Brett and Tyler, you guys would like this for sure.
Also, if you like me posting videos like this, or you watch them, please leave a comment so I know to keep posting them. When I'm not sure people if people will like the links I'm posting, I don't post them.
This is a video of rapper Mike Bigga, formerly known as Killa Mike, answering the question why do we still use the N-word today? Listen carefully, because he starts answering the question right away.
This serves as an excellent short lecture on the relevance and significance of a word versus the connotation of that word; and as such, a rebuttal of those who say that the N word is a bad word no matter who is using it. It also offers us what might be a previously unclear lesson on why white people should avoid using this word with a troublesome history; especially in a nonacademic context. It is simply difficult to understand the tone and connotation with which a white person person might imbue the word. And it is much easier to imagine someone who is not black using this word in a hateful manner.
This video also serves as a different sort of rebuttal: a wake-up call to those who would dismiss gangster rappers as boneheads; and obviously and unfortunately, those people are still out there. This is a guy whose name was Killa Mike; who to the untrained ear sounded just like any other gangster rapper. And he is articulate enough to have Cornel West building upon his point rather than making a completely individual one, or arguing. Pretty impressive.
For some reason, people seem to believe that a hyped band is often a band not worth listening to, disregarding the opinions of thousands which is literally what hype is. Normally we see this attitude when holier-than-thous discuss pop music (which means that they're missing the most digestible, danceable, and viscerally appealing music that is put out) but occasionally, when the holier than the holier-than-thous get together, they discuss between themselves why bands like animal collective and phoenix are overrated. And that's ridiculous. Watch this video, and listen to the song, both are equally excellent and together they're dam* near undeniable.
I've been thinking about Wale's song Shades a lot recently, both after his concert, where I enjoyed it thoroughly, and then even more after I declared that I wanted to write about why it was one of his best songs. And after thinking about it for a while, I've stumbled onto a kind of two part (albeit short) argument, not that it's one of his best songs, but that it could have been, were it less interfered with. The first point that i want to adress is how good the lyrics of this songs are, and why they show off what Wale can do so well. The second part I want to adress is why I hate the chorus so much, and furthermore, how I see the chorus handicapping the song as a microcosm for the way that the studio-endorsed guest spots on the album tend to handicap the best features of Wale's rapping.
This song is obviously intensely personal for Wale, as it would be for anyone talking about their insecurity rooted in their skin color. The song is told in first person, so there can be no doubt who the subject is. "I never fit in with them light skins/ I felt the lighter they was, the better that they life is/So I resented them/And they resented me." What makes this lyric especially interesting is it's attention to the way others might feel as well. Wale mostly talks about his own resentment and feelings of anger, but he also recognizes that his resentment breeds resentment in others. And because he mostly dwells on how he feels, it doesn't feel as if he's pushing a nonexistent resentment onto others. In fact, he gives a reason for the more light-skinned to resent him; "cheated on light skinned Dominique when we was 17." Because Wale keeps his lyrics so personal, understanding a racially charged situation becomes as simple as understanding his feelings about it, which is why you could see every segment of the enormously diverse crowd at his last concert enjoying the sh** out of the song. And although we can't assume that every darker skinned guy feels the same way, it would be safe to think that Wale is speaking the mind of many, many people, which makes the song both appealing and prescient, without being preachy.
Unfortunately, the chorus goes a long way towards negating that understanding. Christette Michele has a beautiful, jazzy voice, but her lyrics here counter Wale's. The refrain goes "From a light skinned girl to a dark skinned brother, shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover." Then Michele chants a bunch of different skin colors, while backing herself up chanting "beautiful boy, finally finishing on "boy you're so beautiful." This sounds very nice, and complimentary, but because it's oversimplified, it rings false. The point of this song isn't that everyone, of every different skin color is beautiful, and thus you should not be ashamed of your skin color. The point is that you may be attractive, or you may be ugly, but the shade of your skin has absolutely nothing to do with it, as color does not do much for signifying attractiveness. It's a Ratatouille argument. Everybody is not beautiful, no matter their skin color but anyone has the potential to be beautiful no matter their skin color. That's the point of the song, and the soothing thing about it, and the chorus seems as if the song is saying that everoyne is beautiful in their own way, which when talking about appearances is ridiculous and cliche. Furthermore, the chorus points to a problem that the entire album has, namely that the R&B choruses take away from the honesty and fun that used to be Wale's signature.
As always please comment, and because this song and issue is somewhat racially charged, please let me know if you think anything I've said is totally ridiculous or ignorant.
