From a CNN story on the rapper Common:
Lyrically, violence has never been his thing; soft-drug use has been mentioned but rarely glamorized; he removed homophobic references from his lyrics years ago; and while there have been hints of misogyny and the occasional N-word in his verses, neither has been a staple of his rhymes.
Well, as long as they’re not staples, that’s okay, then. I’m glad we had this talk.
Not staples, never have been, you know he’s more about the soul, a throwback oh wait:
“Get ’em high like noon, or the moon or room filled with smoke
A high filled with dope
You all assumed I was doomed, out of tune, but I still feel the notes
The real nigga quotes
Real rappers is hard to find, like a remonte, control rap is not a
Used too but still got love, that’s why I abuse you who are not thugs
Rock clubs, it’s like Tiger, Woods in the hood, to have my own reality show
Called Soul Survivor, I stole all liver, niggas in you
You’re a bitch I got ones that are thicker than you
How could I ever let your words affect me, they say Hip-Hop is dead
I’m here to resurrect me, mosh is to sexy to even make songs like these
That’s why the raw don’t know your name, like Alicia Keys
To many featured emcees, and pro-ducers is populer
Twelve thousand spins, nobody got to coppin her
Album, how come, you the hot garbager
The years clear your image and snooped up
Label got you souped up, telling you you’re sick
Man you a dick with a loose nut
Video hard to watch like Medusa
Even your club record need a booster
Chimped up, with a pimp cup, illeaterate nigga
Read the infa, red across your head I’m Brett King like Simba
Boulder then Denver, I ain’t a Madd Rapper just a emcee with a temper
You dancing for money like honey, I did this my way
So when the industry crash, I survive like Kanye
Spitting through wires and fires, emcees retiring
Got your hands up, get them motherfuckers higher then”
On the other hand, Common is good.
James Brown was good, too. I wouldn’t wish being in his band or dating him on my worst enemy, but the man rocked.
But, wait — art is about morality, right?
Matt, I don’t think it’s fair to pick out one verse, on someone else’s song called Get’em High and say that those things are staples in his lyrics.
wcw – glad to see you’re back. I agree that art <> morality, but I thought the writer’s dismissal of the fact Common is only occasionally misogynistic etc. to be more than a little hypocritical. If you only refer to women as bitches three times per album, you’re still a misogynist – even if you’re a great rapper.
Dr. Dre’s lyrics are incredibly offensive along multiple dimensions, but I’d still tab The Chronic as a top-3 rap album of all time. I just won’t allow that to color my opinion of his lyrics.
This is what so many people removed from actual hip-hop culture as a lifestyle (like CNN and such) do: pick an artist they find palatable and present that more agreeable version to the masses. It’s such bullshit, and it really gets on my nerves.
Beans were a staple of the Israelites.
Saint Common???
Why are singers held to higher standards than writers? Is it because their form of art usually comes from a first person standpoint?
Dave – that, and the fact that their audiences skew younger. That’s just my take.
Alex,
I was going to say basically what Keith said about the hypocritical nature. It is fair, because if you don’t do it a lot doesn’t change that you do it. If I used homophobic comments in the work place once every couple of weeks, but otherwise focused on other things I would probably still be viewed as homophobic.
If I perused the rest of his lyrics I could find other examples, I just happened to know that verse was an example. And that’s all I was trying to do illustrate the overall point that he uses those things and it doesn’t matter if it is not the only thing he does. Also, how does being on someone else’s song change the fact that he was the writer and rapper of it.
I listen to rap, I love good rap. Personally I don’t like anything Common has done since “Be”
Oh and at the risk of looking like I just want to argue, I’ll respectfully disagree on top 3 ever for The Chronic.
I believe Keith wanted to point out the poor logic in the article not the artist’s lyrics
To be fair, the quote says “there have been hints of misogyny and the occasional N-word in his verses” but that “neither [have] been a staple of his rhymes.” It does not say that he is occasionally mysogynistic but is not a mysogynist. I realize it may be splitting hairs, but, Keith, since it seems your contention that you feel the article is saying this and, thus, is being hypocritical, I think that is an inaccurate reading of the quote.
As to the meat of the substance, I echo what may have stated here. There is an obvious problem when MSM outlets like CNN (aka old white guys) decide that rappers who use less “offensive” lyrics are better representatives of the artform. Yet, as Keith said, there are a variety of ways to judge or evaluate art. Someone may have incredible lyrical abilities but deplorable viewpoints. If you choose your music based on lyrical skill, you may tolerate more “obscene” lyrics; if you choose based on the acceptability of the artist’s stance, you may have a different preference entirely. As for the other point, regarding the audience the art is intended for and the level of criticism the artist is subjected to, I think it should be considered the artist’s intended audience; I’m sure there are artists (rappers and otherwise) who write/perform with one audience in mind yet their work is distributed to another, with or without their consent/approval.
I’d take at least three Tribe Called Quest Albums — The Low End Theory, Midnight Marauders, and (well, maybe) People’s Instinctive Travels — over The Chronic. Or De La’s 3 Feet High and Rising.
