eternia

So, I rolled with my dude to a recording session in North Philly today. I was going to stay in NYC, and literally 10 minutes before he left to catch the bus we decided I would come along.

I knew the MC he was recording with, who picked us up in Philly. Soon after I found myself in a crib with around 6 dudes I didn’t know, a very busy young mom, and 6 or 7 well-mannered kids ranging from 2 months to 12 years old.

They banged out 3 songs in 3 hours, right in the livingroom with life happening all around ‘em. Any session like that I enjoy. Plus the kids themselves, and the New NBA game they were playing, was added entertainment. I kept fairly quiet and enjoyed playing the cut in a session for once. This rare opportunity is a welcome blessing.

Near the end of the session the MC we both knew mentioned that I rap, and that I could “outspit most dudes, real rap”. The 12-yr-old, who had been quietly playing video games while my dude layed down his vocals, came up to me and whispered,

“What’s your name again?”

“Eternia,” I said, “but you can call me ‘E’ if you like. What’s yours?”

“Jahlil.”

Ten minutes later he came back to me and asked:

“Do you rap with a guy named MoSS?”

I was blown. None of the dudes in the session, minus our MC acquantance, was familiar with my music, and he hadn’t mentioned MoSS. How did this young boy know?!

As it turns out, the charter middle school he attends had a Peace Rally recently, and they featured “To the Future” on the big screen in the assembly in front of hundreds of kids. I was honestly shocked. I have this perception that my music is so independent, the buzz I have is so ‘industry insider and underground hip Hop head’ only, that I know about how far and wide my music reaches, and to whom. But a Peace Rally, at a charter school in Philadelphia? Really?! And a middle school at that, not even a high school?!

I was honestly shocked.

Within the context of my present hiatus, I am also tremendously humbled. Jhalil is a 12-yr-old boy who went to school one day, saw a music video at his assembly, and remembered it enough to … remember me. This is the kind of impact that I want to achieve in my life’s work. This is partially why I’m not interested in rapping right now… I want to utilize my talents in a more hands on, consistent way to plant the seed of social change, as opposed to promoting ‘Eternia’, and in turn a bit of social awareness as a side product to my own artistic narcicism.

I feel. I feel all sorts of things, everyday. I’m a feeler and proud of it. I think that’s partially what makes my music resonate with so many.

Today I feel like God was trying to tell me something through the extremely random and chance encounter with Jahlil.

My ears are open. I’m listening.

To the Future…