Everyone that knows me personally knows that "Belly" is one of my top five favorite movies. Not only because of the message, but the music in the movie is dope to me. Since last night, one of my favorite songs from the film “Devil’s Pie” by D’Angelo has been heavy on my mind this morning. With all of the messed up events that are going on in the world, we often question people’s actions. We question why some people in our lives turn on us or why people compromise their respect for others. In this post I’m going to talk about how many of us are in line for a slice of the “devil’s pie” and don’t even realize it. Keep following me, I promise this isn’t a sermon I am about to preach. I’m just going to speak some unfiltered real stuff.
D’Angelo sings the hook “Fuck the slice we want the pie, why ask why ‘til we fry, watch us all stand in line, for a slice of the devil’s pie.” That line is so deep to me because we all sometimes forget about our current blessings. These days the majority of society is on a constant journey to look for more fame, money, women, a filled void, attention etc. -- pretty much everything that doesn’t necessary bring long term happiness. This could be that relationship that you know is toxic, but because you don’t truly value yourself you stay. It could be the attention that you seek from people because you’re insecure about something in your life and attention is the only thing to make you feel wanted. This could even be that you judge any and everyone because you are secretly dealing with demons you aren’t ready to face in your own life. We sometimes don’t want to experience the pain of difficult situations or accepting people for who they are. We would much rather take the easy route and stand in line for a slice of the “devil’s pie”. The song even breaks down the things that goes into the “devil’s pie”. This serves as a metaphor to the things that make us get off track from our true happiness.
The song says “Here’s the list. Materialistic, greed and lust, jealously, envious. Bread and dough…..where niggas come to feast.” Before I break down this part, I’m going to just keep it real with you. I too have been in line for the “devil’s pie” before. I’m not one of these writers that is going to pretend like I have it together, because I don’t. I’m not going to be one of those writers that isn’t going to write certain things because I am scared to damage my brand. I would get on social media and everyone seemed to be successful, in love or overly excited being single, and content with the life that they are living. Meanwhile I was actually loathing the fact that I’m single because I either messed up a relationship with a woman, because I wanted to have my cake and eat it too, or I felt like I was too good to date any woman who I heard got around. I hated the fact that I am underemployed college graduate (I just walked the stage, but that’s another blog for another time) that drives a beat up Ford Focus with the check engine light on. Compared to others, I’m behind the curve in my eyes. That was envy.
What I learned is that we have to trust our growing processes. Not just say it, but really trust it. We want everything to come into place because we see others with it. You have to realize that you wouldn’t appreciate those luxuries if you didn’t know how it felt to be without them. You won’t value money unless you really know how it is to be dirt broke. You won’t value that person who shows you love when you haven’t experienced disappointment many times. Don’t let those irrelevant negative feelings throw you off from who you really are. Trust your own process and your own intuition. Tangible things have a price on them. True happiness and internal peace is priceless.
