"A Different Kid" by Mission Man

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The influences for this CD are immense, so I'm just going to list them, in the order in which they pop in my head. Tupac, Talking Heads, U2, Billy Joel, Prince, Michael Jackson, Depeche Mode, the Beastie Boys, Duran Duran, The Pet Shop Boys, the Roots, NWA, David Bowie, Run DMC, Public Enemy, Rakim, Cyndi Lauper, Mister Mister, Linkin Park, Men At Work, Simple Minds, Tears For Fears, Pat Benatar, Joan Jett, Bob Seger, Outkast (all the way back to Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, came out when I was still very much in the early formative years of my rap development), Toto, Whitesnake, White Zombie, Ice-T, Richard Marx, Barenaked Ladies, the Bloodhoung Gang, Naked Eyes, Paul Simon, Culture Club, EMF, REM, Tool, the Clash, the Cure, Madness, Heart, Tpau, Sting, the Eurythmics, Blondie, New Order, Wang Chung, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Harold Faltermeyer (Axel F), Everlast, They Might Be Giants, Gordon Lightfoot, Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash, 311, Sublime, Wu-Tang Clan, Radiohead, Weird Al, Scarface, Five Stair Steps, Stevie Wonder, Otis Redding, Bill Withers, Edwin McCain, Taco, Tone Loc, Young MC, Aerosmith, Bruce Hornsby and the Range, Mike and the Mechanics, and I've probably left off more than I've listed.

Ok. So, my influences are numerous, and very diverse, with a lot of 80s music in there. I grew up on 80s music, which is why it has such a tremendous influence. I also started rapping in 1992, and that's when Tupac and Dr. Dre where really hitting it big. I'm not the producer Dre is, but I'm learning.

Let's see... ah yes. This CD is often filled with struggle (the World, Working Person's Trap, Nothing Great), and at other times is extremely positive (songs like Wanna Get Down, Me Again, Dream, Open Eyes, Revitalized, New Future, and the spoken track air). It's all reflective of what my life was (and continues to be) during the 4 years of creating "A Different Kid." In 2000, when I started working on this CD, I was just getting back into school after having to drop out of school for 2 years (bad financial decisions, with not much of a safety net since my mom died in 1994). I had to work full time while going to school, and couldn't really enjoy college as much as I wanted, except for one semester. The spring of 2001. That semester inspired "New Future." I got enough financial aid that all I was doing was taking 19 credit hours (6 classes). They were business classes, and therefore pretty easy. I basically studied half an hour a week, and played pool and made music the rest of the time. I've actually been playing pool longer than I've been rapping, so I was always in a good mood. It seemed like that semester would never end because the load was so easy. I also had Lasik surgery that semester, right after my 22nd birthday. I started wearing glasses when I was 8, and switched to contacts around 18 or so. To be able to see naturally was amazing (and still is). I am still glad I had that experience. Everyone who goes to college should be able to experience at least a semester like that, and ideally the entire 4 (or 7 in my case, depending on how you look at it) years they are in college.

That semester was only 4 months out of 4 years, though. And while it also inspired "Open Eyes" because I could see the good in everyone when I looked into their eyes, the semester did not last. After graduating, I couldn't find a job, like most college graduates in the last few years, so I kept delivering pizzas while chasing my musical dreams. Well, here I am, two years later, still delivering pizzas, still losing money on music, and still working on it, even harder than ever. Having worked my way through college, and still delivering pizzas, I do get frustrated from time to time, and that's what "Working Person's Trap" is about. However, it's also supposed to bring awareness to people that they can get out of that trap if they are creative about it. For me, I know delivering pizzas isn't permanent. I know I'll either make a living touring (that's what I'm working so hard towards now), or I'll go to grad school for computer science. Either way is fine with me. Sometimes it feels permanent, and that's why the lyrics are so strong and dark.

Obviously, the CD ends positively, even though "New Future" and "Open Eyes" were written earlier. That's because, I'm a very optimistic person. I believe that no matter how bad things can get, they will end up for the best if you keep a positive attitude, and that's the biggest underlying message in this CD. No matter how bad things get, they will end up for the best if you keep a positive attitude. Yes, I said it twice. Just wanted to reinforce the idea.

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Check out other Mission Man CDs:

"Intro To my Mind," "Out Of The Shadows," "Put Down The Pen," "Antis Trype," All part of the Complete Mission Man Collection.

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