The message that a song puts forth is the most expressive and influential part of the aspect of art that revolves around music. A song that speaks through its rises and falls and lyrics is a song that is able to move the listener. The combination of good lyrics, instrumentals, and the expression of those two is how a song can send its message.
However, another way to express the same message or clarify the song’s message is to accompany the song with a video that is meaningful. Raleigh Ritchie, better known as Grey Worm from the show Game of Thrones or from his role in the show Adulthood, is also an upcoming artist who released his EP, or extended play, Black and Blue EP in 2013, and The Middle Child EP in 2014.
Ritchie also published a video for his song “Stronger Than Ever” from the Black and Blue EP on YouTube and has received over 2 million views. What strikes me as such a big deal about this song is that it speaks to me through the video first and the song second. The song almost seems like an accompaniment to the video because of how relevant both are to each other. Watch the video below:
The video shows the mental battle of people who experience depression and other forms of mental illnesses. The way that we can see this through the video is that at the time 1:48, we see Ritchie holding his head in his hands and sitting next to the woman normally. We can see why she offers him a tissue and water, instead of being surprised at how he was flying away. The reality of the situation is that Ritchie is experiencing a mental battle and the song tells the story of the battle through the expression of the lyrics. Each successive verse is more aggressive than the last, showing that the battle is getting harder to fight as time goes on and as others offer their sympathy, but don’t really understand the pain that he is going through.
The last verse is especially important to telling the story since it reveals the insecurities that Ritchie covers up with false assurances to himself and others. The first part shows how Ritchie covers up his insecurities by pretending to know what is going on and knowing how to handle his life. He keeps telling everyone else to believe him, using repetition as a rhetorical strategy to emphasize that the people surrounding him shouldn’t try to help him because he feels as if everything is alright and he doesn’t want anyone to see his weaknesses. He also uses symbols in the last part of the verse to emphasize the intensity of the battle in his mind by using lyrics like explosions, thunderous, and volcanoes. He also uses these words to describe the moment of realization, like an epiphany, of his situation and how he is actually in trouble and isn’t fine. This epiphany is so explosive and revealing that his thoughts come rushing in faster, just like the lyrics, and he also reveals what he feels he needs to do.
I’m not defeated, I believe that I can turn this ship around
Destroy the status quo until I know I found a common ground
I’m not alone, I’m just focused in my zone, this is easy
I’m fine, I just need time to turn this into home, I’m good, believe me
Believe me when I say I’m gonna be bigExplosions crack through, thunderous mountains
Hearts exploding, minds, volcanoes pop and blow
I’m not alone, I’m not alone
Who am I kidding? I’m sad, no ideas coming
It’s driving me mad and I’m fighting it
It’s turning me bad, I’m loaded, pages taking me over
I just wanna be home before my friends and family
Mom and dad, it’s closing in on me, I need recovery from it all
I’m coming home and I need closure, I need closure
The song relates to our culminating question, “Why do we judge individuality?”, by showing the inside of individuality and how it can be something that can only be explained by a shared experience or common knowledge. The only way to judge someone’s individuality is if you have experienced their individuality directly and put yourself in their shoes as well as experienced their experiences. This way you can truly say you understand their pain and happiness and understand them. However, those who don’t experience the same things as the ones they are trying to understand only see their exterior and not the battle within. The song brings awareness to how people who battle mental illnesses live and gives a reason to learn more about the effects of these illnesses. It also answers the question indirectly by showing that people have to experience the same battles to understand each other, as shown through the music video and the woman trying to help Ritchie. We judge individuality so that we can understand them and compare them to ourselves. But we can’t compare them to ourselves fully if we don’t know anything about the battles that they experience with themselves, in their mind. This song delivers the message about the importance of realizing when you are in a state of depression or experiencing other mental illnesses, and it also shows how intense and difficult a battle with mental illness can be since you have to fight it alone.
I don’t think I’ve ever experienced any severe depression, so I can’t empathize with those who have, but I’ve known what small moments of indecision and fear are like. I feel that if I hadn’t realized what I needed to do in time, then I might just have spiraled into depression. I have a huge support system though, and it’s thanks to them I’ve remained as strong as I have.
Hip-Hop Maharaj 