Uploaded November 2022 | Updated September 2026, 4 minutes ago
Using a sample from the title song of LYNX's album, beautiful small things, Composition of a City instructors Olivia Doig and Aasha Francis bring together elements of art song and hip hop to demonstrate the creation of an original song for students of Composition of a City. In this video, they are joined by Daysia J., former Composition of a City student, who shares a verse she contributed. (Event program here: lynxproject.org/fundraiser-program)
Performers:
Olivia Doig (Composition of a City Teaching Artist and soprano)
Aasha Francis (Composition of a City Teaching Artist and hip hop artist/producer/rapper/poet)
Daysia J (Composition of a City student alum and hip hop artist/rapper)
Florence Mak, piano
Sample taken from "beautiful small things"
Text by Ryan harris, music by Emily Cooley, performed by Megan Moore and Nathaniel LaNasa
Aasha’s verse:
I’ll never cease to overlook the joy
When winter sheds its freeze and the icicles get destroyed
Cause sunrays spread their fingertips across Chi, Illinois
Now spring has sprung and with it comes the smiles of girls and boys
Creation’s not mythology keep your Helen of Troy
Elation God is proud to see humanity employ
The beauty of the flowers arrayed in all of their glory
Taking rest in the green grass passing hours tells the story
Of seasons changing people hanging reasons clinging to truth
That when you encounter difficulty it’s time to uproot
Your focus off of your problems empower be your own sooth
Sayer layer on your foresight and know your right to lose
Yourself in minor details that can undo major blues
Yesterday’s troubles gone today so marvel at the proof
In all the beautiful small things
That make suitable tall dreams
Irrefutable callings to love and keep on falling
Chorus:
See the world
by the beautiful small things
Daysia’s verse:
These stories I’m finna tell you will not be takin’ lightly,
I am a black girl, curly-haired now that’s precisely,
Complexion’s dark and I’m gracious with it, it’s how I’m brought up,
And like Nat Turner Ion take no mess that’s how I’m taught up,
You pay attention tuh that hate? They wanna be just like us ,
However cultural appropriation is how they bind us,
No matter what you can never let vexation define us
It’s the little beautiful things that really help to find us,
I inherit the slave,
I inherit the brave,
I inherit the soul food yeah that’s what I crave,
I inherit the art,
I inherit the music,
I inherit uh mastermind please just don’t confuse it,
The melanin in my skin? I inherit it too,
I inherit the brown eyes and the ageless youth ,
I said it once before and I’mma say it again,
This is the truth summarized way from deep within…
Using a sample from the title song of LYNX's album, beautiful small things, Composition of a City instructors Olivia Doig and Aasha Francis bring together elements of art song and hip hop to demonstrate the creation of an original song for students of Composition of a City. In this video, they are joined by Daysia J., former Composition of a City student, who shares a verse she contributed. (Event program here: lynxproject.org/fundraiser-program)
Performers:
Olivia Doig (Composition of a City Teaching Artist and soprano)
Aasha Francis (Composition of a City Teaching Artist and hip hop artist/producer/rapper/poet)
Daysia J (Composition of a City student alum and hip hop artist/rapper)
Florence Mak, piano
Sample taken from "beautiful small things"
Text by Ryan harris, music by Emily Cooley, performed by Megan Moore and Nathaniel LaNasa
Aasha’s verse:
I’ll never cease to overlook the joy
When winter sheds its freeze and the icicles get destroyed
Cause sunrays spread their fingertips across Chi, Illinois
Now spring has sprung and with it comes the smiles of girls and boys
Creation’s not mythology keep your Helen of Troy
Elation God is proud to see humanity employ
The beauty of the flowers arrayed in all of their glory
Taking rest in the green grass passing hours tells the story
Of seasons changing people hanging reasons clinging to truth
That when you encounter difficulty it’s time to uproot
Your focus off of your problems empower be your own sooth
Sayer layer on your foresight and know your right to lose
Yourself in minor details that can undo major blues
Yesterday’s troubles gone today so marvel at the proof
In all the beautiful small things
That make suitable tall dreams
Irrefutable callings to love and keep on falling
Chorus:
See the world
by the beautiful small things
Daysia’s verse:
These stories I’m finna tell you will not be takin’ lightly,
I am a black girl, curly-haired now that’s precisely,
Complexion’s dark and I’m gracious with it, it’s how I’m brought up,
And like Nat Turner Ion take no mess that’s how I’m taught up,
You pay attention tuh that hate? They wanna be just like us ,
However cultural appropriation is how they bind us,
No matter what you can never let vexation define us
It’s the little beautiful things that really help to find us,
I inherit the slave,
I inherit the brave,
I inherit the soul food yeah that’s what I crave,
I inherit the art,
I inherit the music,
I inherit uh mastermind please just don’t confuse it,
The melanin in my skin? I inherit it too,
I inherit the brown eyes and the ageless youth ,
I said it once before and I’mma say it again,
This is the truth summarized way from deep within…
