Energy Body (Playlist)

It has been a while since I let my energy body be felt more than my physical body.

The human, meaty, flesh suit is wondrous for completing tasks and navigating through this material world. It keeps me safe and protected. It gives me feet to feel grounded upon the floor and hands to hold memories in my palms. It is easy for me to forget how much energy rushes and surges through me and others around me. It is also quite easy to get caught up in seeing each other as characters, rather than these beautiful bodies of energy. When I get too wrapped up in the characters in my head, or the characters my mind forms thanks to what my eyes see, I have to come back to my soul. I have to come back to the essence of my being. The eyes can be deceiving, the brain matter can grasp at straws, but the energy never lies. Energy is never created or destroyed. It is only transformed, transmuted.

When I am steadily calling somebody out by name I remember names can be changed too. The name I thought I was tarnishing is bringing a smile to another one’s face. Most of the problems I face come from a stuck and stagnant perspective. I am quickly learning how to let my emotions run their course because soon enough I know I will return to love.

I compiled a playlist of music that brings me back to my energy body:

Benevolent Flow Issue 2

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Benevolent Flow - February 2020 Issue

$45.00

For all magazine details and additional info refer to blog post linked below:

https://www.benevolentflow.com/blog/bf027

Add to cart

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Chakra colors

Each point of intersection is displayed as a main chakra point; starting at the base root chakra (red), leading up to the crown chakra (purple).

The Root chakra (red) - tackles ones basic needs, sense of security and safety. Rooted in the material world, the root chakra calls for grounding.

The Sacral chakra (orange) - tackles sexual expression/drive, physicality, pleasure. This chakra calls for self respect and social comfort.

The Solar Plexus chakra (yellow) - tackles self esteem, sense of power, determination to accomplish/work. This chakra calls for belief in ones ability and energy.

The Heart chakra (green) - tackles love, understanding, faith, forgiveness. This chakra calls for connecting and opening one’s heart space.

The Throat chakra (blue) - tackles expression, communication, and emotional regulation. This chakra calls for owning, accepting, and allowing one’s truth to flow.

The Third Eye chakra (indigo) - tackles intuition, manifestation, insight. This chakra calls for visualization and detachment from set beliefs.

The Crown chakra (violet) - tackles alignment, transformation, wholeness. This chakra calls for integration of body, mind, and spirit.

benevolent flow Issue 2:

• 116 pages

• gloss cover

• personal writings

• insight on numbers/numerology

• interviews with multiple creatives

Featured creators in magazine

Issue 2 contains extensive interviews with creators about their work, as well as lifestyle. Benevolent Flow wanted to create a more human approach to getting to know creatives, outside of just displaying their work.

1. Blaccmass (@blaccmass) - Produces and makes mixes/mashups of songs

2. Bleached Sun (@bleached_sun/@junosrocket + @shediedthere) - Hip Hop / Rap musicians

3. On The Arm (@onthearmlv/@m_nerdy) - Clothing store / brand

4. @eric.klx - Photographer for artists / shows

5. @lilpancho - Mixed media Illustrator

6. @fourth.hour - Clothing brand

7. @stephdza/@haughtysteph - Portrait Film Photographer

8. @57nico/@57nicooo - Portrait photographer

taken from introduction of magazine:

“It’s easy to post or write about what seems “right”. It’s easy to post the “best” album or talk about current scandals circling artists. However, I want Benevolent Flow to be much more than that. The media is oversaturated with outlets that pin themselves to be correct. That isn’t me. Anything and everything I talk about is an opinion of mine. Music I appreciate, artists I support, advice I extend, are all things I believe in wholeheartedly for one reason or another but I do not impose any of my beliefs on anyone. I do not think that the things I say are fact. In spite of that, I want Benevolent Flow to be an open space for people. I’ve struggled with putting out content in fear of people coming to the conclusion that I believe what I’m writing is the be all end all. It is not. You are here to intake and receive whatever parts of Benevolent Flow resonate with you.

I’ve come to realize that in life everything truly is subjective. I used to argue for days on end about matters and situations I felt that I was in the right in. It isn’t until you completely, ardently disagree with someone that you truly come to understand there are an infinite amount of viewpoints, thoughts, feelings, emotions, and beliefs. There were definitely times in my life where I justifiably (through my own thought process) did things I believed in while others did not feel it was justifiable at all and vice versa. I became aware of every single thing in life being multi-faceted. If I’m able to strongly believe in one thing, another person is able to strongly believe in another. If I’m able to strongly disagree with one thing, another person is able to strongly disagree with something as well. If I feel one way about something, another person is able to feel oppositely. It’s a hard pill to swallow but in my own personal experience, recognizing this became something beautiful. The reason I love art so much is because it can be taken in, interpreted, and felt in a billion different ways. My happy song could be someone else’s sad song. A photograph can bring out emotions in me that the photographer may not have even realized. There’s a beauty in how different our emotions are. With that being said, we’re capable of relating to one another. I continue this journey with Benevolent Flow because at the end of the day, I believe in myself and I believe in others enough to carry on sharing life through connecting. I share parts of myself through this so that those who feel similarly, know that they aren’t alone. For those that don’t feel similarly, a window into the souls of others can help you see a different side of life and even yourself.

When I started this thing I inadvertently branded myself as Benevolent Flow. That was simply because I hadn’t really thought about how far I would take this, or even how much this would start to mean to me. As Benevolent Flow continues to grow, much like with anything else, it starts to extend to further places. It’s no longer a little blog simply showcasing opinions of mine on music. The direction I’ve decided to take with Benevolent Flow allows for it to provide a safe space. The interviews help teach me, can help you learn, and more importantly give each person interviewed an opportunity to tell their story. It’s interesting getting to know the people behind the work. We start to understand things on a completely different and new level when we learn more about a person. That’s why we as humans interact. We thrive off of connections; physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I want to create knowledge of emotions, self, and love through the learning and sharing of experiences.

With that being said…

I AM NOT BENEVOLENT FLOW BUT BENEVOLENT FLOW IS A PART OF ME. BENEVOLENT FLOW IS PARTLY ME, AND PARTLY YOU.”

