Ricochet - Bas

"Reached into my mind for reflection

The truth is obscuring my perception

So take a hit on this shit feel the resin on our fingertips

And watch it billow, billow, let it go" 

        These are the some of the lyrics to the song "Ricochet" by Bas ft. The Hics - off the album Too High to Riot. I love these lyrics because there are many ways you can interpret the meaning of them. When my sister first played this song, my initial reaction was that this song was about the artist reflecting on his past relationship that ended badly and him smoking in order to get his ex off of his mind. However, now that I've listened to this song multiple times, I've come to recognize that the first two lines- "Reached into my mind for reflection, The truth is obscuring my perception"- are actually discussing how our society is very contradictory. Many people talk about how we have the freedom to speak out about our ideas, but are these ideas really our own? Everything in our society has some sort of impact on our lives and our perceptions. What we believe has to stem from something or someone; this can come from institutions (such as schools & churches) or our parents/ friends. I think what Bas meant by "The truth is obscuring my perception" is that as we grow older, it becomes more difficult to find the confidence in our own beliefs, for our perceptions have already been blurred by what we observe and experience in the world around us. This line can also be seen as an oxymoron because normally, the truth is supposed to clear one's perception, not hide our perception. 

        Drugs in our society are normally seen in a negative light, but people often oversee the benefits of them. For example, marijuana is used to decrease anxiety and to aid in chronic pain. When Bas sings "So take a hit... feel the resin on our fingertips, And watch it billow, billow, let it go", he is trying to portray the message that by getting high, he was able to step away from his mind and his thoughts for a quick minute and see life from another perspective. He could escape his worries and let himself relax from the issues that were shrouding his mind. I think that a lot of people are afraid of the potential dangers of drugs, so they are scared to talk about it. However, through songs, rappers are opening up about their experiences with drugs, which can help others not seem alone in this world. 

        I think that despite what musicians sing about, whether it is about sex and drugs, there is always a significant meaning behind it. Music has multiple dimensions to it, and at a surface level, it could be portrayed one way, but once someone actually takes the time to analyze the lyrics, one could find that the musician was trying to portray a different message. I believe that certain genres of music should not be looked down upon because music is an emotional outlet for all artists.