Last Seen Blogs
Audio
For the future, dreams, or aspirations, I chose “Black Boy Fly” by Kendrick Lamar. Kendrick uses a very unorthodox method to write about the dreams and aspirations he had as a kid growing up in Compton. Instead of rapping about the ambition to lead a better life or the struggles he had to go through to get to where he is now, Kendrick instead opens up about the jealousy, insecurities and fears he had when he was young.
After the intro, Kendrick begins his story with, “I used to be jealous of Aaron Afflalo. I used to be jealous of Aaron Afflalo. He was the one to follow. He was the only leader foreseeing brighter tomorrows. He would live in the gym. We was living in sorrow.” These lyrics set up the first verse in which Kendrick Lamar describes how seeing his high school classmate Aaron Afflalo (star basketball player from Compton, current NBA player) succeed made him all the more realize that he and his friends were going nowhere in life. With each basket Afflalo scored, Kendrick grew more and more envious that he wasn’t given the gifts and talents that Afflalo had. The difference between Aaron Afflalo and Kendrick Lamar can be best described in his line, “He (Afflalo) focused on the NBA, we focused on some Patron.”
In the second verse, Kendrick raps about his envy of Jayceon Taylor, who is known by his rap name, The Game. The Game was raised in Compton and was able to use his music as a way out. The Game began ascending up the rap charts as Kendrick continued to move about Compton with what seems like no sense of direction. In the same way he envied Aaron Afflalo, he envied The Game for being one of the few people to make it out of Compton. In the last verse, his sums up all of his feelings of guilt and jealousy in what is best described by his last line, “I wasn’t jealous ‘cause of the talents they got, I was terrified they’ll be the last Black boys to fly out of Compton.”
Link to lyrics: https://genius.com/Kendrick-lamar-black-boy-fly-lyrics
2 notes
·
View notes
Audio
For moving on and moving up, I chose “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now” by McFadden and Whitehead. There can’t be a more appropriately titled song for this topic. The lyrics are filled with motivational language encouraging the listener to keep striving forward. There is no particular goal, agenda, or plan articulated by the songwriters. “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now”, serves as a general tune to create confidence in someone striving forward in whatever endeavor in life.
The lyrics in the song are not very layered, they are quite simple and to the point. The song begins with, “Ain’t no stoppin’ us now, we’re on the move. Ain’t no stoppin’ us now, we’ve got the groove”. Joy and certainty emanate from the singers as they declare that they cannot be stopped as they move on through life. Not only can they not be stopped, but they also have “the groove”, meaning their confidence is not only deeply rooted, but they also have a swagger about themselves when flaunting their confidence.
In the first verse, lyrics read, “There’ve been so many things that have held us down, but it looks like things are finally comin’ around”. This is a verse that everyone can relate to. At some point in everyone’s life, hard times come along and they never seem to have an end. But, when we keep living, brighter days eventually come around. Messages of determination such as, “But we won’t let nothing hold us back”, “I know that you refuse to be held down anymore”, and “don’t let nothing, nothing, nothing stand in your way” are peppered throughout the song to create a motivational tone to a song that otherwise sounds celebratory.
Link to lyrics: https://genius.com/Mcfadden-and-whitehead-aint-no-stoppin-us-now-annotated
1 note
·
View note
Audio
https://genius.com/Beyonce-schoolin-life-lyricsFor partying and having fun, I chose “Schoolin’ Life” by Beyoncé. Given that this is an assignment to expound upon lyrics, I chose not to use any of the music you would normally hear at Black clubs catered toward younger partiers because much of that music, although enjoyable in the correct setting, contains lyrics that have absolutely no substance. So instead, I chose a song in which I have to put my masculinity aside and relax and enjoy the vibes of the music. “Schoolin’ Life” is a song dedicated to women celebrating life. The music reminds me of Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.”
The lyrics contain multiple shout outs to different demographics of women: Beyonce sings that this song is for “them twenty somethings” who are realizing that time has moved fast since they were sixteen, the song is for “them thirty somethings” who may not have been as successful or as prototypical as their parents imagined them to be, the song is additionally for “them forty somethings” who should just sit back and laugh, and finally, the song is for “them fifty somethings” who have made it halfway through life and should drink to celebrate.
In the refrain, Beyonce sings of her thirst for freedom even at a young age. She comments on her parents trying to shelter her as she grew up, but she rebelled and did the opposite of what her parents hoped for. She sings of her parents asking her what she would want to be when she grows up, instead of providing the common answer of doctor or lawyer, Beyonce replies, “Baby, 21 so I’d get me a drink.”