Camp Flog Gnaw 2019 (Playlist)

Hi,

I know most of you guys came here to see who won the giveaway (winner announced at end of post) but I have something else for you too! Whether you’re going to Camp Flog Gnaw or not, I think there’s something amazing about lineups to festivals. They open your eyes, and ears, up to new artists and people you might have overlooked or simply never heard of. There was a lot of talk over the lineup this year. Most people were dissatisfied due to a lack of major hip hop performing artists. I, for one, was really happy with this lineup. It seems like the perfect lineup for Camp Flog Gnaw honestly. This lineup is full of soulful, alternative, r&b, and pop artists. I know for a fact I’m going to have a great time and be in an amazing mood while listening to these performing artists at CFG (Camp Flog Gnaw) this year. Although I love moshing, and turning up as much as the next person, I appreciate the change of pace this lineup provides to its audience. There are enough, and plenty of other festivals headlining your favorite rap/hip hop musicians.

With that being said, I created a playlist for you guys to listen to, including one of my favorite songs from each artist on the Camp Flog Gnaw 2019 lineup (minus Taco, since he puts together DJ sets. check out his set still though if you’re going, his song selection in on point and he always puts on upcoming artists). I decided to only include 1 song from each artists because I know we have a short attention span and probably wouldn’t get through a playlist with 50+ songs in its entirety. I really want you guys to check out every artist on this lineup so I hope this playlist is easy to digest and fun to listen to.

Every song I chose has a special place in my heart! Aside from being amazing songs, they’re also personal favorites like I said. I did not get to include some of my ALL time favorites from some of the artists due to those songs being on mixtapes/EP’s & not streaming services (like apple music). However, that shouldn’t stop you guys from exploring an artists discography! I put one song from each so you guys can also go out and explore new music from them on your own. One song can’t encompass each of their talent but this playlist is an easy way for you to check out all of these artists!

Check out some artists you haven’t listened to, figure out who you might be interested in seeing perform, pre-game for the carnival with this playlist, or listen to it just because its a dope playlist full of talented people!

Shoutout Daisy & Juto! Be sure to watch their sets at the Carnival!

Camp Flog Gnaw 2019 Lineup

WINNER OF GIVEAWAY

CONGRATS @britt.daley !!!

dm me on instagram @benevolentflow within 24 hours (by 9pm 11/7) to claim your prize and receive details/further instructions. LOVE YOU AND HOPE YOU HAVE AN AMAZING TIME <3 !!

Love Takes Us To Familiar Places (Mix)

The course of events leading up to me posting this go pretty far back so let’s take some time to backtrack. I started this mix months ago, maybe even a year ago. It was a mix outlining how I felt. I wanted to create a series called “this is how i feel pt.1”, “this is how i feel pt.2”, etc. I can’t ever really find fitting titles for things but this one seemed to encompass a lot in a brief way. As I worked on this I started becoming afraid of this mix maybe coming off as too vulnerable. Silly of me, I know. My whole brand emphasizes vulnerability to some extent. The ability to be transparent and show one’s true emotions is something I find power in.

As I got busier with my job, taking on more responsibilities, my creativity seemed to fizzle out and get put on the backburner. I even took a hiatus from working on the magazine, as other priorities flooded my reality. I won’t go into details here on what the past year has thrown at me because I know we all probably had a hectic year and I wanna keep this post short and sweet but I will say I was experiencing a lot of new things. I periodically went back to what I had of this mix, listening to it, and still relating. I didn’t think much of it but I never finished it nor deleted it.

A couple weeks ago I updated the software on my laptop. I lost a couple of files but nothing important. At one point I opened garageband up only to find a handful of those files on there gone as well. Ironically, this mix was one of the few still standing.

I’ve been really overwhelmed with attempting to finish this magazine in a timely manner. I forgot I had an entire blog to release parts of myself without the pressure and permanency of printed text on paper. I spent all year searching for inspiration, chasing it almost. The best things seemed to be there all along, or came effortlessly without the search party. I didn’t have to create with perfection in mind. I just had to create what felt right.

Today I had an unexpected day off of work and decided to finish this mix for myself AND for you guys. I took it’s safekeeping in my laptop as a sign that it was meant to be here. I hope you enjoy it! Im also going to include a piece I wrote that inspired this mix. Stumbling back upon this mix was a testament of love.

love takes us to familiar places

every place, every person, every thing i’ve tried to leave behind came back up in my path. it had me question why god wouldn’t let me move on. reacting out of fear, i kept running. i think i was too afraid to understand he was only trying to show me i was looking past what was right in front of me all along. i constantly tried to look for new ways to grow. i wanted to outgrow the things holding me back. nothing was holding me back but myself. that’s a scary thought. knowing you’re the one who bound yourself to the ground and yet you have no memory of it. i live in a lie most of the time. i shout inspiration in hopes of people believing what i fear i lack. i must admit there are plenty of times where love was nowhere to be found. sometimes people act from hundreds of other places. i needed to accept that. just because there was an explanation or a justification it didn’t mean it was done out of the greatest good. i, too, am still learning. i, too, still make mistakes.

i hurt & i hurt. 

but what i’ve learned recently is that love takes us to familiar places. love always comes back around and love always shows us where it resides. it isn’t always found comfortably resting between the words I and you. much like faith in god, it’s something we must strengthen by noticing the hidden works. it’s something we have to feel, something we can’t force anyone else to understand or believe in. 

Black Box Warning (Playlist)

Hi guys,

Aight so, we’re getting real person here. Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about what music means to me or why art in general means so much to me. As I’m starting to really “find myself” (lol) I’m also coming to recognize that it means so much to me because it’s helped me in so many ways and done a lot for me indirectly.

Before I tell my story, I’m going to preface, I have been on medication for anxiety/depression and insomnia in the past. Im telling you guys all of this because summer of 2017, before I started all of this Benevelont Flow stuff, a girl was really going through it. My parents urged me to try that route. My experience wasn’t the prettiest. When I was first put on medication, I was warned of my medication holding a “black box warning.” A black box warning essentially means the chances of suicidal thoughts could possibly increase.That black box warning held its truth to say the least. I was in a rough place mentally and in all honesty all I had motivation to do was listen to music. I didn’t feel like myself while on medication. I was so spaced out that music was the only thing that I could space into. I was making playlists left and right back then because it was the only thing I wanted to do. I made one playlist in particular during that period of time in my life that I collected over the span of months because they made me feel like I was in a different world. Being on medication made me feel… well, medicated. Maybe it was the depression and medication cocktail going on in my body and brain that completely pulled me out of my world but the only thing that kept me feeling somewhat grounded was listening to music.

