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!

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/

Impressed? I think so.

It seems almost cliché when you think of a rapper that had a hard life growing up and then made it big. Well I guess that's the point of a cliché, because so many of the same type of people that has fit that particular role. I can't think of a better person to talk about who fits that role like a glove than Jay-Z. This is a rapper that has made it BIG.

When he was growing up he sold drugs, lived in the projects and just had a "hard knock life". From selling drugs to rapping/producing, he made the transition some years ago to producing clothing line. Can this person do a little bit more in life? I just don't think he has overachieved enough in this life time. I know I am doing good to throw my clothes in the washer and overachieving if I fold them. Ok maybe a little bit of difference between Jay-Z and myself...or maybe a lot.

Hmmmm since I seem to be getting off topic about Jay-Z's transition lets go back to talking about the clothing line. Since it seems as though some of us do live under rocks I will say the name of the company, it's Roca Wear. This a multi-million dollar company that has had great success. It sells any and all apperall one can think up. There is a saying that I heard in a movie that applys to his life. "The sweet is never as sweet without the sour." So I guess Jay-Z was wrong because his life isn't full of hard knocks anymore. I'm just saying...


Link to Jay-Z's clothing line:
http://www.rocawear.com/

Link to lyrics of "Its a hard knock life":
http://www.lyricsandsongs.com/song/105150.html

Hip-Hop at its finest

Helllloooooo!!! As my first blog ever I am so excited to share my inner most thoughts and feelings about what is right, wrong, or just plain crazy in the hip-hop commuinty. Ok lets be honest with ourselves, hip-hop has changed like crazy. When did all the rappers turn into actors? Just thinking about it there is: Eminiem, 50 cent, Ice cube, and if I racked my brain I could prob. think of a lot more. I just find it some what funny that mostly men who are precieved as tough guys, have turned into thesbians. Ok like Ice-T who is on the show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. How do you go from tough rapper hating the cops, to playing a detictive on a hit show? He used to be the self-proclamied OG or for us white folks out there original gangster. I guess with a real name like Tracy Marrow its hard to keep it too tough. I'm just saying...