Article Co-Written by DrakeEmberHeart and Simon the Madhatterbrony.

(Start of Drake’s Part)

“This is probably one of most important articles I will ever write about song so dire in its message”

(Continued after the break)

With how deep this track cuts, my approach with this is a tad different because the fact is that I’ve known MC-Arch for the better part of 4 years. I’ve spoken to him personally every month, every week, gotten to know him, I have watched and heard him slowly just take everything happening in the fandom into himself. His environment along with real life struggles just amplified when this pandemic hit everyone so hard. This fandom was and still is a place that he loves so much and to watch it be consumed by the world’s problems of not just this year, but years of issues that plagued this fandom. As someone who let so much bottle up and fester only for it to come out in such an explosive way, I was there in person to see it happen. I’ve seen what he had seen with my fair share of problems, from the abuse and neglect content creators get from branching out from pony, your fans turning on you, killing your drive to create anything, the burn out, the need for internet clout and wanting fame and attention more than really trying to open the hearts and minds of your fans or your peers. People with good intentions trying to make a difference but fail in the execution of doing so, the neglect and rejection of the very things that made this fandom a place to come to and not have to fight another battle that they just had with the real world. The lyrics speak of this, listen closely to the track. If you’ve been here long enough, you know just what Arch speaks about, and trust me, as someone who was aiding him and giving him feedback as he was writing this track, it all came from deep in his beaten and wounded soul.

People like me who have done that themselves can only feel empathy for him. I need not tell you what those are, I ask you to listen to the lyrics. Arch channels what true hip-hop really is. A message that needs to be heard with grave importance. This is nothing new, my fellow bronies, groups like RUN-DMC, Grandmaster Flash, Public Enemy, NWA – solo artists like Tupac. Eminem and Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda and so many others have talked about world events and personal events in the means of getting their fans to really think about things deeply. Arch has done this with firm and telling messages to this fandom to open their minds to the real issue that bronies are facing in the fandom.  Arch’s pure talent to just smoothly and emotionally piece together everything is just inspiring. He doesn’t wish to speak ill of this fandom, but he will say what needs to be said.

The inspiring part is the why he tells the truth, he hates doing it, he wants better and still loves it and tells how we can #takeitback

There is a big difference between talking about the issues within the fandom to find better ways than talking about them and ripping down other people and the fandom with you. There is a difference between praising your favorite content creator and encouraging them to grow and expand, than to hold them back just because you as a fan need the pony content. There is a difference between saying you live by the lessons and love of My LIttle Pony: Friendship is Magic and showing that you do. When he says take it back to the days when we jumped with odyssey, the days where bronies watch out for each other, held others accountable and lifted them up! To inspire each other, the days when it was bronies vs the world and fighting for our own acceptance and to why we all fell in love and were drawn to this show for little girls about Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rarity and Applejack, Arch says clearly that we as bronies can take this fandom back for those who have already hijacked it from their own agendas. Makenshi always says the brony spirit still lives. Arch is saying we take it back!

Open your hearts and minds, forget the world for a moment and just listen real deep to these lyrics and release the binds that are holding you.

From a personal note, this is simply one of the most important and dire messages that needed to be said. It makes me feel very good that my advice to my friend MC-Arch inspired some of the lyrics in this track. I am with him all the way, whatever happens!

In closing, we as mature adults must move forward with how deal with the issues and problems of this fandom to turn this fandom back to what it used to be and #takeitback from those who just use it for their own self interests and make this fandom for real bronies again and to also restore the brony spirit once more!

I pass this to Simon who has something to say as well.

(Start of Simon’s Part)

So everypony, today we discuss a song that the fandom’s needed as much as ever, but first off I want to thank Drake for suggesting to collab on this song. This song cuts deep but as always I shall start with the song itself before we get into the lyrics!

The track starts out with a chilling beat and the one show quote that’s sure to catch everyone’s attention: “I used to wonder what friendship could be” Indeed, some of us bronies did wonder what that was before they joined the fandom. The chilling, deep beat continues and as Arch starts his amazing lyrics, another beat joins. Later on, a piano joins giving the beat power and as even more elements join in, the beat continues to become more full. The beat supports the lyrics very well; it’s no firework because that’s not what it is supposed to be. The beat supports the lyrics and does really well at that. A bit later, the lyrics go silent and we are treated to a moment to enjoy the instrumental and read and understand the messages on our screens. As we continue with the lyrics, the beat calms down and goes more and more into the background until it is near-silent at one point after which it builds up again until it reaches the fullness once more only to go silent and Arch’s lyrics also stop for a few seconds of nearly complete silence, the only audible thing is the crying of a baby. Later while the beat still stays simple Arch delivers more amazing lines that we all need to hear and actually listen to. Later as the instrumental takes center stage again we are treated to images of what being a real brony really means and once more the quote “I used to wonder what friendship could be” can be heard as the beat slowly fades out ending the song on a beautiful note.