I came across my old medication recently while cleaning my room. Upon finding those old bottles, I also decided to go back to a playlist I remembered I had put together during this distinguishable time of mine. It brought up an overabundance of emotions but it also brought up the interesting idea for me to write this post and share my experience through music. Most of these songs I listened to when I was laying in bed all day and night. I listened to them because I didn’t even have to really hone in on the lyrics or anything, they just floated calmly through my earphones. Some of these songs, just remind me of that time in my life. It’s all a foggy mess of a memory but the music takes me back. There are so many playlists of mine hidden under private and this one in particular never saw the light of day because I didn’t know how to explain what it meant to me in simple terms. There’s no real theme or feeling behind this playlist. It’s just easy-listening. I hope you enjoy, and if you take nothing out of the playlist, I hope you see that there are rough patches in our lives sometimes that nothing can really grasp the depth of.

There will be a form below where you’re encouraged and able to share your experiences with me. Share some of your own personal “black box” songs that simply got you through the lowest of low dips in life. I want to allow others to share to show that its not as uncommon as its made to be. I want others to know that their experience, whether pleasant or unpleasant, is something they don’t need to be ashamed of. So please, use this as a safe space to open up. Share this post so that others can have a safe space also.

(Responses may be anonymously shared in next issue of magazine)

Its Not Fall Anymore But Let's Fall In Love (Playlist)

Hi,

I wanted to put something together for you guys to listen to this winter.

I’ve found summer and winter to be some of the hardest times of the year to get through, personally. I’ve had a few difficult, pivotal summers that dimmed the sunshine for me. However, I have tried my best to take every summer since then, for what it is. Winter, on the other hand, has been a rough time for a long time. Most of it started from Christmas’s with argumentative parents. Then, when I was 9 years old my grandma passed away. It was the first death I had ever experienced. I’ll admit I didn’t really know how to process the loss at that age but as the years went by and I observed my families processes, it started to hurt more. My family took the hit hard. My Nana was such a ray of light, warmth, and comfort to the family. My family is full of clashing personalities and characters, all of which she was always able to settle and calm down with love.

My mom losing her own mother was a pain I couldn’t and still am not capable of wrapping my head around. She lost herself for years when she lost her mother. Every winter, we braced ourselves for the solemn December. Crying. Unanswered questions. Anger. Frustration. Hopelessness. In the end though, we always found Strength.

Not only have my winters been tinged with sadness through my own experiences but I believe its come with realizing the year and everything that has occurred within that year, is ending. December rolls around and we reflect on the past 11 months of our lives. The wins, the losses, all of it. I don’t like to reflect on my losses simply because I don’t see them as losses at all. I embrace and thank everything and every moment for entering my life even if it’s for a single second. I relay everything back to love. Even in hurtful or upsetting situations, I’m still reminded of and taught to love. I used to become saddened at the absence of love, forgetting there is never an absence of love at all. I’ve lost loved ones but i’ve also found and strengthened love with others through those losses. & when others aren’t around, I take the time to love myself even more. Falling in love isn’t about kissing and hugging, but sharing and growing. Fall in love with the sun’s warmth on a breezy day. Fall in love with the way your dog greets you at the door. Fall in love with the outfit you picked for the day. Fall in love with your best friends ability to check in on you occasionally. Fall in love with your body allowing you to cry. Fall in love with the coffee shop down the street. Fall in love with the dinner your mom cooked. Fall in love with the people, places, and things you’ve neglected. Fall deeper in love with those you already love. Love is limitless and love is ever-growing.

I always turn to music when my own words can’t express my emotions. So, I put together this playlist to show you what my winter sounds like.

I want you all to know that no matter what you’re feeling or going through, you aren’t alone. Life is beautiful and love is everywhere. Don’t let yourself fall out of love with life. Its not fall anymore but lets fall in love.

Finally, A Travis Scott Related Post (Mix)

Hello Everyone!

I know it’s been a while since i’ve uploaded a blog post on here but i’m back! I took a hiatus to focus on the magazine. I wanna start off by thanking all of you for the amazing support and love you’ve shown me. The feedback I got on the first issue of my magazine was overwhelming.

I had stopped making mixes a while back. If you don’t know why already, the reason was that I was using Garageband and I lowkey felt like if people found out they would bag on me. To be completely honest I didn’t wanna learn a new program either because I was already familiar with Garageband (for the most part). So, I just let the mix phase of mine die out.

I ended up getting my magazine in the hands of an artist I really admire and respect. They flipped through the pages and saw the page I included briefly explaining why I had brought making mixes to a halt. Shockingly enough he told me “You were ashamed of using Garageband? I still use Garageband! I don’t give a f*ck what people say! I took what I knew and perfected it.” Now, that was motivation enough for me because he made a good point and I was even further ashamed for having let the fear of peoples judgement get in the way of doing something I enjoyed.

Since then, I have taken to youtube to learn more about what Garageband is capable of. I’ve also watched walk through videos from multiple producers to pick up some tips.

I typically had centered my previous mixes around certain moods I was feeling at the time. I couldn’t pinpoint any certain emotion when making this mix so I just opted for something I loved. Travis Scott’s music. Now, I didn’t want to make a mix full of songs you all probably have already heard, or hear often, so I went into the Travis Scott archives and dug up some old gems. This blog is all about shining light on the neglected aspects of music and let me tell you, a good majority of these songs are forgotten about and really shouldn’t be! You day 1 ragers probably know this entire tracklist like the back of your hand, but for those of you who are still exploring Travis’s music, I hope you get to take something new out of this mix. Most of his older songs are pretty repetitive, in my opinion, so I tried my best to rework those the most. Whether you know the songs in this mix or not, I hope you enjoy!

ART vs. ARTist vs. PERSON

Let me have some real talk time with you guys. I've held off on this post for a cool minute because I never wanted this blog to be political. However, I feel this is something that isn't discussed as much as it should be. I've had a few conversations with people on this topic but they always ended up getting really argumentative on both ends rather than constructive. I want to extend some of my ideas and thoughts on the whole idea of art vs. artist vs. person though because I feel like people don't really understand the difference, so what better way than this blog?

