Roc Raida Forever

A cult status develops around some who die in their prime, and Raida definitely qualifies as one of those iconic figures who suddenly left this earth that people still honor. It’s been 14 years since Raida’s departure and I continue to think of him always. There’s not a day I don’t cherish Raida’s impact on my life which is probably an indication I haven’t completely healed from his passing.

I swear, death can be such a conundrum because when a loved one transitions, their absence can remain equally as strong as their presence. Raida is gone but 14 years later I continue to share the many life lessons he taught me and that I always reflect on. Yet, I know it’s a one way conversation. Raida, will never be able rise from the dead and provide his opinion on anything I have to say about him.

When I think about it that way, perhaps my continued remembrance of Anthony “Roc Raida” Williams is to remind myself of the fact that death is a reality but not a finality. After our bodies dissipate our legacies are being renewed every day by the loved ones we left behind. Legacy is just as fundamental to life as dying itself. Therefore, it’s important to understand how we spend our time on this planet informs our legacy and so our friends, brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers die to help the living decide the kind of life they want to live.

Not everyone can be a Roc Raida, with their name and accomplishments remembered forever in the DJ history books. But that doesn’t lessen the importance of creating meaning in your own life because barring all accolades and awards, when it was Raida’s TIME to go, what I remembered most was the TIME he spent on earth overcoming obstacles and molding himself into a person worthy of remembering.