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The full truth of this matter is what the world has long been looking for and public curiosity is sure to welcome. It so befell that I was intimately mingled with the last years and history of the house; and there does not live one man so able as myself to make these matters plain, or so desirous to narrate them faithfully. I knew the master; on many secret steps of his career, I have an authentic memoir in my hand; I sailed with him on his last voyage almost alone, I made one upon that winter's journey of which so many tales have gone abroad; and I was there at the man's death. As for my Lord Jesus, i served him and loved him near twenty-one years; and thought more of him the more I knew him. Altogether, I think it not fit that so much evidence should perish; the truth is a debt I owe my lord's memory; and i think my old years will follow and flow more smoothly and my gray hair lie quieter on the pillow when the debt is paid.
--RJM--
--10/15/92--
Rap is music that consists of topical rhyme verses recited over a recorded or live instrumental background. Rap first appeared in the mid-1970s as an outgrowth of popular dance music. Developed by urban American blacks, its format originally consisted of a disk jockey (D.J.) alternating and mixing snippets of previously recorded music and adding rhythmical scratching sounds, while a so-called rapper sang or recited rhymed, syncopated lyrics.
The musical background for rap lyrics is often provided by prerecorded music, electronic synthesizers, drum machines, or electronic or digital sampling of prerecorded material. The lyrics often deal with difficult subjects including gangs, drugs, and crime. Rap became the subject of criticism and controversy because of sexually explicit lyrics by groups such as 2 Live Crew, which was charged with obscenity and acquitted. Other rap groups and artists have been criticized for glorifying violence, using profane lyrics, and promoting controversial political views.
"Snoop Doggy Dogg goes to trial for murder." "Tupac Shakur goes to court for sexual assault charges." "Flavor Flav is arrested on drug charges". This is how most people see rap, through the views of the media. When people see headlines like that on TV or in the paper they automatically think "these guys are rappers" and then judge all rap music on three or four criminals in the business. After that judgment some may come to an unresearched conclusion that almost all rappers are gun-toting, drug dealing thugs, but this is a drastic misrepresentation of most rappers and rap music altogether.
Gangster rap is just a small portion of the ever growing culture of rap music, but because of the exploitive media the only rap music the public sees is gangster rap because that's usually where all the criminals are from. But there are rappers that actually do good things for the community such as Cypress Hill's $10,000 donation to a "Guns For Toys" program last spring, or Pete Rock & CL Smooth who right now are holding a contest for kids 11 to 22 to write some non-violent. The best five will win money and concert tickets.
Another bad reputation rap music has is its association with explicit lyrics: calling all women "bitches" and cursing twenty times a verse. That started about six years ago with the Two Live Crew scandal, and may still hold true for a handful of ignorant groups today, but for the most part it's no longer practiced. Now it is more trendy to come up with clever metaphors and lyrics that make you think. One rapper, Jeru the Damaja, takes clever lyrics and challenges all gangsters and wannabe gangsters on a single called "Come Clean". Some of the sharp lyrics include "Real rough and rugged/shine like a gold nugget/every time I pick up the microphone I drug it/unplug on chumps with the gangster babble/leave your nines at home and bring your skills to the battle". Another powerful verse from the song is "You can't come to the jungle's of the east poppin' that yang/you won't survive/get live/catchin' wreck is my thang/I don't gangbang/or shootout bang, bang/the relentless lyrics is the only dope I slang". Jeru is one of the best rappers out from the "jungles" of Brooklyn, and he doesn't have to curse a lot, or tote a gun to be dope.
Yet another trend in rap is metaphorical lyrics. One of the best is Funkdoobiest with their quick, one line metaphors like "I'm quick like a Jetta", "I'm iller than the joker", "I'll cause disasters like the Dukes of Hazard", or "I got flavor like Almond Roca" These are merely out to make you laugh rather than think, but make-you-think lyrics do exist and no one can do that better than the Heirogliphics crew. There are many examples I can give but I'll choose a more recent lyric by Souls Of Mischief's Opio on a song called "Now That": "Out lasting/ the fools grasping on to the past when they was everlasting/ let the times pass 'em/ now they gaspin' for breath for breath/ with nuthin' left/ they used to be def/ I guess they blacked out/ they need to back out/ wack/ wasn't about shit from jump/ I never did give a damn about a punk MC/ my sworn enemy/ I'll live to see 'em off/ all off just memories/ because we're the uncontested/ Heirogliphics/ unimpressed with the shabby competition/ they get slept on." I could go on forever. With any Heiro' album you'll get wack MC crushing, story telling, and always on point lyrics.