Ima start off by saying I am not here to say that anyone is right or wrong in the way they think or feel towards artists they listen to, or artists in the media. You can and should listen to whoever you want to. As well as, NOT listen to whoever you choose not to listen to. 

what does Art vs. ARTist. vs. Person even mean?

I used to tell people I think we should separate art from artist, and ill explain why in the next subheading, but there's another level to this that I think people have neglected looking at, myself included. Let me try to break this down simply. Artists create art. Thats easy to understand. Plain and simple. But where does everything else come in? Where do all the life choices, the mental illnesses, the personalities, the interactions, the political views, etc fall under? Are they a part of the ART, ARTist, or PERSON. 

 I can choose to paint a picture of someone being murdered. I (as a PERSON) am going to paint (as an ARTist) a picture of someone being murdered (the art)

1) Does that choice (as an artist) make me a murderer (as a person)? 2) Am I a bad person for painting that? 3) Is someone bad for appreciating the skills of the painting itself (the art)? 3a) What if the painting (the art) isn't even skillfully painted? 4) Is someone stupid for still liking it (the art) even if its not skillfully painted (by the artist)  5) Am I a fake artist because I painted something i've never experienced or done?

1- As an artist I created art from the perspective of a murderer. As a person, no i'm not a murderer for that.

2- All I did was paint it. As an artist, I painted it. So no, i'm not bad person for painting that.

3- The painting was beautifully painted. The colors, the textures, the brushstrokes, the depth, the detail, were all well executed. Thats undeniable. So no, someone is not bad for appreciating the skills of the painting itself.

a) It doesn't have to be skillfully painted. I wanted to paint it and I may not be good at it but I still wanted to do it, so I did. 

4- People can like my painting even if i suck at painting. Different strokes for different folks. One mans trash is another mans treasure. Sometimes we relate to chaos because we too, are chaotic. Sometimes we like things for no good reason, so no they're not stupid for still liking it.

5- Being an artist doesn't always mean your art is a part of you. As an artist, I want to show people how real things can be. Even if i haven't done/experienced it, as a person, i'm not naive to it. So no, i'm not a fake artist because I painted something i've never experienced or done before. 

Each question and answer shows how easily we can confuse all three: art, artist and person.

Should we separate an artist from their art?

Separation of art and artist comes down to being able to differentiate talent and personal liking. The separation of art and artist is being able to accept that 1) ARTISTS are creatives and 2) Art is completely and utterly subjective. 

Oftentimes, we're set on the idea that artists need to remain the same to be a good artist. That they have to upkeep a certain image, or stick to a certain vibe. It's unsettling and confusing for us to watch artists making constant shifts in styles. However, that is one of the beauties of art. It CAN always change, and it does. Some art can be horrible to one person, but life-changing for another. I think that we can like artists as a whole, or we can like some of the art that an artist puts out. I also think we can not like an artist as a whole, but still like some of the art they put out. I respect Kendrick Lamar as an artist, but I don't like his art. I'm not particularly fond of his music. So there I make a separation of Kendrick as an artist and Kendricks art. I don't disregard Kendricks musical accomplishments or his influence simply because his art doesn't hit home for me. I shouldn't say I don't like Kendrick Lamar if I simply don't like Kendrick Lamars music. 

I love Travis Scott as an artist. I love the way he dresses, I love his shows, his performances, his vibe. Travis Scott as an ARTIST is a songwriter, singer, rapper, and producer. But do I always love his rapping? No. Do I always think he has the best songwriting? No. Do I think every song is good? No. I understand each piece of his art he puts out, isn't everything he is as an artist.

Should we separate an artist from a person?

I do think we need to take a step back and really look at how we differentiate an artist from a person. I had been thinking about this for a couple of months now. Mostly around the time 6ix9ine started gaining traction in the music industry. His entire presence was automatically overshadowed by the drama stirred up around him over the accusations of sexual misconduct. Im not really going to get into that too deeply, for multiple reasons. One being, I honestly don't know all the facts around it. That being said, Im not going to speak on it as if I know what did happen, what didn't happen, who did what, who didn't do what, etc. Another reason being I want to show that his choices as a person don't directly relate to music he's making as an artist. 

My bf was always singing GUMMO and I just took it as a joke all the time, didn't take it seriously at all. Then I took the time to actually listen to his music on my own because I pretty much do that with all music. I'm not even gonna lie I actually sorta liked it hahaha but I didn't even understand why. At the time, I wasn't keeping up with any media news at all so I didn't really know about all the legal stuff going on with him. But, for some reason this guys rainbow hair, 69 plastered, loud self really didn't allow me to take him or his music seriously, aside from having a guilty pleasure for it. Within time, it was undoubtedly taboo to like 6ix9nine BECAUSE of all the criminal charges. So for a cool minute I denied myself any enjoyment of his music. However, it really got me thinking. It was such a huge deal. Everyone was talking about him, hating his every move, just slandering him to the ground. It confused me how his numbers were doing so incredibly well, despite everyone claiming and refusing to listen to anything he put out, so as to not support "a person like him". I slowly started admitting to my secret liking of his music to people. And to my surprise... I soon began having people admit the same thing to me because I was open about how I felt instead of slandering him. Arguing or discussing this topic with people rubs them the wrong way. I've been seen as this "bad" person for supporting a "bad" person. When, enjoying someones music in general has no attachment to any feelings towards the person themselves. Simply put, his numbers are doing well because people support the artist more than the person. However, people are denying it because they think supporting the art = supporting the artist = supporting the person. Which isn't true. Art and artist do go hand in hand. And the artist IS the person. But the person isnt ONLY an artist. Supporting an artist can end at that. Supporting the art they're putting out. 

The only way I was able to get people to sort of see where I was coming from was by presenting other artists/performers who had been accused/charged of things. Because, let me tell you... there are PLENTY of other people who have done wrong, and their wrongs are or have been overlooked. A friend of mine, Cash (@cashionout - instagram) put it into perspective really well with some of peoples favorites right now.

