home

“That must be how my father felt when he heard Jimmi Hendrix for the first time”.

Music has always been an important part of my life. I never start my car without my Spotify on and carry earbuds with me everywhere. In America, I’ve looked up to many artists, from Childish Gambino to Tyler, The Creator but they seem far away to me, in another world. It is only with the emergence of a new artist, Rich Brian, that I feel like someone finally understands my life in America. Rich Brian started rapping ironically. He called himself Rich Chigga and only gained popularity because of his edgy content. Yet this fame sparked a change in him and he changed his name to Rich Brian, determined to concentrate on making quality music because he loved it. A native of Indonesia, Rich Brian learned English through YouTube videos and moved to the States looking to get big. He raps about normal rapper things, money, luxury, women, for the catchy summer single, but he also speaks of coming to America and missing his homeland. That really spoke to me. Living in America for most of my life, I never dealt with the huge cultural differences like he did, but I feel an echo of his troubles. My parents speak of how much they miss home, and I think about my grandparents every Thanksgiving. While many people’s families are together and celebrating with each other, I’m at home with my parents. Don’t get me wrong, I love spending time with my sister and parents every Thanksgiving, but sometimes I wonder what life would be like talking to my cousin. If we didn’t have a language gap between us, would we be friends? Would I get to see my little cousin grow up from the baby he once was into a troublesome toddler? Would I be able to understand everything my grandparents say to me and learn about their lives before my parents were in the picture? Thanksgiving and Christmas always give me time to reflect on my family, my whole family, and I wonder...what could have been?