The chorus of the song exemplifies a celebration of life as it is, not worrying about labels, titles, or status. Beyonce writes, “I’m not a teacher, baby but I can teach you something. Not a preacher, but we can pray if you wanna. Not a doctor, but I can make you feel better…” Later in the chorus she asks, “Who needs a degree when you’re schooling life?” This hook encourages women to embrace whatever position they’re in in life and to let loose and simply enjoy life and have fun. Beyonce embraces the fact that she may not have fancy titles, but she still has the ability to navigate life and enjoy it as it is.
Lyrics: https://genius.com/Beyonce-schoolin-life-lyrics
1 note
·
View note
Audio
For social commentary, I chose the song “Casket Pretty” by Noname. In this short song less than two minutes long, Noname writes a ballad about violence in Chicago. “Casket Pretty” is a play on words describing citizens of Chicago as already dressed and prepared for caskets, assuming they are surely vulnerable to either gun violence from peers or police.
Noname begins the song with the hook, which reads, “All of my n*ggas is casket pretty, ain’t no one safe in this happy city. I hope you make it home. I pray to God that my tele’ don’t ring.” These lyrics create a sense that Noname’s friends and neighbors are constantly subject to violence at any time, any day. The sense that no one is safe portrays just how rampant violence in her area of Chicago is. Her cry of hope that her friends make it home serves as a troubling reality in that a friend simply getting home safely is noteworthy. Equally as troubling is that fact that a telephone ringing is traumatic to Noname, given that a phone call is intrinsically associated with news that someone has died from gun shots.
In the only verse in the song, Noname raps in a helpless tone pleading for a solution to the madness. Noname raps, “Don’t hold me, don’t hold me, when n*ggas is dying and dying and I’m afraid of the dark, blue and the white, badges and pistols rejoice in the night…” These lines are heavy with raw realities that no one can console her when her friends are constantly dying. To describe violence in the most desperate sense, Noname raps that badges and pistols “rejoice” in the night, as if violence is so common that it must be something celebratory.
She continues reliving her frequent experiences; seeing him or her die, with teddy bears and roses next to bullets in the street surrounding a slain citizen. In what I consider the most painful plead in the song, Noname asks, “where’s love when you need it?” This engenders a sense of a scarcity of love and care amidst the violence in Chicago. This question is immediately followed by the statement that there’s “too many babies in suits,” or, there’s too many children with death shortly approaching in their future.
Link to lyrics: https://genius.com/Noname-casket-pretty-lyrics
0 notes
Audio
For economics and making money, I chose “Hustle Hard” by Ace Hood. As with many trap rappers, Ace Hood doesn’t substantially adhere to a strict theme throughout the song. Although the chorus and many of the lyrics are about making money, Ace Hood does stray away from the topic from time to time since the inent of the song is much more for listening pleasure than literary critique. With that said, aside from pervasive misogynist language and glorification of crime, “Hustle Hard” is about doing whatever you can to make a dollar and being dedicated to the money.
The song begins with the chorus, “Same old s***, just a different day. Out here trying to get it each and every way. Momma need a house. Baby need some shoes. Times are getting hard. Guess what I’mma do? Hustle, hustle, hustle, hard.” The chorus sets the tone of the song by establishing Ace Hood’s mentality towards money. He has people to take care of and he’s responsible for his own financial well-being as well, therefore he has to find ways to make money, “each and every way”.
In the first verse, Ace Hood raps about the big bank in his pockets, and how he’s able to double the profit. He then raps about his ability to buy whatever he pleases and the expensive cars he’s driving. In the second verse he continues to talk about his financial prosperity in that he can swipe his card at the mall and buy whatever he desires. At the end of the song, Ace Hood provides lyrics that relate back to the title, “Money is involved, better know I’m on it. That's wording to my mother. Gotta get it one way or another. I put that on my brother. I'm out here on the come-up”.
Link to lyrics: https://genius.com/Ace-hood-hustle-hard-lyrics
0 notes
Audio
For daily life, I chose the song “Cruising” by Lecrae. Lecrae takes a listener through a day in his life, although this particular day is really chill. He talks about everyday activities and how he’s not worried about how tomorrow will turn out, simply because he’s only focused on enjoying today.
To complement the title “Cruising”, the vibes of the song are quite laid-back as well. The instrumental involves simple percussions with a beat to go along with it. Lecrae’s cadence is relatively slow which even further creates a chill vibe to make for a song that encourages relaxation, peace, and good vibes.