Although Chris Brown took a lot of hate for what he did years back, people have now looked past it in relation to his art. Many people still refuse to support Chris Brown in any way (both as an artist and as a person) but a good majority have admit he is undoubtedly a talented performer and artist. As a person, he isn't supported, but as an artist, he is. Tay K, is something more current. People LOVE him. Theres a #FreeTayK movement! As an artist, people support him, because they love his music. However as a person, people are split on the support. I think audiences too loosely gauge when artists are "really guilty" or not. Because in reality it isn't whether the artist is guilty or not, it's whether the person is guilty or not. The artist just puts out music. I started to pay a lot more attention to the different scenarios pointing to a similar theme... separation of art, artist, and person. Here are a couple more tweets I thought really painted a good picture (no pun intended):

This argument was a perfect example. I believe there was a painting of Bush's going around on twitter and I took a peek at the responses and there was this conversation above. From what I remember it was a REALLY beautiful painting. I decided to look more into Bush's paintings out of curiosity and I found out more than I expected. Aside from enjoying painting, he had apparently put out a book of stories and portraits he painted. The book is titled "Portraits of Courage", and honors 66 military veterans alongside their portraits. People are able to appreciate his paintings, aside from actions he took as president. Bush wasn't just an artist, but neither was he just a president. People are so quick to shut down actual talent and art because of lack of separation. This whole idea saddens me actually because art is being discredited before even first being RECOGNIZED as art. Talent is getting overlooked because we're letting human mistakes overshadow art independently. 

Luka Sabbat (@whoisluka - twitter) made another interesting statement. When the question "is it wrong to support the work of problematic artists?" was begged, Luka used it to start up a really interesting conversation about supporting art without supporting the artist behind it. We're putting a halt to artistic growth in our society because we aren't able to look at art for what it is. We pick, choose, and gauge when its acceptable for us to draw the line. And rightfully so, we get to decide what we listen to. Which is exactly the point. I think choosing to view, listen to, like, dislike, etc, is all a right we have in regards to art itself. Aside from the artists as a whole. Or the people themselves. It runs full circle, even in my personal life. I always try to keep in mind that im no saint. Nor have I always made the best or "right" decisions in life. I can probably have people attest for huge mistakes i've made in my life. But I believe that's life. & if everyone had shut me and my ideas out because of those things, it'd really be upsetting. There are people out there, you, reading what I have to say. Thats a privilege for me to have people willing to listen. Now, although i'd understand if for some reason a person decided to say "i don't like Sofia, so i'm not going to like her blog, despite enjoying what she writes" it just isn't logical. Nor would it be logical for people to expect me to stop exercising my right to express myself however I want on this blog, just because they don't like me or agree with me on a personal level. 

Ye

I hate to get fake deep but a good majority of artists, USE their art simply as expression. Artists oftentimes use their art as a way to deal with certain emotions or feelings, so suggesting an artist shouldn't have that privilege, is concerning. 

Kanyes 'Ye' dropped a few days ago and there were a lot of split responses. I knew that there would be controversy over this album for the fact that theres been a lot of controversy circling around Kanye since he came back to social media. He's written many bold tweets, he's said some concerning statements publicly. I knew there would be a divide between those willing to even listen to this album (and person), and those denying any support of this album (and person). Personally, I think the album was good. Despite being a longtime fan of Kanye and despite how I feel about the things he's said, the album was something I enjoyed. Kanye as an artist, I support. I think as an artist he's really pushed boundaries and implored other artists to explore and express different things and ideas within their art. Kanyes art ('Ye') is also something I support, because I think it's a really beautifully raw album. I think the simplicity of it allows the listener to hone in on their own feelings. I think Kanye as a person made a positive choice in using his platform as an artist to make music others can relate to. I think Kanye as a person also made a positive choice in using his art as something to help him as a person. I think as a PERSON there's a lot to say about him. But there is also a lot to say about him as an ARTIST.

In conclusion, take everything in for what it is. Don't overcomplicate art. Like what you like, dislike what you dislike. Do you boo! Like I said, I'm not here to differentiate right from wrong. I just want people to have more of an open mind when it comes to art itself. I also want people to feel comfortable and okay with making art and appreciating it. 

- Sof 

TESTING - Causing Controversy

ima start off by saying i really like this album. now, before you start arguing with me in your head, hear me out haha. I had tweeted that I think this album might be Rocky's '808s & heartbreak' and whewwww y'all came for me. let me just say, im not directly comparing the two ALBUMS. im comparing the situations. when 808's dropped everyone hated it. it was nothing like what Kanye had previously put out. People thought 808's was "boring" and "weird". fast forward to now and we recognize 808's and Heartbreak as a CLASSIC, an album that really shifted music from that point forward. maybe not right away, but we listen to music today and any "banger" without heavy 808's slapped on, isn't a "banger". not only that but just the entire sound of hip hop took a shift because we were introduced to a different sound. 

artists drop albums that establish themselves and bring them traction into the industry. once artists have an actual outlet and audience, they’re able to put out projects & still have listeners regardless. sure, we may view some of these projects as "lazy" moments where music is put out without thought. but, we have to shift our perspectives of artists and music when we get into new songs, ep’s or albums. artists create ART. without labels, just art. when we break it down to something that simple we are able to listen with fresh ears. 

oftentimes we go into it expecting a similar sound to an artists older work. however, how do we expect music to grow and evolve if the same artists are constantly putting out the same sounding music? not only that, but lets bring up the fact that when an artist DOES have a consistent sound, people complain about the artist remaining stagnant in their art. artists need to evolve. artists WANT to evolve. putting out the same thing over and over is what will ultimately be the death of an artist. artists can feel themselves lacking when they are not able to put out different things. in turn, audiences also feel artists are lacking when they don't put out new things, so they move on to newer artists putting new content out. 

we've seen and continue to see this with a ton of other artists. when Tyler the Creator put out cherry bomb, everyone hated it. a good amount of people still do. but when you really take the time to understand what Tyler was doing with Cherry Bomb, you come to respect it. I had listened to a Tyler interview where he explained he went into creating the album just "wanting to make music." He said, “everyone hated it. Except for, like, real music lovers who cares about drums. Like, I opened a rap album with a rock song.” Tylers 'Flower Boy' was also controversial. people loved it. but no one expected it. Tyler, as an artist, knew he wanted to put out something different, and he did. now lets take a look at Travis Scott. his fans are getting tired of the same huncho jack/birds sound he's had. his features are considered lackluster because they all sound similar. so now we have fans waiting for his album Astroworld, gunning for something different than what we’ve been getting from him. he releases the same type of music, fans will be enraged. he releases something different, fans who love his current stuff will be enraged at the difference.

so i beg the question, at what point do we stop comparing the art these artists are putting out? we’ve stopped taking the music simply for what it is. artists feel proud of what they put out. Rocky specified this album was “experimental”. he literally titled the album TESTING. this is certainly not something Rocky feels will sit beautifully with every audience, BUT he’s confident in it enough for us to appreciate it. the album has a consistent vibe but the songs don’t all sound like the same song. this album is really beautiful in my opinion. i’m not saying its album of the year but i definitely think it’s good. 

