rap
Rhythm and Poetry; rap music is a genre centered around speaking truth to power with style.
The Flows of Poetic Justice
1988, Garvey High School. Malik “Phife Dawg” Taylor chills in a lunchroom with his soon to be A Tribe Called Quest brethren Kamaal “Q-Tip” Fareed and Ali Muhammad. It’s their senior year. The boys are just “lounging,” as Phife puts it quirkily, watching some of the flyest “honeys” around the block walk by them. Phife becomes infatuated with one of the girls—a femme fatale by the name of Flo—and in the coming days learns a valuable lesson in how misogyny and sexism can easily be flipped upon males. It’s basically the same story Eddie Murphy goes through some years later in Boomerang (shout out to a young Robin Givens and my babygirl Halle Berry), except this story is about hormone driven boys in high school. How do we know that? Phife and Tip recall these events for audiences in 1991’s smooth, silky track, “Butter” off The Low-End Theory.
By Amir Royale6 years ago in Beat
Drill: The Truth Behind the Mask
After the Columbine tragedy, the media latched onto rock musician Marilyn Manson as the scapegoat for the whole shooting. This is exactly what we are seeing in the demonisation of the entire genre of London Drill rap, after the London metropolitan police commissioner had various music videos, some by the Drill crew 67, taken off YouTube for “inciting violence." The music, saturated with references to giant knives and gang related crime, is the soundtrack to music videos featuring young men brandishing large guns and standing in menacing mobs on their 'ends.' While the media and the Met police have the country believing Drillers are to blame for the rise in violent gang related crime in London, many believe that in reality, this is a classic example of using musicians as scapegoats for larger issues. What the Met police and all the right wing journalists are missing is what the music really means, and why young people in London are making it and turning to it as an escape from their realities. Drill music doesn’t aim to encourage young people to commit acts of violence, but rather is the outlet for young people to express the things they have experienced on the streets creatively. The music doesn’t aim to romanticise gang violence, but rather to show the negative effects that it has on young people in the community. Member of the group 67, Dimzy, has said that before the birth of his daughter, making music was the only thing keeping him alive.
By Sara Al Mahdy6 years ago in Beat
Nick Nittoli Knows How to Make a Good Song
Nick Nittoli is a kid from Garfield, New Jersey living his dream. He actually won for losing... On the short-lived Bravo show Platinum Hit, Nick made it to the semi final round of cuts before being eliminated. He ultimately came in fourth place, but it wasn't time for the former telemarketer to wake up yet. He parlayed his appearance on the show into a publishing deal and has been producing and writing as many songs as he could dream up ever since. His writing actually inspired me to write again. My last article was written at a time when the hip hop community was mourning the loss of the legendary figure Nipsey Hussle. To be frank, writing lost its appeal to me. It wasn't a fun time even though I tried hard to make it be. Transcribing Nick's lyrics put a smile on my face. Ah, to be young.
By Brooklyn Damien6 years ago in Beat
Worst to Best Freshmen 'XXL' List 2019
XXL is a very popular and influential hip hop magazine established in 1997. Starting in 2008 the magazine began to release its annual freshmen list, that contains 10 upcoming rappers. Some rappers who have appeared on the list are Kendrick Lamar, J.Cole, Schoolboy Q, Chance the Rapper, and many more. Each year, prior to the release of the freshmen list, rappers are seen on YouTube pitching themselves and giving the fans a reason to choose them as a XXL freshmen. While many rappers have tried to join the list others have declined it such as Lil Skies, Nicki Minaj, and ASAP Rocky. I’ve seen a lot of videos of people eating each artist on the cover so I thought I’d weigh in on the 10 artist that were chosen, and rank them worst to best.
By Dakota Thomas7 years ago in Beat
Reason First: Is Cardi B the Greatest Rapper of the 2010's?
The rap arena is flooded with figures. In this age of “I want it now!” female rappers, especially, must contend with their fellow female rappers as well as male MCs quicker and with more verve. They often find themselves referring to their genitalia in songs. MC Cardi B summarized how difficult it is to traverse the hip hop landscape without promoting sexually explicit lyrics. “When I did ‘Be Careful,’ the rapper explained, “people [were] talking mad s––.” This observation has its roots in the thousands of years of artistry across many cultures. Is it “selling out” to appeal to the tastes of the masses? Have rappers already sold out a long time ago?
By Skyler Saunders7 years ago in Beat
10 Rap Songs to Add to Your Workout Playlist
Sweat drips from your forehead onto the ground, as you hold your body in a plank. The timer that your eyes have been glued to for the past minutes seems to be going at its slowest, which is torturing you physically and mentally. Suddenly the one motivational song you’ve been playing over and over agin stops and you remember have a cup of ice cream waiting for you in your fridge. The sweating, the pain, and frustration all comes to an end and instead you devour a whole carton of ice cream. What if you kept working out? What if you had more motivational songs that helped you through a whole workout?
By Dakota Thomas7 years ago in Beat
Reason First: Did Megan Thee Stallion Shut Down Tim Westwood?
Tim Westwood, celebrated radio presenter, was knocked down a peg by Megan Thee Stallion on his own show. When asked whether her hair was a wig or weave, the Houston rapper replied, “not your business.” This barb comes on the heels of the United States government wanting to involve itself in private institutions concerning hairstyles. Megan Thee Stallion makes it clear to Westwood that he (and his audience) will not know the true definition of her magnificent mane.
By Skyler Saunders7 years ago in Beat
Love and Hip Hop
Hip hop, the musical heartbeat of a generation. Built from the work of trendsetters and visionaries. Over the years countless DJs, performers, and lyricists built a foundation of words. From those words a generation grew up listening to the rhythm and beats of the message.
By John Ames Birch7 years ago in Beat
Reason First: Is Rapper Russ Right?
Russ is white. He’s also a rapper. He is also a one man band phenomenon who sells out shows, and knows his way around a mixing board, engineering equipment, and production studio. So, why is he concerned with the black rap community? Russ says that the business of music is designed to cull young, financially illiterate blacks to make old white men wealthy. Also, he says that such youths “perpetuate negative black stereotypes.” So, why would he voice these ideas? Is it merely white guilt rearing its ugly head again? What Russ is speaking is somewhat true although severely misguided.
By Skyler Saunders7 years ago in Beat
Reason First: Do Cardi B's Accusers Hate Her Because She's Beautiful?
Before roving mobs start chanting “lock her up!” Cardi B should be given her chance at due process like any other rights holding American citizen. A Grammy, a husband, a baby, three number one singles, and an ASCAP Rhythm and Soul Award, and a number one album all set up Cardi B to be amongst the wheat while other female rappers have become the chaff. The indictment regarding her allegedly attempting to “assault two women with intent to cause serious physical injury and other charges like misdemeanor reckless endangerment, assault, criminal solicitation, conspiracy,” and harassment all amount to hate. It is the hatred of the successful for being successful. If Cardi B would have been a dancer still sliding down poles with a few thousand dollars attached to her name, would she be in this conundrum?
By Skyler Saunders7 years ago in Beat
