problematic; say bad things, have weird (and sometimes illegal) thoughts and actions. That’s just reality. And because of this we are always censoring ourselves. Shit, I thought twice … three times before I wrote this blog because I didn’t want it to seem as if I was defending his actions or past behavior. But here I am and here you, are so there’s that. But despite my feelings about the energy he puts into the atmosphere, I have to admit that it’s slightly refreshing to see people just being their unapologetic, flawed ass selves in this world of perceived perfection.
Music: His music is clearly touching people. It may not be my cup of tea … and I’m definitely not saying this from the perspective of a person who doesn’t enjoy a good ratchet bop … but his music clearly resonates with someone; somewhere. From my understanding, he talks about struggle, pain, triumph, and love in his music. While it isn’t suitable for my refined musical pallet, it’s clearly doing something for a whole lot of other people. Music is a HUGE part of our lives. It’s been linked to spirituality, mental health, and social movements that have changed the world. Somewhere … apparently a lot of places, there is someone who gets joy out of the bops this man creates. Who am I to begrudge someone of their life’s soundtrack.; something they can find beauty in, despite my perception of a crusty exterior.
Representation Ok, y’all. This one is going to be a little difficult to explain, but I’m going to give it a shot because it makes sense in my mind. This child grew up in the projects; a child of Haitian immigrants. His first mixtape was literally called Project baby. And despite the odds he’s made himself into a successful artist. Now I myself may identify more with an Issa Rae or Lena Waithe, but that’s me. There are plenty of people in this world who have a completely different perspective on life because of their experiences and Kodak’s journey may provide them with the inspiration they need to change their circumstances. Who knows, stranger things have happened. After all, Jay-Z wasn’t always a millionaire philanthropist.
A’ight, y’all, that’s all I have …
It hurt my brain to dig these up, but I think it’s important for us to look at all sides of things and not the popular narrative we’re presented with.
The world is round and offers may views, despite what the flatness of your screen shows you.
Peace, Fam.
Until next time,
Love and Light,
TheLadyWrites
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