There are many reasons why I was a never a very consistent blogger and most of them do not have anything to do with readership. But, if you are reading this and are interested in whatever I'm saying, do me a favor and leave a comment. Here are a bunch of numbered points about why comments are a good idea:
1. If you comment on something, I know someone is reading, which puts me under far more pressure to write. 2.Because I am going to try to make this blog very friend-oriented, what with the personalized links and all, if I know you are reading I will post more stuff that is you-centric. I've got to adjust to my audience. 3.If you are shy and retiring/ just don't want a tiny corner of the world to see what you think, send me an email or a facebook message with a comment, or tell me in person. As long as I know you're reading, I'll have you in mind when I'm writing. 4.If you disagree with me about anything, blog comments sections are good places to foster discussion on why or why not Jersey Shore is the quintessence of Real World, or whether Lil Wayne is a better mixtape rapper or album rapper. As you know, I will argue until someone is convinced or tired.
So those are the reasons I can think of. Please comment. It will be a major help to me in many ways, and will help to keep this blog going.
Ok, to Ludacris. This is a pretty minor observation but has anyone ever noticed that a lot of popular Ludacris songs are just lists?
What's Your Fantasy-a list of places Ludacris wants to have sex with you Area Codes-a list of the places in the United States that Ludacris knows a girl Pimpin' All Over The World-a list of the places in the world that Ludacris knows there are girls Ho-a list of words that have the o sound in them, or can be manipulated into sounding like they do Blow It Out-a list of things that people can "blow out they a**"
Ok, so first off, by everybody I mean Suarez, Julie, and George, because those are the only three people who have ever told me that they have read my blog (other than Kira, who I think just did so out of filial curiosity). The reason I'm starting this up again is, firstly so I have a place to write about things I'm interested in, which I currently do in a little black notebook that could easily get lost, or stolen by the imaginary person who is interested enough in my ideas to steal them. Secondly, I'm going to Australia this semester, and (as much hate as I might receive for this(Brice)), almost everyone who has ever traveled abroad has told me to record everything I can about the experience, both for other people who are interested and for myself. That way when you all are sick to death from hearing me talk about sand surfing while attached to kangaroos I'll be able to relive it without retelling it an enormous number of times. This blog will be kept squeaky clean, as I think there will be some boomers frequenting it, (mom, dad, maybe peter) but as I used to do, I'll hand out links to stuff I'm interested in, and, as i know i love reading blog posts where I'm name dropped, if you're my friend, and I think you'll like it, I will specify who it is for, whether it be Brett, Tyler, Sarah, Jessie, Kevin (if it's girly pop) or whomever else. I'm putting the link back on my facebook so hopefully I'll get traffic from the people who care. And, as I feel as if I have enough to say at this point to start blogging before I get to Australia I'm going to be writing about music, movies (such unique interests!), and whatever else I care about whenever I feel like I have something somewhat interesting to say. So I'm not going to continue this unnecessarily long post tonight but if I have any motivation at all I'm going to write a short piece on why Wale's song Shades is one of his best songs, despite the lousy chorus. And, just for myself, tonight was the best Wale show Ive ever seen, with both Wiz Khalifa and the people I was hanging out with and standing around making it a great, great time. So thanks everyone, and if you're interested this should be a quasi-consistent time waster if you're bored at work or at school.
Just found out that the trailer for Where the Wild Things Are is going to be showing before Monsters vs. Aliens which I'm seeing next weekend. I think the movie is in good hands with Spike Jonze but I have no idea how he's going to take such a short story and transform it so much. Also Max looks kind of bratty on the poster. Which you probably won't be able to see once i post this because the jpeg is huge.
is a really smart guy. I don't know how many people know this but I'm pretty sure he went to Yale and rode a unicycle and then dropped out of law school at NYU to do comedy. I can't imagine telling my parents I was doing that. But anyway a few weeks back the onion's av club interviewed him and he said some really smart things about comedy, as well as his new show, which I still have not seen. Check it out.
Don't go see it unless you read the book first. You will like it far less. And that sucks. This video makes fun of people who might make that terrible, terrible mistake.
I have to link it because I can't embed it so go here
Meanwhile I need a picture to make this post look enticing.
Oddly enough I was feeling kind of bad about not posting, but I really haven't seen much of value recently. And it's a pretty big stretch to think that I might come up with anything on my own. Although if anyone wants to email me topics or articles to comment on, I'd be happy to do that. So I'll expect to be inundated with those soon. Anyway this video is a cool little thing to promote Art Spiegelman (the guy who wrote Maus, which is the graphic novel about the holocaust and its aftereffects that uses mice for jews, pigs for poles, cats for nazis, etc.) Wow I lost track of that sentence.. anyway its promoting Art Spiegelman's new book. And it's soundtracked by the black keys. And its pretty cool if your into good animation. Or noses.
