Disclaimer: General meditation practice and services like Meditation Rocks are not a replacement for, or a form of therapy, nor are they intended to cure, treat, or diagnose medical conditions. Meditation can, however, be a component of an overall treatment plan, when monitored by a healthcare professional.
Written by Maisy Morris-Davies
As today calls to the close of Reading and Leeds festival 2021, I reflect on my time there three years ago. The headliners of that year were Fall Out Boy, Kings of Leon and Kendrick Lamar. Having already seen Fall Out Boy and Kings of Leon in my early teens I felt most anticipated for Kendrick Lamar's performance. And whilst Fall Out Boy and Kings of Leon hold a place close to my heart, Kendrick's performance was the most unforgettable of the whole weekend - and is definitely one of my favourite performances I have ever seen.
Now as I work with Meditation Rocks, I am most intrigued to see those who live in the spotlight and how they decompress, practise mindfulness and prioritise their wellbeing. So far we have delved into the practises of Raheem Sterling, Tom Odell, Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles - but today I am interested as to how meditation plays in the world of hip-hop.
Co-founder of hip-hop music label Def Jam, Russell Simmons describes meditation as,
"All of us want less thoughts. The calmer the mind, the happier the spirit. So when the mind is settled: bliss. If we have a mind full of fluctuation, then we have a mind full of suffering. When you see people and they’re starting off, there’s so many thoughts in their mind and it causes suffering and sadness. When you see people who are awake and present and clear, then there’s happiness, it's that simple."
DJBooth comments on the contrast of how rap music has 'never really paid any mind to meditation'. They regard the hip-hop lifestyle to be built on 'making money, having fun and "hustling til you die"' - rap and hip-hop is for excitement, not for sedation. Yet this does not mean there is not a strong core of meditation within the game. They describe meditation as 'a powerful tool to navigate the industry, as well as your own mind.' something that can be applied to any and all industries.
I initially jumped to research on Kendrick Lamar's stance on meditation, when casually listening to him and noticing in his song 'Loyalty' from the album 'DNA' he says "I meditate and moderate all of my wins again". In an interview with GQ Style Kendrick says,
“I have to have at least 30 minutes to myself. If it’s not on the daily, every other day, to just sit back, close my eyes, and absorb what’s going on, when you in music — and everybody knows this — the years are always cut in half because you always have something to do. We in the studio for four months, that go by. Now you gotta go on the road for five months, that go by. Next thing you know, five years going by and you 29 years old. You know? So I have to find a way to understand the space that I’m in and how I’m feeling at the moment. ’Cause if I don’t, it’s gonna zoom. I know. I feel it.”
This is an interesting perspective on meditation, rather than decompressing from performances, Kendrick is practising meditation to be present in the moment and slow down time a little.
Kendrick was discussing his meditation practise with other Def Jam co-founder, Rick Rubin who is infamously 'zen'. Rubin has been practising meditation since he was 14 as recommended by a doctor for neck pain. And it is for this reason why artists like Kanye West, Eminem and James Blake all desired Rick Rubin for refining their albums and stripping down the music to what really matters. Rick Rubin is also who the late, Mac Miller turned to during his addiction. Mac Miller was able to achieve sobriety when staying with Rick Rubin, where he practised the Transcendental Meditation technique. Transcendental Meditation is very popular within the 'celebrity' lifestyle and we will definitely be delving into why this is in the future. Rick Rubin truly believes that meditation can help musicians do what they do best - make music! Again, we can apply this to any and all industries, no matter who we are or where we work we can find peace, tranquility and stillness in meditation practise.
You can listen to Kendrick Lamar on all music streaming platforms.
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