Matt, Being on someone elses song doesn’t have anything to do with it, I’m not really sure why I brought that up….
I was looking at it from the same way briankoscuiszka was, not that he isn’t a misogynist, just that it isn’t one of his staples. And it is possible to find a lot of his songs that don’t refer to women in degrading terms, or violence ect. I just felt like you were kind of cherry picking a song to make your point. Overall I think we agree, “there ain’t no such thing half way misogynist”
Keith, what are your thoughts on the Roots being Jimmy Fallon’s house band on his new talk show?
Isn’t this equivalent to ATCQ signing up for Chevy Chase in the mid-90’s?
It’s depressing!
And any discussion on hip hop lyrics and logic begins and ends with Coolio’s Fantastic Voyage….where he rhymes about wishing he could take his kids someplace they can play outside without being in fear of a drive-by, and then a minute later, “and that’s why I pack my .45”.
Keith,
Sorry off-topic. I just wanted to thank you for your post on the Hernandez for Freel and prospects deal. I got killed for bringing up Waring’s 156 K’s in 119 games because O’s fans are too busy drooling over all those RBIs and the 20 HR in each of the last 2 seasons from the “third basemen” who people think will now replace Mora next year.
Ryan in Wietersville
Yeah I think we agree on that, and I was definitely cherry picking, but it was the first verse that came to my head.
I’m pretty sure that comparing ATCQ and Dr. Dre is apples and carrots… People argue that there is no difference between hip-hop and rap, and well, they’re wrong. There are two separate (albeit connected) genres. That being said, both genres are guilty are using offensive language. Common has always been back and forth. He is very easily influenced, and it shows up in his lyrics. His original material as Common Sense was very different from what he became popular for. Money talks, and artists listen. This leads to rappers like the Game going 7 times platinum talking about gangs, guns, drugs, and ______ fill in the blank for favorite female slur. CNN has been working hard in the last year to be “cool,” and this is their latest attempt to “connect.”
Nothing to do with awful rap lyrics… but I guess congratulations is in order for being admitted into the BBWAA. I hope this is all part of a master plan to infiltrate it from the inside and educate the old timers.
Congratulations on your induction to the BBWA!
Keith:
Congratulations on the admittance to the BBWAA. Well-deserved and overdue.
I actually didn’t ask ESPN to submit my name, and would not have done so, but once it was in, I couldn’t retract it without getting the OK from my editor. So here I am. Yay.
That was my next question, given the disdain in the past, I was surprised to see it.
Keith,
A few months ago during a chat you stated that even if admitted, you would decline on principle. I commended you for holding to your principles, which you later posted on this site.
Are you now backing down from this position?
Hah, I just read on mlbtraderumors that Keith & Rob (among two others) were selected. I literally had to rub my eyes and make sure that I read it correctly. But congratulations, I guess? I just hope this doesn’t mean you stop calling them out on their BS or stop referring to them as BBRAA.
So, now that you’re in, can you still call it the BBRAA?
Keith, I know you didn’t ask for it, but either way, congratulations are in order. Your contributions to baseball writing are apparent, and this is very much well-deserved. The “R” now have a legit “W”.
Good job. You, Neyer, Carroll, and Kahrl can join Posnanski at the cool kids’ table.
Nice job with the BBWAA this year … at least they took you and Rob along with some of the BP crew.
Thats the worst acceptance speech ever, Keith, but congrats all the same. Change is easier from the inside.
Keith,
I saw on the Internets that you were invited into the BBRAA club, is that right? Can I expect you to attend 150 ball games next year and hear well thought out and articulated arguments on Jim Rice’s Hall of Fame career?
Does this mean that the jokes about the BBRAA stop now?
Marcel/Brian: Oh, absolutely.
Glen: I think you’re missing the point. ESPN put my name in. I can’t unilaterally say no if they want me to be a member.
Congrats Keith.
Congrats Keith, I hope you continue the jokes about them. After all those who act like fools should be laughed at like fools.
The Roots being Fallon’s house band is depressing because they will no longer be touring. I’ve seen them 5 times and personally think they are the best live band you will ever see. They should ditch Fallon and let the Roots do the show. ?uestlove and Black Thought would be a ton better than Fallon.
CNN and other media outlets should refrain from commenting and writing about things that they don’t know anything about. I don’t make broad statements about country singers because I don’t listen to country.
Congrats again Keith.
Keith – I apologize, I understand now … my bad
well congrats hopefully the 4 of you can pave the way for the future in that org
To be fair, the quote says “there have been hints of misogyny and the occasional N-word in his verses” but that “neither [have] been a staple of his rhymes.”
No need to correct the writer there. Neither takes a singular verb in that case, though the sentence is written quite awkwardly.
“People argue that there is no difference between hip-hop and rap, and well, they’re wrong”
I agree, but I don’t know that we’re thinking about it the same way. Hip-hop is the overall culture, rap is a music form that is a part of that culture.