In concluding the end of the semester for my African American Literature class, I am going to try to sum up months worth of work in one blog. I have truly loved blogging on the hip-hop culture and have found it enlightening. I have written eight blogs so far and they have all been an honest expression from a white middle class female.
My first blog titled “Hip-Hop at its finest” was a short introduction of how I was feeling about blogging, to a humorous side of tough rappers turning into thespians. I used the example of Ice-T, which I also spun off my blog name “White-Tea” for that particular rapper.
The second blog intitled, “Impressed? I think so.”, is a foundation of how the rest of my blogs will be molded. My overall theme for blogging was transitions. With that being said, my second blog discusses the transition of Jay-Z from growing up in the projects to becoming a major record selling artist and producer.
“Lets hear it for the legendary…” is my third blog that begins to get more controversial and is stating an argument. This is a blog that shows my transition from light hearted written into a deeper meaning of how I thought Biggie Smalls role was in the hip-hop community. I also show in my blog my thought on how Biggie became a legend was the transition to his death, not his music.
Blog four “Old Vs. New…round 1” is an obvious blog written on the transition of listeners. Since “Old School” and “New School” are sayings you hear so often in reference to music I wanted to blog on what qualifies an “Old School” song, and what transition takes place to a “New School” category. I compared an “Old School” DJ named Grandmaster Flash to the artist known as 50 cent. The majority of this particular blog was comparing lyrics of both artist and concluding that both “Schools” are saying the same message with a different beat.
“Shame Shame” was a look inside the hip-hop world and noticing the lack of ethnic groups. “Shame Shame”, was a blog written on transition, but more on the lack there of. Since it is obvious that hip-hop is a dominantly black society with a few white people in the mix, I noticed that Latinos and Asians and many more ethnic groups haven’t been given the breaks in the rap world as black and white people have. In the blog I voiced that listeners needed to branch out of the Salt-n-Pepper stereotype. I felt this blog to be compelling amongst readers.
“Separated at birth…” is a brilliant blog about how rap and country music are so close to the same. All throughout the blog I have compared and contrasted the clothing styles and lyrics of both a country and rap song.
My seventh blog titled “Elvis Lives” is showing how Elvis could have been considered a hip-hop artist to today’s standards. This blog also shows a transition of how hip-hop music could have started in the 70’s with Elvis and evolved to what it is today.
“Lil Kim is my hero” was a blog written on how when women rappers talk about sex they get a bad reputation. Lil Kim is an artist with a harsh voice and sharp tongue; these combinations can be deadly to an unaware listener, particularly a man listener. I picked Lil Kim to speak on because she is a rapper that I hope more woman transition to, someone that is strong, confident and knows what they want from life. I think Lil Kim had to be over the top to get peoples attention and let them know what she expects out of life.
In wrapping up this blo,g my grand summary for the semester is transition. I feel this topic is fitting since I have also transitioned. I started out as a very ignorant student in terms of the hip-hop culture to some one that can appreciate and understand the background of hip-hop and where it’s going today.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Lil Kim is my hero.
Lil Kim has a bad reputation for no reason. With that being said, I am ashamed of some women, including those in the hip-hop community. Women have worked hard to get where they are today. Where is “that” exactly? Women are still underpaid, devalued as a gender, and not respected as people. In light of these circumstances I am amazed at how many women abhor her as an artist. Lil Kim deserves respect and I am just the bitch to give it to her.
Lil Kim is known for her over sexual lyrics and harsh voice. With those two combinations it makes listeners turn her off if you can even find a song of hers playing on the radio that isn’t banned. Lil Kim is playing in a so called “mans game”. In the rap world the ratio of men to women is overwhelmingly in a man’s favor. Even if you were to look at who was more successful, men or women? Of course men are more of a successor in rapping. Is it because they can talk faster or have more of an intellect than a woman? Statistics and common knowledge both have proved that to be false. In my every day life I come across so many fast talking women that probably could have had a successful rapping career. It was amazing if the other person could even get a word in edge wise. Also, there is tremendous evidence that shows more women are enrolled in collage. It is obvious that women have had an uphill battle all through life, why would more women not be in support of Lil Kim, purely on the basis that she is a woman making waves in a mans World.
In asking women why they dislike Lil Kim so much, a common answer was “she is just so dirty”. I am fascinated by these responses because so many male artists degrade woman by singing/rapping about “fucking” them. I know the same women who detest Lil Kim are the same ones who go out and buy an equally as crude album that a male is on. Why is it such a sin for Lil Kim to point out that women are sexual creatures just as men?
