Atlas of the World, an Annapolis-based hip-hop artist, meditation coach, and life coach, performs two original songs — ‘Foundation’ and ‘Deception’ — weaving personal narratives about anxiety, fear, racial identity, childhood instability, and self-worth into conscious rap. Between tracks he offers brief spoken word-style reflections on wordplay, fear as ‘false evidence appearing real,’ and the cultural roots of mental health in Black communities.
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Transcript
[03:35:13] Here we go
[03:35:19] Here we go
[03:35:27] This is like home to me y’all so I
[03:35:31] Apologize me jumping around and things like that
[03:35:34] But yeah, what’s dope shout out to y’all shout out to speak your truth. If you don’t know who I am. I’m Atlas of the world
[03:35:41] for the sake of
[03:35:43] time
[03:35:44] We got ourselves into a word game. We got to get ourselves out of a word game
[03:35:49] Lauren hit on the body be in the mind. That’s very true. We live in a dual world though
[03:35:54] So we can’t discredit the two we’ve given into it. We got to get ourselves out, right?
[03:35:59] With that being said remember that addition and addiction come from the same root word
[03:36:04] we think that we need to add to ourselves in order to become something when really we just have to subtract a thought boom and
[03:36:12] We are free with that being said again. I go by Atlas of the world
[03:36:16] There’s gonna be stickers on the back for you guys to grab when you leave. It’ll take you to my link tree
[03:36:20] That’ll take it all my music my website. I’m a meditation coach. I’m a life coach. I’m a tutor
[03:36:26] You can hit me up whatever you need
[03:36:28] Meditate journal and exercise. It’s really that easy. Oh whenever you ready big dog. Hey this first song called foundation
[03:36:35] My mama is in the back. I guess that’s the one going in tonight. Shout out to the mothers
[03:36:40] Hey
[03:36:48] When I say speak, yeah, you say Trump, okay speak
[03:36:52] Speak out
[03:36:53] Appreciate y’all. Shout out to Taylor for all listen
[03:36:58] The man inside the mirror is way more than he appears
[03:37:01] I ain’t saying like this, but you cannot live in fear people say a lot, but they actions make it clear mama telling me
[03:37:09] She proud I just
[03:37:10] Tell her like the tears
[03:37:11] It’s crazy. This is all I thought about when I was in the hood, but it ain’t bringing me fulfillment like I thought it would
[03:37:19] Realized I need healing but I keep rolling these words overthinking cuz I feel misunderstood a little chunk of time
[03:37:25] My life’s been a potential a lot be on my mind
[03:37:29] I barely use a pencil flipping through some rhymes that I wrote trying to find my flow
[03:37:34] I’ll be tripping once you’re gone. They never miss you. It’s crazy addicted to an awful funny attitude
[03:37:40] Yeah to make the apple fruits and veggies now. I remember mama’s
[03:37:44] Feeling like I graduated I still got my test
[03:37:49] See you when I pass you with my c300
[03:37:52] Yeah, my whip a little older but you see me coming with some new shit in the photo on this speakers bumping
[03:37:58] Every time I roll up ain’t a secret everybody know us man the menace either. It’s way more than he appears
[03:38:06] I ain’t saying like this, but you cannot live in fear
[03:38:09] People say a lot, but they actions make it clear
[03:38:12] Mama telling me she proud, ain’t tell her wipe her tears
[03:38:15] Look, it’s funny cause I get this feeling to go prove myself
[03:38:19] And that’s anxiety, I’m rooted in my truest self
[03:38:22] Don’t take credit for the crap, just stay focused on the path
[03:38:26] And your life provides the answers
[03:38:28] Really ain’t no question, I was rapping in some pampas
[03:38:32] Standing all up on the table
[03:38:33] Mama playing MC Hammer in the background
[03:38:36] Used to rap in school, the teacher tried to call me class clown
[03:38:39] My life’s a movie, every day I act out
[03:38:42] The man inside the mirror is way more than he appears
[03:38:45] I ain’t saying life is fair, but you cannot live in fear
[03:38:48] People say a lot, but our actions make it clear
[03:38:51] Mama telling me she proud, I just tell her wipe her tears
[03:38:54] For real, love you mama
[03:38:56] And I love every single one of you, just like I love my mama
[03:38:59] Because without y’all I wouldn’t be anything, I mean that
[03:39:02] If you heard me tonight, I appreciate you
[03:39:04] I got one more, we gon’ go out on a bang
[03:39:06] Uh, uh, uh, context, yeah
[03:39:08] Like I said, we got ourselves into a word game, we gon’ get ourselves out
[03:39:12] So if y’all remember one thing tonight
[03:39:14] Remember that fear is false evidence appearing real, okay?
