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Root and Rise

August 23, 2019 – 3 min read

By Max Cole Glaser

Teen in front of car

Aug. 23, 2019- I’m Max Cole Glaser. Today is a good day.

Like so many other people of my age (I’m 20 years old), I’ve experienced mental health issues, including at some points, immense anxiety. I’ve contended with harsh situations including my parents’ tumultuous divorce, a devastating house fire, and the ongoing challenge of living with Tourette’s syndrome.

Finding the right balance in my life has been difficult at times. But I know now that these circumstances, coupled with the unconditional love of my extended family and the community, have brought me to where I am today – feeling strong and grateful. One of the strategies I’ve found to optimize my mental health is to write, produce and perform music on stage, where I’m known as the rapper Maxgod. Finding my voice was a long and painful process, but the experience of creating art has helped cultivate and sustain my deep sense of life-affirming passion and purpose. Thanks to the therapeutic effects of writing and performing music, I feel I’ve gone from merely surviving, to thriving.

My writing has given me the confidence to advocate for myself, and in turn, to champion others who may be in need of love, support and resources, such as those who struggle with their mental health or who have been affected by suicide: whether they have lost someone close to them, or have experienced suicidal thoughts themselves.

I’ve written and recorded “Root and Rise,” and dedicated it to those of like mind and heart, who support people living with mental health challenges. The song is about learning to distance myself from the people, places and things that don’t inspire me to flourish. It’s also about my choice to begin each day mindfully, taking a moment to recommit to my philosophy: live to the max, root down and rise up:

Root and Rise, forever gonna’ thrive
Cut the line, give me peace of mind yeah
Drop the dime, you never was in line
I had to rise, get up out your shrine, yeah

Hurt people hurt others, had to fix myself, yeah

Accountability for the cards that got dealt

Why is it so hard to see when you’re in it
Makes more sense, I dropped the new edition

All night till’ the day comes in
Tired of dealing with this redundancy
But we go back forth, back forth
Better call the task force, task force
You was a bad sport, bad sport
Got me some tats on my passport

And I never let anger in my way
Remember the pain will never stay
Let me down, I had to find my way
Show myself that inner strength pays

But it’s not easy

Root and rise, forever gonna’ thrive
Cut the line, give me peace of mind yeah
Drop the dime, you never was in line
I had to rise, get up out your shrine yeah
Root and rise, forever gonna’ thrive
Cut the line, give me peace of mind yeah
Drop the dime, you never was in line
I had to rise, get up out your shrine yeah

All night till’ the day comes in
Tired of dealing with this redundancy
Root Down, Rise Up

You’ve Got This…Walk with Me….

I’m so proud to share this song with our community. Each of us is courageous and resilient. Together, we are seen and heard. We matter. We can change lives, open minds and heal hearts by sharing our stories. In the best and worst of times, I’ve learned to stop, take a deep breath, gather my thoughts, root down into the earth that supports me, and rise up with the strength of my voice and vision for a boundless future. Walk With Me…we are all connected.

Watch and listen to Maxgod’s song “Root and Rise,” and follow him on Instagram here.

Click to donate to MaxGod’s “Root and Rise: Walk With Me” fundraising campaign.