Lil Kim is one artist that truly paints a picture of what she wants, and how she plans on getting it. I find Lil Kim’s lyrics liberating to all women. She is an artist that truly doesn’t care what people think of her. As a little Kim fan I find myself giving her kudos for pushing the envelope and opening up more doors for women rappers. How can more women not be in support of that?
Monday, November 12, 2007
Elvis Lives...
Elvis could have been considered a hip-hop artist to today’s standards. Though Elvis was considered a “Pop artist” now and when he was alive, if you were to examine his lyrics they speak on the same topics that many hip-hop artist rap about. In exploring the song, “In the Ghetto”, Elvis is singing from an onlooker’s perspective of people being born in poverty situations i.e. the ghetto. Every verse in the song progresses from a baby being born to young man dying in the streets with a gun in his hand. Towards the very end of the song Elvis concludes that ghetto situations seem to be a cycle. Many hip-hop artists who have lived in ghettos themselves have rapped about the same situations, especially since hip-hop and rap music were born in the Black American urban ghettos.
Lyrics to “In the Ghetto”
As the snow flies
On a cold and gray chicago mornin
A poor little baby child is born
In the ghetto
And his mama cries
cause if theres one thing that she dont need
Its another hungry mouth to feed
In the ghetto
People, dont you understand
The child needs a helping hand
Or hell grow to be an angry young man some day
Take a look at you and me,
Are we too blind to see,
Do we simply turn our heads
And look the other way
Well the world turns
And a hungry little boy with a runny nose
Plays in the street as the cold wind blows
In the ghetto
And his hunger burns
So he starts to roam the streets at night
And he learns how to steal
And he learns how to fight
In the ghetto
Then one night in desperation
A young man breaks away
He buys a gun, steals a car,
Tries to run, but he dont get far
And his mama cries
As a crowd gathers round an angry young man
Face down on the street with a gun in his hand
In the ghetto
As her young man dies,
On a cold and gray chicago mornin,
Another little baby child is born
In the ghetto
Apart from his songs you can also compare Elvis’s facial remarks to one of a hip-hop artist. For example, Elvis has always been known for a lip curl when singing. Though many people adapt attributes that they often see from celebrities, T.I has tailored the same lip curl that made Elvis a sex symbol. It seems as though if T.I was to adapt a characteristic from someone it would be from a successful rap artist, not a pop legend. Also, in comparison with T.I and Elvis, T.I is the self proclaimed King of the Dirty South, and Elvis is known as the King of rock n’ roll. The hit accessory with hip-hop artist is bling. Looking through magazines and watching T.V there isn’t a rap artist that isn’t sporting a diamond crusted watch or a $10,000 necklace. When Elvis performed he always had over the top jewelry and gem studded jump suits on, he was wearing the bling of the 50’s and 60’s.
Even though Elvis is very much of a pop icon, it is evident that he has shown many hip-hop attributes before they have even become popular. I do think that it could be argued that Elvis had some hip-hop status and just didn’t know it yet.
Lyrics to “In the Ghetto”
As the snow flies
On a cold and gray chicago mornin
A poor little baby child is born
In the ghetto
And his mama cries
cause if theres one thing that she dont need
Its another hungry mouth to feed
In the ghetto
People, dont you understand
The child needs a helping hand
Or hell grow to be an angry young man some day
Take a look at you and me,
Are we too blind to see,
Do we simply turn our heads
And look the other way
Well the world turns
And a hungry little boy with a runny nose
Plays in the street as the cold wind blows
In the ghetto
And his hunger burns
So he starts to roam the streets at night
And he learns how to steal
And he learns how to fight
In the ghetto
Then one night in desperation
A young man breaks away
He buys a gun, steals a car,
Tries to run, but he dont get far
And his mama cries
As a crowd gathers round an angry young man
Face down on the street with a gun in his hand
In the ghetto
As her young man dies,
On a cold and gray chicago mornin,
Another little baby child is born
In the ghetto
Apart from his songs you can also compare Elvis’s facial remarks to one of a hip-hop artist. For example, Elvis has always been known for a lip curl when singing. Though many people adapt attributes that they often see from celebrities, T.I has tailored the same lip curl that made Elvis a sex symbol. It seems as though if T.I was to adapt a characteristic from someone it would be from a successful rap artist, not a pop legend. Also, in comparison with T.I and Elvis, T.I is the self proclaimed King of the Dirty South, and Elvis is known as the King of rock n’ roll. The hit accessory with hip-hop artist is bling. Looking through magazines and watching T.V there isn’t a rap artist that isn’t sporting a diamond crusted watch or a $10,000 necklace. When Elvis performed he always had over the top jewelry and gem studded jump suits on, he was wearing the bling of the 50’s and 60’s.