LISTEN UP

hello!! 

let me take a moment to start off saying, this blog is a part of me. however, as much as its a huge part of me, i have always wanted to keep it up to spread new things to others. as time passed and my creative blocks stood at the forefront, i made a big realization. basically, this blog started off as a music blog as you all may know. but what a lot of you might NOT know is that that was never the initial intention. I wanted an all around blog. something for everything. now that was really ambitious to tackle on head first, so i gravitated around music because i feel like a lot of my inspiration and influence stems from music. i wanted this to be a safe space for all creatives and artists, i just chose to start off with music. i wanted to include photography, clothing pieces, music, drawings, paintings, EVERYTHING. I honestly have been so stuck with this blog, no lie, but i couldn't figure out why. its apparent now that i need to just put out content that doesn't fit into a box. i don't wanna force myself to feel like i need to solely put out content i think others WANT.  so heres me apologizing for not being as transparent as i really wanted to be on this blog. im going to start. i know this should have been the intent from the start but we all gotta start somewhere right? 

a bit of an explanation on whats been going on:

- not much honestly hahaha

but really. in the past few months the only real changes i've been dealing with are working full time and having a full time bf simultaneously hahahahah. i was working two jobs up until last week, meaning i was working 7 days with a 1-2 hour daily commute tackled on. so... i didnt have much time to myself to say the least but now i have two days off. which is a huge weight off my shoulders because i not only have time to accomplish the bigger things i had been putting off, but even the small little things that have built up over time. 

this post is all over the place but basically what im trying to say is this will still be the blog you know and love, but my heart will be in it more now. i hope you can enjoy it just as much <3 The next couple of posts will be actual topics, and themes and everything but to keep this light i thought id shoot y'all this playlist that i was talking about on my twitter hahaha honestly theres not much to it, and if you don't like this kind of music then you'll prob think i'm lame but i don't care this playlist makes me feel great. ima make it a mix eventually btw.

He's Back: Johnny Rain (Playlist)

JOHNNY RAIN

My first year of highschool was a whirlwind of experiences and discoveries. Most of them were from finally feeling emotions like like, love, and lust. Highschool throws you into the deep end of relationships pretty quickly. Its almost as if you from one year to the next, you SHOULD know what romantic feelings should feel like. In that year alone i think i might've overwhelmed myself emotionally in terms of these kinds of feelings. Its funny though because right before entering highschool, i discovered JOHNNY RAIN. I was a huge The Weeknd fan at the time and became enveloped in alternative r&b. The weeknd was one of the first with the sound at the time and i had a craving for more. In turn, i was constantly searching for similar music & stumbled upon JOHNNY RAIN on youtube. He was this mysterious guy who i couldn't find anywhere except on youtube. When i tell you i was OBSESSED with his music, i mean it. I remember hearing him for the first time and literally running to my brother telling him "listen to this, this guys the next big thing, trust me on it." His music was so different, and so beautifully raw. Incredibly raw. His music actually, made me feel and understand love/heartbreak on a different level. Yes, even at such a young age. This is what i mean when i tell you, his music is something special. Its transparent and you can feel every single emotion and word he says. Most of his songs are around 5-7 minutes but they don't even feel that long because of how well they're layered. His music is almost effortless to listen to, while still keeping you engaged in a way i can't even really describe. Aside from being raw on an emotional level, his music is also pretty raw sexually. It's weird, and it may be TMI, but his songs "Cold Water", "Porn In My Rearview", and "P.U.S.S.Y", and "Head" (yes, very suggestive titles) were the first songs EVER to get me in a lovemaking headspace. I say lovemaking and not sex because if you listen to these songs, they're pretty damn vulgar but not in an off-putting way. They just straight up seem like songs this guy wrote about sex with someone he really had feelings for. Its so smooth, but so ... real. I think to be able to make EXTREMELY sexually FORWARD songs like he does, without sounding gross, tacky, or unsophisticated, is talent. Aside from those types of songs, he also was able to make one of my favorite crying songs. "The Gray Room", 'Nightmares" and "Mary's Song" were honestly songs i would put on to cry to. Thats all. If i wanted to FEEL, these were the songs i actively turned to. Anytime i listen to these now, i just have vivid memories of my younger self crying. I'm able to appreciate these songs on a much deeper level now that i've experienced a lot more in life than my 12/13 year old self. But the fact that he was capable of pulling out emotions inside of me that i didn't even fully comprehend at the time, makes him an incredible artist. His choice of words is alluring, and hes aware of what sounds to pair with his voice. 

To my dismay, JOHNNY RAIN nearly went on a 2 year hiatus around 2015. I seriously scoured the internet these past two years for new music form him. He keeps his social media presence at THE BARE MINIMUM, so none of that was aiding in finding out where he went or what he was doing. I thought he fell of the face of the earth and gave up music because there were really NO traces of him. Zero tweets, zero instagram posts, zero further youtube uploads. However, he finally resurfaced with 2 new songs: "Seventeen" & "Peach".

Let me just say... OH MY GOD I REMEMBER WHY I WAS IN LOVE WITH THIS ARTIST. THESE TWO SONGS ARE SO INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL. I WANT TO LISTEN TO THESE SONGS NON-STOP. If you still aren't convinced enough to give him a listen, the best comparison to other artists i can give are Frank Ocean and The Weeknd. Yes, I said it. His sound is a mix of both artists, as well as his own apparent style. His two new songs make me feel like im in love (which i am hahaha). They also make me feel like its summertime, on the beach, with my bf. Which, is exactly what i wanna feel. "Peach" especially, has such a summer vibe to it. For some reason it reminds me a lot of how i felt last summer. "Seventeen" isn't as upbeat as "Peach" but its so lovely. Its the song you listen to and think "yup, this is what my first love felt like." I think thats what he was honestly going for given, its titled "Seventeen" in reference to being 17 years old. With that being said, while the song is beautiful, it also incites some emotional nostalgia for me because when i was 17 i was GOING THROUGH IT. 

