Shady, Shady, Shady...Okay, I'm not sure what happened between his verse off Drake's Forever remix and that sad excuse for an anthem, Not Afraid but This Bug is baffled. If I run into him on the humble, I'll have to ask sincerely ask him, "Son...what happened?" I read that he'd gone through some things in the past few years and he had to pause for the cause. Rehab, Depression. A friend passing away. That's alot to deal with. I feel that. I hadn't heard the new album, Recovery but I was looking forward to his return when I heard the remix ofForever. He murdered it with real lyrics. That's the Em I know and respect. Honestly, I used to listen to that song 'til the end just to hear his part. His energy was just crazy the way he comes into the track.
"There they go! Back in stadiums
as Shady spits his flow.
Nuts they go- macadamia. They go so ballistic whoa."
Then I heard 'Not Afraid' and wondered what the fuck happened. He's singing. Singing, yo. And his delivery is forced. I have to call it like I see it. If you're gonna continue on this path- you should be afraid, Em. Just sayin'...
It's Soap Box Time. You know I usually give a disclaimer or warning before I start ranting but there's no time. I'm fired up. So a few days ago, I was in the waiting room of a dentist's office. While I have previously been a patient at that same office, I was there for other reasons that day on a much more professional basis. Needless to say This Bug was dressed to kill in a high-waist fitted pencil skirt, ruched blouse and some very cute shoes. What can I say? I clean up nice. When the receptionist saw me she remarked that I looked very elegant. We joked about how she is usually accustomed to seeing me: Hoodie, jeans and Tims on my feet. Told her that I come in ready for war if I expect pain- so I dress accordingly. While we chatted- a brother who looked like he was in his mid to late thirties was ear hustlin' our conversation. When it was over, he spoke. "So you usually wear Tims? Why is that?" I wasn't sure where he was going with this- so I gave the most honest answer possible. "Because I like to be comfortable" I replied. He goes on, "But what does that mean to you? The hoodie, the boots?" I explain that a lot of it has to do with my love for Hip-Hop and without trying, it is ingrained in my personal style. "But you mentioned comfort. Aren't you comfortable right now? What does that mean to you? Hip-Hop?" I tell him that I am absolutely comfortable either way, ladylike or B-girl; it matters very little what I'm wearing at the time. He looks confused. As if trying to picture me dressed down is the most difficult thing in the world at that moment. Suddenly I'm called further into the office and I leave him sitting there perplexed.
I can't front. As I drove home from that meeting, I was annoyed. Whatever allows people to make snap judgments or simply judge a book by its cover annoys me. This Bug can rock the hell out of Construction Tims or sexy Pumps. Simple as that. If homeboy in the waiting room couldn't fathom both, it shows how close-minded he is. Later that day, I have a similar conversation with a dude in a parking lot. He used to drive buses for the elementary school across from where I attended high school. Again, how I used to dress comes up. It's not much different except the jeans and hoodies are no longer three sizes too big. He says he always wondered why I covered up that figure back then. I'm wondering why the hell he was ogling teenage girls when he was supposed to be shuttling grade-schoolers home safely. I keep it to myself though. The conversation turns to music and he seems baffled that I could love a genre that is perpetually disrespectful to women. At this point I'm getting flashbacks from the dentist's office. I asked him why he thought that my liking Hip-Hop somehow diminished my self value in his eyes but he had no valid answer. He mentioned something about liking "some rap" like Lupe Fiasco and stated that if Jay-Z respected his woman- he would never allow Bey to shake her ample posterior for the world to gawk at. Really? Shouldn't he holla at her daddy for training his little girl to shake what her Momma gave her in the first place? How does that fall on Jigga? Negro Please. I'm sure Mr. Knowles was well aware of the history of theHottentot Venus and still cashed those checks.
Anyway, I came away from both conversations slightly perturbed. Whether I am dressed to chill or thrill- it does not change what is between my ears. That I can appreciate lyrical skill and ill beats does not make me a Hoodrat. At the same token, just because I can classy it up and hold my own at a dinner party with jazz aficionados or intellectuals does not make me a snob. There are so many facets to an individual that it alludes me how folks can take things only at face value. Perhaps I represent an existent duality that few get the chance to examine close up. So when we speak- they have no idea what to make of me. Like I said before, I have more sides than an octagon and they are ALL a part of me. I have no problem stomping a mudhole in a lame with my Mac & Cheese Tims or red stilettos and then breezing off to high brow poetry reading or a Wu Tang concert. One thing's for sure: That is the last time I will defend myself and an entire culture rooted in music to the Elvins of the world ever again. People really need to free their minds.
