I kept the same songs, because I really liked the selections I made the first time. I just went more in depth with why they connect so well, mainly trying to include the music itself as opposed to just the lyrics. Also, I considered taking out "My Life" but decided to leave it in although the explanation stood as short as it was before.

"Just the 2 of Us" by Will Smith

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjheiI0BFqg

At the beginning of the movie Solomon is seen walking with his son. From the opening scene it is obvious that his love for his son, Dia. The lyrics and melody of this song really shows how Solomon is feeling at the beginning of the movie. He is sending his son off to school and both of them are laughing and joking with each other. The mood is very happy and the song fits it perfectly. Will Smith is talking about the relationship that him and his son have over the back drop of an older version of the song.

"Just the two of us we can make it if we try
Just the two of us just the two of us
Just the two of us building castles in the sky
Just the two of us you and I"

The lyrics to the chorus are what really stand out in relation to Solomon. The reason that they connect so well is because the words say building castles in the sky, which is obviously not a real thing to do. It is essentially saying that they can escape from reality together. Well, in Sierra Leone(which is where Blood Diamond is set) the quality of life there is not very good. Solomon does the best he can so that his son has a good life and that's why this song is so relevant. Also, the beat of this song is very laid back and has a happy undertone to it. The mood at this point in the film is definitely one of the happiest, as is this song with respect to the playlist. I could honestly see this song getting played in the background as they are showing the beginning of the movie.

"My life" by Game ft. Lil Wayne

After Solomon is seperated from his family and his son is kidnapped, he is taken to a camp to pan for diamonds. His feelings are that of sadness and desperation. He works all the time and is constantly thinking of his family. I felt that this song fit Solomon's feelings because he was working so hard and he felt hopeless. Basically he just wanted to get away from where he was. These lyrics are the main part of the song that connects with his feelings.

"And I’m grindin’ til I’m tired cuz
They say "You ain’t grindin’ til you tired"
So I’m grindin’ with my eyes wide
Looking to find
A way
Through the day
A light
For the night
Dear Lord, you’ve done took so many of my people but I’m just wonderin’ why
You haven’t taken my life
Like what the hell am I doin right

Take me away from the hood like a state penitentiary
Take me away from the hood in a casket or a Bentley
Take me away like I overdosed on cocaine or
Take me away like a bullet from Kurt Cobain"

"Locked Up" by Akon

"Can't wait to get out and move forward with my life,
Got a family that loves me and wants me to do right
But instead I get locked up

They won't let me out, they won't let me out, (im locked up)
They won't let me out no, they wont let me out, (cause im locked up)"

After finding a big diamond in the camp, Solomon and a general get into a little scuffle and both are taken to jail. Solomon still longs for his family and is continually thinking about them. Unfortunately for him, he is locked up, and they won't let him out.

"Diamonds Remix" by Kanye West ft. Jay-Z

"See, a part of me sayin' keep shinin',
How? when I know of the blood diamonds
Though it's thousands of miles away
Sierra Leone connect to what we go through today
Over here, its a drug trade, we die from drugs
Over there, they die from what we buy from drugs
The diamonds, the chains, the bracelets, the charmses
I thought my Jesus Piece was so harmless
'til I seen a picture of a shorty armless
And here's the conflict"

After getting freed from jail but a trader of blood diamonds, Solomon is educated on the war going on. He was aware of the diamonds conflict, but did not know just how deep it went. After his education I feel like Solomon felt even worse than before. When Kanye says he thought his Jesus piece was so harmless, it is almost the opposite feeling for Solomon. He must have thought the diamonds were going to something extremely important and not just rapper's jewelry. I feel that when it comes to the instrumental of this song, that it is essentially perfect for the movie, minus the intro. When this beat comes on, you can feel the energy. The movie is essentially at the same point, where the energy really picks up and this song goes perfect for Solomon in this position of the film.