Even though Elvis is very much of a pop icon, it is evident that he has shown many hip-hop attributes before they have even become popular. I do think that it could be argued that Elvis had some hip-hop status and just didn’t know it yet.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Separated at birth...
Country and hip-hop lifestyles are almost indistinguishable. I wouldn’t state that they are identical twins, but fraternal ones most definitely. With fraternal twins you have the same parents, but do not favor as much as with identical twins. With looks aside, you may notice numerous traits that are the same, with just a few differences.
In comparing the hip-hop lifestyle to that of the country lifestyle, the appearance of each is shockingly the same. Yes, the wardrobe couldn’t get more opposite as each lifestyle has a very distinctive way of dressing. A typical die-hard country music listener would most likely wear tight jeans and a western shirt, with a pair of cowboy boots on the side. In hip-hop the stereotypical male rap listener would wear baggy jeans and an oversized t-shirt, and perfectly cleaned sneakers. It is interesting that these are the only two musical crowds that have an obvious style that tags on the music. You can not say the same for those that only listen to oldies or top 40.
Another comparison proving that country and hip-hop life is close to the same is the feeling of the music. For example, typical country music sound is a “woe is me” such as, “my wife left me and my dog died” type of lyrics. Interestingly enough, the blues has the same concept. Also, for the sake of instrumentation, country music almost always has an autistic guitar or harmonica playing in the background as does blues music. In fact, with blues you may only hear a harmonica or a guitar. Since blues music has evolved in the hip-hop music to a faster beat called rap. Most rap music is that of where the artist has been wronged in some way, and he/she is angry about the situation.
Comparing two cultures of supposedly completely opposite ways of life and thinking, I find it relieving that people still have much in common. On a lighter note, country and rap music both speak of “bitches” in their songs, even though in country he is probably voicing more of “dog dying” problem verses problems with his girlfriend issues.
Music has such a way of opening doors of expression for all people. Depending upon their makeup, people find ways of relating the problems they encounter through different genre. Music has been and always be something that connects us to each one another. Through music, we find ways of vocalizing in acceptable ways to be completely understood. Music can be the language of reconciliation. Long live the different flavors we encounter; they articulate to us about the person telling the story!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Shame Shame
Hip-Hop is mostly a salt and pepper culture. You have the black 50 Cent types and the white Eminem’s. Whatever happened to rappers of other cultures? You never hear of the famous Asian rapper, maybe William Hung, but that is more for laughs. Every once in a awhile you also come across your Latin rapper, such as “Pit bull”, who is well known in the hip-hop community, or you stumble across a rapper named Rico Pabon. Both Pit bull and Rico Pabon have good beats that you could dance to in a club or listen in your car while you’re driving.
Living in America, you see diversity whenever you turn a corner; so why is it not seen in the hop-hop rap culture? You have mostly black and white people that are getting recognition in this world. It can be argued that hip-hop needs to branch out. People are getting tired of seeing the same face with the same songs on the radio or at the club.
Hip-Hop is a lifestyle mostly amongst people that live in the urban community. Having visited friends that lived in an urban community all races and ethnicities are included.
A definition of hip-hop is “A popular urban youth culture, closely associated with rap music and with style…” So where are the Asian rappers? In thinking of an answer to the question, I am wondering if they are going through the same uphill battle that a white rapper once faced. Once hip-hop emerged from the scene a white rapper would have been laughed at or considered whack. People naturally get scared of change or new beginnings. If I were of Asian descent, I would feel pissed off that doors were being slammed in my face due to race and not talent, a reverse racism.