Disclaimer: I am not a Feminist. This Bug does not hate Weezy. It is not Verbal Assassination Day. This is not a "Save the Babies from Hip-Hop" crusade. I am not a bitter woman. The views and opinions expressed directly represent those of the author. Thus, we can agree to disagree.
For reasons that will remain undisclosed for now, I've been listening to a lot more radio lately. Because of this I've become acquainted with a particular song that really grinds my gears. L'il Wayne's Every Girl. Each time I hear this song, it ossifies my distaste for the premise of it. Yes, the beat is catchy. That's part of problem. While the people are nodding their heads and humming "Cuz we like her..." en masse, they are missing the fact that he would carry out every promiscuous whim if it were humanly possible. Listeners of Hip-Hop are no strangers to hearing of an MC's sexual prowess. That goes back to the days of G Rap. And as I've said before- when it's done with lyrical skill, even This Bug has been known to overlook misogynistic verses. Back then- at least there was some reference to wearing a jimmy hat, no matter how fleeting. But for some reason it's different with this joint. These are widely irresponsible times. HIV and AIDS are on the rise no matter what the CDC tells us. So when a song like Every Girl is in such heavy rotation- it pours fuel on the proverbial fire. Music is powerful. I see it every day. Considering that I co-host an online Hip-Hop show once a week- I get a bird's eye view of the collective mentality of young men. While they are mostly driven for success- a part of that is measured by how many chicks they can bag. Make no mistake. The game has not changed all that much.
Anyway, I'm not up in arms over this song. If Weezy and the rest of them can't be choosy when it comes to women, by all means, they can cast the net as far and wide as they see fit. But I hope they are mindful of what crabs can be dragged into that net as well. Figuratively speaking of course. Something about wishing that you could f*ck every girl in the world is a major turn-off to This Bug. The fact remains that these dudes are real people and the females they are getting down with are real people, too. I'm sure there is a long haired, thick redbone chick out there right now who proudly fits Wayne's description of what he likes- and would be happy to sample his Sex Game that's stupid and Head Game that's dumbest. That is the sad and sorry truth. And just because she is told that she is beyond beautiful doesn't change the fact it will be said to the next girl. Females should know one thing and know it well: It's not hard to give a dog a bone. They should be more concerned with how easily that bone is discarded once a pup tires of playing with it. When viewed as a different species...almost lesser beings for the purpose of pleasure, anything goes when comes to hoes. I guess pimpin' is easy after all.
This is why I don't listen to the radio. It's the Attack of the Auto-tune and nobody is safe. I just want to know how the hell this happened? Alright. It's catchy, we can all agree. Computer Love is still my shit. Even Tupac's California Love wouldn't quite be the same without Roger working his magic on the hook- but it really should have ended there. Wait- I really didn't mind Cher working her Auto-tune skills on her song Believe, either. What can I say? She rocked it. But c'mon, Man...
Now every time I turn on the radio, my eardrums are assaulted by the twangs of T-Pain as if he invented the shit. To make matters worse, Kanye West just released an entire album of mostly Auto-tune assisted songs instead of singing. Really, Kanyeezy? You mean to tell me nobody on Robocop's Mr. West's team asked him how the hell he expected to perform these songs live? How wack will that sound? Apparently there are only a few songs on 808's and Heartbreak that doesn't use this nifty little program to ride out. Whoever that album is dedicated to should take offense that he couldn't go it alone when it came to expressing his sorrow. Man Up!
Okay, I think I'm done venting. I just want real beats and authentic singers again, even if they don't hit all the right notes. Think Blu Razberry or Tekitha on some of the Wu Tang songs. Nobody said they could give Patti LaBelle a run for her C.R.E.A.M. , but at least it was their actual voices without that annoying, reverberating racket trying and failing miserably to pass for skills.
I came up in the Golden Era. Hip Hop raised me. There's nothing humble about my opinion. It's mine. If it's wack, I'll say so. And when it's Classic Material or on point, chances are you'll find it on here. Let's see if you know the ledge...
