Anima | antakalipa

Tell your crush you love them.

There’s a beauty in infatuations, they color in the world, they have the ability to put you in a dream-like trance, they can make you fly, they can make you touch the sky and they have the promise of making all of your dreams come true. What is it about love that makes people lose their minds? Is it oxytocin, the love chemical that fosters closer relations with people? Human beings are social beings by trait and we need validation of some sort to survive, to live, to thrive. Love is on the first level on the Maslow hierachy of needs. Then again, love also induces cordizol, the stress hormone for it can leave us anxious, stressed and utterly mortified. Which one is it? You know we get butterflies in our stomachs when we are in love. It sounds like a part of speech but it isn’t, you can literally feel them flapping their wings and flying all about in your stomach. It is a feeling that can make a statue out of you, one that mould you into a perfect sculpture or the perfect snowman because it makes you freeze. It is a wonderful, yet terrifying thing. Infatuations, love can make you feel vulnerable like a big bullseye sign in a dart competition, the soft spot, the flank – it has the capability of taking off your panties and laying you down, down into a deep abyss of apathy and helplessness. So what do you do? Do you sit on the sidelines or do you play ball? Do you tell the one that you love, your crush that you love her and that you can’t live without her?

Infatuations are a product of the mind. They are unconscious features that are repressed within you, your mind. A sort of transference and projection. The spirit or soul is boundless, it has no restrictions or demarcations, however society deems to assign it a role, a gender based on the reproductive organs of the body. So, we indoctrinate the soul into the customs of this specific gender. The other half of the soul we repress, relegate and surpress in the realm of the unconscious. By nature, the human soul is bisexuel. When we grow up, we subconsciously take and adopt desirable qualities or features from the parent inverse our gender. Meaning, that a boy is more likely to marry a girl who has the qualities of her mother and likewise with the girl. It is a subconscious phenomena and we do this because they feel familiar. Sigmund Freud, the godfather of psychology calls this the “Oedipus complex”. He states that the little boy is jealous of his father and wishes to possess his mother but is at the same time frightened of this rival and of castration as a punishment for his incestuous feelings toward the mother but nonetheless, he wishes death onto his father. I think it’s a bit extreme but it deserves a mention. It would also explain why sons are much closer to their mothers and why daughters are far more closer to their fathers. It could also be a Ying-yang thing. I like Carl Jung’s take on this with his work on the Anima and Animus. Carl Jung states that the Anima is the female side of the male that is repressed. And the Animus is the male side of the female that is repressed. According to this, we are likely to choose a partner based on our Anima and our Animus. Of course, parents play a big role in this decision because from a young age, as children that’s where they get their education. The individual bears within himself all kinds of opinions and feelings from his parents and ancestors, but which he believes to be his own. Nietzsche states; In the son becomes conviction what in the father was a lie. Not only fathers, but mothers also determine the conduct of the individual. Every person carries within a picture of women which he acquired from his mother. From this picture, he will be determined to respect or despise women or be indifferent toward them.

Based on this telling evidence, you are crazy, you are not normal. It’s all in your mind. You are suffering from a projection that is making you see things that are not there. You are implanting characteristics and traits to a receiver that is bound to reject them. Psychology tells us that man projects onto woman one of several ready-made pictures that he carries within him; the picture of the mere sexual object, of the femme fatal, of the muse, the virgin-mother, those belonging to what Jung latter called archetypes. The same goes for woman but with different archetypes like the woman to save him and the worshiping woman among others. You think she’s perfect because you don’t know anything about her. You know what your mind is telling you about her and your mind draws data from occurances that transpired or what feels familiar, safe or homely. They say that love is blind and that’s true because when you are in love, you are focused, your brain induces chemicals, your physiology reacts and your subconscious mind fools you. Thus being infatuated with a person is the biggest compliment you can pay. The conscious mind has very little control instead your shadow assumes control. Carl Jung describes the shadow as “The sum of those personal characteristics that the individual wishes to hide from others and from himself.” The shadow lurks in the subconscious and is operant when the conscious mind has lost all sight of reality. This makes sense because when you are infatuated with someone, all you do is think about them. You bill them up to more than they actually are. You see no imperfections and frailties, your reasoning capabilities are out of touch and you think they are the most wonderful person in the world! And maybe they are because truth is a subjective concept and you, well you are crazy but it’s alright.

