Mood of Music

Music played a significant role in propagating the notions of what the street life entails for Wes. He found solace in the music, but it also served as a motivational factor. From excerpts in the fourth chapter hip hop seems to be the main genre that Wes enjoyed. Chubb Rock and EPMD were two artists specified in the book that Wes listened to heavily. His life and the struggles he was facing were mirrored in the music he gravitated toward. There were specific instances mentioned in chapter four where Wes drew energy from the music he was listening to and used it to surmount different hurdles he encountered. For instance, strains of “The Bridge Is Over” which he described as empowering prior to confronting Lateshia's brother. It would not be far-fetched to conclude that certain pockets of hip-hop made him feel validated in the lifestyle he was enveloped in that was accurately represented in the music.

In my life, music also serves a similar role as a mechanism to stimulate desired emotions or to match present emotions. For instance, when feeling dejected, I may find comfort in listening to music with a somber tone. However, in cases where I’m experiencing similar emotions such as melancholy, I may want to listen to upbeat music with a faster tempo in an attempt to forcefully alter my flow of thought. In some ways, this can trick my mind into believing I am actually happy despite dreary circumstances. 

The ability for music to evoke emotion and create connections with listeners has been implemented by a myriad of companies in different practices for years now. For instance, advertisements which can course correct consumer emotions and mood to make them more likely to associate certain feelings with their products. Catchy jingles are used heavily as they are memorizable and if created correctly can linger in consumers minds and their association with whatever product they were made for has been proven to lead to more profits. This same thought process can also be replicated and employers by individuals as well.

People can use the memorability, connection, enhancing properties, influence, and, sentimental impact of music to their advantage to influence their emotions in the same ways Wes and I do. When confronted with a difficult task and a lack of confidence to confront it, listening to “The Bridge Is Over” can give you the vigor required to complete the task. The associative properties of music are very potent as well. For instance, perhaps in the situation above, the individual doesn’t have headphones on the way to facing the assignment. However, every day for the last month, “The Bridge Is Over” was the first song they played while tying up their shoelaces before a jog. The beat, the tempo, the chords are embedded in that person's memory and are linked with the energy that person has when running and can be drawn from at any time to potentially evoke similar emotions. That is the role music played in my and Wes's life. It serves the purpose of a tool and a solace.