i used to love H.E.R.

I just love having a library of MP3s on my computer. As a sort of ritual, I like to sometimes load my entire collection into WinAmp, randomize the list a couple of times, play a song, and see what comes up.

It's a sort of music geek game I play, especially when I don't want to think and I just want to zone out to some music...

Since most of my music collection is hip.hop, 7 times out of 10, a hip.hop joint gets played. The following is from the song that got played last...

.:.


(chorus)
exctasy, coke, you say it's love and it's poison
schools in which i learned they should be burned and it's poison
physicians prescripting us medicine which it's poison
doctors injectin' our infants with the poison
religion mis-overstood is poison
(end chorus)

sisters up in my hood trying to do good
given choices when pregnant
drop out of school, or have an abortion
stop working, hopin' that they find a man that will support them
up late night, on their mother's cordless
thinkin a perm or bleachin' cream will make them better
when they gorgeous
white girls tannin', lipposuction
fake t*tties are implanted, fake lips
that's life destruction
light-skin women, biracial hateful toward themselves
denyin' even their blood
I don't judge Tiger Woods
but I over-stand the mental poison
that's even worse than drugs

(chorus)

radio and TV... poison
white jesus... poison
and any thoughts of taking me down is poison
who want beef now?
my heat shall annoint them... (pah-lao)

(interlude, Nas monologue)

Never to worry... all the wrongdoers got it coming back to them a thousand times over.
Every dog has its day, and everything flips around.
Even the most greatest nation in the world has it coming back to 'em.
Everybody reaps what they sow, that's how it goes.
Innocent lives will be taken, it may get worst... but we'll get through it, y'all.
Be strong.

(end interlude)

the chinamen built the railroad
the indians saved the pilgrim and in return the pilgrim killed 'em
they call it "Thanksgiving", I call ya holiday "Hell Day"
'cause I'm from poverty, neglected by the wealthy
me and my n*ggas share gifts everyday like Christmas
slay b*tches and party everyday like this is the last
i'm with my heckles, connect 'em, we hit'n the lab
this is my level, f*ck'n forget you mad

it's all poision
all my words to enemies it is poison
rappers only talk 'bout keys is all poison
how could you call yourself emcees, you ain't poison
think about the kids you mislead, with the poison
and any thoughts of taking me down is all poison
who want beef now?
my heat shall annoint them... (pah-lao)

-"What Goes Around" - Nas (Stillmatic)


.:.


What a great song... I love Nas.

I wish all hip.hop was conscious and socially relevant. As Dave and Akito have commented recently, the bling-bling evil of mainstream hip-POP is a bit disappointing.


.:.


In relation to my adventures in English teaching, most of my students are very surprised when I tell them my favorite music is hip.hop - the reason being that I've acquired a sort of funny reputation of being one of the more "scholarly" teachers at my school.

Students aren't allowed to request specific teachers, but during the lesson, they naturally ask lots of probing questions. Since I'm not the type of person to lie in their face, they therefore know many of the following facts about me that in there opinion, typecast me as brainy:

• I like to read books, esp. nonfiction and literature
  
• I was in my high school "honors program"
  
• I went to a public university (UDub... whut whut)*
  
• I went to university on a full scholarship
  
• I have two degrees from university
  
• My father was a minister (bokushi in Nihongo)**
  
• My mother used to be a teacher
  
• I'm Chinese American
  
• A letter I recently wrote appeared in the newspaper

While I confess to a certain degree of nerdiness, I don't think I'm the smartest teacher at my school - one of my fellow Americans is a Columbia alumni; one of the Brits was in law school; and one of the Canadians is an ex-college professor.

But what I dislike is the stereotype that hip.hop / rap music is unsophisticated. Sure, it's written in slang / "ebonics", but anybody who is fan can translate the ideas into the pseudo-intellectual English of academia, such as this entry a couple of years ago about Mobb Deep's Shook Ones Pt. II.

.:.


*Going to public university is very prestiguous in Japan. Most of the best universities are public and the unspoken consensus is that the country's best school is Tokyo University... a public university.

**Unlike America, ministers, monks, pastors, and priests are held in very high regard because Japan's Confucian-influenced culture of course prizes education. Many Shinto and Buddhist priests in Japan come from families whose lineage stretches back several generations - on top of that, it was common practice for several of Japan's most famous generals, emperors, and lords to become priests or monks upon retiring.


.:.


For the non-believers... a quick translation of the above song's most difficult ending verses:

Chinese coolies constructed the railroad. Native Americans helped the first European immigrants to survive. Both groups were rewarded later by extermination. While they call the holiday "Thanksgiving", I call the same holiday "Hell Day". I come from an improverished background that has not been aided by those who possess considerable financial assets. Myself and my friends share what possessions we have as in a fashion similar to Christmas. Daily, we kill cowards and engage in festive rituals without regard to the future. I meet with friends and return to the studio. These activities sum up my current existence and I am not fazed by your anger.

It's poison - the words I speak to my enemy. It is poison when so-called entertainers only talk about kilograms of drugs in their music. It is all poison that you call yourself representatives of hip-hop. You aren't as tough or dangerous as you believe. Consider the young people whom you mislead with your falsehoods and erroneous philosophy. Any plans you may scheme to cause my demise is all poison. Who would like to start a feud with me? My firearm shall be utilized against those who wish so.


.:.


But yes, MP3s and digital music are a good thing. Been thinking of buying a MP3 player lately - either the Sony I mentioned previously, an 15gb or 20gb iPod, or a new MD player. Some people doing are doing comparisons already, too. They all have their advantages, I suppose.

Hrmmm, consumerism...
posted by G at 6:25 AM   |

in?scrip?tion (n-skrip-shun)n.
1. The act or an instance of inscribing.
2. Something, such as the wording on a coin, medal, monument, or seal, that is inscribed.
3. A short, signed message in a book or on a photograph given as a gift.
4. The usually informal dedication of an artistic work.
5. Jeremiah 31:33