Anyways, ive made a playlist of the songs i mentioned in this post in case you want to listen (which i suggest you do), as well as my all time favorite song by him ("Oakland Ting/ 808 and Patron") Just listen to it, im not gonna explain why its my favorite haha. I'll also have his two new songs linked below <3

I know this post was lengthy. It honestly ended up being a lot longer than i expected but i just wanna close this off by letting yall know i wrote this because i feel like this artist deserves so much. Ive been a day one fan and i want you guys to be able to feel what i feel from his music, but in your own way. 

click here to listen to johnny rains new songs "Peach" and "Seventeen"

No Vacancy (A playlist by Koren)

My friends and I are always sharing music with each other. They all have such beautiful, and diverse tastes. One night, I was on rabb.it (its pretty much a streaming service/site/app that allows you to share a screen with multiple people and watch/listen to the same thing at the same time) ((I highly recommend rabb.it for online hangouts with your friends)) with my friend Koren. He started to play music and I honestly was so captivated by his music choice. I knew he always had good taste but I had never seen this side of his music taste, in depth like this. So, I asked him if he'd put together a playlist for the blog. I really appreciate his music taste so I figure you guys will too. This playlist is so chill and dope. I love it. Every song has such a smooth, clean sound. 

I asked Koren if he wanted to write anything regarding his playlist, he said he just wanted to say "the playlist is dedicated to Uriel" <3

Aside from his amazing taste in music, Koren's just a talented guy all around.

He makes music, and is also super good with graphic design stuff. He actually has helped me out a ton with this blog, from posting for me when I couldn't, to creating the site layout itself, to just constantly supporting any content posted. 

If you need any beats, or artwork done for something please please hit him up. You wont be disappointed (He did the artwork for this playlist). I'll link his @ so you guys can hit him up if you ever need anything. 
 

Korens Twitter: @beatsbykoren

FLOW Awards 2017 Results

Hello everyone! For starters, happy new years!! I hope everyones holidays went beautifully and you were all able to spend it with loved ones. 
My last post on here was for the Flow Awards and its been a little under a month since that was posted. I know I didn't put out any reminders on twitter, instagram, or snapchat for the voting. My apologies. Im still figuring out all the logistics of this awards thing haha so I didn't know how long I wanted to keep voting up for or how long I should wait before posting the results. I'll definitely have things run smoother the next time around, just bear with me. I had a TON of fun with this. Everything from curating the list, to seeing the actual results from all of you. I hope you guys found enjoyment out of this too! Anyways, Im gonna shut up now and just let ya'll know the results <3

Songs To Break Up To: Lost Boy - Jaden Smith

Falling In Luv With You: Loving Is Easy - Rex Orange County

Projects Worth A Full Listen: In Tongues - Joji

Under The Sheets: West District - PARTYNEXTDOOR

Beauties: Tyrant - Kali Uchis

Best Verse On A Song That Wasn't Theirs: Travis Scott on Lens - by Frank Ocean

Something Different: 715 – CRΣΣKS - Bon Iver

You Already Know: Butterfly Effect - Travis Scott

AND THE ONE TIE!!!!

Best Ad Libs: 1) Pull Up On A Kid - Young Thug ft. Yak Gotti  2) New Freezer - Rich The Kid

FLOW Awards

Hi guys!

I know it's been a cool minute since i've posted on here, and the last post was a bit loaded. So, I decided to do something fun and exciting! When this years Grammy nominations went out I had various conversations with people about the nominees and whatnot. A lot of people had their opinions on the choices on this list of nominees (or lack thereof, rather). Many opinions in which I agreed with. As conversations continued, we started giving our own input on who should have been on that list, and what songs/albums should have been included. It was suggested I do my own take on this years Grammy nominations. The logistics behind the Grammys are a bit difficult to understand. Essentially, the nominees have to submit their work, and the time frame isn't just in the current year, but the end of the previous year as well. Which, actually makes a lot of sense as to why a lot of music is left off of these nominations. So instead of getting technical with nominees like the Grammy's, I decided to do my own take on music awards in general. I think there's a ton of music out there that deserves recognition not just solely based off of popularity, sales, or numbers. So I, along with a couple of friends, put together some pretty cool categories and narrowed down fitting nominees. Theres no strict rules on this, and its all opinion based (of course). I know i'll probably get my own backlash on which songs/projects are on here, but I have reasoning behind each and every one. I tried to stray away from super mainstream works just because I feel spreading new music and opening up peoples eyes to different things is more of a feat. However, a lot of these songs HAVE gotten the recognition they deserve, which also means they deserve spots too in my opinion. Like I said, there's no real rhyme or reason behind these nominations. Except for feeling they're the best fitting for the categories we constructed. THE FUN PART OF ALL OF THIS?? Well for starters, I want to keep you all engaged so of course WE'RE DOING VOTING. I really want to see what your opinions are. If you haven't heard of some of these nominees, I encourage you to listen to them!! We have them on here, like I said, for good reason. I'll have every single song in a playlist to make it easier for you guys to listen to any music you're unfamiliar with. Please, take some time and VOTE AWAY! 

This one was done collectively of pretty much the past couple of years. However, I will be doing these quarterly! So every season (summer, spring, fall, winter) from this point forward. And those will be made up of music ONLY within those 3-4 months. I'll also have a suggestion box for other categories you wanna see in upcoming awards! Once again, I want this to be something YOU all can take something out of and really enjoy and look forward to. So, I want to know what you guys want to see in the future!  

VOTE HERE

E L Y K (Mix)

Love: A work In Progress (Playlist)

Hi guys!

So, in all honesty, when its come to this blog lately, i've had a bit of a "creative block" in a sense. But, instead of having a lack of ideas, its more-so an overflow of ideas. It'll make more sense as to why after I explain a few things.

Before I started this blog, I was battling my own "inner demons." I had hit my low. This bout with depression really overcame me. I was entirely unhappy. As melodramatic as it sounds, it's the truth. I felt true, genuine sadness and unhappiness with who I was and where I was in life. I really had no sense of self. & i'll say, if you've felt this, you know how altering it can be to everything you've ever felt was real before. I was pretty much always sad. It started becoming familiar. The feeling of sadness became something I was accepting and coming to terms with. I wasn't continuing to deny the obvious elephant in the room (which was my depression). I wasn't fighting it anymore. I wasn't looking for a way out, because I found one without even consciously realizing at first. All I wanted at this point was to feel sure of myself, and only myself.

