Hi,I'm Ashley! I'm at junior here at Simmons and I can easily say one of my favorite hobbies is music-listening to new songs, going to concerts, and comparing old and new musicians. My blog will be focusing on lyrics in popular rap and hip hop songs. Hip Hop is a genre always climbing to the top of the charts, constantly reinventing itself.
I want to find out what we get out of our music. What messages come out of the songs we listen to on our ipods, radios, MTV? So if you like hip hop stay tuned...
Posted: September 14, 2009 12:09 am | 0 comments
Tags: hip hop, lyrics, messages, music, rap
So I figured I’d dive into some lyrics from the new Jay-Z Blueprint 3 album. His album is at the top of the charts and he recently performed this one at the MTV music awards on September 13th.
I’m talking about the Empire State of Mind song with Alicia Keys. If you saw his MTV performance of the song, that should’ve clued you in on how important the lyrics were to that night. With a New York background of the 9/11 memorial beam image representing the twin towers, I started to feel how powerful the song was.
Jay-Z gives you a taste of the New York nightlife with lyrics of, “welcome to the melting pot, corners where we selling rocks…yellow cap, gypsy hat, dollar cab, holla back…”. His ego does seem to take over the introduction when he reminds us of his white lexus and what he believes to be his Sinatra-type status.
But what really struck me was the chorus lyrics where Alicia Keys beautifully sings, “ Concrete jungle where dreams are made of, There’s nothing you can’t ... more »
Posted: September 21, 2009 12:18 am | 1 comment
Tags: hip hop, lyrics, music, rap
So this portion of my blog will be devoted to what I feel is the worst in Hip hop/rap lyrics right now. If you feel there are songs more tasteless then what I'm finding please let me know!!
I thought I would start the bad off with the "You're A Jerk Song" by the New Boys. Ugh, I'm not going to lie I hate this song. The lyrics are so repetitive and annoying with the, " You're A Jerk, I know" making up most of the song's lyrical content.
Not to mention the total belittling of the female voice that's supposed to be the nagging hook of the song. " She was still half dressed" and " talkin' some little stuff while she textn"- that to me deserves a big LAME. There's a real lack of substance but what worries me is this 'song' is attracting the younger generation. Sure the 90s kids grew up with Eminem, but he sounded like he was supposed to be for the older kids. New Boys dress like their five and sound like they are as well.
Maybe I'm missing something, if you disagree please fill me in bec ... more »
Posted: October 5, 2009 1:08 pm | 0 comments
Tags: hip hop, lyrics, music, rap
So I’ve been trying to find the latest rap beef lyrics for my ‘Ugly’ segment of hip hop. There’s been some tension between G-Unit and Rick Ross, but no lyrics worthy enough for me to really break down. I’d much rather discuss the awesomeness that was VH1’s Hip hop Honors 25th Anniversary Celebration of Def Jam. First off, I love Def Jam-Method Man, Redman, LL Cool- the whole nine yards. But what a lineup the show had, some of the greatest MCs of the past and present, Public Enemy and Eminem- now I had to write something on the show.
Hip Hop Honors is more about celebrating the classics, the best lyrics in Hip Hop to date. Not necessarily underground, but some serious lyrical genius. I just couldn’t decide what song to focus on since I wasn’t going for the current stuff, so I went for the performance that gave the most hype….
I’m going to say DMX’s performance of “Party Up in Here” wins. Simply because his energy has always been crazy, and he’s been out of t ... more »
Posted: October 15, 2009 11:03 am | 0 comments
Tags: hip hop, lyrics, music
Yes it’s true. Lil Jon is set to release his long-awaited album, Crunk Rock in early 2010. Whether you love or hate him, he is back with his raunchy club going hooks that made his “What!” and “Okay!” as famous as Flavor Flav’s “Yeah boy!”.” “Killas” is set to be included in the album, and features The Game and Ice Cube.
The lyrical focus on this song seems to be society trying to change the rawness of hip hop. Jon certainly makes it clear he is all about the violence, materialism, and sexism strewn throughout the “Crunk” he created to amp up the Southern club scene.
As of right now, The Game’s lyrics in the song include, “Dear Mr. President Barack Obama, Right after you catch Osama, Tell Mr. Waso, Please let Oprah know that I won't ever stop sayin’ b**** and h**” . And Ice Cube’s bars include, “Remember a world without hip hop, Lord used to believe these b**** cops.”
