So, are you saying that people that like this particular artist are just following trends, or what?
Well the music is obviously trendy and my comment about the sheeple, as I said before was more facetious in nature and in conjunction with the previous posters comments. But upon closer examination on my views, obviously there is a gap between what is currently 'poppin' on the mainstream and my personal likes and dislikes wrt to rap music, a segment of HIP HOP culture. But also I must state that, as others have already pointed out, that any parent (which I am) that lets their child sing along with this song is doing his child and the cuture a disservice. "Superman that hoe" WTF is that for postive reinforcement during a time of social crisis and a dire need for improvement in our society, more so within the HIP HOP community, and even more so wrt to the young boys and girls of color that find themselves pressured by all of the above with little to no other avenues to develop in a postive manner?
I also must distinguish at this time that IMO, the impact of said music affects folks of color moreso because chances are the parents of young white boys and girls are NOT listening to the local rap station on the way to dropping off their kids to school or tuning into the HIP HOP video shows in anyway comparable to that of the household of people of color. Can you see that? While I am sure there are many young white boys and girls listening to this type of music (which IMO is detrimental regardless) many of those same kids wont be exposed to it as much as young folks of color. Can you see that?
Dude, that particular song is dance music plain and simple, it was made for the sole purpose of being played a lot at clubs. Repeditiveness is what works for dance clubs, and that is a statement that goes beyond genres.
Well its more than just dance music. Please don't underestimate the power of song and how its messages become imbedded within the psyche of the listener, whether conciously or uncounciously. Shit to this day, I still mentally sing the alphabet to get to the letter I want to find placement for. (Does that last part make sense to you?) Also the song isnt just restricted to the clubs, if it was I probably wouldn't even care, adults attend clubs and by that time we have more control over our mental makeup for th most part. Moreover, the song gets played repeatedly on the radio 24/7, on the video channels over and over, at basketball games, parties, BBQ's, etc... Compound that with the lyrical repetition in the song itself and you have a recipe for mental and social disaster, exactly what the racist white supremacist has been aiming for all along. We now find ourselves enjoying the poison that these fuckers feed us.
In Fact if Kool Herc, the motherfucking Godfather of hip hop himself had not figured how to cut beats (repeat percussion breaks in songs), the culture wouldn't be what it is today.
Brilliant observation however that has no bearing with the issue at hand, atleast not from the angle I am trying to point out here.
But to add to your knowledge (and actually was semi-inspiration for the white rapper rules thread) I did at one time in my life write/record rap songs, but I realized I was no good at it (although I battle and I can come up with funny battle lines), not only that but I will be producing again when I get better at piano, and I'm getting turntables for x-mas.
Wonderful, thats good--- build your skills and use them for the greatest good not short term pleasure with long term negative ramifications.
I mean I think its a shame that a lot of people who are large fans of hip hop culture in the younger generation don't know a lot of the history of it, but I think it is very elitist to say "This IS Hip Hop, This Isn't Hip Hop".
For me, any many like me, there is a clear difference between being a fan HIP HOP, a tourist of the culture and that culture being your way of life. I grew up HIP HOP, I aint a fan of it, this is who I am. I was born at a time and a place where HIP HOP was in its conception stage. I went to the jams where Busy Bee was emceeing in the park (I was a bad kid with access to a fire escape to sneak out), where weed was called reefer, and Brucie Bee was on the turntables powered by the streetlights. I played at Rock Steady park (99th and Amsterdam) when I went with my parents to vist grandma and Crazy Legs lived right around the corner from my home on Vermilyea Ave. Do you see where I am going with this? These folks never intended for the culture to head it this direction but in typical fashion, white racist vultures (and that is not all white people) with $$ signs in their eyes have exploited the culture two fold. One for their own personal gain and the other the dillute or lessen the effectiveness of OUR VOICE and derail our cultural expression to the point that it isnt even that anymore.
In fact it is kind of interesting, underground rap fans that make the argument of "this isn't hip hop because......" sound eerily similar to older white women who say "this isn't music because........."(referring to hip hop).
I already made the distinction between a fan (tourist) and a person whose culture this is. Its a far cry from your analogy but you are not expected to understand that but props if you do or atleast do NOW.
Soulja Boy will more than likely not even be relevant in a month, just like a lot of rappers that do the crunk thing because there are very few party songs in any genre that can truely stand the test of time in the club/mtv culture.
This is true but by that time the damage has already been done, IMO. Look at the catz who rap "Party Like a Rock Star" same shit different packaging. I can't believe we had folks of color singing that they wanna party like a rock star. Not only did they start singing it but they began dressing like it a bit with the wallet chains and big trucker beltbuckles etc. These acts are short lived but the ramifications are long term even if it just affects a percentage of the whole community. Once the run has died out a new act will follow. Where will it stop? How will it end? Definetly not at the hands of those who control the ways and means of airing this bullshit. They're loving it, twofold...(as explained above) and they are partying like a rockstar, all the while out stars (moms,pops, bros and sis) just get rocks (the ready kind)
This personally is not my school of thought, I feel that all music that fits within the reign of hip hop culture is rap music, BUT I feel that hip hop music is heavily under identified, or rather that we don't look at particular types of music as part of a rap sub-genre but more just look at rap as either mainstream or underground and is from whatever city the rapper is.
There is no such thing as HIP HOP music, there is the music of HIP HOP which in this case is primarily rap and all of its variations if any. If I have called the music HIP HOP, I erred. Rap is something you do, HIP HOP is something you live.
If you consider this to be an elitist attitude then so be it. HIP HOP was born because it was an expression of self determination. A desire to be outside of the maintream not controlled by it. HIP HOP was born to define itself and as with any culture it must be refined and cultivated. Not every aspect of a society gets to shine as the cultural piece. You dont find a societies garbage in the museum, you find it best work there, same applies here.
This is for all, not just directed at you.
ADD: I must conclude with saying this. This isn't about Soulja boy per se, its about the concept and reasoning and effects of this idea promoted by those who have ulterior motives. If the type of music that was played on the radio and video shows didn't really matter then why is it that we dont have a more positive overall message in the pop music? Those in power knows this and will continue to work against us to deter us from empowering our minds thus community.
And if this was directed at me:
But the same motherfuckas they praise leads to maybe a page or two of discussion. I guess we need cats like 50 and company to keep the backpackers ranting. Like my man above me said, dont judge what is and what isn't hip-hop.
**looks at JJ** I aint no backpaker homie and I am judging my culture, just like I judge myself, critically but for the best.