Lecrae begins the song with his morning routine: waking up late, thanking God for the day, showering, and getting a fresh outfit together. He leaves his room to see a plate of breakfast prepared by his wife. Breakfast is the start of what seems to be a perfect day as Lecrae talks about reading the Bible before heading outside to enjoy beautiful weather. But not only is the weather good, Lecrae begins cruising in his jeep and realizes he’s been on the road for at least 15 minutes without ever being stopped by a red light. After going to the car wash, Lecrae found a ten dollar bill that he would end up giving to a man who is possibly homeless. In the second verse, Lecrae talks about playing ball at the park and ending the day eating at his favorite restaurant with his wife.
Lecrae expresses a unique appreciation for customary events that play out in anyone’s daily life. The intricate details shed light that he’s being appreciative of the little things in life. No grand or spectacular events appear in the lyrics, the song is just about appreciating life as it is.
Link to lyrics: https://genius.com/Lecrae-cruising-lyrics
0 notes
Audio
I chose “High for Hours” by J. Cole to discuss Freedom/Liberation. Should Cole be telling the truth in his confession before he starts rapping, the lyrics are thoughts written on paper in rhyme while J. Cole had been high for hours. These thoughts, whether written under the influence or not, reveal Cole’s viewpoint on racism in America.
Cole starts off by tracing the origins of American history─ “American hypocrisy, oh let me count the ways. They came here seeking freedom and they end up owning slaves.” He then highlights more hypocrisy when the outburst of joy emerged from White America when Osama Bin Laden was killed, even though America involves itself in similar forms of terrorism across the world. His critique can be conveyed by his question to White America’s celebration of Bin Laden’s death, “For real? I thought this was thou shall not kill?” But Cole remembers that police are still killing Blacks at an alarmingly higher rate than White citizens. Cole realized this phenomenon was widespread when was a child and would travel to Texas with his dad. He saw that Blacks were still struggling under oppression just like people from his hometown of Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Cole met with President Barack Obama once and asked him why, given all the power the president has, he hasn’t helped out the Black community more since he had been in office. Cole learned that the president was well aware of the issues but wasn’t able to do all he wishes he could do because of the way American politics is set up. The president tells Cole to never stop fighting for what he believes in. Although change will be slow, there is still a way to leave this earth a better place than how you found it.
In the last verse, Cole realizes that traditional revolutions have not worked throughout history. He notices that oppressed peoples get tired of living under adverse conditions and end up starting revolutions. Cole once thought overthrowing oppressors was the way to combat oppression but he realized that, “it’s not that simple.” Cole came to understand that once a group of people overthrow an oppressive body, they will then seize power, but we all know what power does to man. Cole states that gaining power from another group isn’t successful because as long as someone is in power, corruption will find its way to infiltrate the system because of human nature. This will end up being a never ending cycle of oppression, overthrow, seizing of power, then more corruption and oppression. Cole begins to come to his own understanding that the only real revolution can only take place inside of one’s mind. His sentiments are represented in the last line, “What good is taking over when we know what you ‘gone do? The only real revolution happens right inside of you.”
link to lyrics: https://genius.com/J-cole-high-for-hours-lyrics
0 notes
Audio
I chose to analyze “We Don’t Care” by Kanye West as a song for Politics and Resistance. Kanye flips the script on resistance by embracing the detrimental and illegal activities that lower-class Blacks choose to partake in in order to get by. Similar to Blaxploitation movies in the 70s, Kanye creates an anti-hero narrative of kids and adults on the south side of Chicago selling drugs, bootlegging movies, burglarizing homes.
“We Don’t Care” succeeds an intro by an educator that serves as a narrator asking Kanye to make a song that will inspire kids to start, “jumping up and down and sharing candy and stuff,” at graduation. Kanye replies that he has the “perfect song for the kids to sing”. “We Don’t Care” immediately begins by Kanye saying that this sing is perfect for not only the kids, but “all my people that’s drug dealing just to get by”. He follows up by telling all thedrug dealers to stack their money until it gets sky high.
The rest of the song is an internal peek into the life at the bottom of the socio-economic rung of society. Instead of criticizing the institutional racism that has created poverty-stricken and crime-infested neighborhoods, he instead rebels and revels in being a part of the forgotten ones in society. He speaks about how as a kid he looked up to the drug dealers because they were the only ones that weren’t broke in his neighborhood. Kanye encourages the dope peddlers to stay outside and hustle because he understands that that money could be tuition for someone’s dependents. In the last stanza, Kanye also revels in the fact that kids in Chicago are much smarter than teachers give them credit for, as they all learned from the streets how to become clever, witty, and business-savvy.
