There is a rapper named Cage (Chris Palko) who says some things that just shock me. Not because I couldn't imagine saying things that he says. It's just that I couldn't imagine being in a place where I was willing to say the sort of things that he openly says and puts his name to. I listen to Cage and a bunch of the guys that he records with (Copywrite, Smut Peddlers, Yak Ballz, Camu Tao, Aes of course, and clearly the Weathermen) yet there is something specifically amazing about him (not to discount what those other guys are doing). Cage is honestly willing to say whatever comes to his mind. He even has a song where he talks about the death of Chris Palko which was the birth of Cage. Although there are things that I am impressed with his willingness to share with the world there are still things that I am genuinely disgusted with. There's a difference though between him and just about every other person I've met in my entire life though.
He is willing to admit it is what is going on in his mind.
Many folks I have known well in my life have been completely unwilling to admit the things that go through their mind. One of the reasons I have the two best friends and the most amazing girlfriend I could imagine is that they are three people who are unwilling to do anything but share themselves exactly how they are. It took me a lot longer than they took to figure out who I was and be completely comfortable with sharing it with my friends. Even I still have a hard time being myself around certain people and I'm sure the same could be said about the three of them. I write a large amount about my life growing up and yet I only share it with the closest folks in my life, why? I'm afraid of how it would go over with my work, my students, my acquaintances. I care because I know that being honest can have repercussions in this world.
The rap that I listen to makes life make sense because it is so indicative of what you could do if you just accepted yourself. Not everything you think will be accepted by everyone yet why should that matter? I no longer think it should. As long as what you are thinking isn't causing any genuine harm to anyone as a result of your actions, you should be able to think whatever you want to. Cage talks trash about folks who "speak real words but can't finesse that shit", what really matters to me is that he's speaking real words.
Start speakin' real words folks.