These are extremely strong statements that need a lot of feedback from hip h ... more »
Posted: October 27, 2009 1:08 am | 0 comments
Tags: hip hop, lyrics, music, rap
After Jay-Z’s backlash on the autotune takeover of main stream hip hop, Redman announced on Vibe magazine website that he would be using the device for his upcoming alter-ego album, Reggie Noble 9 ½ . I have mixed feelings about the autotune. Snoop Dogg’s “Sensual Seduction” worked, but some of the T-Pain songs floating around now just doesn’t cut it. Redman clarifies to Vibe that the Reggie Noble 9 ½ album is “ not Redman…”, and that his follow up album to 1996’s Muddy Waters a.k.a Muddy Waters II will be out sometime next year, making it less obnoxious that one of my fav lyrical-slamming rappers has decided to pick up the robot-pop-making device.
link to article on new album:
http://www.vibe.com/search.html?search=Reggie+Noble
Posted: November 12, 2009 1:16 am | 0 comments
Tags: hip hop, lyrics, music, rap
Amidst all the controversy surrounding the 2009 incident with Chris Brown, Rihanna has dropped her latest single,"Russian Roulette" off her new album, “Rated R”. Based on the album cover alone, Rihanna makes it clear her new single and image will address some raw subject matter. I wanted to look at the latest single to see what kind of lyrics she and co-writer Neyo had in store for fans.
First off, the song is about a deadly game/relationship(certainly sounds like life imitating art) with a gun and a man who, “says close your eyes.” The song describes anxiety, fear, and the “scary thought/that he’s (the man) here means he’s never lost “(has never lost the deadly game).”
And by the chorus lines that conclude the song, listeners get, “ As my life flashes before my eyes/I’m wondering will I ever see another sunrise/So many won’t get the chance to say goodbye/But it’s too late to pick up the value of my life.” This could be interpreted as the singer/narrator of ... more »
Posted: November 15, 2009 5:00 pm | 0 comments
Tags: hip hop, hip hop...the good, lyrics, music, rap, the bad, the ugly
Seeing as I haven't been updating weekly, I figured I cram in some different artists/topics in current hip hop before the end of the semester.
Topic today: more of the same in rap lyrics. You could argue mainstream rap isn't hip hop but since it's often labeled under that category, I thought it might be useful to slam artists I don't see doing much for the genre...
Gucci Mane's new song "Stupid Wild". It's all about glorifying drugs,sex-the usual. I'm not against freedom of speech in music, I'm against lack of creativity. The least he could do is spin some of this into something more interesting,
Listeners get "Sippin' on that drank, girls crawlin", "chicken in my lap", and " money chasin million dollar mission." Wow, I'm so entertained by his lifestyle-it's so shocking.
Maybe if the goal in rap is more about creativity and less about " money chasin million dollar" missions, rap would get more respect.
lyrics to Gucci Mane's "Stupid Wild":
http://www.metrolyrics.com/stupid-wild-lyric ... more »
Posted: December 1, 2009 10:55 am | 0 comments
Tags: hip hop, lyrics, music, rap
So these are my final blog updates! The semester’s coming to a close so I thought I’d add some interesting lyrics, a beef, and some new stuff before I sign off for the break…
Eminem-he’s back. Well, he’s been back and I wasn’t completely impressed with his new stuff but even Em’s worst is way above every other rapper out right now’s best. But that’s just my opinion.
He’s got new projects in the works; his re-release of Relapse, and Relapse 2. The Relapse: Refill is lyrically insane. He’s the rapper that can take the overplayed use of drugs, money, women, and make you wanna replay his version line for line. Here’s some of the lyrics to Elevator, a single set for the Relapse re-release:
There once was a saying that I used to say
Back in the day when I met Dre
I used to sit and goof on the phone with my friend proof
That if I went gold, I’d go right through the roof
He said what if you went platinum, I’d just laugh at him
That’s not happening, that I can’ ... more »
Posted: December 6, 2009 12:06 am | 0 comments
Tags: hip hop, lyrics, music, rap
I heart Lupe Fiasco. Not just because every college student with an iPod is really into him right now. Simply because he’s one of the few rappers keeping hope alive that good hip hop can go mainstream. The exact date as to his new album keeps moving around, but leaving fans with some great lyrics via mixtape is a decent makeup for the delay. Here’s his verses w/Dirty Money on the Angels remix:
[Verse 1: Lupe Fiasco]
I see, diamond flooded demons, Lamborghini angels
Halos down with the doors flapping when they came through
Windows up, system bumping, you the one they sang to
Same two, who said they the ones you should send your thanks through
Pockets full of blessings, they can sanctify and saint you
You can hear ‘em revving up in heaven now, can’t you?