It takes most people less than 4 seconds to see if they like a song on the radio before they make a decision to leave it on that station or to turn it off. When turning the song off the listener misses the messages that the artist is trying to portray. As a society of young people we have gotten stuck in a rut; we keep listening to the same type songs and turn off anything outside of our interests. We are missing the message left unanswered of why the Latin or Asian or anyone else that doesn’t fit the “mold” of a typical rapper is left out. I keep wondering what would of happened if the Beastie Boys, Kid Rock, Paul Wall, Eminem, or even Vanilla Ice hadn’t been given a chance. I would like to see “Creativity Through Diversity”. What a great blend in hip-hop music we could enjoy. It is time once again to reshape the mold of those we call rappers.
To Listen to Rico Pabon:
www.myspace.com/ricopabon
Living in America, you see diversity whenever you turn a corner; so why is it not seen in the hop-hop rap culture? You have mostly black and white people that are getting recognition in this world. It can be argued that hip-hop needs to branch out. People are getting tired of seeing the same face with the same songs on the radio or at the club.
Hip-Hop is a lifestyle mostly amongst people that live in the urban community. Having visited friends that lived in an urban community all races and ethnicities are included.
A definition of hip-hop is “A popular urban youth culture, closely associated with rap music and with style…” So where are the Asian rappers? In thinking of an answer to the question, I am wondering if they are going through the same uphill battle that a white rapper once faced. Once hip-hop emerged from the scene a white rapper would have been laughed at or considered whack. People naturally get scared of change or new beginnings. If I were of Asian descent, I would feel pissed off that doors were being slammed in my face due to race and not talent, a reverse racism.
It takes most people less than 4 seconds to see if they like a song on the radio before they make a decision to leave it on that station or to turn it off. When turning the song off the listener misses the messages that the artist is trying to portray. As a society of young people we have gotten stuck in a rut; we keep listening to the same type songs and turn off anything outside of our interests. We are missing the message left unanswered of why the Latin or Asian or anyone else that doesn’t fit the “mold” of a typical rapper is left out. I keep wondering what would of happened if the Beastie Boys, Kid Rock, Paul Wall, Eminem, or even Vanilla Ice hadn’t been given a chance. I would like to see “Creativity Through Diversity”. What a great blend in hip-hop music we could enjoy. It is time once again to reshape the mold of those we call rappers.
To Listen to Rico Pabon:
www.myspace.com/ricopabon
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Old Vs. New...round 1
“Old School” and “New School”, these are two words that I am starting to hear more and more as time goes on. What exactly qualifies a “new school” song or demotes songs into the “old school” category? Another question that is brought to mind is which “school” is better than the other?
Hip-hop has changed its sound so many times by endless artists. I have always been a believer that change is a good thing, and as humans we need to evolve at some point in our lives. Have we evolved into a new message or just a different beat with a new face rapping about it? I look at hip-hop as I would a husband; I love it, I will always love it, but it’s starting to get old and worn out. It seems as though the lyrics to rap music is becoming a broken record among artist.
If you were to travel back in time to the “old school” era, and look at the artist Grandmaster Flash, he was someone that came up out of The Bronx in the mid-70s. He was one of the first DJs spinning at the very dawn of what would become Rap Music. In his song, “The Message” part of the chorus to show how impacting his words really are.
A child was born, with no state of mind
Blind to the ways of mankind
God is smiling on you but hes frowning too
Cause only God knows what you go through
You grow in the ghetto, living second rate
And your eyes will sing a song of deep hate
The places you play and where you stay
Looks like one great big alley way
Youll admire all the number book takers
Thugs, pimps, pushers and the big money makers
Driving big cars, spending twenties and tens
And you wanna grow up to be just like them
Smugglers, scrambles, burglars, gamblers
Pickpockets, peddlers and even pan-handlers
You say Im cool, Im no fool
But then you wind up dropping out of high school
Now youre unemployed, all null n void
Walking around like youre pretty boy floyd
Turned stickup kid, look what you done did
Got send up for a eight year bid
Now your man is took and youre a may tag
Spend the next two years as an undercover fag
Being used and abused, and served like hell
Till one day you was find hung dead in a cell
It was plain to see that your life was lost
You was cold and your body swung back and forth
But now your eyes sing the sad sad song
Of how you lived so fast and died so young
To read the rest of the lyrics to “The Message” visit: (http://www.lyricsfreak.com/g/grandmaster+flash/the+message_20062225.html)
In this one particular chorus Grandmaster Flash, talks about: living in the ghetto, drugs pimping, dropping out of high school, and many other topics that are foreign to Middle Class America. “The Message” was a song released in the early 80’s; an obvious time when the Bronx was struggling.
