Confessions Of A Brit: Weezy Confuses Me
I just don’t get it. Doesn’t anyone else think this is kinda annoying?
One thing that has been painfully obvious to me ever since starting in blogging is that living on the other side of the pond means I’m pretty disconnected with a lot of what’s going on in the contemporary American scene. It actually plays on my conscience a little bit, because as much as I realise it’s important for me to keep abreast of developments in the genre, there’s a barrier there that I find relatively hard to break down. In part this is my own doing - there aren’t really any excuses with the proliferation of information on the web - but ultimately I still feel a distance (and vague sense of bemusement) when trying to figure out how it is I’m meant to respond to the commercial side of contemporary rap music in the States.
Let me try and put this in perspective a little. Would it surprise you to know that until about six months ago I didn’t even know who Rick Ross was? Would you be stunned if I told you that I’d never seen a Flo Rida video on TV? Would you be picking your jaw up off the floor if I mentioned that not one single kid out of the thousands I’ve now taught has ever had a hip hop ringtone accidentally go off in class? Would you be left feeling similarly aghast in the knowledge that had it not been for my own intrepid travels through the web I would never have heard ‘A Milli’? (I’m not sure how much better I feel having done so though.) I’m aware of the fact that when it comes down to it what I’m really talking about is southern rap here, but am I the only person who just doesn’t get it? Is it just my Britishness and a lack of necessary cultural reference points that makes the hype around/success of these artists seem incomprehensible? Can I communicate my bewilderment even more eloquently by squeezing yet another question into this paragraph?
I’m desperately trying to avoid a completely tired and two-dimensional view here. This brief aside from regular programming is far more confession than decent, well-informed commentary on the subject. I really don’t want to just come off as some sort of dinosaur who is so blinkered to shifts in the genre that I’d rather just cuddle up with my copy of Enta Da Stage and forget about it all, because I really don’t. I’m also aware of the fact that even in writing this, I feel a niggling sense of guilt/shame that maybe it’s just because I’m not trying hard enough to appreciate what it is that has clearly captivated such a wide audience and garnered such critical praise. I mean if Jeff and Renato can get down with a little Weezy, then why can’t I? I’m open to the idea that it just may not be my cup of tea, but even attempts to listen to Tha Carter III just leave me feeling a little lost. What am I missing here? Is there some level of irony that’s escaping me? I accept that Weezy’s thang is all about being completely over the top, but does no-one else feel like this is just preening, overblown bullshit?
Perhaps all I’m really doing here is exposing my own shortcomings as a hip hop ‘journalist’. I’m also engaging in what must be a completely worn-out argument for some of you reading this: it’s not like there hasn’t been a lot of far more intelligent and pertinent commentary written about the South circulate the blogosphere over the last couple of years, but it’s still a phenomenon I just can’t quite wrap my head around.
I’m open and ready to be slaughtered: don’t hold back. Oh, and if you’re wondering what brought all this on, look here. I mean, what the fuck?
September 25th, 2008 at 11:17 am
You’re not alone, Dan, even coming from someone on this side of the pond. I’m so non-plussed by the Weezy phenomenon that my sensible only reaction is to staunchy refuse to give the guy any exposure (well, except once). I’ll continue to marvel at the mental faculties of those who claim he’s the G.O.A.T. and return to my copy of Dah Shinin’. Maybe that makes me a dinosaur, but I’m content with that.
By the way, who the hell is Flo Rida?
September 25th, 2008 at 11:24 am
what you mean you don’t know? C’mon now man, he’s up for rookie of the year on the BET awards. You must be sleepin’ something terrible…
September 25th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
I feel your pain too Dan. I’ve felt this way since Jigga dropped Blueprint 2 and aside from the odd Outkast record and The Clipse, I can’t get the new phenomenon of this ringtone style of rap emanating from the states. At the same time I also can’t listen to most of the Playstation-made grime stuff from these shores.
Don’t fret, there’s obviously still good stuff being put out (Reks is kinda okay and Jake One’s album sounds alright too), it’s just hearing about it that proves to be a problem when so much of the media is forcing (probably the wrong word) this crap down our throats.
Plus, maybe you’re just getting old . . .
September 25th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
You’re right Jonny - there’s still good stuff coming out, so this wasn’t intended as a ‘doesn’t current hip hop suck’ diatribe but rather an expression of how genuinely bemused I feel when it comes to Weezy and the south.
The thing that really doesn’t sit with me is that people I respect and who are clearly very intelligent find something in it. Are they just crazy? Is it something wrong with me?
Maybe you’re right: it’s age. And I promised myself I wouldn’t dismiss my kid’s music taste like my Dad did mine…
September 25th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
No joke, Lil Wayne aka Weezy aka Weezy F. Baby, “please say the Baby” is and has been one of the best mc’s here in the States since the SQAD up mixtapes. (2001-2, so pretty much 7 years) That’s no hyperbole. We can talk about the field of top mc’s still on commercial radio, but that’s a whole other topic.
