Greetings from the blog that brings discussion to recent and often controversial changes in urban music culture: style, talent, lyrics, business and more. Has the music culture advanced since years ago? Where has it gone wrong? How did we get where we are? Do we want things to stay this way? These are questions we all ask ourselves about Hip-Hop and R&B music frequently. Here is where you can air your thoughts and theories. There may be things misunderstood as to the reason and rhyme of the game, but here we can break it down. Welcome to dEcomposed.
Today, let's discuss lyrical content. When did that become an issue for music? Particularly in the case of R&B music, way back when, most music came from the soul. Singers and groups always had heartache and love on their mind. Yes, that can get repetitive, but we can never change the fact that love and relationships are at the center of most people’s hearts. Not everyone can relate to or even possess the ability to write deep lyrics that involve changing the world or ending world hunger, nor can the general audience. Even though the previous statement is true and reasonable, that does not justify the following trend.
We all want to dance. We all want to party. And the artists who create music for the club are much appreciated for creating music we can use for those reasons rather than sitting in a circle singing folk songs around a camp fire. But when lyrics have now surpassed the issue of too much cursing, violence and sex, I now pose another concern. Recently, rapper Busta Rhymes released his first single from his 8th album called Back on my B.S. The single is entitled “Arab Money” in which Rhymes compares his wealth in terms of wealth of the Middle East. There has been a lot of pressure on Rhymes because of this song and has faced the risk of being considered racist or prejudice, and also for the inappropriate usage of prayers from the Muslim holy book, the Koran (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Money) in the "Arab Money" remix.
Pump the breaks. What is really going on?? I totally get the analogy that Busta is attempting to make. You’re rich like Middle Eastern royalty. I get it. But “I make you bow down and make Salaat like a Muslim?” Really?! A hot as this is in the club, and as hype as people get when it comes on, we have to stop and take a look at things. This song is disrespectful to the Arab and Muslim people, period. It’s bad enough that he is stereo-typing the culture, but the usage of holy prayer and words from the Koran is really over-doing it. I don’t understand where Busta Rhymes ever got the notion that saying these things was ok in any form… This is the type of thing you might say to a friend if you really felt the joke would be worth it. But nationally distributing it? Maybe that should have gotten a second thought..or a third one. What makes it really bad is the fact that there were people in the video of Middle Eastern decent, including DJ Khalid, dancing along in approval!
When it comes to using inappropriate religious references in rap music, Busta Rhymes is not the only one in recent music. In singer/rapper T-Pain’s recent single “Chopped and Screwed” featuring Ludacris, Ludacris used a line that could offend Christians:
“Put you over my knees
Put you on punishment
Women and I'll spank ya (baaa)
Have you praising the lord
Like thank you-thank you
Thank you lord I want to thank you (Jesus)"
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/tpain/choppedskrewed.html
I know I personally feel uncomfortable with that and I turn it off until that part is over every single time. Some say art is art and no one should have a right to approve or disapprove of an artists’ creative work. There is some truth to that, but when you are an entertainer on a global scale, doesn’t there have to come a point where there is even the smallest consideration and respect for things?
-.Ele
VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYOmWQiVCFQ
LYRICS
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/bustarhymes/arabmoney.html
OTHER COMMENTARY
http://www.blackpower.com/entertainment/an-analysis-of-busta-rhymes-arab-money/
http://www.rapbasement.com/busta-rhymes/120308-busta-rhymes-new-song-arab-money-gets-a-dj-suspended-releases-new-video.html
Want to read other blogs like this? Try:
www.blackpower.com/entertainment/an-analysis-of-busta-rhymes-arab-money/
www.illdoctrine.com
randb.about.com/b/
www.blogcatalog.com.blogs/confessions-of-an-rb-drama-queen.html
www.blogcatalog.com/blogs/domeshots-and-fat-laces.html
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Ok so I feel the logics of your argument. In most cases I agree with you. But what I want to look at is the context and what is meant by the lines. For example older generations have the tendency to use the Lords name in vain. Mostly in non-religous situations. Many things are responded to with 'Oh my God' or a loud 'Jesus Christ' now is it a wonder that our generation is now desensitized to these words and phrases. We have also socially been brought to just say 'thank you Jesus' whenever something 'good' happens to us. Now that good thing may not be parrallel to what the bible sees as 'good' In luda's case the girl is having good sex...... and her first response may just be ....'Oh my God' you listen to some Barry White or Teddy Prendergass (sp?) they throw in a few 'O lords' in some of there songs... but they just arent as blunt.. but in my books Marvin's sexual healing means the same that some of the blunt hip hop songs mean. Just a different generation. We need to recognize that we are of a de sensitized generation. and im not saying we should deal with it and that its all good and all music should be like that. But we shouldnt be surprised at some of the rash language in music today.
ReplyDeleteI agree with a lot of the observations and points that youv'e made about the lyrics of R&B and Hip Hop Artist today but at the same time we have to realize its their job. To your comment "we all like to dance", Yes we do, But when your in the club how are people dancing? "Like their having sex", so what better than to make a song to make the experience that much more realistic. I personally hate the fact that artist these days exploit the action of sex in their songs. I love the fact that artist such as Anthony Hamilton, Musiq Soulchild, John Legend, and other such artist have found a way to stay at the top of today's game while giving real music from their souls. At the same time, I have come to realize that most of the world doesn't feel the way me and you feel. Most of these artist know that some of the things that they do might seem harsh and disrespectful, but at the same time not doing so won't make them any money?? My response to the "Oh my God" portion, is basically agreeing with commemt number 1. The pharse has become apart of a lot of people's everyday language. In the same sense most of the people I know that use the pharse are teenage and young adult christians. The same teenage and young adult christians that are listening to T-Pain and Luda in the club. So for Luda to say something like that in the context that he said it was brilliant from a business aspect but demoralizing from a world view. Not saying that all of the things done today by artist are appropriate but as generations change the music industry moves with it.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you on some levels on your observations that you have made in your blog. And being of Islamic faith, when I first heard of "Arab Money" I thought to myself 'damn this is massively offensive!'. I listened to the song, I will admit I am an avid Busta Rhymes fan from back in the Digital Underground days (I'm not as old as you think), so I approached the song with an open mind. The first time around I thought, wow okay this guy is really riding this AutoTune wave, but after a second listen I was slightly offended. I wasn't offended to the point to where I thought I would never listen to his music again, but like another commenter said this is something that we learn to accept in our culture today. Hell I have the hook as a ringer on my phone -- only because I knew what was being said (the arabic phrases) and I liked the way it sounded.
ReplyDeleteI listen to music for enjoyment and to relax. I also try NOT to take what the artists are saying at face value, or litterly, because if that were the case I wouldn't listen to any music. So I don't feel bad if I throw my hands up if in a song they use the word bitch in regards of talking about a woman, and I tend to 'go hard' and 'put on for my city' if I'm in the club and one of those songs come on. However I know who am I and what I represent, and I will not let a song define me.
Art is a form of expression, and if this is how Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, or any other musican for that matter chooses to express themselves then so be it. The time to become concerned is when they are inflicting bodily harm, or something of the like. Yes what they have said was offensive, but I have heard far worse on a day by day basis...either way, different or indifferent I do enjoy the song. Call me crazy, say it's offensive, but we all have freedom of speech don't we? But there is always the question of when have we gone too far?
Go Hard and Put On are two very ill songs
ReplyDeleteI agree that lyrics and other forms of expression can be offensive, but freedom of speech is a right that should never be taken away. We live in a world of so many perceptions!
ReplyDelete