Grace & Gratification by Rich City Proper

Grace & Gratification is a piece of reflection and exploration of self. I began this project from a place of gratitude. My path, like almost all others, has been filled with obstacles, disappointments, and wrought with anxiety. But in the end... in the now, I have seen some success that I thought was not ordained for me. I am unique, but not exceptional. My nigga Keef often tells me we are only where we are through God's grace. We have grown up with peers who have had well-to-do parents and adequate enough opportunities, which should've been enough to shield them from ill fates, but the hood swallowed them. Through God's grace, "we got lucky, my nigga." And with this divine providence, I had to ask myself a few questions: What am I seeking? Why am I drawn to? What attracts me? How do I cope? What is my charge on this Earth? And how do I measure the success? Gratification. My life has been about survival. I have gotten to the point where I understand that survival is not the same as living. I am not sure what living looks like. But I'm trying to figure it out.