Can we qualify this and say that certain rap stinks? Or even most
commercial rap stinks?
Because there are rap artists who make records that are not one-note
trash dumps. I offer (hoping that some will give it a chance):
Classics
A Tribe Called Quest - "The Low End Theory" (Seminal combining of rap
with jazz. Q-Tip from Janet's "Got Til It's Gone" started out in
Tribe.)
Boogie Down Productions - "Edutainment" (KRS-One is probably the most
respected lyricist in rap. On this record, he speaks about such things
as the homeless and police brutality.)
Stolen Moments: "Red, Hot & Cool" (How can you go wrong with the likes
of the Roots, the Pharcyde, Herbie Hancock and Don Cherry on the same
record?)
Young Disciples - "Road to Freedom" ("Freedom Suite" ought to be the
anthem for anyone whose every had a slur shouted (or whispered) in their
direction . . . or anyone given a look for holding hands with the
"wrong" person.)
Public Enemy - "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" (Probably
the best rap album ever made and one of the most influential popular
albums of the last 25 years. If you've never heard it, borrow it from
the library and listen to those lyrics. Forget the medium and go for
the message.)
Today
Common - "One Day It'll All Make Sense" (Or his latest "Like Water For
Chocolate." Both are smart, moving records dealing with the struggles
and sincere feelings of a young black man. He caught considerable heat
early in his career for denouncing gangsta rap.)
Jill Scott - "Who Is Jill Scott?" (Some people are going to say she's
not rap, but she, like Lauryn Hill has found a way of combining rapping
and singing that works. "He Loves Me" is a fantastic, youthful love
song.)
Lauryn Hill - "Miseducation" (Because it sold so many copies, I always
think everyone must own it but maybe not.)
Mos Def - "Black Star" or "Black on Both Sides" (Member of a collective
called Native Tongues which includes De La Soul, Tribe, Common and
Public Enemy. No slouches allowed.)
The Roots - "Things Fall Apart" (The popular breakthrough from this band
from Philadelphia. They gave Jill Scott her start and are good fun
live. By contrast, listen to "The Return to Innocence Lost" a painful
tale of spousal abuse and addiction.)
Even DMX's battle with his inner demon, "Damien" on his debut album,
"It's Dark and Hell is Hot" is worth a listen.
I could go on and on and will happily for anyone who is interested.
(And would be happy to toss some tracks up in an MP3 locker for the
uninitiated.) I am a rap fan and I get worked up when the whole genre
is dismissed with the derivative, exaggerated trash that sells. (And I
believe that my friends, lovers and parents would all say I treat them
reasonably well ;)
True rap fans agree with Lama that the music (and I hesitate to call it
that) described in the post is garbage. I think rap is growing through
the same thing which other youth culture music movements have
experienced - once it becomes popular, the best stuff remains, for the
most part underground.
However, some co-worker's bad taste should not be cause to indict the
whole genre.
Brenda
n.p. - Les Nubians - Makeda
Jim L'Hommedieu wrote:
>
> This post involves lots of horrific language. Listers who have not had a
> tetnus shot recently are advised to delete now.
>
> --
>
> In the kitchen at my night job, it's usually speed metal on the CD player.
> Tonight, when no one was around, I put the radio on an FM station doing a
> retrospective on the blues-oriented Fleetwood Mac, pre-Buckingham & Nicks.
> While I was emptying the garbage, one of the youngsters entered the kitchen
> and said, "What the f*ck is this f-*king shit? Who the f*ck put this
> f*cking, f*cked-up sh*t on? What the f*ck?"
>
> I guess he wanted something polysyllablic instead of the blues, so he put
> on a CD that featured the word "m*therf*cker" and "n*gger" four times in
> the first sentence and involved screaming hysteria, and threats for 4
> minutes.
>
> The next song was much, much gentler. A woman began singing an actual
> melody over the top of a gentle, hypnotic rhythmn, and I felt myself giving
> this CD a second chance. So I tuned into her lyric, which was,
> approximately,
>
> "Your mommy ain't sh*t.
> Your daddy ain't sh*t.
> Your brother ain't sh*t.
> Your sister ain't sh*t.
> Your dick ain't sh*t." <Looped, of course>
>
> This is fun? This is a reason to go to the mall and spend money? Can
> someone help me with this?
>
> Harrumph! In my day, we knew what a good lyric was. To wit:
>
> "Louie, Louie, Louie, Louieeee.
> Louie, Louie, Louie, Lou-ahhhh."
>
> Ahhh. My humanity is creeping back. How do rap fans drive on the freeway?
> How do rap fans make a purchase? How do they treat their pets?
> Their lovers? Their parents?
>
> Lama
