“All That I Am Or Ever Hope To Be, I Owe To My Mother”

Many of us claim we have the best mom in the world. But I think anyone who has met Momma J would agree mine is in the top 5, at the very least. My mom is a real-life superhero, embodying the abilities of healing and telepathy, to name a few. She is my best friend and biggest cheerleader, and I honestly don’t know what I would do without her morning phone calls or 3 pm venting sessions. While I understand that I will never be able to repay her for all that she’s done for me, I want to dedicate this post to her to close out her special birthday as a thank you for all the ways she has shown how much she loves and adores me.

I owe a lot of who I am to my momma. My mom grew up as an English major, perusing the arts in multiple forms throughout the streets of Bombay. She passed that on to me without us realizing her education (which I teased her for because who doesn’t make fun of English majors?) would manifest itself into my love that is Spice On The Beat. After every post, it’s her criticism that I anxiously await. In the same token that she’ll give me gentle constructive notes, she’ll also give me the most heartfelt and emotional praise that warms my heart like no other. My mom is one of my biggest motivations for chasing my dreams, even when that path gets obstructed. There’s nothing more that I want than to succeed for her.

Moms have the ability to push us to our maximum in a way that doesn’t break us but rather helps us realize our potential. Whenever I find myself settling into something because it’s easy, my mom will make it known that while I’m doing alright, I’m not fulfilling my true capabilities. Hell, I understand why so many artists make their moms their managers. I would do the same. Yet, in the same way that our moms get us to push ourselves to our limits, they also see us at our weakest and most vulnerable. And amazingly enough, they don’t put us down for it. Instead, they console us. They nurture us. They care for us. It’s incredible how many hats moms can wear, but it’s even more beautiful that we can be our most dynamic selves in front of our mothers, bearing every emotion in front of them. In today’s post, I want to pay homage to something I used to do quite often when it was my mom’s birthday. I loved making acrostic name poems for her. This year, my mom received a handmade note in the mail detailing her birthday gift, and she told me it’s been years since she got a handmade card. To keep up with the theme, (and remind her I’ll always be her baby girl), I wanted to make an elevated version of an acrostic poem, staying on par with my blog. One of my favorite things about my mom is that even if she may not always like the music or understand the lyrics, she always listens to the Hip-Hop artists and songs I write about. So instead, my mom’s acrostic poem will feature an adjective that also relates to a song title to go with each letter of her first name. It will make more sense in a second.

Nas and Damian Marley – “Strong Will Continue“

The first letter of my mom’s name, S, is quite an important letter when describing some of her attributes. It’s essential to include a strong such as Nas and Damian Marley’s “Strong Will Continue,” because my mother is the embodiment of strength. When I listen to the stories she tells about some of the things she experienced, I am amazed that she is the woman she is today. So many people would have cracked under the pressure. But not her. “Strong Will Continue” is a song about perserverance; about how cruel and damaging the world can be. And yet, there’s a select few who will always rise above the obstacles and push through, and my mom is one of those people. She is strength, and might, and she will always continue on no matter how defeated she may feel in that moment. And I admire the hell out of her for it.

Xzibit – “Highest Form of Understanding“

It took me growing into an adult to realize how much effort patience requires. And yet even after everything my mom has experienced, even after working long days and taking care of two needy children, my mom was calm, loving, and kind. She was understanding. And that’s why I selected Xzibit’s “Highest Form of Understanding” as the place of U. The song demonstrates everything wrong in the world, all of society’s issues. So many of our mothers face the world head on, even with the weight of the world on their shoulders. Even as an adult, I can call up my mom and unload all of my problems and stress onto her, without even realizing that she may have her own burdens to deal with. And yet, she’ll never speak up and say anything, because even at almost 30 years old, she wants nothing but to be able to care and love me. Although she is experiencing the same hurdles that I’m experiencing if not more, she carries herself through the fire with grace, compassion, and love.

The Notorious B.I.G. – “Notorious B.I.G.“

Now, I did have to thug things up a bit for the letter N. Because let me tell you, if there’s one thing you don’t do, it’s that you don’t fuck with Momma J or her loved ones. My mother is one of the fiercest, most loyal people I know. And if you meet her with disrespect, you will learn the hard way. It’s fucking incredible. That’s why I decided to choose The Notorious B.I.G.’s self-explanatory anthem, “Notorious B.I.G.” Because when you step to Biggie, you step correct, otherwise you will face the consequences. If there is one thing you don’t want, it’s to be at the end of my mom’s sharp wit and quick verbal reflexes. She will always outsmart you.

Nefertiti ft. Guru – “No Nonsense“

For the next N, I decided to go a similar route. When it comes down to business, my mother is one track minded. If she sets her mind to something, it is getting done no matter what. And whatever you do, do not underestimate her by any means. She will do everything in her power to prove you wrong. It’s one of my favorite qualities that I inherited from her. And that’s why, for her second N, I went with Nefertiti and Guru’s “No Nonsense.” There’s a time and a place to play when it comes to Momma J. But when it’s time to work, she will motivate (and harrass, if you’re her own children) you until it gets done to perfection. I know she’ll yell at me for that last bit, and while I’m mostly joking, there is a bit of weight to it. Every time it felt like my mom was nagging me, I realized she was giving me the pressure I needed to eventually feel ease later in life. And I’m so appreciative of it.

Honorable Mention: Drake – “Nice For What“

I did want to mention that while I could have used a word like nice to describe my mom, it felt like both a cop-out choice as well as a word that just didn’t quite fit. Sure, it would have given me more options, but nice feels like a word I would have used if I were still writing this at 8 years old.

With that being said, there’s one song choice that I think goes against that. That is, Drake’s “Nice For What.” While I still get to include a kind compliment like describing my mom as nice, I think it’s the song itself that is far better suited. My mom has been my pillar for feminism since I could understand what feminism is. She taught me how to stand tall as a woman in a man’s world, and showed me that no matter how much my womanhood would be used against me, it is my superpower. And there’s nothing that I couldn’t do based off of my gender. It’s my mom who taught me not to be nice to men who didn’t deserve it. She taught me how to give the insults and the disrespect right back should a situation ever call for it, because I will never be treated like a second-class citizen. It’s my Bombay Princess of a mom who taught me the value of independence and self-sufficiency, rather than waiting on a prince to save me. I think this will also probably be her favorite of the song choices.

Lido – “Outstanding“

And lastly, I wanted to go the most straight-forward route by ending my mom’s name with the last letter, O, using experimental R&B singer and producer Lido’s “Outstanding.” The song is beautiful, but quite simple in lyrics. Throughout the song, Lido repeatedly sings the lines, “and you will be outstanding, on your own girl.” When I mentioned the word nice wasn’t enough to describe my mom, it’s because she is so much more than that. She is remarkable, extroadinary, incredible. Not just as a mother, but as a woman. And I aspire to be as outstanding as she is. Happy Birthday, Mom.♥