Friday, May 19, 2006

Does Hip Hop Love Women?

TwitThis

This song is hella Fresh. Its called your my Number 1. Peace to spine mag for the hook up. It sounds Pharrell and Ye ye don' went to the 80's and brought us back some dance music. "She might be nothing to you/ But she the s-it to me". I love it, I love it, I love it.

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Did jall know the Giants are paying the A's this weekend. Watch Bonds knock it
out the park and my brother get the ball and we become RICHBEECH!

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About.com, randomly, has one of the best interviews about Hip Hop that I have seen in hot minute. The interview is with Dreddy Krueger, the cat who did that Think Different Wu Tang Album.

The only Doom record I was anxious to hear was the one that didn't make the cut [Charlie Brown]. I already heard the rest on Special Herbs.To me, Pete Rock had the best beat on there. But, "R.A.G.U." was the best song on there, beat-wise.
Song-wise, "Kilo" was one of the best records on there. Ghost is really
separating himself from the Wu. You read the tabloids, you've seen what's going on. He's doing his own thing right now. I don't think that's a good move. People are gonna know when they hear how much better Raekwon's album is than Ghost's. People have no idea. I'm hearing the songs almost everyday. RZA's doing the whole album, and Dr. Dre will have 3 joints on there. [ For the record I have ALLWAYS rode for RAE, ALLWAYS. If what DREDDY is saying is right, then this is going to be a watershed year for that image saturated street talk hip hop= B girl happiness]. The sh*t's going to be incredible. It's going to be one of those records where n***as is like "Yo, Rae is back!"

Wow, you've got a ton of music coming out this year.

Man, we got a whole lot. Inspectah Deck, GZA, and RZA's projects are going to be the highlights of the year out of the 9 generals. RZA's about to give GZA a whole album again on some Liquid Swords sh*t, and he's doing the same with Deck. RZA's in that zone again, where he's just concentrating on putting his beats together to try and bring the Wu sound back. That's why you ain't seeing him that much. The "W" has bullet holes in it right now, and it's about to fall. I think when I released my compilation, I held it up a little bit. It gave us a little bit more life, like "OK, these n***as ain't dead, they still got some creative thoughts and everything."

How soon should we look forward to the Ghostface and MF Doom record?

That's coming out this spring. All we're waiting on is for Def Jam to clear Ghostface. Def Jam still hasn't cleared Ghost. [Somebody get Bob Simon, head of contracts and releases at Def Jam on the phone so he can do tha dam thyang, so I can have me so good summer fall music.] They kept telling us that we have to wait till Ghost's album drops. His album has dropped, but they still haven't signed the papers yet.

Dude. Reading that interview was like reading a '92 Source. It was somebody talking some ISH about hip hop that I actually wanted to hear. ******************** ********************

Why inna h*ell is this not happening at summer stage. You would have every boho,
buppie and b-boy in 'nere repping. San Bernadino. Dude. Give US US HIP HOP in BK, tha Bronx, Atlanta, Richmond, DC, Detroit, notinnogotdamn San Bernadino.

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Women Don't Like Music Nerds. Um. No. Tara Henely of XXL thinks so. She says,

But anyway, as it happens, Bol makes an excellent point. It is true that the music blog phenomenon—and a certain level of dialogue on music in general—is pretty much a male thing. I’m not saying females can’t love music in the same detail-oriented, collector, trivia-obsessed sort of way that most male hip-hop heads do. I’m just saying that, by and large, they don’t.
I feel your pain, ONE. And I hate to tell you this—but you all do it to yourselves. Female heads are about as welcome in hip-hop culture as a sober Jehovah’s Witness is at a crunk Christmas party.
Hip Hop on the Green. Thembisa's hip-hop show at Mills in what, er '94. All them Black Lily shows, Wetlands shows. Tramps shows. Sista's allways were presents, accounted for and just doing them. Trust. We are there. Just because the online community is not OVERFLOWING with women yapping about the hop, [Present company excluded of course], does not mean that they do not exist. that jus means that men like to talk more. Well duh!
I feel your pain, ONE. And I hate to tell you this—but you all do it to yourselves. Female heads are about as welcome in hip-hop culture as a sober Jehovah’s Witness is at a crunk Christmas party.
I had the exact opposite experience. I found that being into "THE HOP" as a teenager, dudes would wannna chop it up about the latest source cover, and who was coming on the wake up show, and how they met black moon and Jeru at the GAVIN last February. Granted. Some were tryna smash. But by in large, being into the hop afforded me the opportunity to forge friendships w/ folks based on THAT common intrest. While I do concede that my evidence is anecdotal also, it does infact, fly in the face of the idea of women NOT BEING WELCOMED in the hop. THE Hop is ambivilent about women. It loves us, it sexualizes us, it wants us to be Bonnie, and to be its Ride or Die chick Dear Momma's us and i. But guess what, American culture does the EXACT SAME THING TO WOMEN. Tell me whenna go.

