A young lady who has volunteered for our library in the past came in to say hi yesterday. I was happy to see her. I knew that she had been absent because of her load with school. I wish I had have been that dedicated to my school work when I was in high school. Actually, I wish I would have run x-country. That doesn't matter anymore.
She had a suggestion for me. A suggestion to write about a controversial topic. And I was like... what? Controversial topics are everywhere. But she had a hard time giving me an answer. So I told her to let me think about it and maybe something would pop up.
Music, the stuff that we listen to, the stuff that makes us dance (if you do that sort of thing, I do). Who doesn't like music and who doesn't have a preference for specific types of music?
Or, maybe you are someone who plays an instrument. I don't play an instrument, but I always wanted to learn how to play the drums and spin and scratch turntables. Now, I feel too old to play with turntables but maybe it will happen.
Any two people can get into a conversation about music. So... I thought it would be a good topic to bring up in regards to being controversial.
Where do I begin? I guess I can just tell you about my story and what I think and then if you want to argue or point something out, put it out there. Like what's your story?
I have been surrounded by music all my life. I used to watch my dad lay down beside his record player and listen to music. It was the way he relaxed and now I do the same thing.
Then, it was my older sisters who had a huge impact. Especially my oldest sister. She used to be into rap when it first started coming up and out... you probably don't know about these guys but they called themselves Run DMC. I can still remember some of those songs even though I was probably in kindergarten or first grade when she used to play it full blast in her Volkswagon bug. And yes, it was on a tape player. I used to get so mad when she played it that loud and now I do the same thing. Ha, ha, ha. There were other artists of that sort but I can't remember them off the top of my head right now.
My mom used to flip out that she would play "that kind of music", especially with younger siblings around. It just wasn't acceptable music, she would say. So what is acceptable music? Some of the best musicians were not considered "acceptable" when they came up.
I'll move on. Well "that sort" of music has stuck with me; the "type" that my sister played.
As I got older I remember listening to rap music and then it was eventually called hip hop. Okay, now I'm getting controversial.
I remember really getting into Cypress Hill, Naughty by Nature, Paperboy, Pharcyde, De La Soul, and then some of the R&B that went along with it. My parents hated it. They would get so mad that there was swearing in the music and sometimes offensive lyrics. But it never stopped me.
In high school, I found friends that listened to the same music and it was like I fell into this group of people; most of them were guys. We exchanged music and that's how I began to find underground hip-hop, that was when all those lyrics began to become poetry and the beats blew the speakers out. This is also around the same time that I took a creative writing class and began to learn how to rhyme myself or just write stuff down that I saw.
I never went to many parties, but when I did and I got to be the DJ, it was on. I swear, no lying. It was just an ironic thing because "girls" did not know or listen to this music. And so there was shock in many girls' faces that I played it. I got a lot of you know what from girls in high school. And, one reason was because I was different that way. Yeah, I listened to the radio, but then I had this whole other side that was like... "she's weird." All because of music.
A lot of the lyrics were stories, and very true ones. You just had to listen. I have had friends tell me that they liked this or that but then they said they never listened to the words. And I was like... what dude?
Or, even better, I used to dance classical ballet and remember that the beat of the music told me when to do what and one time I had a girlfriend that said... how do you know how to do that at that time. And I said... "can't you hear it?" And she looked at me like I was crazy. Umm yeah. Been called that a few times.
In college, I still listened to the same music and I was still dancing classical ballet (hmmm, that's an odd thing.) I remember it was like an extension from high school. I learned Wu-Tang Clan lyrics, Mos Def, Outkast way way way before they ever hit the scene like ten years later, Common, way way way before he had a middle-age crisis with the last album he put out. There was Busta Rhymes, KRS-One, Talib Kwali, Gangstarr, Das-EFX, Redman (saw him in concert, like the best concert ever.) And how could I ever forget Tribe Called Quest and Souls of Mischief. Not too long ago I bought a Del the Funky Homosapien album. You can laugh, but I couldn't believe that he was still at it. And I couldn't believe I bought it. But I have to admit, half of those lyrics I could so relate to.
There's too many awesome artists to name. I'm thinking of my CD collection (yes, I have one) and I can't even think of all the those CD's I have, that trashy, gangster music, as my mother and other people would say. But I'm not into gangster music, I never was.
I'm like... don't hate the game if you can't hear the rules.
My dad later admitted to me that he liked some of the music I played. He liked the beats, he just would never admit it. And once in awhile I would watch him dance around and I thought he was making fun of me but then I realized that he liked it.
I will admit, I really dislike where the mainstream hip-hop has gone... it's like do you have anything really interesting to say? And a lot of the artists sound the same. They use the auto-tron. A specific device that changes your voice when you sing into it; a device that was created to hear specific frequencies of animal sounds in the ocean. It's like, if you can't sing and you can't rhyme then what are you doing? Who signed you?
I'm 30-years-old and I still blow my ears out with this stuff sometimes. Now, just because I've
written an essay all about my b-boy hip-hop love doesn't mean that I don't feign for other genres. I love indie/folk, some r&b, crazy instrumental, Sublime, MGMT, old jazz like Etta James and Bo Didley, and I have even rocked a Miley Cyrus song. I'm a music junkie. I love making CD's for my friends and I love getting them from them. It's like one of the best gifts.
I'm sure that everyone has their opinion and favorites and stuff that they cannot handle.
But if I have to say one more thing... it's about selling out. The Black-Eyed Peas, who have taken over during the past five or more years... shoot, I remember when I graduated from high school and they put out their first album... sans Fergie. The song that I most remember is called "Falling Up".
I'll never forget some of their lyrics in this song and how they represent themselves now, look below...
"I see you try to diss our function by stating that we can't rap,
is it 'cause we don't wear Tommy Hilfiger or baseball caps,
We don't use dollars to represent,
We just use our inner sense and talent,
If you try to dis the Peas you'll get handled by Apple Beavy,
Alligator, numero uno creator,
Black Eyed Peas be more than a playa,
Don't gotta represent no set just so I could get some respect,
Ga, ga, ga, ga, ga, ga, coooool,
A lot of feelings so I can get through,
Because the way that you did it I think you done corrupted the whole
Hip-hop sound so now I gotta follow up."
The video to this song is old so I couldn't find it on Youtube, but I did find the song. And if you want to hear how they have changed, listen. Remember, this was before Fergie.
I gotta go, this is too long.
But before I do... if you would like to hear a song that is old school, underground hip-hop that talks about selling out... take a look at this old "Roots"
video. Remember, you have to listen to the words. And there may be some offensive scenes, but I'm a librarian, I don't censor and if you truly hear the words you'll see that those scenes are a parody. "Never do what they do."
So this blog, or essay is a shout to Nicole... my volunteer. And, I have to say... your teacher who told you your creative writing blog is to racey needs to be checked. Sorry. Your opinion is way more valuable.
I was once a staff writer for a newspaper when I was 20 or so. I'll never forget an editor telling me that if you never write anything that doesn't stir someone, you are not writing well.
Never sell out.
-a Highly Wired Lady