Sandals made of chrome, his soul made of leather
An engine full of sinning and, candy painted feathers
The sound of the motor only reverend you confess to
I see this all in the eyes of the girl I’m next to
I asked her “Where ... more »
Posted: December 6, 2009 12:39 am | 0 comments
Tags: hip hop, lyrics, music, rap
So I didn’t catch a lot of lyrical beefs going on this year, but this one started around late November…
Benie Sigel vs. Jay Z (or maybe just Sigel vs. Sigel-Jay’s too busy flippin’ hundreds to be concerned about what Beanie’s got on his mind):
Beanie Sigel – How I Could Kill Jigga Man Lyrics
He, Jay Hova,
Hey Little Soldier,
ready for the rude bwoy ready to pull the tool boy
back out… boy,
Yeah, uh, yeah yeh yeh……uh uh,
come on, the takeover, n-gga the breaks over,
fraud MC, he Jay Hova,
hey little soldier you aint ready for the rude boy,
quick to pull the tool boy, back out booya boy,
yeah I send something to ya boy,
let these hollows run through you boy,
i ruin boy,
make your body leak fluid boy,
freak body you probably wont do it boy,
uh you need a rope and a stool boy,
can’t trust you like a … and a schoolboy,
think you cool boy, cos you running with the … boy,
you aint nothing but the mule boy,
you aint a boom boy, you just a flip flop tight pants …. he ... more »
Posted: December 6, 2009 1:22 am | 0 comments
Tags: hip hop, lyrics, music, rap
So with final papers and presentations, my research into the underground didn’t turn out like I wanted it to. Instead of the new stuff, I thought I’d blog about one of my favs in hip hop on the dl-Atmosphere. They’ve been around for awhile but they are lyrical storytellers. They rap a lot about common themes, addictions, money problems, relationships-but it always flows together so perfectly for me it’s like ear candy in a world of crap rap.
This is from their 2002 album God Loves Ugly, I chose this song because it’s positive, unlike a lot of the rap I like/dislike; it’s less about Jesus more about living your life and dealing with the good and bad:
Atmosphere-Lovelife lyrics
Individually wrapped, placed in neat little rows
Becoming A piece, of everything that grows
Some numbers, A name, to indicate you played the game
Came empty handed and left the same
A soul is A soul and A shell is A shell
The border in between is full of everything you felt
Some cling to A cross bec ... more »
Posted: December 6, 2009 2:09 am | 0 comments
Tags: hip hop, lyrics, music, rap
Clipse had this single out awhile ago, but I couldn’t find the lyrics anywhere till now. I love their flow, but my fav verse in this single is when Malice rhymes Kojack to lojack and Saturday Night Fever/Grim Reaper. And don’t get me started on Pharrell-looove his beats, songs, N.E.R.D., and it doesn’t hurt that he’s got a pretty face. This song doesn’t have any particular message I want to address, I just like how they always manage to balance enough complexity and swag to keep me wanting more. Best part about this song is the hook, making it clear Clipse never left the game. Hip hop just put them under the radar.
Clipse featuring Cam’ron and Pharrell
Popular Demand (Popeyes) lyrics
(Pharrell)
Mami, you miss me, don’t you?
Haters, wish you could hit me, don’t you?
(Heh) You should call me uncle
I understand, I’m back by popular demand
That new CL slide
Outside of Popeyes, eatin’ chicken and fries
(Word up) Yeah, come holla at your uncle
I understand, I’m b ... more »
Posted: December 7, 2009 12:07 am | 0 comments
Tags: hip hop, lyrics, music, rap
This is my last blog entry for the semester! I hope my blog included some of the better rappers/artists in hip hop, but also shed light on some of the rappers trash-worthy in the mainstream.
For my last blog I wanted to include lyrics to a song from Robin Thicke’s upcoming album “Sex Therapy.” Thicke is the son of actor Alan Thicke and actress Gloria Loring. He has a really interesting back-story in his relationship to hip hop. He was always a fan of r&b but felt that his white background/parents in showbiz would hurt his chances of making it in the music industry. It wasn’t until he finally accepted who he really wanted to be as a musician that he finally broke through into R&B/hip hop with his sophomore album, “The Evolution of Robin Thicke.”
“Sex Therapy” is set to be released December 15th, and it has a smooth vibe to it (a lot of his stuff does). The Game and Kid Cudi also appear on the album but Thicke’s collaboration with Jay-Z on “Meiple” is set ... more »
Posted: December 8, 2009 11:02 pm | 0 comments
Tags: hip hop, lyrics, music, rap