Now compared to a 2007 song that 50 cent has put out called “187 Curtis”. It is obvious the mood changes.
Chorus - 50 Cent]
They say Im grimey, Im greasy
I make a 187 look easy
Fuck that, I lay my murder game down
Push me nigga, see what Im about
[Verse 1 - 50 Cent]
I was a snotty nose, nappy head, dirtbomb nigga
Sayin I cant wait till I get a little bigger
Half the niggas jumped me, bumpin' my head
Thinkin' I wish I had a gun I fill a nigga with lead
Took a kitchen knife, Im finna poke me a nigga
Wishin' I had a gun so I could smoke me a nigga
Sold my first five quarter gram pieces in the alley
Where Bizzy had the Bondeville and Kev had the caddy
Now those were the days, where crime really pay
9 milly spray, got the fuck out the way
The shootout, the shootout
The bricks went fast, robberies went bad, niggas got blast
Niggas kidnap Drew granpa kid
Came through and shot Ms Leak in the head
Wonder why I got a gun so I can get down for mine
You need that, out on the grind all the time
[Chorus - 50 Cent]
They say Im grimey, Im greasy
I make a 187 look easy
Fuck that, I lay my murder game down
Push me nigga, see what Im about
They say Im grimey, Im greasy
I make a 187 look easy
Fuck that, I lay my murder game down
Push me nigga, see what Im about
[Verse 2 - 50 Cent]
It was kangos, caselli shades, boombers and corn brades
Do rags on the waist, brass knuckles, switch blades
E-mass to get paid, new shells to get sprayed
Hood rats to get layed, money to get made
Yeah, yeah I had a dream I was rich
Woke up broke, gun in my hand
Sayin' "Damn!" this dope cost 60 a gram
Have to find me a nigga, line me a nigga
And say "Give it up kid, before I put one in ya wig"
Picture me thirsty, ridin' round foamin' out the mouth
Sayin' "I dont get on" Im'a lay a nigga out
Now diamonds are beautiful, pearls are precious
I hit ya in ya bitch, both go for ya necklace
Im so wreckless, I play the semi drunk off henny
Wipe your blood off the shines run and sell em to Benny
Fuck with me, ya niggas know Boo Boo get bizzy
[Chorus - 50 Cent]
They say Im grimey, Im greasy
I make a 187 look easy
Fuck that, I lay my murder game down
Push me nigga, see what Im about
They say Im grimey, Im greasy
I make a 187 look easy
Fuck that, I lay my murder game down
Push me nigga, see what Im about
[Verse 3 - 50 Cent]
I gave Jus a buck 50 ask him If I cut niggas
Shootouts in Bedford ask him If I bucked niggas
Four fifth they call me Boo Boo, the accident baby
Hennysee and Cocaine, those remedies made me
My eyes dont cry, Im a fatherless child
Got my ass whooped in Spotford but never that now
When my name in ya mouth, better watch how you talk
Send yo punk ass to therapy to learn how to walk
I bust a clip Ill hit ya hip
Im take your shit
Thats how the esse's play, for that s.s.k
Your probably heard through the grape vine, Im good out Watts
Bulletproof shit, cruisin' through the Compton blocks
Im the beast from the east, but I play on the west
In the drop by myself with my gun and my vest
And you niggas best be on your best behaviours
I was bread for this shit, front Im'a blaze ya
[Chorus - 50 Cent]
They say Im grimey, Im greasy
I make a 187 look easy
Fuck that, I lay my murder game down
Push me nigga, see what Im about
They say Im grimey, Im greasy
I make a 187 look easy
Fuck that, I lay my murder game down
Push me nigga, see what Im about
I am noticing that 50 Cent is still talking about drugs, guns, and once again a hard life that most people would know nothing about. A difference with 50 Cent is he writes and raps just so much harder or tougher if you will that the “Old School” sound you would hear in the 80’s or even early 90’s. I have noticed that “hard” sound a lot in new rap. Rappers are giving that same type of message with a different beat, a stronger beat.
Back to my original question of which is better, “Old School” or “New School”: I would have to answer neither is better than the other. Let me explain myself. In the 80’s (“Old School”) that was the beat at the time, a more cheesy disco sound. As humans we evolved into a new sound, more of a pissed off sound. As hip-hop may be a broken record; maybe it needs to be, to finally get the message across and wake people up. It’s only natural that if someone doesn’t hear you the first time you speak up!
