When we think of Bay Area hip-hop, we too often get trapped in the same stereotypical expectations outsiders do. We too often wait for a line about moving weight, or something turf-oriented to validate a song as authentically Bay and worthy of a few spins. I would just like to take a moment to say, fuck that.
I had a great convo last night with some real intelligent Town-folk about life, love and growth, and I feel that too often as a local music market, we don't challenge ourselves to grow. We stay mired in the same small thinking that so limits our development as a city. So I have to shout out my folks on the up-and-up, who understand the importance of expanding their horizons in as many ways possible.
With that said, thanks to George Watsky for your always insightful and awe-inspiring lyrics, to Passion for your smooth soulful delivery and to the folks who assembled the amazing video using over 1,500 photos. This is the Bay shit I love- the unconventional, quirky, dope and heartfelt departures from the status-quo. I hope you take note and a few listens.
Vid via iLL-Lit
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5 comments:
weak ass fuck! First they took jazz; then blues; then rock and roll...lets hold onto rap and hip hop. This white boy has no REAL substance. I also find it ironic that you praise this white boy for being different, yet his spoken word delivery is the SAME as ALL other "spoken word" "artists". I cant stand spoken word clowns. they hella annoying. This is why i stopped doing spoken word because there is a lack of authenticity in it and it pretty much preaches to the choir. What i find even more annoying is all the spoken word "artists" who think they are "educators" because they give workshops to youth who WANT to be there. Stop calling yourselves educators unless you IN the classroom on a daily.
I understand your aversion to the "spoken-word" delivery, and I got out of the game for much the same reason. I say different, because when it comes to Bay Area hip-hop, it is different. Much of our local rap scene is dominated by stuntin, violence and drugs, and though I fuck with that too, there is life and music beyond that.
I'm just appreciating this as the art it is. You can riff on racial politics all you want, but hip-hop has grown beyond it's initial foundation. Are there some deep-rooted issues of cultural appropriation at play? Definitely. But it's inevitable that things morph and grow. Hip-hop has become a pop culture medium and it will continue to take different forms.
I understand if you dont like this song musically, but I don't see anything culturally disrespectful about it. Finally, I didn't say anything about the "educator" title, but as someone who is in the classroom everyday, I feel your point.
Thanks hella much for the comment. I appreciate it for real.
your "hella" stupid for that comment man. "artists" are just as much educators if not more so than teachers are. who else besides biggie and pac, the beetles, fuckin michale jackson for gods sake can sway entire generations to act/BE the same.. your confusing education with learning! music TEACHES us things at the classroom cant.. it teaches you how to act and can guide your lifestyle.. watsky is a GREAT artist because the fact that he can mix his intellect into spoken word and has a unique delivery.. you been listenin to trash for so long you need to get out the gutter and step up to a LEARN-ED mans music.. with so depth. *lol thanks for anonymous posts :)
artists are educators? teaching is an artform that MANY folx have NO respect for. That is why i made that comment. Just because you are a great artist does not make you an educator. Just like being a great educator does not translate into greatness in other forms of art. I agree with the influence but my claim is against folx who spew false generosity. by many "artists" talking shit about the education system without throwing down IN the CLASSROOM, at a PUBLIC SCHOOL; not workshops that give them a sense of "doing good" while there are all these youngsters that continue receiving inadequate educations.And your claim that "music teaches you what the classroom cant...how to act and guide your lifestyle" is exactly why i made that claim because WE CAN do that and there are some that CONTINUE to do so without any recognition. If no one taught you how to act and guide you other than music that you claim teaches us to act and be the same, is that authentic? is that REAL? Can you go up to biggie and pac (even if they were alive) and actually expect for them to talk to you personally when we got problems? i dont think so. And NO "spoken word artist" has original delivery cus if you deliver out of the norm it aint seen as "good".
this song is super dope. i hadn't heard it in a while.
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