MUSIC MAN tells the story of professor and inventor Ge Wang who teaches computer music at Stanford University where he began the innovative Stanford Laptop Orchestra. Wang believes everyone who loves music should be able to play it. To that end, Wang was the first to turn the iPhone into a musical instrument when he created the “Ocarina” phone app which became one of the most popular in the world when it was launched in 2009. You might have heard about his company Smule, which is behind apps like Glee Karaoke, Magic Piano, I Am T-Pain, AutoRap, Songify, Sing! Karaoke, Magic Guitar. It’s time to make beautiful music together.
Rapper/preacher Jason Chu released the music video for his song “Grace” off his “Much Love” album. The single is dedicated to all the parents who made a new life in a new land with a touching tale about a girl named Grace. Although parents have good intentions for their children, kids might suffer bullying from other kids and isolation from their parents as they grow up. In the video, these struggles cause Grace to fall into a downward spiral until she gets an epiphany. When she realizes that God cares for her, she begins to turn her life completely around starting with her attitude.
She was born to two parents, immigrants with little left
Left a war-torn country full of suffering and death
Mom and dad working so hard to pay the bills and pay the rent
Barely even spoke the language so at night they went to class
Living in a small apartment in a bad part of the town
Mom got mugged outside their door, the criminals were never found
They slaved away because they saw the promise in tomorrow
Hope the generation after would grow up without the sorrow
It’s finally the time, their child won’t wait any longer
.Rushing to the clinic in a car they had to borrow
Labor lasts all night, they’ve been laboring all their lives
Dad and mom are their new names, not only husband and wife
Now she lies there in their arms, new life and they’re amazed
And the nurse asks for a name – they’ve prepared for this for days
Because her name provides a clue to all the stories on her page
It was Grace
When you’re bleeding, when you need it
When you fear you’re alone
I’ll be there to wipe the tears off
I’ll be there to guide you home
Just call it grace (oh)
Just call my name (oh)
Now Grace is growing up, as the years are flowing past
Mom and dad can’t believe, it all happened very fast
One second she’s a toddler, the next second in class
Now she’s in the high school, college could be coming next
But there’s been some other changes in the years that came between
Dad is working so hard, he’s the one she barely sees
Comin in at midnight after he closes up the store
Some weeks she only knows he’s there because she hears the door
So her life at home is tense, she’s been fighting with her mom
Who always says that she’s ungrateful, doesn’t get what’s going on
She says your dad and I worked so hard, you do us wrong
When you whine about a car or a new dress to wear to prom
But she just wants to fit in – and kids can be so cruel
All her clothes are wearing out, they make fun of her at school
And she lies awake at night crying for anyone to hear
Then she falls asleep in bed and hears a whisper in her ears, saying
Mom and dad separated, said that it was for the best
She just shrugged, but inside she could feel it in her chest
And I wanted to help out, but she insisted she was fine
And I knew she knew I knew the words were nothing but a lie
All her time she spent searching for the dreams she had that died
All the things she wanted to believe but didn’t dare to try
I could see it weigh her down, I just wanted her to fly
But her eyes were on the ground, never looking to the sky
She was searching for support, and she gave everything a try
Dated guys who weren’t good to her and started getting high
Her body was alive, but her soul barely survived
Then one day in her room, she heard a deeper voice inside
That said – Grace, you aren’t alone, in fact, I’ve never left your side
Been with you every moment, every second you’ve been mine
I’ll never leave you, more than that, your future has a plan
Because every child has meaning that was shaped by my hand
So my sister switched her major and the plans for her career
No more mourning for the past, she started caring for her peers
And the poor know her by the name our parents gave to her
It was Grace
With many of us creating New Year’s Resolutions for 2013, comedian Kosha Patel shares some of her insights on resolutions you can actually keep. Shorter resolution time frames will help hit your goals quicker. Instead of working out 4 times a week, go for one walk. Getting a boyfriend may be too difficult, so try watching a movie with a nice boyfriend in it. Quit smoking, especially for those who never really started. For those that don’t want to spend as much time with family, call your mom once. To save more money, just spend less. Don’t buy anything for an hour. These simple tips will help hit those 2013 objectives in no time.
New Year’s Resolutions You Can Actually Keep : Keepin’ It Kosha
Hip hop artist GOWE dropped his new track Magneto. Getting into the mind set of a superhero/supervillian, he flies through the sky with thoughts about love and direction in life. You can’t help but think about X-men’s Magneto and whether he has these struggles and self-reflection. Don’t ever lose control. Having superpowers isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Look for a music video coming soon. You can get the single on or amazon.
Verse 1
The thunder & the lighting & with flashes in the sky
the rain drops drop and impels me in my eyes I tried
to take a look but I’m blinded in the pride and
the paper that I hold folds and turned into a kite
Yeah then it flies into the night
I hold the chord tighter while It lifts me off my feet
Then I try hard to believe Cause what I see shining
goes beyond all my beats while I’m bobbing
and I’m weaving through the skyline
I see my past hurts painted on a cloud nine
And when I touched it I could feel other flyers
That are feeling all the same hurts – going through the fire
And I’m reminded there’s a purpose for the music
and a clear cut reason I’ve been blessed so to use it
And so I stand tall never to abuse it
Fly through the skyfall flash flood the foolish
Hook –
Wherever it is, maybe its time to go
maybe I’ll see you again
If i ever lose control, don’t let me stay
Verse 2 –
The jet planes fly and they circle all around me
Telling me I’m lost with intentions to de-route me
Before I take a bow – wave my fingers to the crowd
A couple ‘see you laters’ and ‘I’ll catch you in a while’
I feel the demons and they’re fiendin’ to deceive
Feeding me elixirs that’ll damage all my teeth
So when I try to eat there is nothing I could chew
And when I try to breathe there is nothing I could do
Other than anticipate the worst of my abilities
sprinkle insecurities eliminate the better me
Until there’s nothing left now I’m feeling less open up the chest
to reveal another ‘S’ And I say another prayer to my Abba
through the storm help me to be stronger never ever to conform
Though I’m writing through the bars – I am living in a war
The danger to surrender’s getting harder to ignore
Hook –
Wherever it is, maybe its time to go
maybe I’ll see you again
If i ever lose control, don’t let me stay
Verse 3 –
Got my heart on my sleeve and I never try to hide it
HyperGiant soul that will never go divided
When I plummet hard and I’m falling from the sky
I could never say that I never really tried
And every single line that was crafted in my mind
I thought about you first – cause I love you too
Free falling to the earth check two one two
Got a couple moments left ‘for the tracks undo
And I never thought about the diamonds and the bling
The shiniest of rings of the sages and the kings
What I thought about was the girl that would sing
The boy that would draw when the brush hit the ink
And how they never thought they could do
what they love and I take a look above
then I look into the mirror
Clearer, nearer, closer to the heart
Forget what they would tell you we could shine up in the dark!
The trio A2K dropped the music video for their song “The Chase”. These guys are all about chasing their dreams and making it in the music game. They are driven my their passion with or without help to succeed. A2K can’t imagine doing anything else. All work and no sleep while their strive to reach the top.
