music love

Last night, suddenly my phone was constantly buzzing with 50 emails at a time updating me on my youtube account.  Apparently the 2Pac facebook page had posted my cover of “California Love” and things, well, got real…

I have passed 100,00 views on this little song, which I posted two years ago in homage to two incredible rappers, namely Tupac Shakur, who’s poetry and art transcends race and speaks to people of all walks of life.

It has been a very interesting thing to read the comments made on this video.  Some have given me a thicker skin even.  But for the most part, they are positive and encouraging and I think that says a lot about music and the power it has to bring people from different backgrounds together with a common bond.

I remember buying his book of collected poetry, “The Rose that Grew from Concrete” in 1999, three years after his death.  It was beautiful and powerful and showed the world and me how much love can grow from hate.  The title poem, still simply says so much to me today:

Did you hear about the rose that grew
from a crack in the concrete?
Proving nature’s law is wrong it
learned to walk with out having feet.
Funny it seems, but by keeping its dreams,
it learned to breathe fresh air.
Long live the rose that grew from concrete
when no one else ever cared.

People can be so angry and mean with their words.  These silly youtube comments are a perfect example of that.  But my heart breaks for those who fail to understand my intentions – and those of anyone who wants to create music to share and connect with others.  This has been quite the start of a year with weighty realizations.  Again, I find myself realizing that I can’t escape my need to play music.  How very uplifting.

9 Comments

  1. philrollett February 15, 2012

    absolutely fantastic cover 🙂 very nice post

    Reply
  2. nick c February 20, 2012

    im a fan..keep it up, you’re talented 🙂

    Reply
  3. Johanna February 24, 2012

    I had already seen you on Youtube and thought that the cover was amazing.
    It was so fun to see your video up on 2pacs Facebook page!!

    You should really do some cover of 2pacs song 🙂

    Reply
    • VelvetSmiles March 6, 2012

      thanks, it was so cool and such an honor, i’m thinking after so many positive responses (and many more than the negative ones) maybe i should do another 2pac cover 🙂 thanks for the encouragement!

      Reply
  4. Jill Martin March 11, 2012

    don’t forget that people with your heart and voice combined are destined to heal the world. hearing you write about the negativity in the world you have seen discouraging you is the wrong perspective. the truth is that what makes you so valuable, is you are so needed by the world and for the world. that’s why your here!!!!!at least you know, some search for a lifetime. I found it five times in mine, and im ready for number six. sing on siren, im rooting for you forever!!jill doe

    Reply
  5. Jill Martin March 11, 2012

    so you know, i have a ear problem that i was using music to drowned out the buzzing sounds my ears make. i found your voice that soothed my soul and my nerves, then took a ton of the pain. if you stop singing, i have to listen to the same songs over and over. please don’t do that to me. keep posing every week, and keep hope. we are listening all the time, and we love you. I cheeked your page, there’s a lot more loves on your page than hates. trust the positive and do the best you can.we appreicate your life. that means a lot more than money. your rich

    Reply
  6. Carl Martin March 6, 2016

    Lara,

    You have such an amazing voice! I always find my way back to your videos when I want to just chill and jam. I wish you put more videos out, but I’m not complaining about what you have on the YouTube’s. I’m sure you are complimented all day every day, but even if I’m one of many, I just wanted to say that you are truly talented, and I’d love to hear more and more videos/covers/originals. Thanks for always putting your best out there, even if it’s infrequent.

    Reply

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