Hip-hop has changed its sound so many times by endless artists. I have always been a believer that change is a good thing, and as humans we need to evolve at some point in our lives. Have we evolved into a new message or just a different beat with a new face rapping about it? I look at hip-hop as I would a husband; I love it, I will always love it, but it’s starting to get old and worn out. It seems as though the lyrics to rap music is becoming a broken record among artist.
If you were to travel back in time to the “old school” era, and look at the artist Grandmaster Flash, he was someone that came up out of The Bronx in the mid-70s. He was one of the first DJs spinning at the very dawn of what would become Rap Music. In his song, “The Message” part of the chorus to show how impacting his words really are.
A child was born, with no state of mind
Blind to the ways of mankind
God is smiling on you but hes frowning too
Cause only God knows what you go through
You grow in the ghetto, living second rate
And your eyes will sing a song of deep hate
The places you play and where you stay
Looks like one great big alley way
Youll admire all the number book takers
Thugs, pimps, pushers and the big money makers
Driving big cars, spending twenties and tens
And you wanna grow up to be just like them
Smugglers, scrambles, burglars, gamblers
Pickpockets, peddlers and even pan-handlers
You say Im cool, Im no fool
But then you wind up dropping out of high school
Now youre unemployed, all null n void
Walking around like youre pretty boy floyd
Turned stickup kid, look what you done did
Got send up for a eight year bid
Now your man is took and youre a may tag
Spend the next two years as an undercover fag
Being used and abused, and served like hell
Till one day you was find hung dead in a cell
It was plain to see that your life was lost
You was cold and your body swung back and forth
But now your eyes sing the sad sad song
Of how you lived so fast and died so young
To read the rest of the lyrics to “The Message” visit: (http://www.lyricsfreak.com/g/grandmaster+flash/the+message_20062225.html)
In this one particular chorus Grandmaster Flash, talks about: living in the ghetto, drugs pimping, dropping out of high school, and many other topics that are foreign to Middle Class America. “The Message” was a song released in the early 80’s; an obvious time when the Bronx was struggling.
Now compared to a 2007 song that 50 cent has put out called “187 Curtis”. It is obvious the mood changes.
Chorus - 50 Cent]
They say Im grimey, Im greasy
I make a 187 look easy
Fuck that, I lay my murder game down
Push me nigga, see what Im about
[Verse 1 - 50 Cent]
I was a snotty nose, nappy head, dirtbomb nigga
Sayin I cant wait till I get a little bigger
Half the niggas jumped me, bumpin' my head
Thinkin' I wish I had a gun I fill a nigga with lead
Took a kitchen knife, Im finna poke me a nigga
Wishin' I had a gun so I could smoke me a nigga
Sold my first five quarter gram pieces in the alley
Where Bizzy had the Bondeville and Kev had the caddy
Now those were the days, where crime really pay
9 milly spray, got the fuck out the way
The shootout, the shootout
The bricks went fast, robberies went bad, niggas got blast
Niggas kidnap Drew granpa kid
Came through and shot Ms Leak in the head
Wonder why I got a gun so I can get down for mine
You need that, out on the grind all the time
[Chorus - 50 Cent]
They say Im grimey, Im greasy
I make a 187 look easy
Fuck that, I lay my murder game down
Push me nigga, see what Im about
They say Im grimey, Im greasy
I make a 187 look easy
Fuck that, I lay my murder game down
Push me nigga, see what Im about
[Verse 2 - 50 Cent]
It was kangos, caselli shades, boombers and corn brades
Do rags on the waist, brass knuckles, switch blades
E-mass to get paid, new shells to get sprayed
Hood rats to get layed, money to get made
Yeah, yeah I had a dream I was rich
Woke up broke, gun in my hand
Sayin' "Damn!" this dope cost 60 a gram
Have to find me a nigga, line me a nigga
And say "Give it up kid, before I put one in ya wig"
Picture me thirsty, ridin' round foamin' out the mouth
Sayin' "I dont get on" Im'a lay a nigga out
Now diamonds are beautiful, pearls are precious
I hit ya in ya bitch, both go for ya necklace
Im so wreckless, I play the semi drunk off henny
Wipe your blood off the shines run and sell em to Benny
Fuck with me, ya niggas know Boo Boo get bizzy
[Chorus - 50 Cent]
They say Im grimey, Im greasy
I make a 187 look easy
Fuck that, I lay my murder game down
Push me nigga, see what Im about
They say Im grimey, Im greasy
I make a 187 look easy
Fuck that, I lay my murder game down
Push me nigga, see what Im about
[Verse 3 - 50 Cent]
I gave Jus a buck 50 ask him If I cut niggas
Shootouts in Bedford ask him If I bucked niggas