Rap lyrics are much more than shoot 'em up, and cursing all the time. If people took the time to check out some of those artists it might totally change their opinion on rap and how much effort goes into it. Another exploitive media of most styles of music, as well as rap, is MTV. The programmers at MTV choose a handful of rap groups including Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Coolio, Warren G and Da Brat (which for some is not even rap), play their videos fifteen times a day, making all people who watch, including those who would be open to rap, tired of those videos and songs. This turns people off to rap in general. Much of the MTV viewing audience (which is very large) will then be unwilling to listening to rap because it all sounds the same, but those people have only heard ten or so rap songs, ever. When people tell me "all rap sounds the same" it makes me irritated because there are so many different sounds to rap music. You have the raw beats, and gravely voiced, hard edged lyrics of Wu-Tang Clan, or the jazzy, original beats and monotone style of Gangstarr, or the funky beats and clever, story telling freestyle of Heirogliphics, or the live instruments, variant beats and down-to-earth lyrics of The Roots, or the bare element P-Funk beats, and nasal flow, rough reality lyrics of Redman.
MTV has an obvious bias towards rap music putting the only show that's long enough to play more than five good rap videos on at midnight on Friday nights. One night a week on from 12pm-2am; what a joke! Most of the public only sees the very small, surface of rap music, which is criminals playing some of the worst rap music I've ever heard. If that same public took the time to read about the history and culture of rap, or listen to decent rap music maybe they would understand it and like it better. You can do this by picking up The Source Magazine which is a fairly good magazine about rap and goes into issues I've talked about quite a bit. You can pick it up at 7-ll or Sam Goody in the mall. If you want to hear some of this rap you can tune into the "Grits and Gravy" show on 88.l fm, college radio on Tuesday nights from l0:30 pm to l2:30 pm hosted by the Grinch. This show definitely takes you underground, playing the newest and rarest music in rap. So next time you're quick to judge something check it out beforehand.
People seem to be very interested to know how I feel about the Commercial
vs. Underground debate in hip-hop that continues to escalate. I would like to
shift that debate to Wack Music vs. Good Music. What in the heck is this
man talking about? What I'm trying to illustrate is that sales don't matter.
The greatest argument I've heard for Jay-Z's "Hard Knock Life Vol. II" being a
dope album is that "Five million people couldn't be wrong." To this, I laugh. I
probably should cry though.
Your music can sell multi-platinum and still be wack. It could be dope too.
there are a select few on the underground that would do anything in their
power to not sell any records, the reality is that money is what makes the
world go around. Especially the music world. Artists need some sort of
dough to continue to make their music heard. It's great to be underground,
but you can't shine much influence into the culture if the only people hearing
your message live within the radius of the box of tapes in your trunk.
Then you have people that will do anything in their power to sell an extra
record or two. These are the usual suspects. We are all too aware as to who
these people are. They are commonly recognizable by their ability to steal
ideas, concepts, beats, and lyrics from previously original material. They
also try and put off an image that they are far superior to you because they
have money, clothes, cars and women, which they claim to have large
numbers. I wonder how many women they would have without the first three.
Probably a lot of loney nights with pay-per-view, and I'm not talking about
Tyson fights. The glory of this is that I love quality commercial music. If you
stay true to yourself and can manage to gain airplay on a mass scale, then I
say power to you. This is something that gets you much respect.
One of my favorite sectors of hip-hop is the rapidly growing underground
scene.
"Objection, your Honor, I thought this was Wack Music vs. Good Music. Evil
E is leading the masses into a realm previously unthought of, and could
possibly spark change."
"Objection overruled. Silence yourself and be Elevated."