Wayne has always been a good rapper, even going back to the Hot Boys days. This was before outsiders really “got” the South. They (the outsiders) liked it for ironic purposes, or as guilty pleasures, but they tended to put it in that “other pile”. Rap from the South was NEVER considered to be on the same level as NYC or even LA/Oakland. Not to the critics/outsiders at least. Remember how long it took people to like Outkast. Most of the college educated/east coast biased critics didn’t jump on the bandwagon until Atliens.
The average public doesn’t really care about all of that though.
Back to Wayne.
From a strictly skills perspective, I advise you to listen to his extensive mixtape catalog. (it’s like at least 8 Gigs if you’re the downloading type).
- early in the transformation - SQAD tapes 1-4,
- the height - Dedication 1 and 2, Drought
- his recent stuff
And it’s a good idea to compare the beats he rocks over to the original. He flipped over the Root’s Star….Pointro, and he totally kills it, to such an extent that you notice how technically proficient Black Thought is….but also how boring he is.
That’s why he’s so big with the bloggerati set. For a long time he *intentionally* took a lot of rap conventions and over-extended them, to the point of absurdity. That’s rapping for people who are students of rap. Lots of word games, allusions, references, word/free association, multi’s, - stuff you expect of old Ras Kass, old Common, El-P, Vast Aire, et cetera - all coming from Mr. Drop It Like It’s Hot. But more importantly that just complex/dense lyrics, is Wayne’s flow. The tone, speed, pacing, emotion, accent….all of those things really play into how he rhymes. A lot more than you can say for his competition at this point.
In the past 2-3 years though, he’s kinda evolved a really abstract side (drug induced no doubt) that is hard to explain. Google for his track called “Dying”. That and him trying to play the guitar (rappers have rock star envy)…He might lose his base if he goes too “Hollywood”.
Brandon has a good discussion on his blog, called the Post Lyrical Era of Rap Music.
However being able to kill mixtape after mixtape doesn’t really explain why he’s so popular with regular people who aren’t rap nerds.
Up until this year, he only had only one bonafide hit, imo. “Go Dj”. He’s had plenty of singles, but in terms of getting the crowd going (at least here in the South/States), he’s always been overshadowed by Juvie and other folks on Cash Money. Juvenile in particular, has had a *lot* more hits than Wayne. A lot of Juvie’s records are mainstays in dj club sets today. Wayne? Not so much.
But this year, Wayne had
- Lollipop - hit
- His work with T-Pain - hits
^^^You can chalk these up to Autotune.
- A Milli - probably the most monster/”I wanna rhyme over that” beat since Grindin by the Clipse/Neptunes.
He’s gotten a bunch of industry co-signs from the East and definitely from the South. And is now the Redman/Busta of this era - ie. the go-to guy for a Cameo.
TI’s - swagger like us
Jay’s - Hello brooklyn
South Circle’s - Duffle Bag Boy
Right now he’s the beneficiary of riding a trend of popular sentiment and a lot of internal industry love.
September 25th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Thank you Westindianarchie. I’ll take you up on some of the recommendations and research a little further.
I guess when it comes down to it, it may just not be an aesthetic that grabs me. I am however intrigued to know what all the fuss is about, and your comment goes a long way to helping me along that road.
Not sure I’ll be opting for the full 8 gigs worth though…
September 25th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Like a lot of things in hip hop, sometimes somethings are just not for you. I don’t expect non-Houstonians to get Screw, non New Orleanians to get Bounce, Non Oaklanders to get Hyphy/Mob/Slump, or people not from DMV to understand Go Go. WRT to American music, a lot of the time, it’s not where you’re at, but it’s actually where you from. (Shout to Rakim)
In the States, some of the hesitance to embrace Weezy (and other Southern rappers) is aesthetic, but a lot of it goes *way* beyond production/deliveries.
In the US, A lot of people like to “hate” on Weezy on “principled” grounds like, he promotes violence, misogyny….but at the same time they’ve got Beanie Sigel, Wu Tang, Smif n Wessun, and MOP in their mp3/CD collections.
I call it “hate” and not criticism, because it is always unprincipled and usually motivated by something much darker than a preference for sampled loops and 5% references.
September 25th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
That approach seems ridiculous. How is it even possible to justify that position?
That Soderberg article was great by the way.
September 25th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
It’s not because you’re British, I don’t get it either man. And as someone who actually listens to avant garde and so-called “post-modern” music, I’m offended by people trying to justify his nonsensical bragging as anything other than it is.
I don’t understand how any of his hits are any different than the crap guys like 50 Cent put out, yet I see pages and pages of writers blabbing about how brilliant it is. What the hell?
September 26th, 2008 at 1:08 am
i haven;t yet listened to any of waynes own catalogue. but listen to the last track on robin thicke’s new album, a track called tie my hands. wayne drops some gems on that one. until i heard that i wasn;t convinced. i think its my east coast / boom bap . jazz hop preferences that obstruct my listening to a full wayne album. but he does have some skills judging by that one track.
