Rap Music has been a perfect form of expression that combines recurring beats and creative lyricists and has been a big part of inner city cultures, dating back as early as the late 70’s. Whether in its early roots in Harlem basements, its rise to the mainstream now, or even its influence on the LA Riots after the Rodney King case in 1992, Rap and Hip-Hop have been a form of art that expresses the beauty in the struggle.

I think think my choice to make a video with poetry and music was my way to show the struggle of freedom, and is definitely inspired by Duke Ellington’s Mood Indigo And a song by Nas called One love that holds catchy rap elements of expression.

Henry Howard/Earl of Surrey often speaks about the struggle of having freedom and his works all have that common theme. Sonnet 48 “Mystrustfull Mindes Be Moued” is an example of how a Man feels after all those around him change because of a false accusation. While a person is behind bars there is so much that runs through their heads. Some people contemplate suicide and others realize that even if there is freedom there is the aspect of copping with how you are treated by the people around you.

This is where I got my title the Bridge. I felt as though the crossing of a bridge symbolizes the fight against your thoughts and often times people dont make it to the other side because they dont have a way to reinforce the positivity in their battle. I wanted to capture this feeling of making it across with a visual of a bridge, tons of people who cross it everyday, and the sounds of my voice to repeat words such as love, peace, postivity, and light were a way to create good vibes.

When I read Sonnet 48,  I thought Earl Of Surrey would feel much better if he had one person to tell him they feel him. I know if I were in a situation where I was falsely accused I would want a person I love to have my back and to make it seem like my problems are small. As a friend I would also use examples of my elders and how they made it to prove my point, and this is why I chose to talk about how soldiers lost their lives and our forefathers fight for change.

I felt as though this was a way to show that we have to sometimes keep fighting because we matter not only for ourselves but others as well. In the video I made I tried to show this at the very end. The last part involves Times Square, and what I expressed here is that at the end of the day there might be darkness, but there is also so much around. In the darkness you might find light and when you do find this light, there are many around it searching for the same thing.

I enjoyed this project, because it was the first time I realized that I can have messages in imagery that I produce and I believe this remix will help me understand other forms of art and expression around the world. this was also the first time I was able to realize how much work artists put into their work and I have a new found appreciation for digital humanities and arts.