February 20th marks what would have been the 48th birthday of Kurt Donald Cobain. Cobain was best known for his work in the 90’s grunge group Nirvana. The musician was found dead in his home on April 5th, 1994 at the young age of 27. Now 21 years later we are looking back at the life of a true legacy. I have taken the weekend to revisit Cobain’s history. With the plethora of Urban Outfitter crop tops and Nirvana paraphernalia, it can truly be difficult to remember what Cobain truly represented and how important he was to our society. Instead of making him simply an image on a t-shirt, we should remember him as an individual who did amazing things for American culture.
For starters, we should remember Cobain as a man who demonstrated a wonderful example of what it is like to be humble. The guy did not want all the notoriety that came with his unavoidable fame. Though his name was on everybody’s lips, he simply wanted to do one thing: make good music. Cobain was not a sell out, and even though this could be controversial once he and Nirvana hit their peak of fame, he stayed true to himself. Something that is more than commendable when under the inevitable spotlight of celebrity.
Cobain gave his fans somebody to look up to. An “outsider” at times in his life himself, Kurt had this ability to remind his fans that it is okay to be a misfit and that sometimes the outsiders are the coolest kinds of people. It was settling to grow up listening to Cobain’s story of struggle, and though the ending was far from ideal, we learned to embrace our weird, make art and enjoy our lives to the fullest potential, despite our pitfalls. He also showed him compassion through his relationship with his daughter, Francis Bean. The 27 year old showed loyalty and dedication to his child in an attempt for Francis to not feel the pain that Cobain when his parents split.
Above all, Cobain was an ordinary person. Not to downplay his talent, but at the end of the day he was a man who wanted to do what he loved, heal any remnants of pain he had from his parent’s nasty divorce and the feelings of negligence.
It is hard to articulate what Cobain truly means to me, as many of his fans could probably agree with. He was so much more than a talented musician; he was an innovator, a rebel and a tortured soul. Nobody will know exactly what happened on that fateful day in April, but we do know one thing: Kurt Cobain’s life was filled with multiple hardships, but through all of his pain and heartbreak he found an ability to express himself through music and art. He may not have always made the best decisions, but he was a loving and caring individual who deserved more time in the world. Cobain did not only leave behind timeless music that fans will worship forever, but he also left behind a legacy of humility, inspiration and dedication to channeling the negative and turning it into something positive.