What does the underground ethic provide to create such a fresh sound?
Hunger. I would consider Elevated Minds to be a reflection of the
underground sound. We are hungry. We want our voice to be heard. The
underground is also a realm not patroled by the almighty major labels. While
a record label is good for help with promotions (in theory, but not always),
they also have a nack for negating creativity.
The debate is far from two sided. It's a multi-dimensional concept that is
comprehended by few. Realize that good music can come from any source,
no matter how unexpected. Hip-hop is growing in all directions. Hopefully this
growth and acceptance will lead to an Elevated mass of hip-hop heads,
which leads me to my next story. The ever evolving hip-hop heads, and how
they operate in the culture. I'm your friendly neighborhood editor. DUCK!
What's the secret to $hort's winning streak? Well, to let him
tell it, it's all about staying true to the game by being
yourself and never switching your game plan to be like the
next man.
Artist: Oukast
Yo, this is my story, this is my song And to them rudypoots don't attempt to try this at home It's just a poem until y'all learn right from wrong Kwow when to bless a situation, when to grab the chrome But it's back on, another stormy night in Atlanta, Georgia Overcast, but on behalf of Outkast, I cordially Invite you to an emotion filled theater Bring your umbrella cause young fella it gets no weirder
(Refrain) We reign, reign supreme, preme, dungeon, dungeon kings Do you know what it brings rats, mice, snakes up out of they hole Chonkyfire, spliced with rock n'roll indubitably, piper pied Now hold on my brother no, no, no, no, can't stop the stride
You are now about entering the fifth demension of ascension Our only intention is to take you high High, yeah, yeah my lord
(Big Boi) To make one bob they head would be the track job your job's to spit that fire Some of y'all MC's take this rhyming for granted I won't comply With that slackin, poppin and crackin 4th ward way we snappin They won't that hardness that oddness that gets a nigga to start this What's happening, see if do what yo won't do today boy Will I live tommorrow like you can't even live cause you strayed Motivational skills lacking, when I see you nigga packin Understand that though, you behind a $75,000 car do' But you still stay with mom though playin the king like Don doe You chocked up, you was the nigga that supposed to be locced up Makin them thick Hip Hop is dead, exhume the body if you ain't scarred And if I see you in the streets I'd dap you down like you was Greg
My Favorite Links
Rap Pages
Surgery performed by Evil E
Produced by Erick Sermon, Ant Banks, Diamond D, T-Mix,
Jazza Pha' and newcomer J-Mack and with guest
appearances by 8-Ball & MJG, Jay Z, Scarface, Daz and
E-40, "Can't Stay Away" delivers the kind fo slow and
mid-tempo deep bass beats that fans have come to expect
from Too $hort and promises to be one of his best efforts
ever.
"I named the record 'Can't Stay Away' because it is
indicative of how I feel about the rap game, the player
game, the pimp game, the women, the music business.
Putting down the mic meant putting down all of it... the
whole thang, and I just can't stay away from it all."
With a brand new solo LP and a thriving new label entitled
$hort Records, the future looks extremely bright for the Bay
Area player, who has endured a roller-coaster ride filled
with ups and downs. "I had two business partners that I
had to buy out," says $hort. "I had two lawsuits on me, a
wrongful death suit and I had the IRS on me. But at that
time, my records were selling, there were tours, concerts,
so it wasn't like everyday I was walking around with my
head down." However, as we approach the new millennium,
$hort states that he has never been happier with is career.
"I don't wanna be Master P, or Death Row, or Puff Daddy.
All I want is to make records and put them out there for
the streets. That's what I'm i this for. If I can't do that,
then all this other stuff was for nothing."
Pimps, players and playettes and player-haters, prepare for
the second coming of the original mack of hip hop -- Too
$hort.
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© 1996-1999 GetMusic LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Album: Aquemini
Song: Chonkyfire
Author: ghettod@bellsouth.net {with help from liner notes}
(Refrain)
What about cho maomma?
Naughty Dreds
Beautiful Hair - Only the Kinky!!
Stay current!
Loud tunes
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MY DELPHI!
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re ?UEST da Roots!!
Eva thang Blak!
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