Tell your crush you love them. This is a test, this is about you. By doing this, it will reveal things you didn’t know about yourself. It is an act that will make you courageous. It will empower you because this comes from your lens, your reality, your map of experience. It is personal and subjective and it will liberate your soul. You crush possess traits and characteristics that you love on a subconscious level, it is like holding a mirror to your soul. Take advantage of it, that’s the universal, God or whatever you believe in telling you to go for it – it is a map of experience that is specifically designed for you. It is an experience, a moment in this vast and expanding universe to know something of substance and value about yourself, your history and even your ancestry line. It is an opportunity to free apathy from your life. It is an opportunity to follow your dreams. It doesn’t matter how you do it, do what comes natural to you, do it so you maximize your returns. Write a poem, sing a song get your creative juices running. Be encouraged, be inspired – this is a big moment in your life. Sure, he/she might reject you and rightfully so because like we covered you are crazy but so is everyone else. This important feat is not about the response you’ll get, it’s about personal growth and self-gratification. It is about understanding of the self. Love is difficult, complicated, unreliable and unstable and you took a risk, you took a chance! Who knows maybe in a perfect world, the person of your affection will return your love. Maybe your life will be perfect. Isn’t it a chance you should take?

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2014 Forest Hills Drive

What an amazing album. It starts off with a beautiful intro with J. Cole serenading us to the album. The intro is metaphorical in the sense that Cole is also introduced to the world by this voice underlying what life on earth is about namely happiness and freedom – things that people in the world strive for in vain. We can say the voice is mothernature preparing J. Cole to the world. The intro is smooth, patience and nurturing. Then just like that J. Cole is dropped into the world on January 28th. The date signals the date of Cole’s birth. It is not the first time a rapper has done this: Jay Z on the Black Album released in 2004 does this on “December 4th” the song is also preceded by a short and reassuring intro too. On January 28th Cole reintroduces himself to the world by showcasing his skills on the mic setting the tone for the album. The beat is cool and easy-going and the hook is iconic. On the hook he talks about “Don’t give them too much you” and he ends up giving all of himself up in the album. From his earliest years to the Cole who has made it and conquered the world. January 28th is personal and ambitious as he warns everyone and lays claim to the crown proclaiming that he is a God.

After he is born he takes us to his first sexual encounter on Wet Dreamz with a girl that he was in school with. He tells the story off a young Jermaine in pursuit of his first piece of ass. The story-telling is impeccable. He tells the story in the first person, second person and third person. A similar technique he used on “Lost Ones” on his debut album “Cole World: Sideline Story” where he gets his girlfriend pregnant and is not ready for all that responsibility. His girlfriend has her say on the second verse and she explodes with emotions and a lot of hurt telling her cowardly boyfriend that she doesn’t need him and that she’ll raise the baby all alone. Similar to “Lost Ones” – there is a lot of vulnerability on Wet Dreamz as Cole admits to the listener that he is indeed a virgin but she can’t really show that. We also learn on the third verse that the girl was also a virgin. The song is a masterpiece! I love how Cole maintains his “Rapper voice” despite the vulnerability and uncertainty in his lyrics, the contrast in those two elements are amazing.

In his philosophical works Carl Jung talks about the Anima and Animus. He says we are all born neutral in terms of sexual orientation. A hypothesis backed back the godfather of psychology Sigmund Freud who famously stated that the “libido” is bisexual. Meaning we are born in the world with both male and female traits and it’s 50/50. Because there are standards and an order in the world certain traits are repressed to conform to the norm. So for example a young boy is taught from a very young age that sensitivity and emotions are not a very seductive element. Or that a lady doesn’t wear pants or go hunting. Stereotypes often repress this Anima or Animus. Anima according to Carl Jung is the female side to the male and Animus is the male side of the female. Carl Jung explains that we must access our Anima and Animus in order to reach our subconscious mind and that Anima or Animus will give us untold creative power! We see examples of this with Coco Chanel, a designer who created female apparel but got her inspiration from male clothing. She would simply alter man’s clothing and present them as women clothing and she attained great power. We also see this from Urban Artists like Drake who are able to reach into their Anima to create music that is appealing for both male and female. Through the Anima, Drake controls popular culture every time he releases a single or album. Drake redefined what it is to be a Rapper by adding vulnerability and emotions to his songs.
J. Cole on “Wet Dreamz” reaches through his Anima and the result is devastating. He created a song that will last forever! A song everyone will be able to connect with through infinity. J. Cole himself is not a stranger to connecting to his Anima and that has given him untold power and set him above everyone else as he often does it with impeccable story-telling and mind-boggling metaphors. There is a misconception about tapping into your Anima or Animus – it does not entail that one is a homosexual. There is no such thing as “homosexual” or “gay” or “lesbian” – only homosexual acts! We are all children of mothernature.

