Life Lessons From a Hip-Hop Broadway Musical

We live through times when hate and fear seem stronger, we rise and fall and light from dying embers, remembrances that hope and love last longer. Love is love is love is love is love is love is love — cannot be killed or swept aside. - Lin-Manuel Miranda

This has been my life for the past two weeks.

Yo!

For the fans of theatrical musicals and Broadway shows, you may have watched the 70th Tony Awards last June 12 (or 13 in Pinas). This year, the Tony's had me discovering a Broadway musical about the man in the 10-dollar bill and Founding Father, Alexander Hamilton. What intrigued me is that their musical style was Hip-Hop, Rap and RnB.

I know. History + Urban music = ? 

It doesn't make sense unless you listen to it. And believe me, it's amazing. And since I can't see it live because unfortunately I am poor and I am not in New York-- I downloaded the whole cast album (which by the way was number one on the US Top Rap Albums and US Broadway Cast Albums).

The music is addicting and it taught me a lot of things-- in life, generally.

My name is Alexander Hamilton
And there’s a million things I haven’t done
But just you wait, just you wait...

1) You need to fend for yourself. YOU are the only true help you have. 

2) Talk less, smile more.

3) Stand up for something and do not stay on the safe zone forever.

4) How lucky we are to be alive right now.

5) Chaos and bloodshed are not a solution.

6) Dying is easy, living is harder.

7) One person can change your life.

8) Some people will never be satisfied.

9) Heroes and prominent are people too. They cheat, they kill and they make bad decisions. Imperfections makes us more humane. 

10) I am inimitable and I am an original.

11) Love, death and life doesn't discriminate between the sinners and the saint. It takes and it takes and it takes but we keep loving and living anyway. We laugh and we cry and we break and we make our mistakes. And if there's a reason I'm still alive when so many have tried and died then I'm willing to wait for it.

12) If you reach your dreams, the world will never be the same.

13) We have no control who lives, who dies and who tells our story.

14) Good friends mean you kind of win in life.

15) But if you are on your own, then by all means-- try winning.

16) Do not seek revenge-- let karma do its thing.

17) We all get tempted sometimes. 

18) Apologize and let go.

19) No matter how awesome you are, making one stupid mistake will be your ruin. The crowd will choose to remember your mistake.

20) Stay alive. That would be enough.

I guess the whole plot sums up that: everything is worth the wait and if your overcome the huge challenges intensifying imperfections, someone will witness them and they will tell your story.

LOVE,

PLAYLIST:

The whole Hamilton Cast Album, duhh