But anyway, for the most part, girls that are really into hip-hop tend to be isolated, and end up having to seek out dudes to converse with. [This is derisive. B-Girls Stand UP].You all know what happens next. If you are kicking it with a dude, he probably has other things on his mind than having a friendly chat about hip-hop. (Word to When Harry Met Sally.)

When it comes to groups of guys, they typically don’t have any desire whatsoever to have a female present for their hip-hop powwows. I grew up with a brother and our apartment was always full of dudes talking about hip-hop, but most female hip-hop heads don’t have access to that type of environment. A while back I was talking to one of my bro’s friends about this exact dynamic—and he was like, “Come on, T. No group of guys is ever sitting around, like ‘You know what we need? We really need a female friend in our crew to give us another perspective on hip-hop.’” My point exactly. [Fine. He can be dismissive, but its anecdotal at best. There is a place for women in Hip to be both accepted by men, to interact with them, and to maintain our own critcal voice while appreciating the music].

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Straight bangin' has a review up of the roots show. This is my favorite part.

Now, about going to church. The Roots are arguably the best live act in the history of hip-hop, and remain quite capable of offering one of the best concerts you'll find in any genre.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of regularly seeing them perform, and around the time of Things Fall Apart, they were putting on some shows that engendered unadulterated euphoria. I mean, you couldn't help but jump up and move with the spirit. You know? Cast out sin, touch my forehead, testify--the Roots crew was in the house, and you were rocking with the best. It was exhilarating.

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Oh oh oh. Unckut has the first annual WC awards.


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Dude. Where is the Sun. I wanna wear a dress and my new flip flops. Arrrg. Watch it get hot when my break is over. What 'chall doing this weekend? Yall seen Mission Impossible 2? How about over the hedge?

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15 comments:

the prisoner's wife said...

women in hip hop...isn't this an old argument? to say we are "shut out" and to say tht finding conversation is RARE is just plain uninformed. i've been to COUNTLESS shows over the years and girls are ALLLLLLLLWAYS right in the mix, rockin with the dudes. i've been around. you been around. Tricia Rose been around. Joan Morgn, dream hampton, Danyel Smith, etc, etc. this b*girl ish aint nothing new. i'm always slightly offended when people say they don't know many female hip hop heads. we aint native americans, you can catch us at the sizzler (ala chris rock).

lol@San Bernadino...they always be throwing them shows way out in the middle of the hot @ss desert. look at Cochella. i went to a Cypress Hill Smoke Out once in San. Bernadino...trust..they put them shows out there for a reason. aint ish gwan get bruk up when negroes (and negroe lovers) come to town.

re: the sun. it's been MIA in So Cal as well. we've been having days and days of gray. ineed some brightness.

re: me. taking the CSET (teaching test) today. wish me luck! don't know ish about linguistics, but imma fake it till i make it.

bless up.

the prisoner's wife said...

btw: my last 2 posts are dedicated to hip hop.

so there goes the neighborhood.

Gotty™ said...

If you are kicking it with a dude, he probably has other things on his mind than having a friendly chat about hip-hop. (Word to When Harry Met Sally.)

smh....

M.Dot. said...

Miss momma poet, Fake till you make it, what!?!?!?!?
Best wishes on your exam sweets.

She was just putting down what her opinion was and I had to put down what MY experience is.

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Furst of all Gotty. They WERE checking for my re the hippety hop.

Secondly, some DID wanna mash. But I was still treated like a person. I ain't retarded. I know n*ggas wanna mash.