After the masterpiece Cole takes us to his years as an adolescent on “03 Adolescence”. He is growing up in the world and beginning to understand how the world operates. He is very observant and sees the struggle of the people all around him. He is young and energetic and beginning to create and identity for himself. He sees the system as a trap and doesn’t regard 9 to 5 as an option – he would rather push with his homies. We gather from the second verse that he is a very likeable guy as he has a conversation with one of his homies. In a conversation with his friend, he salutes him and tells him that his doing pretty well from himself and he would like to join him. That he needs the money too. His friend disapproves and gives Cole a tongue lashing that he will never forget, it is an honest tongue lashing, one with a lot of love and worship. Cole takes the lashing and commits himself to being the best person he can be – not for himself but for everyone who has a dream but can’t reach to it.

On a “Tale of two Citiez” Cole is slapped with the reality that life is hard. He is now in New York City and everything is fast. He has dreams of making it as a Rapper and becoming rich. But the reality is that he is poor. Nonetheless, he is striving and fighting. The city is so harsh and cold not like Fayetteville where he is from. The hook of the song talks about how he was robbed and that he doesn’t blame them because he understands the city and its rules. That the street is like the jungle and only the strong survive. He internalizes this information to make himself a better person – a more informed person as he strives for his dreams in the big city.

“Fire Squad” is a reflection of how far he has come. At this time he has perfected his craft and in his own mind is the best to ever do it. The song sounds like it too. The beat, the lyrics, the bridge, the bold declaration, the speech, and the iconic “who’s the king?” rhetorical. It is a skillful song that is charismatic, unapologetic and assured. It is bold and in your face. It is easily one of Cole’s best songs ever! It is this song that takes him to Hollywood on “St. Tropez”. St. Tropez is the interlude of the album, the transition in Cole’s life. “St. Tropez” is somber, reflective and nostalgic. It feels like destiny. The lyrics are full of adjectives that are abstract that are backed by melodies and reflective horns and the sound is beautifully intertwined. It feels like a dream about a trip you have been waiting for all your life. A moment created by the stars – the moment when the Universe finally smiles at you and gives you a thumbs up. “He’s on his way, he’s bout to get paid, he’s on his way to Hollywood” I love it!

On “GOMD”, Cole makes it in Hollywood and all his dreams come true but at the cost of his soul as he starts to lose it. He gets tangled in a meaningless world and he doesn’t recognize the person he has become. He reflects on “Love” and “Happiness” the focal point of the intro and decides he now wants to pursue that. That he wants the simple life. For the second time in the album Cole changes and returns to his roots. He now sees everything clearer and is knowledgeable. Hollywood is to thank for that. Hollywood was the catalyst. Hollywood saved him. He maintains the same tone until the end of the album.

Now Cole is in pursuit for Love and Happiness. On “No Role Modelz” he meets girls that don’t fit the profile. He meets girls that are shallow, narcissistic and materialistic. Knowing Hollywood so well he cites it and blames “Reality Shows”. He explains that this is the life that these women have chosen and trying to save them is a waste of time. It is the make-up of their fabricated and plastic psychology. Cole explains that they are empty and being with them won’t make you happy. A theory he knows firsthand from his transition to “Hollywood Cole” to J. Cole as exhibited on “GOMD”. Cole doesn’t feel petty for them and moves on with his life.

He decides to rekindle an old relation on “Hello” but finds out that she has already started a new life. Cole tries to reach out but to no avail. The hook is an emphasis, a cry out for attention and it is repetitive and effective in creating a tone full of melancholy. The dark chords of the piano also emphasize and tie the mood together. What now for Jermaine Cole? He decides to redirect his love on “Apparently” and talks about his mother. The chords are striking and up tempo. It is a sweet and grand gesture that is heartfelt and full of love. He is reflective and honest.

On “Love Yourz” Cole comes to the realization that everything in the world is temporarily. That everything fades and no amount of material can make you happy. He recommends being content with what and who you are. He advises the listener to practice love in their loves. To be around people who genuinely love you. He recommends taking charge of your life. He advises the listener to stop comparing and live life the best way you can. He is philosophical in this message and it ties the whole album up. He extends this message on “Note to Self” when he states “Nothing matters, you’ll see in the end”. He uses the existentialist approach in conveying this message. He gave us his whole life in 13 songs. The album is philosophical – it teaches you how to live. It is art. It is tied together. It is forever!

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