There is a rapper or MC if you rather out of Seattle that is the proverbial hot shit right now. I really enjoy his music and I am not a typical fan of the hip hop that is for sure. Though there was a time in my life when I was very much into early hip hop. I owned at one time, on vinyl, mind you LL Cool J's first album 'Radio' along with that one, there was also in the daily rotation really anything that Def Jam records was putting out in 1985 and the years after that. Public Enemy and Rob Base along with the Beastie Boys and 3rd Bass. That also led to one of the first great if not the greatest of Seattle rappers Sir Mix Alot who is really known for 'Baby Got Back' but he had better songs then just that one. So that was my formative rap years along with doing a little bit of listening to the gangster rap that came later, NWA and Ice T.
But I kind of lost track of rap in the mid to late '90s. I just did not enjoy it. I am sure that a lot of people would differ with me on that one. But the rap of that era is not something liked. I think, if I am forced to pin it down. There was a real lack of clarity to the rap that I didn't enjoy at all. When I listen to rap I like to be able to actually understand the words to really appreciate the flow and the impact of them. Now I realize that I may be totally off base in my thinking and even in the way I enjoy rap. But that is what works for me.
So really, as far as I was concerned anyway, it felt like rap was dead. But thanks to a younger fellow that I know and an NPR concert I have recently discovered a new MC from the Seattle area. He is blowing up right now with a number 1 song on the Billboard charts called 'Thrift Shop'.
I LOVE THIS SONG. But after listening to the rest of the album. I realized that he is far far more then that. I am hoping the other songs on the album catch on as well because they are amazing. They range from really goofy and the videos of them really highlight that, to very emotionally personal and touching. He also directly addresses consumer culture and other issues that are affecting the world today.
There you go folks. Give him a listen and this music is for sure not safe for work so throw on those headphones. Also if this isn't normally the type of music you listen to. I urge you to give it a quick listen. I find that even if it is music I think I am going to dislike I sometimes find something good in moving beyond my quick first impression of things. Then give this NPR concert a quick listen. It is 15 minutes and will show you how talented he really is.
But I kind of lost track of rap in the mid to late '90s. I just did not enjoy it. I am sure that a lot of people would differ with me on that one. But the rap of that era is not something liked. I think, if I am forced to pin it down. There was a real lack of clarity to the rap that I didn't enjoy at all. When I listen to rap I like to be able to actually understand the words to really appreciate the flow and the impact of them. Now I realize that I may be totally off base in my thinking and even in the way I enjoy rap. But that is what works for me.
I LOVE THIS SONG. But after listening to the rest of the album. I realized that he is far far more then that. I am hoping the other songs on the album catch on as well because they are amazing. They range from really goofy and the videos of them really highlight that, to very emotionally personal and touching. He also directly addresses consumer culture and other issues that are affecting the world today.
There you go folks. Give him a listen and this music is for sure not safe for work so throw on those headphones. Also if this isn't normally the type of music you listen to. I urge you to give it a quick listen. I find that even if it is music I think I am going to dislike I sometimes find something good in moving beyond my quick first impression of things. Then give this NPR concert a quick listen. It is 15 minutes and will show you how talented he really is.
1 comment:
Good stuff, and not my usual cup of tea (at all). I can't tell in Thrift Shop whether his use of vulgarity is ironic or just part of the hip-hop culture, since it isn't nearly as prevalent in some of the other songs I listened to.
I like the sense of joy he has performing. His delivery, cadence, pitch, etc in Same Love has striking similarities to a veteran preacher or politician.
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