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jb said...

that would be a nice summerstage addition but sadly summerstage is extra wack this year. celebrate brooklyn does look very good though.

i think its interesting how authorative a wide variety of people have been with regard to women discussing music. just because one doesn't see, hear or read it doesn't mean something's not happening. this is the quintessential problem with historiography that so many men of color (and others on the fringes) have railed against while adopting the same strategy of erasure to others (in this case women).

vik said...

great post.

good lookin with the dreddy interview. this is where rae proves he still has it. help from rza and dre helps too.

hopefully, he'll also move beyond this crack music fad.

just checked the summer stage lineup. not bad. but, come on. we live in the home of hip hop, jazz, soul, and rock.....
peace

M.Dot. said...

@ JB. That my dear is one of the benefits of being myopic. [Don't you just love that world *grins nerdily***.

Of course if you can't see it ain't happening. We live in a visual culture that eats youthful imaginations for breakfast.

M.Dot. said...

@ Vik.

Um. They allways gon' do that sophisticated crack talk. I liken them to Donald Goines taking a creative writing class.

What do you think?

I am glad you like that post. I put a lil bit of my soul innit. I learnt that sh*t last spring. When you write some pieces, you leave a lil bit of yourself in it.

A.u.n.t. Jackie said...

I wish negros had something similar to a bat/bar mitzvah

that right there is a the double truth ruth!

My younger brother and sister each took part in something based in West African Culture to mark their arrival into adulthood. I had a limo and stayed out all night when I turned 16...

we need a landmark event so that this forever child syndrome does not prevail!

M.Dot. said...

Ms. Agmad is back yall.

I was wondering where my sister was.

Girl. Go see that movie. It is sooooooo caaayute.

M.Dot. said...

Whoops.

Ms. Ahmad.

Hoegaarden Hoes stand up!

Anonymous said...

re: ladies followin' tha game...
yeah, i feel u. we DO know when yall just wanna smash. I smirked knowing it wasnt goin' down like that and kept tha convo on Biggie's new video or the release date for Tical's new one. [of course I'm referencing back in da day.]

I know i was forced to seek out dudes, if i wanted to discuss rap. But having two brothers, only one who was older, led to me not having to look very far. His friends, neighborhood dudes and tha like were around.

Of course there is an etiquette to it, you can't just jump into tha discussion... plus u best know ya shyt! Cuz they always wanna test you on some "whose better" or "which album was hotter?" And ya answer determines whether you'll be taken seriously in tha future.

Point is: we here. Ladies been here. We aint goin nowhere. Eff what tha critics/anybody say.
We lurkin' on smokingsection, we supportin' on sohh.com, and we sure as hell aint offended by tha "biatches" and "hoe" bombs that get dropped.

Why? Cuz we know its merely words over a track. Over in 3:45, and not to be taken THAT seriously.

M.Dot. said...

Peace CamStizzy.

I am glad you came through.
We stay lurkin', less you got a sm*art a$$ mouth like me.

Thank you for sharing your story re being a b-girl. Just cuz we quiet don't mean we invisible, that just means we inna cut. Hello!

However I do disagree about the fact that words in a song is just words.

Our music. Is very powerful to young minds that have not been taught to be analytical yet. It can be like smoking crack when you pregnant. Real talk.

The baby never had a chance.

Becuase if the words did not matter, then what are we, in fact, listening to?

Anonymous said...

i think its safe to say that what we are listening to is a bunch of fantasies and ideas, some more closer to reality than others. and its the presentation, [aka the melody & the beat] combined with the expression of these ideas that capture/enrapture us. Young minds not able to differentiate fantasy from reality or possitive from negative imagery shouldnt be listening. Enter: parental control/responsibility.

M.Dot. said...

But cam.

The reality is that the parents are not parenting.

They are overwhelmed unhealed, and just plain tired.

Over and over again I hear these arguements that presume that the answer is in the parenting, however, such arguemtns do not take into consideration how fragile our familes are NOW from the get go.

At the end of the day, you are only as strong as your parents, unless someone else comes along and nurtures you and you are receptive.

Otherwise all you have is what they gave and looking at our employment rates, high school drop out rates and well as other indicia, it is clearly that we are no being given enough.

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