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Issue #2
Issue # 2 "Quality"
In the pursuit of quality, instead of choosing just one of the pieces I've been working on since article # 1, here is
a collection of passages from all of them.
"...so much and yet so little to say at the same time.
Gotta' give myself rules, like: number one- don't try and Define Hip Hop; and two- avoid negative attitude pieces..."
-Easier said than done. I find myself constantly writing about Who hip hop music representz, and How its evolved:
"...a blend of beats> 1,2,3,4 sets, rythms, ba-ba-base, tweakin', sampling (taking tha' old and making it now),
RnB and rap vocals... music that reflects like a puddle, around which people huddle, behind them is the struggle, its us without
the muzzle... reflects individual's stories, community issues and promotes self-awareness and self protection. KRS-One, Salt
n' Peppa', Arrested Development some exmps... a powerful movement nurtured by the previous soul, blues, funk generations...
A world of dance, upliftment, poetry, fighting the powers, emotions, confidence... The sounds the streets make when you hear
whats going on around you better with music.
...Since its become so valuable to a whole generation, and shows definite lasting potential, its cash generating aspects
are becoming more important to many than its quality. The upper class (aka. and their bitch Hollywood), and the drug dealers
know what I'm talkin' about... Now-school artist of last year Ja Rule (aka. Tupac/DMX rip-off) vs. the newschool ( old now
to some), artists of all-time-hip-hop-history: Lost Boyz. No comp. LB fam knew how to make 'Legal Drug Money' outa' flawless
hip hop. It's not that Ja Rule is totally awful, it's just that his lyrics leave a bad taste in my mouth.
"Life Syles of the Rich and Shameless"- L.O.S.T B.O.Y.Z.
...Its as though hip hop has been adopted by the Upper Class like some cute, war-torn, stray cat. They've dressed kitty
in a fancy collar with pink booties and a minerature, graffiti coloured coat, and paraded their newly salvaged savage across
stage after stage. Cat may have just been under one too many bright lights, and munched on one too many kitty-nip super snacks.
Cuz' now us other strays still on the streets, in the pounds, and you know- just shy of owners are like- 'Wha'?' Hollyhood
Kitty miews, miews, miews about money, leisure, parties, pimpin' and hoin', drugs, sex, exploitation... and we say... WOW!
It still looks like a cat, and sounds like a cat but we can't EVEN relate to its issues!... I start, and then I can't stop
talking about cats... when really nobody is safe from making mistakes... we're all potential hypicrits and f-ups. Potential
goes either way. Here's who goes blah:
The Hypicrit: Bling Blingers who really don't seem to get that fast fame and paid radio play isn't actually theirs.
(Unless you're Puff, er P. Diddy). Why talk about it like it is?
-"Don't let it go to your head yo'!" -Brand Nubian
The F-ups: Had bad lives (or some idiots maybe even not), let the anger get the better of them, and now use hip hop
like coke and push it not caring who gets hurt in the process.
-But don't get me wrong, I like Thug music, be they true thugs like Krazy Bone, Mobb Deep or Kool Keith! Their shit
sounds more like real and I take it like a warning bout' facts rather than a glamourization."
So now you know, I've broken my own rules for writing. Why? Am I a hypicrit too?
I think what I've realized through this process is that expression can be messy as hell sometimes. What's said or done
isn't always what's meant, or what the best thing is. Trying to explain hip hop and the frustrating parts about the way its
changing isn't just my mind-state. And for better work to be created, the craft's person has to be willing to listen to negative
feedback, in their own thoughts and from others.
I think Vancouver Does have talent, hidden on every block of this hood. We are one of the most modern cities in the
world, we've got a culturally diverse environment, and a relaxed atmosphere. We learn from eachother's different backgrounds>
forming historically unusaul bonds and imaginations. We're not Limited to just listening to hip hop, because the youth sub-cultures
get along. A metal head shares with a hippie, a hippie shares with a raver, a raver shares with a hip hopper etc. (I personally
love drum and base almost just as much as I ever loved hip hop). We also have access to education, beauty and buisness (the
legal kind, if we try).
Yet there's still alot of tension too. An extreme millionair climate is sharply and painfully contrasted by many folks
who are homeless, drug-adicts, on welfare, facing abusive situations, single moms and basically the same ghetto problems that
are unfairly suffered all around the globe.
As angrifying, capitalistic, ruthless, sad and unfortunate for no good reason as parts of Van. can be, there is always
strong, green mountains in the background, a colour or tear streaked and sympathetic sky up above, and an ever-rolling ocean
to lull us.
We've got a lot to reflect on and put into music.
I'll just conclude by saying that I don't mean to be negative, but critical. And none of us has to act So happy all
the time to be positive. And speakin' on quality> critical and positive are two well balanced qualities that I adore, and
have always found in good hip hop.
P.S.
-a smiling face does take one far, especially if it comes from the resiliance of over-coming life strife.
Thanks for listening, theurbanmaiden
(sorry for any spelling mistakes!)
ISSUE # 3
Reality
This morning I watched the Cosby Show on Super Station. That show has values to the core, and is funny as hell. Cosby
and another old-timer were sittin in the basement together, with a record player so old and busted they had to keep a quarter
on the needle as a weight. They were talking about the Jazz they still loved to listen to from back in their day. And I thought,
yea Im going to be like that one day, talking about Hip Hop, sorting through cassette tapes, and getting my groove on- creaky
bones and all, as I sip tea and wonder what ever happened to the forty-ounce?
There were a lot of good shows on television when I was growing up. The era of the sitcom. But its all good because
Im still growing and am proud to say I lived to see the days of the Reality TV show! Hmm reality
Is reality The Bachelore/Bachelorette where ~ a dozen people all compete to be engaged to one person they barely know
who is apparently like, so great its worth making an ass out of yourself on national, even international television for?!
