Life reflected through music

Music

Timbaland's song "The Way I Are" is uniquely inspiring among modern popular hip-hop. Sang by both a man and a woman, the lyrics represent a soulful conversation about genuine love and friendship. Along with the catchy electronic beats in the background, the lyrics grabbed me as soon as I heard the song because it differs strongly from most of the materialistic messages normally propagated on the radio or MTV. "The Way I Are" is about loving people -- and ourselves -- just the way we are. Timbaland's song focuses mostly on romantic relationships, but the lyrics can also apply to our attitudes towards our friends, strangers, and ourselves. Because I am often fed up with how shallow and materialistic our society is, I find Timbaland's song exceptionally refreshing. I seek authenticity in my relationships and do not want to base my self-worth on how much money I have or the way I look. Moreover, I hope never to judge others based on superficial traits. Timbaland's song "The Way I Are" sends a universal message that can inspire self-esteem and improve my relationships with family members, friends, and romantic interests.

The core message of "The Way I Are" is that the healthiest, strongest romantic relationships are the ones based on love, not wealth or power. In a consumer-oriented society like ours, it can be crucial to hear messages like the one delivered by Timbaland in "The Way I Are." Most music videos and song lyrics in the hip-hop genre seem to be about attracting women through fancy cars and other "bling." I have never been such a materialistic person, and therefore cannot relate to song lyrics like that. Just like Timbaland says, "I don't have no money / I don't have no car to take you on a date / I can't even buy you flowers / but together we'd be the perfect soul mates." Finding a soul mate cannot depend on superficial traits, or else the relationship itself will be fragile. The song refers to shallowness in both men and women. In "The Way I Are," one of the most important lines in the song is spoken by the male voice. He sings about his woman not having a body like Pamela Anderson but not caring. Another line goes, "before I let you lose a pound I'd buy a bigger car...I love you just the way you are." Likewise, the woman in the song reassures the man that flowers or fancy cars are not going to impress her. She just wants her man to strip down, be himself, and show her who he is on the inside. Women do not all care about jewelry and bling, and not all men care just about large breasts. "The Way I Are" seeks to dispel some of the most common stereotypes, which is why I appreciate the song.

I can also relate to the song because I have had conflicts with friends and family members who have shallow values. Although "The Way I Are" does not speak directly about friendships, the message of the song can easily be extended to address friends as well as lovers. I have had friends who turned on me because they wanted to hang out with people they thought were cooler, more popular, or who had better toys. Those friendships rarely lasted, though. In high school, the kids who had cars were more able to get friends, but those friends were only hanging out because of the car and not because they actually liked each other. I managed to remain friends with some people who I still consider close even though we go to different schools. The superficial aspects of our lives are meaningless and transitory. Money, looks, and other superficial traits fade, and what really counts is our character. I have seen people in my family bicker over money and other materialistic things that do not matter, when I really wish they would just love each other for who they are. This is why I find Timbaland's song to be so inspiring. For once, a hip-hop artist is genuinely "keeping it real."