Four fifth they call me Boo Boo, the accident baby
Hennysee and Cocaine, those remedies made me
My eyes dont cry, Im a fatherless child
Got my ass whooped in Spotford but never that now
When my name in ya mouth, better watch how you talk
Send yo punk ass to therapy to learn how to walk
I bust a clip Ill hit ya hip
Im take your shit
Thats how the esse's play, for that s.s.k
Your probably heard through the grape vine, Im good out Watts
Bulletproof shit, cruisin' through the Compton blocks
Im the beast from the east, but I play on the west
In the drop by myself with my gun and my vest
And you niggas best be on your best behaviours
I was bread for this shit, front Im'a blaze ya
[Chorus - 50 Cent]
They say Im grimey, Im greasy
I make a 187 look easy
Fuck that, I lay my murder game down
Push me nigga, see what Im about
They say Im grimey, Im greasy
I make a 187 look easy
Fuck that, I lay my murder game down
Push me nigga, see what Im about
I am noticing that 50 Cent is still talking about drugs, guns, and once again a hard life that most people would know nothing about. A difference with 50 Cent is he writes and raps just so much harder or tougher if you will that the “Old School” sound you would hear in the 80’s or even early 90’s. I have noticed that “hard” sound a lot in new rap. Rappers are giving that same type of message with a different beat, a stronger beat.
Back to my original question of which is better, “Old School” or “New School”: I would have to answer neither is better than the other. Let me explain myself. In the 80’s (“Old School”) that was the beat at the time, a more cheesy disco sound. As humans we evolved into a new sound, more of a pissed off sound. As hip-hop may be a broken record; maybe it needs to be, to finally get the message across and wake people up. It’s only natural that if someone doesn’t hear you the first time you speak up!
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Lets hear it for the legendary...
Pick a name, Biggie Smalls or Notorious BIG; either of these could be used when speaking of Christopher George Latore Wallace. This is a man that died early- too early most thought. Back in 1997, Biggie was shot in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles. Most, if not all people, that listened to hip-hop kept up with the scenario that was playing out in Biggies’ life. While recording his sophomore album, Biggie was heavily involved in the East Coast/West Coast hip-hop feud dominating the scene at the time. Biggie’s death hit many people in the hop-hop community hard. I imagine that most of those looking from the inside were not shocked by it.
Several months ago I was flipping through the channels and stopped on a Vh1 special that went behind the scenes of hip-hop. The episode mentioned different artists, one specifically named Biggie Smalls. With my interest peaking at this point in the episode, I kept tuned in to hear how many different people/artists kept talking about what a legend Biggie is. Is Biggie himself really the legend or is it his music? I would agree that he is a gifted rapper, but a legend, I think not.
I looked up the word “legend” in the dictionary, and one of the definitions that it gave was the story of the life of a saint, esp. one stressing the miraculous or unrecorded deeds of a saint. Not exactly a title that I would put on a gambler/womanizer. As I would agree that he is a talented artist and popular in the hip-hop community, but it is just not a title I would place on the Notorious BIG.
I am sitting here thinking, who exactly is considered legendary? There are: Tupac, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, and Aaliyah. I find it ironic that these “legends” are all dead. In the light of the topic, I am noticing that maybe the word legend may be just a form of respect placed upon the deceased. For Biggie, his beats were good if not great, but legendary they weren’t. Just off the top of my head I can think of two hit songs that were released. If you were to compare the music of Biggie to that of someone such as Michael Jackson, countless songs will come to mind for the latter. There is an obvious difference from one celebrity to another. Obviously a person does not have to die before the public notices how brilliant and life changing an artist is to the hip-hop community.
I didn’t drink my haterade today; I truly love Biggie. I also think his music has an impact on many peoples’ lives. Lots of artists have stated that he was an inspiration to them. I just find it interesting that the transition that made Biggie a legend was his death not his music. I’m just saying…
Lyrics for Biggie Smalls
http://www.lyricsmania.com/lyrics/biggie_smalls_lyrics_14925/
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