The Cleanse.

"Drink more water" is a phrase I heard all too often when listening to one of my new favorite artist, Mick Jenkins. Currently on an international tour I was gifted the pleasure of seeing him perform live in New York Labor Day weekend. Going from being a contestant on my stage and now headlining his own show I was anxious to hear the songs I'd been bumping for the last 4-5months. He repeated "drink more water" throughout the set. FINALLY he broke down the phrase into simpler terms for us fans. He furthermore explained the way society works. The way we are fed information. How, from who, and when. How we can be so far led from the "truth" with the simple click of a mouse or the pressing of a key stroke. Seeking truth was the message. Drinking more water cleanses the mind and the body. So when he says "drink more water" he is translating "seek more truth".

With that being said, I finally built up the courage to delete my Instagram account. Doesn't sound like such a big move for some people but for me I felt like I was personally holding myself back. The social media platform for most was holding me hostage. And I allowed it to. With photos posted back 120+ weeks I look back and don't know where the time went. Checking it seemingly everyday I became a victim of the social experiment. I was a statistic in the scheme, in the creator's game. It consumed entirely too much of my time. It was my news feed, my entertainment, my source of trends and place of feeling "in". I'm not saying I should be the next casted onto "True Life: Instagram is bae" but I felt I was losing out on many opportunities when spending time simply scrolling and scrolling. Opportunities such as reading books, researching documentaries, finding real truths in stories rather than what media tells you and the next person's opinion. 

Personally, I'm a discreet attention seeker. For me it all started with sneakers in middle and high school. I wanted to have the little things without going over the top. I'd have the new Jordan's but not the jersey and Girbauds to match. (Yall remember those! I never had a pair tho lol) It grew into a facade. I felt like I was the man. On top of the world in my new Mikes. It made me feel good and that's what I took pride in, my sneakers. I noticed it was an uncharted lane within my peers so I started researching, gaining knowledge on the sneaker culture. That slight attention made me feel good inside. That was all I needed. Catching someone turning around to look at my shoes was that extra pat on the back that made me warm. That's exactly what Instagram is, that pat on the back, that one LIKE from a certain person. I've outgrown that. At this age and lifestyle I'm pursuing I no longer need that platform to make me "happy". It's time for me take my talents and cool pics elsewhere. Think about it, it's just flooded opinions, everyone's place of wanting to be heard, and expressions of feelings. I'm good on that. Instagram has slowly evolved too. The game has changed for real lol. The "news" on there? I can find the full story elsewhere. The gossip of artists and what people call "celebrities"? I've got my own life to live, not interested in keeping up with theirs too. Shoot not even celebrities' lives. Other people's too. People see you out in public and think yall cool cause of a "like". I don't know you fam. 

Want to keep up with me? Hit my line, let's do lunch, grab a drink or something. If you were to die right now, would you be mad your 1835 followers weren't in attendance? Or have them all show up and converse with "I don't know dude but he got nice sneakers and I saw him out a couple times, he get hella likes on IG". Welcome to 2015. This the world we live in. Innovate, Inspire, Create, Teach! Get off Instagram with selfie sticks and actually enjoy the people around you without having to document it. Post is kind of everywhere but I hope the message was there. If you were impacted in anyway by this I encourage you to reach me, my Instagram is......ha! Yea right.