The Roots vs. Lil' Jon
YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH
OOOOOOOKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY
WWWWHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAATTT
I've been depressed about R&B/Hip Hop music for awhile now. Not necessarily for the lack of things to listen to really. There's the Roots, Alicia Keys, Mos Def, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Kanye West, Lenny Kravitz, Angie Stone just to name a few.
Really, I'm just depressed at the crap thats out on the radios these days. MTV plays crap too. In fact, any public radio/tv station these days - CRAP.
Why don't artists like the Roots get more airplay? Why does Jill Scott's (who I just figured out by the way) absolutely brilliant record get second fiddle? Why does someone who just yells at the top of his lungs in monosyllabic growls carrying a "pimp cup" get all the adoration? Why do we have to hear about how "even a thug need luv" everyday?
Its just shameful to music. Actually, make that intelligent music. Cause that's the root of the problem.
I'm not going to lie - that music is just dumb. There's no sense of musical understanding about it. No exposition of themes, ideas, or deeper topics. I get the feeling that the new group of "artists" don't quite grasp things like keys, clefs, bars, fortissimo and, most importantly, pianissimo. Is it that hard to have musical education?
I think to be the new "pimp playa thug gangsta but caring thug," all you have to do is master the art of rhyming about - booty, guns, and pimpin. Really thats it.
Don't get me wrong, big phat booty is great and all, but after the 72nd song about it, its a little shallow. Sir Mix-a-Lot set the bar - and nobody ever came close. Why is his song a standout despite all the pretenders that have come? Because it was pioneering and talked about how nice it was to see women with actual meat on them bones.
Guns? Well, they always talk about shooting each other. Tupac Shakur, NWA, Dre, and Snoop did too. But what set them apart was that (despite the occasional ass kissing to pop music) they framed it into the context of ghetto tragedy. There was no glorification about it. They said it was wrong and they new it. Now? Every rapper claims to be ready to "pop off." I'm not sure how this appeals to people. Why should I go to a show when they might "put a cap in dat ass." I might need to run up on stage and help the capped ass' ass. Its like they just say - act like a thug - but don't ever ever talk about why its wrong and how you wished you didn't act that way. Tupac did. Biggie did. Dre did. NWA did. No, as far as I'm concerned, most of the G rappers are being real. But being real is being mediocre. Being exceptional, well you can still represent the streets and be exceptional - just look at Tupac.
Pimpin. As much as I like to kid about Tlish's pimp hand, I see no cool factor in being pimp. I mean, use of the word "pimp" is fine as an adjective. Like, damn that shit was pimp. Or, those rims are pimp. I don't mind that - its just a figure of speech. The problem is that these rappers today? They don't understand the concept figure of speech. They figure that if they speak it, they have to live it or at least perpetrate like they do. Apparently, you can only be a real rapper if you got hoes and bitches lining up to have a bit of your pimp juice. Pornographic really.
In the end, all of it points to the shallowness and phoniness of the boasting that is tearing apart hip hop. The unfortunate thing is that pop music shapes the minds of young people and their perception of what is good and right in society. Current music and music video is seen by them as a CNN of the world. A way to gauge what is proper and what is accepted by the general public for behavior. This is scary. You see at all teh time now. People without manners, a higher level of materialism, and a lack of appreciation for art. Yes, art. A word that has been defiled by any of the booty, pimp, and gun totin rappers.
As you can tell, I'm pretty disgusted by it all. I think I'll just leave with some lyrics from a classic hip hop song from one of my favorite groups - The Pharcyde. From the song, "Passin Me By."
"Now there she goes again, the dopest Ethiopian
And now the world around me be gets movin in slow motion
when-ever she happens to walk by - why does the apple of my eye
overlook and disregard my feelings no matter how much I try?
Wait, no, i did not really pursue my little princess with persistance;
And I was so low-key that she was unaware of my existance
From a distance I desired, secretly admired her;
Wired her a letter to get her, and it went:
My dear, my dear, my dear, you do not know me but I know you very well
Now let me tell you about the feelings I have for you
When I try, or make some sort of attempt, I symp
Damn I wish I wasn't such a wimp!
'Cause then I would let you know that I love you so
And if I was your man then I would be true
The only lying I would do is in the bed with you
Then I signed sincerely the one who loves you dearly, PS love me tender
The letter came back three days later: Return to Sender
Damn!
She keeps on passin me by..."
Brilliant.
OOOOOOOKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY
WWWWHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAATTT
I've been depressed about R&B/Hip Hop music for awhile now. Not necessarily for the lack of things to listen to really. There's the Roots, Alicia Keys, Mos Def, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Kanye West, Lenny Kravitz, Angie Stone just to name a few.
Really, I'm just depressed at the crap thats out on the radios these days. MTV plays crap too. In fact, any public radio/tv station these days - CRAP.
Why don't artists like the Roots get more airplay? Why does Jill Scott's (who I just figured out by the way) absolutely brilliant record get second fiddle? Why does someone who just yells at the top of his lungs in monosyllabic growls carrying a "pimp cup" get all the adoration? Why do we have to hear about how "even a thug need luv" everyday?
Its just shameful to music. Actually, make that intelligent music. Cause that's the root of the problem.
I'm not going to lie - that music is just dumb. There's no sense of musical understanding about it. No exposition of themes, ideas, or deeper topics. I get the feeling that the new group of "artists" don't quite grasp things like keys, clefs, bars, fortissimo and, most importantly, pianissimo. Is it that hard to have musical education?
I think to be the new "pimp playa thug gangsta but caring thug," all you have to do is master the art of rhyming about - booty, guns, and pimpin. Really thats it.
Don't get me wrong, big phat booty is great and all, but after the 72nd song about it, its a little shallow. Sir Mix-a-Lot set the bar - and nobody ever came close. Why is his song a standout despite all the pretenders that have come? Because it was pioneering and talked about how nice it was to see women with actual meat on them bones.
Guns? Well, they always talk about shooting each other. Tupac Shakur, NWA, Dre, and Snoop did too. But what set them apart was that (despite the occasional ass kissing to pop music) they framed it into the context of ghetto tragedy. There was no glorification about it. They said it was wrong and they new it. Now? Every rapper claims to be ready to "pop off." I'm not sure how this appeals to people. Why should I go to a show when they might "put a cap in dat ass." I might need to run up on stage and help the capped ass' ass. Its like they just say - act like a thug - but don't ever ever talk about why its wrong and how you wished you didn't act that way. Tupac did. Biggie did. Dre did. NWA did. No, as far as I'm concerned, most of the G rappers are being real. But being real is being mediocre. Being exceptional, well you can still represent the streets and be exceptional - just look at Tupac.
Pimpin. As much as I like to kid about Tlish's pimp hand, I see no cool factor in being pimp. I mean, use of the word "pimp" is fine as an adjective. Like, damn that shit was pimp. Or, those rims are pimp. I don't mind that - its just a figure of speech. The problem is that these rappers today? They don't understand the concept figure of speech. They figure that if they speak it, they have to live it or at least perpetrate like they do. Apparently, you can only be a real rapper if you got hoes and bitches lining up to have a bit of your pimp juice. Pornographic really.
In the end, all of it points to the shallowness and phoniness of the boasting that is tearing apart hip hop. The unfortunate thing is that pop music shapes the minds of young people and their perception of what is good and right in society. Current music and music video is seen by them as a CNN of the world. A way to gauge what is proper and what is accepted by the general public for behavior. This is scary. You see at all teh time now. People without manners, a higher level of materialism, and a lack of appreciation for art. Yes, art. A word that has been defiled by any of the booty, pimp, and gun totin rappers.
As you can tell, I'm pretty disgusted by it all. I think I'll just leave with some lyrics from a classic hip hop song from one of my favorite groups - The Pharcyde. From the song, "Passin Me By."
"Now there she goes again, the dopest Ethiopian
And now the world around me be gets movin in slow motion
when-ever she happens to walk by - why does the apple of my eye
overlook and disregard my feelings no matter how much I try?
Wait, no, i did not really pursue my little princess with persistance;
And I was so low-key that she was unaware of my existance
From a distance I desired, secretly admired her;
Wired her a letter to get her, and it went:
My dear, my dear, my dear, you do not know me but I know you very well
Now let me tell you about the feelings I have for you
When I try, or make some sort of attempt, I symp
Damn I wish I wasn't such a wimp!
'Cause then I would let you know that I love you so
And if I was your man then I would be true
The only lying I would do is in the bed with you
Then I signed sincerely the one who loves you dearly, PS love me tender
The letter came back three days later: Return to Sender
Damn!
She keeps on passin me by..."
Brilliant.
posted by Richard at 5:57 PM
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