That wraps up my analysis of the music, but now it’s on to the lyrics. For this part the filter comes off–no Madhatterbrony, this is just Simon from here on out.

First, Arch talks about demons and intolerance. We all have our demons, past events we took part in even if we shouldn’t have and things we said in the heat of the moment that we regret to this day, but if we let those demons influence our lives we will never grow past them; if we don’t let those demons influence who we are, then they’re just powerless. Many people have dealt with intolerance and many people have been intolerant in the past, but we can all grow past intolerance together and show that we are all human. 

Next up, Arch talks about entitlement: most of us have experienced entitlement and he brings this up on the point, no one, no matter how much of a fan they are, is entitled to anything and our favourite creators aren’t obligated to always listen to us. The only thing they are obligated to do is care for themselves. If that means not posting stuff for some time, then we have to accept this. 

Arch then talks about how people always see the outcome and never what has been put into it. I have personally seen people putting their blood, sweat and heart into something, even to the point of burnout, but still people only see the outcome that “took too long” or “isn’t as good as we expected”; that needs to stop. “While you use friendship as a weapon”: a lot of us have seen people do this – recruiting friends to harass someone, telling friends to bully someone, friendship and what this show stands for are positive things, but they can be corrupted. Corrupted kindness, loyalty and generosity: those all exist and even more but we need to show those people that they can do better. We need to help those people adapt the real elements and virtues. 

“Hand me the block, I’ll still build from rock bottom!” I’ve been there. I’ve experienced rock bottom and this fandom, the people in it that I am proud to call friends have helped me build from rock bottom, but the longer I stay in this fandom the more people I see not lending a helping hand but destroying the tower others built up from their rock bottom. This needs to stop. We need to return to the time when we helped each other, defended each other and stood in unity. 

“The people who are “crazy” enough, to think they can change the world are the ones who do” How true this rings. If you want to change something, you need a bit of “crazy”, but if people want to change something, don’t call them crazy because they might be right, or they might be wrong. Doesn’t matter. People who are willing to stand up for change are some of the most sane people there will ever be and the bravest of all. They call out systems they deem flawed and if it’s true, they will be supported by others. 

“Apologies without change are just manipulations” I’ve seen people apologize a hundred times over but they never change. An apology is nothing without change; we should all hold this to ourselves just as much as Arch does. Next Arch talks about hate: “I got every right to hate you, but I’ll stay stronger!” We all have met people that behaved poorly, have acted up and done things out of pure malice, but even if we have every right, we should stay stronger than hate, because hate leads us nowhere, hate only leads to resentment and resentment should never happen. 

“Don’t pull because you love the ones around you more than you hate yourself” I’m not going to comment much on this, let it just be said that even if you don’t believe it, there are always people who love you and who treasure your friendship. It’s never too late to tell someone and get help https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines

“Your role models need you too, keep them stress free” No matter how amazing a person is in your eyes, they are humans just as much as you and I and they also have grievances and bad days; it’s our responsibility as fans and fellow humans to ensure they don’t have any more stress then needed. Stand up for them if they need you, help them by leaving them alone when they need it.
I know I haven’t discussed everything, but I’m going to end my part here. Thank you for reading and please, I ask of you only one simple thing: when you listen to the song, really listen to what it has to say and let’s all #takeitback, together.

(end of simon’s part)

In closing, after it’s all said and done, the heart and soul of this track makes you aware of what being a brony really means. It’s more than just being a fan, it’s an effort to take the things you’ve learned and what drew us to the show in the first place, and maybe going back and rewatching. There were some lessons about standing up for yourself, speaking out and not putting up with unacceptable behavior. Friendship is Magic in so many more ways than we know. The lessons of the show were written by humans and played out in the show for all of us to see. Remember that! As always, this Qilin and crazy Pegasus ask you to open your heart and minds and judge for yourselves.