This morning while dressing and calling out directions from my room to my sons room to “Get Dressed!”, I heard an unexpected response. “Mommy, I don’t like the way I look”. To which I replied, “What!” and what I got back was, “I’m not handsome like you said.”
Hmph! What do I say to a clearly gorgeous 8-year old who for some reason unknown to me is starting to feel less than his handsome self? Without so much as a thought and as I made my way into their room to meet this unwanted guest, I blurt out:
“I’m the King of Rock, there is none higher, sucka MC’s should call me sire! To burn my kingdom you must use fire! I won’t stop rockin’ til I retire!”
My 11-year old joins right in at the end of my line with “dun, dunna nun, dunt, dunt” as he played the air electric guitar on across his stomach and I started dancing. My 8-year old is looking at his brother and I clearly wondering who we are and where his family has gone BUT he was smiling and in short order joined our band.
This moment made me realize how influential hip hop has been in my life…in our lives. For many of us, it was one of our parents. It taught us rhythm, self-respect, confidence, vocabulary, metaphors, emotional connection. Heck! Hip hop has been our mental health therapist for the past 30 years!
I was grateful for my three Godfather’s Run, DMC and Jam Master Jay this morning. That one line boosted my son’s self-esteem, shook the early morning blues off our backs and provided us with a funny family moment rooted in hip hop history that will live on in my sons memories, just like the “King of Rock”!
Sugalips' Thoughts 