reissue: volume 53 - one year

going back in time before our *three* year anniversary

every now and then i’ll reissue an old volume of Run It Back to go down memory lane. you can see how the format of the newsletter and my voice have evolved over time

in the lead up to our three(!!) year anniversary on June 16th, i’ll be reissuing previous anniversary posts to see how far we’ve progressed since. i’ve got some travel coming up so here's the upcoming schedule:

1. today: one year anny

2. next tuesday, 6/6: two year anny

3. tuesday, 6/13: scheduled rest 😌

4. tuesday, 6/20: three year anny post!

it was a trip rereading this, especially revisiting the video i made for the celebration lmao:

claudio 🪩

claudio 🪩 on Instagram: “Y’all, we hit our 1 year anniversary‼️‼️‼️ Last year, I started Run It Back to share my experiences and to learn about others’ experiences through music. I never thought I’d be at this point a year later. The joy I get from y’all reading, responding, and sharing keeps me going. (Check your inbox for Vol. 53 to read more musings.) I wanted to show how grateful I am for y’all and share a bit of Run It Back’s humble beginnings. You can see the soft opening from Vol. 0.1 as well as some early designs for the wordmark. Since the beginning of June, we’ve gotten over 5️⃣0️⃣ new subscribers. Thanks to each and every one of you for referring folks, I’m truly blessed to have y’all in my life. And for those new to the program, I can’t wait to go on this journey with y’all. 🙏 - Claud to some / Claudio to most”

May 30, 2023

i’m incredibly grateful and blessed to make it to three years and to have y’all right beside me. thank you 🥹

p.s. - as always, there’ll be *fresh* memes that brought me joy this past week :)

memes of the week 🤠

via @jmcgg

you done yee’d your last haw brother

via @throwingfits

how do i skip the ads?

thanks but i really don’t need my arthritis cream at 4am

via @thomascbradley

music gatekeepers are hella funny lmao

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Editor’s Note: Today’s volume is a bit longer than normal but trust me it’s worth it to learn more about me and Run It Back as a whole. Technically tomorrow is the one year anniversary, so today will be the regular newsletter and tomorrow will be the celebration on social media (@runitbackback everywhere).

I’m just a regular dude who loves all kinds of music and the experiences they bring. It can transport you back to a moment in time: crushing on someone in high school, your first road trip, or the last hangout with your friends before COVID hit.

It can also bring you closer to (however you define) your identity.

I still remember printing out the lyrics for “Still Tippin’” in middle school and memorizing them during class. I was born in Houston and it felt right that Houston rap be my gateway to the genre at large. That nostalgia hits hard whenever it comes on.

I want to share these experiences with my community and learn about my community’s experiences as well. I believe swapping music recommendations is a great way to get to know someone.

We all have our own tastes and that’s what makes us unique. It’s not about what’s rated best or what algorithms tell us are good, it’s about your favorites and what comes to mind while listening.

New or old, I love the fact that there’s always new music to listen to. I know I’ll never listen to all the good music out there but that’s what makes discovering music exciting. And why not do it while getting to know someone better?

That’s why I started Run It Back. To share my experiences and to learn about others’ experiences through music.

When I first came up with the idea for it, I was nervous. I wasn’t sure how it’d be received. That fear of rejection and failure persisted but I finally said fuck it and wanted to see an idea through. I still push through that anxiety today.

But the joy I get from y’all reading, responding, and sharing keeps me going.

If you’ve made it this far, I love you. If you haven’t, I still love you.

This week’s volume will be focused on shoutouts as we celebrate one year together. It’s our anniversary.

And with that, let’s get to the music for the week.

- claudio / claud / @offballscreen

P.S. - Since the beginning of June, we’ve gotten over FIFTY new subscribers. Thanks to each and every one of you for referring folks, I’m truly blessed to have y’all in my life. And for those new to the program, I can’t wait to go on this journey with y’all.

Veronica made cake for RIB’s anniversary and we still have some at the bottom of our freezer lmao

this week’s music ⤵️

1. The Bells of Saint Christopher
   Psychic Mirrors
   Released: 2016

Maybe love just wasn't meant for me
That look is in your eye
I can't help it, but I'm hooked on you
Feelings I just can't deny, oh baby

Thank you Boston, Ethan, Shelly, and Veronica for being there for the Vol. 0.1 soft opening.

HUGE shoutout to Boston for creating the logo. I still get heart eyes every time I see it.

2. Bellow
   Les Sins
   Released: 2014

I know I shouldn't tell you what I haven't told you

Thank you Ethan, Boston, Josh, Ryan, Paolo, Max, Alex P., Lawson, and last but not least Alex W. for being open to writing guest features.

I highly recommend going through the archives (linked by name) and checking out their selections.

editor’s note: after making the switch to Substack, old volumes from Mailchimp have been lost to the ether 😭. these were supposed to link to those guest features but alas

3. Anniversary
   Tony! Toni! Toné!

   Released: 1993

Victoria will be no secret at the end of the day
It's our anniversary
Anniversary
A small cup of tea to you and me
It's our anniversary

I couldn’t do this without my partner in crime, Veronica. She keeps me grounded, provides honest feedback, and is always supportive of my dreams.

I love you.

4. King Kong Feat. Young Thug

   Gunna
   Released: 2018

Yeah, we was eating at Nobu
Came a long way from Kroger
Money tall for a hot boy
Cop a big body Rover

What’s in store for year two? Only one way to find out. My homie Alex W. put it best when it comes to pursuing projects:

The potter, clay, and vase analogy is always my favorite because it feels the most true. Nothing is ever what it's supposed to be in the beginning, that's the whole purpose of the work you're doing.

Here’s to another year of Run It Back. Thanks for reading.