In rap, as in all things that involve the use of the phrase “in,” we are told to “keep it real” and to “hold on to your dreams.” We should have a real, live dream. In fact, rap is one of the few genres where it’s possible to achieve a real, live, life-affirming dream! (Or, perhaps I’m just reading too much into it.)
The word “reality” here means “that which is real.” We want to be real, not just dreamy—and that’s why you see all the “real” in rappers’ lyrics—especially the rappers who have it all, especially the ones who are trying to break records.
How are you “held on to your dreams”?
One of the common claims in the rap world is that when rappers rap about things that are happening that is real, that’s how we are “held on to our dreams,” or, if you prefer, “held on to reality.” However, the truth is that when you look at actual, live experiences, you’ll see that sometimes, the “reality” isn’t quite what you expect.
Here’s a look at some real life examples of our dreams being “held on to” not on purpose—but instead by a “reality illusion,” like seeing that dream-like object in your hand and then, a few seconds later, realizing it wasn’t a real thing at all.
1) This is what “real life” is like
“Real world” is a misleading word, of course, because it can refer to a world that looks like that in the movies that we all know so well. We also have a lot of people in this world that are experiencing things that are completely different from what we’re used to. And these people can be as real as you are, or they can be as unreal as you are!
“Real life” is not a place full of real-looking objects that can’t be seen or handled at a certain time, or if you want to look real, you have to go into the “real world.” People with “real life” can be pretty extreme, and they’re usually living their most vivid, wild, passionate dreams.
2) This is when we look at the way we live our real lives—and how people treat us
This is a very common feeling, not because it’s necessarily bad, but because the reality is that people treat us
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