Is reality more like For Love or for Money where after already acquiring one million dollars for breaking a really
creepy guys heart you get to make another million dollars just for meeting the right guy?
Or is reality actually more like Meet the Parents where as you date a person with three other people and their Mom
and Dad, you laugh and squeal as all of your dirtiest little secrets that you NEVER wanted anybody to know are tossed around
like a bull shit salad.
Yea- thats my life. Yall, I dont have to date any more, but for those who do if I actually thought that this was the
reality of dating I would go nun for sho! Kids in North America may just decide not to pro-create any more if they are taking
this reality seriously then were in trouble. But nah, all jokes aside (cuz kids are smarter than they ever get credit for),
how about the other type of reality TV show? The Survivors, the Americas Next Top Models, the Money Money Money oh I mean
The Apprentice?
Those shows are ok for entertainments sake but reality? Hmm
Then comes along the Donald Trump of Hip Hop P. Diddy. And he decides to hook up with MTV and get to Making the Band.
The show is over now, but I was deeply involved with it the whole time it was on. Why? What made it so different from
any other reality TV show? Two words, the contestants.
I liked that the show spent more time letting us get to know them, rather than just using it as a talent showcase.
And these cats were real, with real people hopes, dream and problems. We have to wait and see though if the group they established
will prove themselves as musicians. But it was moments along the shows own road that highlighted some true issues of hip hop.
The first major thing that got my attention was on an episode where all of the rhymers went to a little club and got
a chance to freestyle for us. There this African-American (most of them were) dude named DJ Diamond says something they bleep
out and the whole show goes bananas, in a bad, shocked kind of way. Later two of Diddys soldiers go up into DJ Ds room and
we find out that what he said was, To all my bad boy crackers. They thought this to be an extremely offensive comment and
they told him something like, that you dont hear Eminem sayin the N word, and hes making millions of dollars.
DJ Diamond was honestly shaken up that people would take what he said offensively because he said he had a bunch of
Caucasian friends and that all of them said stuff like that together. Now, I myself am a whitey, and I dont use the N word.
However, if I did my African-Canadian friends wouldnt be that offended if they use it themselves (theyd just roll their eyes),
or else they would be just as offended as they are when they hear other blacks using the word. You know?
So anyhow, my point hasnt got anything to do with what DJ Diamond said because I could honestly care less. Its how
you mean what you say in my books, and he didnt mean nothing by it. What my point is, since I got you wondering, is that since
when has Eminem made his money by NOT offending people?
The next item on this list is about a lioness named Mysterious. This girl brought me to tears more than once. I mean,
even before I knew anything about her I thought she had the best voice, deep and powerful. She was in control of the mike
when she had that sucker. Then I found out how much shes been through. An orphan since childhood, been in and out of group
homes, music as her escape. Word
Diddy had the group doing exercise as a way to assess their drive to succeed. Mysterious was sweating yall, the hardest.
And one of the other girls commented that shed probably never worked out before. I know a thing or two about the science of
fitness, but apparently the personal trainer on the show thought it would be better to keep the girl going, so she could prove
herself. And oh no, she wouldnt stop. But later one of those nights she did have to go to the hospital, and they never did
say why Why? Was she dehydrated? Was her diaphragm in severe spasm? Were her muscles cramping? What was her pain?
You think it would get easier for her from that point on, but while she was on the show, her sister went missing then
was later found, murdered. How Mysterious could have come back to the show after that, I dont know. But she did. She struggled
with the idea of being in a group, probably because the only person shed ever had to truly rely on was herself. She was willing
to make the jump, but Diddy saw her hesitation and she didnt make the final cut. The girl broke down. She had been drinking
(maybe not the best choice) and she smashed her empty glass on the table, started screaming, told everybody off and stormed
down the block tarring flowers from the tree boxes as she went. Her words still haunt me you know, because she screamed through
tears, All of this for nothing. And its true, she went through more than any of those others did to be there, and to get there.
But what she was wrong about was the for nothing part. Im telling you, if this girl puts out an album Im sold. Like I said,
shes a Lioness, and maybe too much attitude for Bad Boy. She needs a good label that can understand her and take care of her,
somewhere where money aint the bottom line. She deserves the chance to turn her hardships into something positive, and I personally
think she deserves to be happy.
With all critique aside, I still think the people Diddy and team chose for the group represented like they all did.
Chopper and Fredrique stood out for their competition against each other- it kept them fired up. Sara is a momma and a wife,
so you know shell bring tha soul. Babs was just a thug rap chick who could bang with the best of em. The guy with the reggae
sounds (sorry, cant remember name) was awesome and shouldnt have been cut the first time just cuz he had a little time to
do in the pin. He really wanted to put music and craftsmanship before crime, and thats what hip hop offers at its best. It
was weird though when Puffy said that the reggae flavour is really starting to be hot in hip hop, and thats not a direct quote,
but it was something like that. Ummm from what I know, reggae and dance hall has always been part of the root of true hip
hop? Not a fad thing. Im sure Puffy knows that though.
Then there was Nes or whatever, and his freestyle game was too tight to ignore, witty rhymes and passion in voice good.
You know what I wanna know though? If all the finalists were as good as Diddy said they were, why couldnt he have made
two bands and surprised us all? That would have put the reality icing on the tip of the reality cake.
Well I could go on, but Im sure your eyes are getting sore (mine are), and perhaps your mouth dry (mine is). So go
get a cool glass of water on me (I will), and well chat some more later.
Peace Out
-theurbanmaiden
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