September 26th, 2008 at 1:24 am
I think part of the problem is that this discussion is so tied up with the notion of ‘east coast/boom bap jazz hop preferences’ and other art that has preceded the contemporary scene. Leaning that way seems to place yourself in a position where it’s too easy for people to dismiss your point of view as being an attempt to draw comparisons between what is inarguably the golden era of the genre and now. As soon as you draw in a level of comparison (perhaps wrongly), your argument becomes defunct. And I can see why this viewpoint is justified - the current scene must be judged on its own merit - but it feels like now we accept that it’s its own thing and therefore we’re meant to justify it’s existence somewhat blindly.
I don’t doubt the man’s skill. But if I need someone to explain why it’s clever, and I can only listen with a critical ear rather than simply by feeling it, then it seems to me that something is missing. I though it was interesting how Brandon’s piece ending up discussing how production aesthetics tied into all this, and if I’m honest that may just be the root of it all to me: I don’t feel the beats. Of course this is an entirely subjective perspective, but I just feel we’ve all gotten a bit too clever/overly-analytical in our approach to the scene in order to justify it.
September 26th, 2008 at 1:24 am
And nofrillz - I’ll give that a listen.
September 26th, 2008 at 4:32 am
I actually think your favorite track on Tha Carter III would be “Dr. Carter.”
September 26th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
bushkiller , katch 22, demon boyz , seanie t, skeme , krispy 3 , killa instint , london posse , roots manuva , tones of twice , gunshot , caveman mcd , ty
September 27th, 2008 at 2:41 am
We are not the same, I am a Martian © Lil’ Wayne
Okaaaaay then.
One.
September 27th, 2008 at 5:43 am
Im sorry, but wayne sucks big a**. His ryhmes, beats, and every single f***ing thing about him is god awful. I can’t believe some of you actually think hes good, and are trying to justify his a**. I dont care about how many so called “hits” hes had or how many records he has sold because that is a load of sh*t, have you seen the number of these suburban white kids, especially teenage girls, that are listening to this crap. I dont know how many times I have pulled up at a red light to see two white girls thumping some southern bullsh*t rap in their car. These are the idiots purchasing this so called rap music and giving these rappers a career, and on top of that they dont even know a single f***ing thing about hip-hop. Aw-man this just really pisses me off, I mean are you SERIOUS, LIL’ WAYNE. Southern rap is a toilet bowl of sh*t, it is the worst thing to happen to rap/hip-hop music. And I dont care if its something different and has something else to offer, ITS GARBAGE, IT SOUNDS LIKE GARBAGE, THE LYRICS ARE GARBAGE, GARBAGE!!!
September 27th, 2008 at 7:46 am
Yep Wayne is more than annoying at times.
September 28th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
I live in Cali, U.S.A. and I am ashamed of some of these clown mc’s……….Your on the right track…Like M.O.P. said “Stick 2 Your Gunz”………..hiphopbattlefield.blogspot.com
September 28th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Mick - What?
September 29th, 2008 at 5:53 am
No, Southern rap is wack. Weezy is wack (although if he were not a hype I think he might have some potential). I agree wholeheartedly and I’m from this side of the pond.
Also, (mercifully) I have never seen a Flo Rida video or heard a song. The first time I heard anything by Rick Ross was six months ago.
So, you can stay “in the dark” over here too, if you put your back into it and that, in this case anyway, is a good thing.
Finally as a former public school teacher, I’d say that you are blessed not to have to confront the unfortunate reality of hip-hop ring tones interrupting French/algebra/history/chemistry class.
October 1st, 2008 at 8:56 pm
there is one simple issue here. . . .It’s the MTV-BET generation gap.
MTV used to have great programming before the whole “reality tv” explosion. . . .Stuff that made Music more apparent, and important to the culture that I/we know as Hip-hop. My best image of how hip hop changed the world is the final episode of Yo! MTV Raps. My favorite freestyle on that final show has been MC Search. And yet, there are many more kids nowadays that only know MC Search from “Miss Rap Supreme” and have no inclination to find out who he is.
Everything has gone over the top in rap. . .Vocoders, to the upscale cars and overpriced jewelry that pops on kids at malls and schools. The generation gap just just places these “cycles” (Remember dookie chains and the tight jeans NWA used to wear?) on a whole different level.
I guess I can also agree that age has probably showed, but I am proud to have been from a place in where Hip-Hop and rap were one and the same, and from a time when it was fun. Taking nothing away from Soulja Boy (. . .fuckem!). . .but if I were to grow up in this time, I;d prolly do the same thing, until they hit a certain age and grow out of it, or find more substance in the music. . . .for me, that would have to had been Visionaries, LPSD, Early Mos Def & Talib (Black Star).
I guess I can only say I agree, and disagree with you man. .but hey. . .Fads come in cycles. . . Look what’s on the horizon. . Cool Kids are taking it back to the early era (even though I dun think they were ever born before 85 or so. . .
But that’s a different era. . .different style. .
Windz One
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