thank you for having you know performing original
it’s gonna go inside to fine
it’s gonna go inside to fine [Music]
you know I know it was him right
you know I know it was him right I was gonna tell her how I feel
and tell her that it’s real I woke up
and tell her that it’s real I woke up tonight with this song in my mind and
tonight with this song in my mind and
tonight with this song in my mind and baby can’t you see what you do
[Music]
[Music] and baby can’t you see what you do
[Music]
[Music] and I wanna go back home these four
and I wanna go back home these four
and I wanna go back home these four walls in where I belong
walls in where I belong
walls in where I belong [Music]
if this is it I know what y’all and I
if this is it I know what y’all and I want to fight the fight but baby you
want to fight the fight but baby you
want to fight the fight but baby you know they right
[Music]
[Music] ah
baby can’t you see what you do
baby can’t you see what you do [Music]
[Music]
[Music] would you do thank you thank you
would you do thank you thank you
would you do thank you thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] so uh I woke up one night from a rather
so uh I woke up one night from a rather
so uh I woke up one night from a rather rest restless sleep and came up with
rest restless sleep and came up with
rest restless sleep and came up with that song every lyric and that song was
that song every lyric and that song was
that song every lyric and that song was created spontaneously and I always
created spontaneously and I always
created spontaneously and I always wondered why that was the case but I’d
wondered why that was the case but I’d
wondered why that was the case but I’d have to go back a few years to explain
have to go back a few years to explain
have to go back a few years to explain that to you back in eighth grade I was
that to you back in eighth grade I was
that to you back in eighth grade I was about to graduate and back then I didn’t
about to graduate and back then I didn’t
about to graduate and back then I didn’t regard myself as a very good singer or
regard myself as a very good singer or
regard myself as a very good singer or very musically inclined in general until
very musically inclined in general until
very musically inclined in general until I was handed my first guitar now my
I was handed my first guitar now my
I was handed my first guitar now my guitar playing was everything but
guitar playing was everything but
guitar playing was everything but acceptable at the time and I couldn’t
acceptable at the time and I couldn’t
acceptable at the time and I couldn’t even hold a rhythm let alone sing while
even hold a rhythm let alone sing while
even hold a rhythm let alone sing while doing so so nothing really changed for a
doing so so nothing really changed for a
doing so so nothing really changed for a while until 2016 now in 2016 in the
while until 2016 now in 2016 in the
while until 2016 now in 2016 in the summer I went on my first backpacking
summer I went on my first backpacking
summer I went on my first backpacking trip a 230 mile trek through the Sierras
trip a 230 mile trek through the Sierras
trip a 230 mile trek through the Sierras that was backpacking trip and this was
that was backpacking trip and this was
that was backpacking trip and this was the most grueling thing I’ve ever been
the most grueling thing I’ve ever been
the most grueling thing I’ve ever been through in my life
through in my life
through in my life and I decided hey maybe it’s a good idea
and I decided hey maybe it’s a good idea
and I decided hey maybe it’s a good idea to make a whole EP that translated that
to make a whole EP that translated that
to make a whole EP that translated that pain and tedious time that I had spent
pain and tedious time that I had spent
pain and tedious time that I had spent with a bunch of beauty behind it as you
with a bunch of beauty behind it as you
with a bunch of beauty behind it as you can see and I had finished I was excited
can see and I had finished I was excited
can see and I had finished I was excited I was ready to show my friend and he
I was ready to show my friend and he
I was ready to show my friend and he said it’s going to be really unpopular
said it’s going to be really unpopular
said it’s going to be really unpopular dude and I was like why you know like
dude and I was like why you know like
dude and I was like why you know like who would have thought and whole ep
who would have thought and whole ep
who would have thought and whole ep about pain and tedium would be unpopular
about pain and tedium would be unpopular
about pain and tedium would be unpopular you know anyway so as any hormonal
you know anyway so as any hormonal
you know anyway so as any hormonal teenager
teenager
teenager would you I deleted all my tracks tore
would you I deleted all my tracks tore
would you I deleted all my tracks tore up all my lyrics decided to start over
up all my lyrics decided to start over
up all my lyrics decided to start over now that seemed a lot easier than I
now that seemed a lot easier than I
now that seemed a lot easier than I thought it would be because I didn’t
thought it would be because I didn’t
thought it would be because I didn’t have any writer’s block or anything but
have any writer’s block or anything but
have any writer’s block or anything but the the songs I was hearing in my head
the the songs I was hearing in my head
the the songs I was hearing in my head weren’t translating to my guitar and the
weren’t translating to my guitar and the
