REBELMATIC
Most of us tend to be traditionalists at heart; terrified of change, unaccepting of any sporadic surprise - considering it a disruption, and potentially disrespectful to our heritage and/or the culture we are more accustomed to. Though plenty of us would love to argue that we are innovative, and wildly different, and open to change, the fact is, we tend to be creatures of habit. So much so that we align our identity with our roots, proving us to be immovable at the end of the day. How can one move, when one’s own identity is rooted down into one’s place of comfort? The fact is, we can’t. So we find ourselves with two choices: Either stay rooted, only to expand within the small square allotted, or to separate ourselves from our roots; distinguishing our identity from our place of comfort, and ultimately expanding beyond what we knew possible.
Creature, the lead singer from the band Rebelmatic, shines a light on the pathway of staying true to our own character, paying proper respects to our roots, while also branching away and off into what it is we feel called.
Creature in some ways is a nomad, having travelled the world, exploring the different cultures, sceneries, foods, and sounds. But at the end of the day, he is a proud resident of New York; and will always consider this as his place of home, and ultimately where his roots originate from. Born and raised in New York , Creature is quite familiar with the rugged raw nature + culture of New York that so many of our musical idols speak on, and reflect within their art. But as we all know, New York has really blown up into a tourist attraction - and what happens when a place becomes a hot spot? Markets zoom in + upscale certain sections, creating a horrible shift in other sections, and ultimately we have a new “trendy” version of the city that was once so unique, genuine, and authentic. Now, this is never to take away from the incredible city, but this does paint a picture of how the New York we visit today, is just a mere reflection of the New York it originally was, before becoming a hot spot.
We can argue the same shifts have been, and currently are, happening to LA (where this podcast is based). Eddy, a born and raised resident of South LA discusses the shifts, changes, and transformations he’s experienced in his own city throughout the years. There are many things that can be said on this topic; but the fact at the end of the day, is that change has taken over people’s homes, eradicating their roots, and depending on their attachment, affecting and impacting individual’s identities. We can get mad about it, we can get sad, we can detach.
But Creature speaks to the right way of processing this. In his great wisdom, he doesn’t see change as a bad thing, and speaks on embracing change. He addresses on how (of course) he misses the New York he was born into, the streets he ran in, the corners that taught certain lessons of which he’ll never forget, the buildings in which he experienced life changes; but he understands + speaks on how change is inevitable. And instead of pushing it away, causing more distress and negative build up, he expresses the importance of welcoming it, because in doing so, magic happens. We encounter new lessons, new understandings, new opportunities.
It is through this “newness” that we are able to explore, and bring about ideas never heard before. We can be come creators, reinvent ourselves in some ways, and in other ways, reinvent our approach. This is so very needed in the world of music, in the world of art. How many of us have heard repeats of the same idea, or the same song progression used time and time again; how many songs sample classics, just applying only but a filter of innovation atop it? Change is needed. Being open to what is new is needed. The major struggle is how to apply change and innovation without completely making a 180. And Creature has figured out the perfect balance of welcoming necessary + unnecessary change, all the while making conscientious efforts to remain unique to his own person. A skill we all can learn from experiencing the musical quality and genius of Rebelmatic.
So connected to his roots, Creature speaks on how he finds himself always driven by ancestral inspiration; visiting the graves of Jazz Legends, such as John Coltrane, who came before us: those who paved the path of musical genius with innovative ideas, and bringing forward waves of musical shifts, ultimately pushing us more forward into what music can be. Creating a change. Applying open-mindedness.
Connecting to these artists by paying constant respect, Creature speaks to feeling great energy, and alignment. It helps him understand the great feats + impacts these artists have accomplished, and helps him understand the major, impactful role he has as an artist.
“You’re standing on the shoulders of these giants and it makes you think – man, I owe it to these dudes and myself to push creative boundaries. To take those risks you know? It’s such a beautiful experience man”
Change is not something that is very easy for many of us; but Creature, Rebelmatic, has it handled, and is a great role model to all of us who aspire towards creation. They demonstrate it effortlessly within their art, and are truly a wise inspiration to the world.