Historically significant albums like Straight Outta Comptom and songs like Fuck the Police by NWA got to shed light on policy brutality and racial profiling to a much wider audience and changed how rap could be used in the media. They have a movie about it coming out soon:) And the whole 90's era gave female rappers (amazing ladies like MC Lyte, Lil Kim, Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, and Missy Elliott) a chance to make a much bigger statement for women and female sexuality. A lot of people also say Eminem is one of the greatest rappers ever, and I'm inclined to agree, since his lyrics are always smart and hilarious. He's able to flip words and rhymes in a way that's super entertaining. And you must give credit that his fame drew in a lot more white fans and gave the whole industry a wider audience.
It just makes me so excited to think about how much of a melting pot America is, and how different cultures can mix to create such diverse and beautiful art. It's also cool to me that maybe a hundred years ago you could have sort of angry and dramatic songs in Opera and other places, and now rap gives an outlet for like... pure rage expressed through music.
Disclaimer: I really like the rage songs
So I thought I'd share some of my favorites:) Read on and listen if you want. Of course you'll want to be aware there is some language.
So part of the reason my phase has been ongoing is because of Rap Critic. This guy is so great! He has a lot of good stuff to say, and always makes me laugh.
http://channelawesome.com/rap-critic-f-the-police-by-n-w-a/
Here's Rap Critic's review of Fuck the Police if you're interested.
Advertising Appears Below:
If you haven't checked out Channel Awesome, you should. I'm just going to shamelessly advertise for them, because I'm on there all the time. If you like movie and TV reviews and critiques of modern media, definitely check out Nostalgia Critic, Nostalgia Chick, Todd in the Shadows, and basically everyone on there!
Listening to Rap Critic has shaped my thoughts on rap, and given me some great rappers to check out. I'm just going to list three songs I like in no particular order.
1. "i" Kendrick Lamar
This guys is great! If you haven't checked him out, you should. This song just makes me happy! He talks about some dark stuff like dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts, but ultimately comes back to the optimistic chorus "I love myself." It's not dumb and cocky like a lot of rappers today who just brag about their money and fame. It's just pure happiness. Giving yourself a step up and finding a reason to love yourself.
2. "Ill Mind of Hopsin 7" Hopsin
This guy does a lot of rage stuff I love. This seventh song in his series is a bit different though. He sort of struggles with the idea of God and religion. It's something I can really relate to, and he makes some good points about trying to believe, but taking into account you can't go through life on blind faith alone. Lots of language in this one.
3. "Lord Give Me a Sign" DMX
This guy also does a lot of rage stuff. You know, the kind that would make your grandma's face melt. It's great for working out to. This song is really different though. There is no language:) In it, his rapping is more like preaching and it flows like a verse of scripture. The video is pretty great with haunting shots from hurricane Katrina as well.
Well, if you made it all the way through congrats:) If you don't listen to rap and it's not your thing, I understand. But if you keep an open mind and treat music like food by just taking a bite, you might surprise yourself with what you like, and what you can appreciate from afar.
No comments:
Post a Comment