A Revolution Stunted: Two For One Post - Twice the Shame!
On account of our being late in posting a video for yesterday, here are two for today. The first follows the same logic as yesterday's (all of yesterday's statements apply), an abomination that squeaks through in the guise of music. This one's certainly got more of a minstrel aspect to it however - seriously, didn't they have anyone with any knowledge of history in the editing booth!? The second video explains that minstrel/rap connection a bit more. You'll want headphones for that one.
Labels: a revolution stunted, minstrel shows, rap
posted by 2RedShoez at
6:27 PM
4 Comments:
It really pisses me off when people use KRS-ONE as the epitome of conscious rap. Previous statements from everybody's favorite yardstick of what makes a pious MC:
"Wa da da da da, Wa da da da dang. Listen to my 9 millimeter go BANG."
"The pussy is free, but the crack costs money. Oh yeah!"
"Scott La Rock had em all. He is a super-ho."
You and I should discuss the topic of conscious rap in person sometime, it is one of my favorites.
By
Trainwrek, at 2:11 PM
he's hardly the epitome, but you can't really deny KRS-ONE his legacy. he was the man back in the day, but now he's a bit of a blowhard with wack production.
i tend to think that you look back into anyone's past and you'll find some statements they're not entirely proud of though, so i can only fault so much there.
By
2RedShoez, at 6:02 PM
Trainwrek and I had a long talk/debate a few weeks back on all of this. He brought up the KRS-ONE past then as well and I think he has a valid point. Well...you both have valid points but I'm going to attempt to add some context to Trainwrek's thought here.
There is this perception in some circles that hip-hop has always been about violence, pimps, bitches, and crack. If you go back to when KRS-ONE recorded that track (1987) that is hardly the beginning of hip-hop HOWEVER it is arguably right around the time hip-hop began to gain some popularity with the masses. What were people rapping about in 1977? I tend to think back on that time as people like Afrika Bambaataa who was there in the beginning of hip-hop and his message was exactly the opposite of "gangsta'" rap of today. So, what is hip-hop? I don't think anybody can say "hip-hop is violent" or "hip-hop is conscious" - it has always been both, to some degree but perhaps the larger question is does hip-hop, or music in general, have some obligation to represent an existing culture, define a new culture, or neither? If the popular hip-hop of today is aiming to represent a culture I think it's way off the mark. If hip-hop is aiming to create a culture, then I think it's evil. If it is doing neither, what exactly is the point why are we even talking about this?
By
topicismono, at 11:43 AM
I think hip-hop reflects the conditions in which it's created, just like any other creative medium. There are definitely some cultural aspects, but I place blame on the players in the game, not the game itself.
In any case, an appropriate snippet from Mos Def's "Fear Not of Man"
Listen.. people be askin me all the time,
"Yo Mos, what's gettin ready to happen with Hip-Hop?"
(Where do you think Hip-Hop is goin?)
I tell em, "You know what's gonna happen with Hip-Hop?
Whatever's happening with us"
If we smoked out, Hip-Hop is gonna be smoked out
If we doin alright, Hip-Hop is gonna be doin alright
People talk about Hip-Hop like it's some giant livin in the hillside
comin down to visit the townspeople
We +are+ Hip-Hop
Me, you, everybody, we are Hip-Hop
So Hip-Hop is goin where we goin
So the next time you ask yourself where Hip-Hop is goin
ask yourself.. where am I goin? How am I doin?
By
2RedShoez, at 12:28 PM
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