weren’t translating to my guitar and the melodies I would come up with with my
melodies I would come up with with my
melodies I would come up with with my guitar weren’t translating or linking up
guitar weren’t translating or linking up
guitar weren’t translating or linking up with the lyrics in my head and so that
with the lyrics in my head and so that
with the lyrics in my head and so that went on for a while until I decided I’ll
went on for a while until I decided I’ll
went on for a while until I decided I’ll let music write itself you know sit back
let music write itself you know sit back
let music write itself you know sit back take the back seat and let it just
take the back seat and let it just
take the back seat and let it just happen and that’s when I woke up and
happen and that’s when I woke up and
happen and that’s when I woke up and recorded that song and I actually
recorded that song and I actually
recorded that song and I actually remember I started recording and then my
remember I started recording and then my
remember I started recording and then my dad was like go to bed why are you up so
dad was like go to bed why are you up so
dad was like go to bed why are you up so late and I said hold on dad I need to
late and I said hold on dad I need to
late and I said hold on dad I need to finish this and he let me and yeah
finish this and he let me and yeah
finish this and he let me and yeah that’s the history behind that and for
that’s the history behind that and for
that’s the history behind that and for other songs soon followed now I always
other songs soon followed now I always
other songs soon followed now I always wondered why this was the case why did I
wondered why this was the case why did I
wondered why this was the case why did I come up with this song and all the other
come up with this song and all the other
come up with this song and all the other songs after it off the top of my head
songs after it off the top of my head
songs after it off the top of my head and I realized that music is your
and I realized that music is your
and I realized that music is your identity music is identity is who you
identity music is identity is who you
identity music is identity is who you are
are
are you every every belief ideology you ever
you every every belief ideology you ever
you every every belief ideology you ever you ever come up with or anything you’re
you ever come up with or anything you’re
you ever come up with or anything you’re passionate about tends to link with the
passionate about tends to link with the
passionate about tends to link with the music you listen to for example you
music you listen to for example you
music you listen to for example you wouldn’t expect and well-dressed British
wouldn’t expect and well-dressed British
wouldn’t expect and well-dressed British CEO living in the heart of San Jose to
CEO living in the heart of San Jose to
CEO living in the heart of San Jose to be an Irish punk fan you wouldn’t expect
be an Irish punk fan you wouldn’t expect
be an Irish punk fan you wouldn’t expect the British or Irish to get along in
the British or Irish to get along in
the British or Irish to get along in general at all so yeah but the danger of
general at all so yeah but the danger of
general at all so yeah but the danger of this realization is stereotyping and
this realization is stereotyping and
this realization is stereotyping and race politics CII growing up was never
race politics CII growing up was never
race politics CII growing up was never the biggest fan of hip-hop and every
the biggest fan of hip-hop and every
the biggest fan of hip-hop and every single time I would voice this opinion
single time I would voice this opinion
single time I would voice this opinion I’d get backlash and and they’d say why
I’d get backlash and and they’d say why
I’d get backlash and and they’d say why why don’t you support this why don’t you
why don’t you support this why don’t you
why don’t you support this why don’t you support your culture and the music
support your culture and the music
support your culture and the music behind it
behind it
behind it I don’t I don’t really have a good
I don’t I don’t really have a good
I don’t I don’t really have a good question or answer for that myself I I
question or answer for that myself I I
question or answer for that myself I I just get more of a feeling from lose
just get more of a feeling from lose
just get more of a feeling from lose rock and folk music and so I this
rock and folk music and so I this
rock and folk music and so I this affected my whole musical journey this
affected my whole musical journey this
affected my whole musical journey this this self-consciousness I would feel and
this self-consciousness I would feel and
this self-consciousness I would feel and it’s not a new phenomenon whatsoever see
it’s not a new phenomenon whatsoever see
it’s not a new phenomenon whatsoever see I was going to play with this veteran
I was going to play with this veteran
I was going to play with this veteran blues man he’s old african-american
blues man he’s old african-american
blues man he’s old african-american bluesman and um at a party and I I get
bluesman and um at a party and I I get
bluesman and um at a party and I I get on stage with my guitar I’m ready to
on stage with my guitar I’m ready to
on stage with my guitar I’m ready to play I’m gonna play my favorite Hendrix
play I’m gonna play my favorite Hendrix
play I’m gonna play my favorite Hendrix song red house and I’m about to say it
song red house and I’m about to say it
