FRIGHDAYS: Episode One

Themba Jay
Sep 7, 2018 · 6 min read

The FRIGHDAYS story is a tale of a few young people from Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa, and the societies in which they exist and how they got to where they find themselves. It’s equally important, if not more, to touch on and flesh out where they come from. They find peace and strength in various interests; a few are designers, film-makers — makers of timeless cool, really. Others are obsessed about piecing words together to make some impact. And writing of impact, they want to take over the world through their gifts.

The story is woven through a carefully curated playlist of ten songs at the end of each week that stop-the-lorry from galloping along furiously (we hate excessive emotional and mental noise). Lest we forget, phela: life has to have punctuations, or, it then becomes utterly relentless.

One more thing. The story takes us, you, your pals, any-where the lyrics lure us.

Tune In :-)



“Her energy is electric. But, not in a way you wouldn’t enjoy — you would love it. You’ll love her, ntwana!”

Her? What do you mean?

“Don’t tell me you cannot feel it when you look at her

On a day like this, her beautiful heat

It indeed feels like summer

I’ll say it again … it feels like (a beautiful) summer;

She is summer; don’t waste any time daar!”

What the fuck! I am lost bro!

“Well, don’t pretend like you don’t get it! You’re a smart guy

Anyway, have you ever thought about being young and in love with yourself and the world? It is the shit, I tell ya!

Like, to not know who I am, but still know that I’m good enough, as long as you’re here with me

To be drunk and in love in New York City (or anywhere else in the world)

Midnight hustling in a foreign city, right into morning coffee

Like, you know how we burn through the hours talking about how we’re going to take over the world?

The fact is, I like me better when I am in the company of greatness. It rubs off easily.”

Today, you must be Frighdazed, you’re speaking in (intelligent) riddles. Qhubeka khehla.

“Have you noticed how life some times becomes as peaceful and somewhat sleepy, like a calmingly lazy instrumental tune. The problem is, we often want to escape from that stillness. We’ve been (mis)taught to believe where there’s noise, issa vibe!”

Is it not? What if you hang out with people who are like that?

“Well, I’ll say this: influence plays a huge role in how you turn out; so, the (cigarette) smoke from those around you is enough choke you, there doesn’t need to be a fire.”

Now that I think about it, you’re right!

Perhaps that’s why I’ve become bad news, I’m just bad-bad news fam
Am all about the money and such nig’
As if I live in Tanzania, I’m back on the coffee bean
And anything in-between
Back on the coffee line; back on the hustle
Back-back-back in the boardroom firing line.

“This creative world we live in, the waters in which we find ourselves swimming, is full of action. It moves at full throttle, almost all the time. And here’s a kicker: it wants that we live, see and imagine things as children would.”

Ah! Yes yes yes, fam! That saying, uhmmm, a creative adult is …

“… a child who survived (the world). Yep! That’s who we are mchana.”

But, it hands us access to opportunities to see things we’ve always wanted, places them right in front of us. It can get exciting, and confusing, some times painful — because, growth.

“True! In the end, love will let us all free. It’s the answer.”

Just rock with the waves, rock with the waves — go where life takes you. Ever heard of this? ‘You can’t beat a river into submission. You have to surrender to its current and use its power as your own.’
There’s no other place and time like this
I’d like to erase my mind of some parts of the past, ok
I’m feelin ok, feelin alright. I just want to be a brand new person who isn’t afraid to take what’s theirs. Like Mac raps it, “Nowadays all I do is shine, take a breath and ease my mind
I ain’t askin’ “Why?” no more
Oh, no, I take it if it’s mine, I don’t stay inside the lines
It ain’t 2009 no more
Yeah, I know what’s behind that door.”
I just wanna have a good time
Wanna have peaceful nights
Feel ok, feel alright
Hot summer days and the cool summer nights, you know
All that we do here is never a waist of time no
Never a waist of time.

You’ll cav’!

“Counselor and clinical social worker, Kate McGahan, wrote, “Love comes in waves. It’s natural law. There’s always more coming.” The same goes for happiness, opportunity and abundance, ain’t it?

I believe so. And I thank my Dad for teaching that”

Rules and rules put in place in the world, that stifle growth. You know how I feel about that
If you drop the ball, don’t be afraid to pick it up again.
Mind not these pressures at the door — how about my mental health?
Makes you think, has you stop for a split second and wonder.
Lately, I been feeling a tad out of place.

Can I move to outer space, by any chance? Let me catch the first plane to the moon.

Wanna come with?

“Don;’t even ask”

Ayt, easy.

Also, think about this bro …
Three hits. That’s how I run my life, base the things I do and moves I make on those pillars.
Time. Space. God.

What are your hits (pillars, if you like)?

I’ll wait.

“Mine is rather simple:
Always never be caught doing the worst, when you can be the best.

It’s so fuckin’ cheesy, though, it’s not even funny. L.O.L!

I kid! I’ll let you know my values some time.

Remember when I hinted to you about her energy being electric? And then said, not in a way you wouldn’t enjoy -that, you would love it.
I repeat, you’ll love her, ntwana! And it’s amazing how her can be your favourite car, spotting its curvaceous contours. Or, a state-of-the-art camera. Life is indeed anything you make it out to be.”


References

First verses of every song

Personal anecdotes (dreams of global travel and career growth, experiences and lessons from childhood)

The finer things in life (it could be a car, an intelligent woman or a business deal that could change lives, you know)

Mac Miller — 2009


Happy Frighday! :-)

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Themba Jay

Written by

Writer . Strategy-maker . Speaker . Language Consultant | 💌 thembaonline@gmail.com

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