ANYTIME I hear a Jay-Z song I bop my head and recite his lyrics with excellent precision and timing. PROUDLY!!! I BOAST, of having his entire discography.
but my allegiance to "the greatest rapper of all time" comes with a COST!
Unlike my intellectual counterparts who feel the need to justify their listening to hip-hop/rap I don't listen to Jay because I like 'the beats'
I actually appreciate what the hell he says!!!
in my favorite verse from my favorite song on the
American Gangster Album
Say Hello to the Bad Guy (2008)
Jay spits and I quote...
We ain't thugs for the sake of just being thugs Nobody do dat where we grew at, nigga, DUH! The poverty line, we not above So out come the mask and glove cause we ain't feelin' the love We ain't doing crime for the sake of doing crime We movin' dimes cause we ain't doin' fine One out of three of us is locked up doing time You know what that type of shit can do to a nigga mind? My mind on my money, money on my mind If you owe me ten dollars, you ain't giving me nine Ya'll ain't give me 40 acres and a mule So i got my Glock 40, now i'm cool And if Al Sharpton is speaking for me Somebody get him the word and tell him i don't approve Tell him i'll remove the curses If you tell me our schools gon' be perfect When Jena 6 don't exist Tell him THAT's when i'll stop saying bitch---BIIITCH!
now that's two times he used the N word as well the two B words thrown in...there are references to selling drugs and gun usage as well as the gratuitous number of references towards MONEY but most disturbing must be the sharp sword pointed towards the Reverend Al
So doesnt that go against my other 'self'
I denounce and detest!
profanity, misogyny and sexism
I reinforce and uplift
solidarity, self-reliance and personal responsibility
So shouldnt that Jay verse anger me???
some may give me an argument why it should and some may agree with how soul stirring it was to hear on the hip-hop leaders mention the Jena 6 mention wealth disparties and do it with such an effortless COOL yes in that same verse JAY is giving voice to the plight of those struggling
Yes, in that same song he's says God's the only judge and his decisions and his alone can determine if his/our means justify his/our ends.
So I'm uplifted by my hood poet!
I stand with his efforts to speak out against oppression!
Now, whether or not it makes me want to dance in the process guess that's just icing on the cake = )
The GOD OF THE GAME...
Jay-Z 'bka' Shawn Carter is Cue Guevara with bling ON he's complex never claiming to have wings on he mis-steps ie; (big pimpin and others)
but then in my idolizing his abilities...
I kinda do the same thing!
so you see...
"it's a 'catch 22' indoctrinated by hollywood... DAMN those savvy snakes"
-Always yours-
Sophistacatedly Hood =)
