Introduction:

“Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought.”
(E.Y. Harburg) Music is an element that is part of everyday life. People listen to music all the time,
whether it’s driving to school or working on a project, it serves multiple purposes. The most important
purpose music has to offer is helping people emote and understand certain feelings. The best kind of
songs are pieces that not only have an awesome melody, but also a meaningful message. With all
the current heartache and suffering in the world, people can use music as a reflection of this difficult
reality. Kevin Ross’s “Look Up” (feat. Lecrae) stresses the harsh and controversial topics within our
country today; though it discusses the difficult reality many people of color are facing today, it serves
as a reminder and call to action for people to step up and make a change. By way of psychoanalytic
concepts such as confrontation and denial, Kevin Ross reveal issues and why they are being
overlooked in our society. Therefore, “Look Up” is a musical masterpiece that contains an important
message that carries the potential to open up the minds of many.

Summary:
Kevin Ross’s song “Look Up” stands as symbol for many issue in our country such as discrimination,
poor leadership, and harsh financial situations. As a person of color, Kevin Ross is able to explain the
terrible conditions that him and many struggle with each and everyday. Verse one starts with the idea
that people are learning about this country and being told that we live in the “the land of the free”,
when in reality people may be free in this country, but not everyone is treated equal. The chorus
explains that if people stop and a look around, they won't be blind to this issue. Verse two goes on to
discuss the fact that the world is short of leaders that care about this problem and are overlooking the
fact that color does not define the quality of someone's character.

Analysis:
The song itself is beautifully written with an amazing rhythmic pulse and sorrowful yet hopeful melody.
This helps paint the picture and give the words an even more emotional feeling. We see the use of
confrontation used in the song multiple times. According to the American Psychoanalytic Association
(APA), confrontation is a ​ “​practice often done prior to an intervention where the patient is encouraged
to attend to experiences that they have been avoiding.” (APA) Kevin Ross does this by stating the
many problems people of color are facing today and and by calling out our government and
leadership. For example he writes “You see the world is short of leaders” (Ross) This implies that
since we don’t have leaders that are trying to currently make a change, the issues at hand will never
be solved. Ross also uses denial in the song which according to the APA is “an individual’s refusal to
accept certain or confront (or all) aspects of a given reality in order to avoid potential feelings of
discomfort.” (APA) Ross calls out our society for not noticing the tragic reality we are living in the
moment multiple times throughout the song. For example he writes “How much news can we
ignore?”, and “We’re feeding other countries while our neighbors starving next door.”, and “Does my
color speak louder than me.” (Ross) These all show that we are ignoring these matters and are in
denial of them because as Americans, we are lead to believe that this is the greatest country to live
in.

Evaluation:
Kevin Ross’s “Look Up” serves as a reminder that the america we live in isn't perfect and has major
issues that must be addressed. By the use of denial and confrontation, Kevin Ross was able to call
out our country and bring truth to what's really happening. Hopefully this song can open the minds of
people that listen to it and make them think about things in a different way. Without this song, these
issues would still be talked about, but the song brings an emotional feeling that can hit people in a
different way.