song red house and I’m about to say it I’m and he’s asking me what song I want
I’m and he’s asking me what song I want
I’m and he’s asking me what song I want to do and then he reads my mind he says
to do and then he reads my mind he says
to do and then he reads my mind he says don’t choose red house that’s a white
don’t choose red house that’s a white
don’t choose red house that’s a white boy song I paused for a second I I was
boy song I paused for a second I I was
boy song I paused for a second I I was stuck on stage I could hear people
stuck on stage I could hear people
stuck on stage I could hear people saying why aren’t you choosing a song
saying why aren’t you choosing a song
saying why aren’t you choosing a song like choose a song you can do it I I was
like choose a song you can do it I I was
like choose a song you can do it I I was just I was just thinking why how was
just I was just thinking why how was
just I was just thinking why how was that possible
that possible
that possible how is a Hendrix song a white man’s song
how is a Hendrix song a white man’s song
how is a Hendrix song a white man’s song and if you don’t know Hendrix is black
and if you don’t know Hendrix is black
and if you don’t know Hendrix is black so how does he make white music you know
so how does he make white music you know
so how does he make white music you know it’s a black man making white music that
it’s a black man making white music that
it’s a black man making white music that didn’t seem possible to me at all
didn’t seem possible to me at all
didn’t seem possible to me at all now this affected my musical journey
now this affected my musical journey
now this affected my musical journey from that point on because I was I was
from that point on because I was I was
from that point on because I was I was so stuck on whether I should make the
so stuck on whether I should make the
so stuck on whether I should make the music that comes from my heart or the
music that comes from my heart or the
music that comes from my heart or the music that should come from the color of
music that should come from the color of
music that should come from the color of my skin and spoiler alert I chose the
my skin and spoiler alert I chose the
my skin and spoiler alert I chose the first option and I think that’s really
first option and I think that’s really
first option and I think that’s really important you know I feel like as a
important you know I feel like as a
important you know I feel like as a generation we can work towards not
generation we can work towards not
generation we can work towards not having these boundaries and art and I
having these boundaries and art and I
having these boundaries and art and I know that’s a little bit of a problem
know that’s a little bit of a problem
know that’s a little bit of a problem because of cultural appropriation but I
because of cultural appropriation but I
because of cultural appropriation but I think in 2018 we can already see that
think in 2018 we can already see that
think in 2018 we can already see that culture is is detaching itself from race
culture is is detaching itself from race
culture is is detaching itself from race itself
itself
itself and I think we should accept that with
and I think we should accept that with
and I think we should accept that with open arms and not try to separate it
open arms and not try to separate it
open arms and not try to separate it just like a previous TED speech take
just like a previous TED speech take
just like a previous TED speech take take into account that you are American
take into account that you are American
take into account that you are American and be proud of that but also know that
and be proud of that but also know that
and be proud of that but also know that there’s problems because music should be
there’s problems because music should be
there’s problems because music should be the one thing that we as humans are
the one thing that we as humans are
the one thing that we as humans are always proud of the the unifying force
always proud of the the unifying force
always proud of the the unifying force it shouldn’t be something that we always
it shouldn’t be something that we always
it shouldn’t be something that we always have to acknowledge is full of hate and
have to acknowledge is full of hate and
have to acknowledge is full of hate and and and it’s not justified half a time
and and it’s not justified half a time
and and it’s not justified half a time you know this music is the one thing
you know this music is the one thing
you know this music is the one thing every human has in common we listen to
every human has in common we listen to
every human has in common we listen to music we love music sometimes there are
music we love music sometimes there are
music we love music sometimes there are outliers I admit it but you know we’re
outliers I admit it but you know we’re
outliers I admit it but you know we’re all musical beings it’s and I let me
all musical beings it’s and I let me
all musical beings it’s and I let me just say it could really save a couple
just say it could really save a couple
just say it could really save a couple of teenagers from an existential crisis
of teenagers from an existential crisis
of teenagers from an existential crisis because that stuff is not fun let me
because that stuff is not fun let me
because that stuff is not fun let me tell you it’s not fun at all
yeah it’s about time thank you thank you
yeah it’s about time thank you thank you guys
guys
guys [Applause]
”
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