[03:39:19] And fear is just a feeling, okay?
[03:39:22] We can’t be afraid, like Carter said, to feel our fear
[03:39:28] You feel what I’m saying?
[03:39:29] Just gotta dive in
[03:39:31] With that being said, I’m in a predominantly
[03:39:33] You can click play
[03:39:34] I’m in a predominantly black gym
[03:39:36] Hip hop is rooted in black culture
[03:39:39] And part of the deception of being a different color
[03:39:43] Is rooted in our mental health
[03:39:46] It’s rooted there
[03:39:47] So I just want y’all to listen
[03:39:48] This song is called Deception, okay?
[03:39:50] Because I’m not in this shit for the recognition or the fame
[03:39:52] I promise that, okay?
[03:39:54] Look
[03:39:54] I ain’t even wanna fight
[03:39:57] For the recognition or the fame
[03:39:59] People say I’m mad and different
[03:40:00] Guess I changed
[03:40:02] I’ve been recognizing everything that I became
[03:40:04] Atlas of the wild
[03:40:06] everybody know the name, it’s a blessing, we only get one life, we can’t sit back and
[03:40:11] neglect it, we can, what they teach is deception, gotta be a G, be a God, be a legend, the mind
[03:40:17] is a tool and the tongue is a weapon, I just hope they hear me, calling on my mama, always
[03:40:24] taught me to speak clearly, keep the shit a hundred, that’s the reason that they feel
[03:40:28] me, this pussy ain’t got no, it’s one hell of a feeling, lately I’ve been plotting, I’ve
[03:40:32] been chilling by myself, never had the option, played the cards that I was dealt, now I’m
[03:40:37] in position, financial independence, align with your intentions and it’s bound to bring
[03:40:41] you wealth, growing up my mama, she was in and out the home, custody, it fucked with
[03:40:46] me, I gotta let it go, posse meant the best, the only one in me to grow, burning through
[03:40:51] the coma, I can feel it in my soul, burning through these leaves, we’ve been burning
[03:40:55] through these zones, grateful for my brothers, I can’t do it on my own, gotta move, I won’t
[03:41:00] forget that I was broke, gotta move on, I can’t forget that I was broke, gotta move
[03:41:02] on, I can’t forget that I was broke, gotta move on, I can’t forget that I was broke,
[03:41:02] for real, don’t be entertaining doubt, whatever you do, don’t be doing it for clout, I’ma do
[03:41:12] it with you without, listen, cause I ain’t in it for the recognition of the fame, people
[03:41:17] say I’m magnificent, guess I changed, I’ve been recognizing everything that I became,
[03:41:23] atlas of the world, everybody know the name, it’s a blessing, we only get one life, we
[03:41:28] can’t sit back and neglect it, we can’t blame each other with they teachers, deception,
[03:41:32] gotta be a G, be a copy, a legend, the mind is a tool and the tongue is a weapon, I ain’t
[03:41:38] out here flexing, I’m just giving lessons, really stating section 8 is deeper than complexion,
[03:41:44] everybody racing, it ain’t about the first or second, all about your energy, about how
[03:41:48] you express it, all about progression, finding your direction, following your heart and utilizing
[03:41:54] your perspective, I’m the one they talk about, I’m not the one to mess with, I don’t ever
[03:41:58] worry about if I’ma go to heaven, I know why I’m here, who I am, who I am, who I am, who
[03:42:02] I’ll be, what’s a little smoke if I know I’m the seed, I know that I am an infinite
[03:42:08] being, just like you, cause I ain’t in it for the recognition, or the fame, people say
[03:42:14] I’m magnificent, guess I changed, I’ve been recognizing everything that I became, atlas
[03:42:19] of the world, everybody know the name, it’s a blessing, we only get one life, we can’t
[03:42:24] sit back and neglect it, we can’t blame each other with they teachers, deception, gotta
[03:42:29] be a G, be a copy, a legend, the mind is a tool and the tongue is a weapon, I ain’t
[03:42:32] a G, be a copy, a legend, the mind is a tool and the tongue is a weapon, for real, I know
[03:42:35] y’all felt it, man, Tyler told me to bring the heat, so that’s what I did, I don’t care
[03:42:40] if you listen to rap, you felt it, because y’all heard me say, focus on the path in your
[03:42:47] presence, we’ll find the answers, Lauren hit on it, be in your body, get out of your
[03:42:52] mind, if y’all want real game, it’s what I give, I’m a teacher, I was sent here, y’all
[03:42:58] heard it, I’m an infinite being, you are too, you just don’t know it.
[03:43:02] Don’t be trapped, it’s a mind game, I promise you guys, Atlas of the world, I love you guys,
[03:43:08] you’re me and I am you, speak our truth, baby.