"Free Chilly" by Lupe Fiasco

"If we could break down those walls to set you free, we would cause we out here, and we miss you.
If we could build a ladder that tall to come up and see you, we would cause we down here, and we miss you."

Danny Archer, the man who frees Solomon from jail really wants the diamond that Solomon hid while at the camp. Solomon agrees to help him if he can get his family back. They locate Solomon's family and go to where they are. When they get there, they realize his family is in a refugee camp but they are not allowed out. Solomon definitely is feeling that he would free his family if he could, and that is what this entire song is about. In the midst of all of the action in the movie, this scene is more of a sad/mellow song. This slow melody really captures t he mood of the scene. The bass hits perfectly so that this song is the greatest compliment to this part of the movie.

"Little Weapon" by Lupe Fiasco

"Now here comes the march of the boy brigade
A macabre parade of the toys he made
Of shimahs and shades who look half his age
About half the size of the flags they wave
And camouflage suits made to fit youths
'Cause the ones off the dead soldiers hang a little loose
With AK-47's that they shootin' into heaven
Like they tryin' to kill the Jetsons
The struggle's little recruits
Cute, smile-less, heartless, violent
Childhood destroyed, devoid of all childish
Ways, can't write they own names
Or read the words that's on they own graves
Think you gangsta, popped a few rounds?
The kids'll come through and murder a whole town
Then sit back and smoke and watch it burn down
The grave gets deeper the further we go down"

When he goes to see his family, he realizes that his son, Dia, has been taken by RUF(a rebellion group). This group takes children from all over and brainwash them into becoming killing machines. When he goes to retrieve his son from RUF he sees just how bad it actually is. These lyrics show exactly what Solomon was seeing from his son and the rest of the RUF. Out of all the songs that I have chosen for my playlist, this is the one that fits best. The lyrics are on point and the beat could not be better for Solomon and the way things are going for him in t he movie. It is so uptempo and hard hitting. That is the exact way that things are going at this point and there is not a better song out there to capture Solomon's feelings here. If the beat played by itself, it would still be felt and connected very strongly.

"Together We Made It" by Busta Rhymes ft. Linkin Park

"Never restin' the question if I
Was out of my mind
It finally came time to do it and let it die
So we put the chips on the table and
Told them to let it ride

Together we made it (you see we did it)
We made it even though we had our backs
Up against the wall (come on)
Forever we waited (ah hah)
And they told us we were never gonna
Get it But we took it on the road"

After getting his son and retrieving the diamond from the camp, Solomon and Danny take off to escape from the RUF. They are on top of the hill, and Archer just can't move on. Solomon and Danny finally agree to terms and let Danny stay to distract the chasing soldiers and give up his own life. The odds were never in their favor, but this song shows that they overcame all the odds and achieved something that never seemed very possible before in escaping with the diamond. This is another song that I had considered pulling from the playlist, but in the end I realized that I should not. Only some of the lyrics connect with Solomon, but a song is more than lyrics. The instrumental to this song is a great fit. The inspiration is there and that is how Solomon is at this point. Him and Danny have finally triumphed over all obstacles, and the instrumental does a better job of portraying that than the song itself does.

"Home" by Michael Buble

"And I’m surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
Oh, let me go home
Oh, I miss you, you know

Let me go home
I’ve had my run
Baby, I’m done
I gotta go home
Let me go home
It will all be all right
I’ll be home tonight
I’m coming back home"

After escaping the RUF Solomon goes to London with his diamond to sell it and give his family a better life. He still has not been reunited with his family and he misses them so badly. He knows what he is doing is the right thing, he is exposing diamond traders with the help of a reporter. He is also getting his family back, and millions of dollars. In the end he is reunited with them and gets to go home. For the end of the movie, Home is a perfect fit. The instruments lay out a wonderful melody that makes for a happy ending. When Solomon is reunited with his family, this song comes straight to mind. If you have not seen this movie, I suggest you do and then you will be able to see that these songs are great fits for the entire film and they almost tell the story themselves through the instrumentals and lyrics.