I had convinced myself completely that the life I had wasn't real in order to subconsciously cope with my depression. I was convinced life wasn't real. That nothing and no one actually existed. Everything and every one around me was just some figment of my imagination. Everything in this world, I created. It was sort of a paradoxical mindset given, despite being incredibly reckless & not caring about anyone around me, I took a lot of new risks in my life. Risks i'll never regret taking because I am in a much better place in my life right now. & I wouldn't be here had I not stepped outside of my fear to face the unknown. I did have to find my personal balance though because being in that state of mind was also very toxic. But I think sometimes we have to recognize life as our own personal storybooks. The "Crybaby Mix 1" was pretty much a mix encompassing what I felt at the start of my journey. That mix came effortlessly for me because my emotions and feelings were distinct for me and all the songs I compiled really resonated with those tangible emotions."Helianthus", the first playlist I posted on this blog, also came easy for me because of how in tune I had already become with that sadness (which stemmed from my quest for self expression and love). So if you go back and listen, it has a sad but almost... excited feeling to it. I was excited by all the new risks in my life I was taking and WHERE they were taking me. However, as I said, I was centered in and by sadness. 

Now let me get back to my "creative block", as I mentioned at the beginning of this post. My "love: a short story" playlist, showcases how I started feeling lately: Happy. That playlist doesn't project contentment though. Instead, it exudes excitement of potential. And in all honesty thats a less embarrassing way of saying "still feeling pretty damn unsure about love and who I am". I didn't love myself enough to think I was enough for myself so I searched for any form of love others were willing to give me. How pathetic of me to title it "love: a short story" so as to trivialize love. Anyways, after that playlist is when the "creative block" struck me. It wasn't the happiness that was unfamiliar to me. No, i've been happy before. It was fulfillment that felt unfamiliar to me. Shortly after that playlist things significantly changed in my life. Overall. My family life, work life, love life, everything. THIS playlist, "love: a work in progress" was harder for me to put together because of how unfamiliar the feeling of fulfillment is for me (which leads back to my "creative block" being here because i'm still getting used to not just centering myself and finding balance in sadness, but different emotions instead. And its overwhelming having more than just downcast thoughts). I wanted to make a playlist that showed the other, not so cynical side of love. It is essentially the sequel to "love: a short story". It radiates... calmness. Something, the short story didn't really ever accomplish since it describes both the chase for love and the cease of love, rather than the actual feeling of love. A work in progress means acceptance of growth. This overwhelming feeling of love i've recently felt comes from more than just others. It comes significantly from within myself, to myself. I finally feel sure of myself as a person, enough to sincerely feel and express the whole concept of love. I guess the cliche "you cant love anyone else unless you love yourself first" actually holds complete truth. I'd like to describe this accomplishment as... fulfillment. Fulfillment is so much more... filling. Something that means more to me than just happiness alone. With that being said, "love: a work in progress" is what love and happiness and gratitude feel like for me. These songs were so impactful to me & all have a purpose to this ever-growing "story". So I hope you enjoy, & thank you for taking the time to read this super duper long sappy post.

(also shoutout to those that truly showed me this life IS real & is pretty damn beautiful. You know who you are. I can't and will never be able to thank you enough for helping me see the things I couldn't see in both myself, and life. The past few months could easily have been the worst couple months of my life but they somehow managed to be incredibly eye opening and truly, truly beautiful. Ones that i'll never ever forget)

---

Instrumentals (Playlist)

Hi!

So I wanted to share some pure instrumental songs with you guys. I feel like we only seek music out if its overwhelmingly saturated with different sounds, lyrics, or adlibs. I'll admit I only really listened to music like that. I thought instrumentals were boring and unnecessary. They just felt lacking, and unfinished to me. Over time though, I realized, I just didn't have the appreciation for it (sadly). Now, I find so much beauty in them, that I want to share it and hopefully get others to see how incredible they truly are. 

With normal songs, there is a preset, predetermined feeling and idea the artist is trying to convey to the listener. Which, is great, but instrumentals allow you to interpret and understand them in your OWN way. I was playing this playlist around my brother and his fiance. My brother said "these songs are too feel-y" while his fiance, on the other hand, said "this sounds like HBO porn music" LMFAO. So... I think I proved my point without even trying to LOL. Its true though, you really are able to take what you want out of instrumentals. Thats why I appreciate them so much. Their meaning can change with every listen. Listening to instrumentals also helps you develop an appreciation for producers. You're able to hear raw, beats, for what they are. No additives. 

With that being said, I hope you guys enjoy this playlist I put together of some of my favorite ambient/lo-fi/downtempo instrumentals. Its great background music for anything really; riding in the car, cleaning your room, laying in bed, showering, etc etc. Experience something new :)

For The Aux (Playlist)

Hello everyone!

I know it's getting close to a month since my last post. BUT I know you guys tend to like playlists (and I really enjoy making them and putting them together), so i've been working on a handful of different playlists for you guys. They ALL have different vibes, themes, and ideas behind them. 

I had a poll up on my twitter asking you guys which kind of playlist you'd like first and y'all voted on chill bangers, so here it is. This is a playlist I think is really good to just put on in the car when you don't wanna listen to the same repetitive radio hits over and over again, or if someone hands you the aux and you have no idea what to put on. It isn't super hype but it isn't too chill. Its a good in-between. It's hip hop, for the most part, but there are some r&b tracks incorporated as well. I tried not to put super overplayed songs on here, because I figure you guys come here for new content, and that's what you deserve. However, that doesn't mean all of the songs in this playlist are new or unheard of! This is literally a playlist of 45 songs that i've really been feeling lately, and I hope you do too!

I never really said this when posting my other playlists but I pretty much always suggest listening to my playlists on shuffle (unless I say otherwise) because I don't put them in any specific order. I find that putting it on shuffle makes it more enjoyable to go back and listen to in the future since you aren't getting the same exact experience every time because you're listening in a different order! 

HOPE YOU ENJOY!

https://soundcloud.com/sofiacampa/sets/fortheaux