No one can deny, last year was rough. From the dreadful alarms that reminded us to sit in front of a computer screen all day, to the fear of catching the fatal virus that had already reached millions of people just like us. But let’s be real: who would’ve thought that the person to motivate us to keep going stronger everyday would be The Rock?! The same guy who played the role of our favorite demigod Maui, while also raising us on his princess role in Tooth Fairy. 

   Recently, the bodybuilder’s accumulated even more fans, as his empowering rap has been trending on Tiktok for weeks now. His true intent for writing the song is to excite and energize people to put their best into everything they do. While very few have actually taken his message to heart, most have taken this opportunity to make fun of its tacky lyrics. 

   Austin Matthew has gotten a good laugh out of the actor’s desperate attempt to excite his audiences. The senior says his first impression of the rap brought him a sense of power and strength, while still being able to make fun of it. “Even though the song’s lyrics had a very serious and powerful tone, it felt like a way bigger joke than an actual message. What’s even more ironic is that such a big guy is getting mocked by hundreds of teens on the internet.” After viewing The Rock’s stitched reaction to a few videos, Austin revealed he was glad to see the Rock could handle his unintentional fame– especially since not many celebrities are capable of that anymore.

   Austin continued to go further in depth on his favorite lyric of the song and how he relates to it. “My favorite lyric is definitely the line: ‘It’s about drive, it’s about power! We stay hungry, we devour!’ because it’s the most popular one on Tiktok and represents the Rock’s mentality when he strives to reach a goal. It’s honestly the funniest part of the song to me, since it’s meant to unify and strengthen people, but was still turned into an enormous joke.”

   One of our sophomores, Isabella Duran, usually sees The Rock as an enormous role model– due to his incredible success and workout routines. But after she heard the song, Isabella was shocked that such a successful guy could fail so terribly at trying to empower others. “My first impression of the song gave me a good laugh. It’s especially hilarious when he says the line: ‘We stay hungry, we devour’. Even though he intended for the song to empower people and create more hype, I almost related to that lyric because it’s a mentality I try to have when I’m working out at the gym.”

   The harsh transition from spending every second of every day at home, to forcing ourselves out of bed each morning has made it difficult for all of us to retain a healthy mindset. Maybe music is your way of conveying your emotions– whether you’re feeling agitated, inspired or overwhelmed. Regardless of how you’re feeling, ‘Face Off’ will always be the best way to lift your spirits and awaken the beast within!