Link to lyrics: https://genius.com/14810
0 notes
Audio
Attached is the song I chose for social/political commentary (3/24).
0 notes
Text
Social/Political Commentary 3/24
The song for political commentary I chose was “Myhood, U.S.A, 1937”, by Sho Baraka. In this song, he traces the chronology of Black neighborhoods from post-Civil War until now. He comments on events and mindsets that caused historically Black neighborhoods to deteriorate over time. He begins the song as if he’s introducing a fairy tale (possibly a reference to how the state of Black neighborhoods had already been scripted), “Once upon a time but not long ago/before the Civil Rights Movement and the new Jim Crow/Sit back, I’ll introduce you to a wonderful place/In every state called ‘my hood USA’”.
He begins off his story by highlighting that Black neighborhoods were home to Black professionals of all types (artists, barbers, doctors, etc.). With Black professionals living in these neighborhoods, Black businesses of course thrived in these neighborhoods. Sho Baraka points out that staple universities, sports leagues, and banks were all found in Black neighborhoods in the era between the Civil War and Civil Rights Movement because segregation required Black people to financially and socially invest within their own communities.
After his introduction, Sho Baraka pivots the story by explaining what would eventually decimate communities across the country─ “unexplained flames”, “eminent domain”, “how can you own a home if you can’t get a loan?”, red-lining. A perfect synopsis of his critique is held in the line, “You can’t win fighting the government and the KKK”.
Sho Baraka then switches his focus to the negative effects of integration. Sho Baraka writes, “Blacks moved to the ‘burbs, trying to escape the system/But they took stability and wealth right along with them”. He continues on his theme of integration by imparting how much more susceptible Black neighborhoods became to gentrification after integration. He then follows that with increasing police brutality and unjust fines placed on Blacks in areas that once used to thrive but now are becoming what he describes as “Myhood, USA”. Characteristics of “Myhood, USA” are people that are “dope fiends shooting dope who don’t know the meaning of Harvard or hope”, the staples of under sourced Black neighborhoods (fast food restaurants, churches, Asian owned businesses, pawn shops, and liquor stores), and gangs. To end his story, he reveals that the song is a love story that calls justice.
Link to lyrics: https://genius.com/Sho-baraka-myhood-usa-1937-lyrics
0 notes
Text
Relationships (3/21)
For relationships, I chose to choose a song about family. I can’t remember how I came across “Sunday Candy”, but I remember that immediately after hearing the song, I fell in love with the song─ not just the instrumentals, which are amazing, but the lyrics as well. It was while listening to this song that I began to realize that as Black people, we must all have the same grandmothers. Chance the Rapper and I are the same age, so possibly it has something to with the generation of Black women born in the former half of the 20th century, but it really amazed me that some of Chance’s lyrics were exactly relatable to my relationship with my grandmother, although his lives in Chicago, Illinois, and mine lived in Lorman, Mississippi, two places that could not be more different.
Both verses portray exactly the kind of love that Black grandmothers have for their grandchildren and the type of instrumental role they have from birth until they unfortunately must pass away. Throughout the song, Chance uses religious references to highlight Black women’s heavy roots in the Black church. Lyrics such as, “I am the thesis of her prayers,” “praying with her hands tied,” and “you sound like why the gospel choir got so tired? Singing his praises daily basis so I gotta try it,” highlight our grandmothers’ love and commitment for the church. Chance also has a line referencing his grandmother dressed in satin with matching hats and shoes, which of course is a common sight for Black church mothers across the country. Continuing with the religious theme, Chance ends each of his verses stating how it’s time for him to go to church because he knows his grandmother will be expecting him.
Another theme throughout the lyrics was food, because what Black child doesn’t believe their grandmother is the best cook in the world? When describing his grandmother in the first verse, Chance writes, “Mines is hand-made, pan-fried, sun-dried,” and also writes how shows up to Christmas to stuff his plate with the best soul food anyone can eat, food from their grandma. And if that wasn’t specific enough, he even mentions his grandmother giving him peppermints during church service. It’s as if Chance and I have the same grandma.
What is also not forgotten is the unconditional support Black grandmothers have for their grandkids. Chance uses various titles to convey his grandmother’s support: “president of my fan club, “Santa”, “dream catcher”, and team captain”. These references resonated with me because I vividly remember my grandmother traveling from Mississippi for all kinds of occasions, first days of school, middle school football games, graduations, whatever she felt like supporting myself, my brother, and my cousins in. In fact, her last public outing was in 2014 at Jackson State vs. Alcorn State football game in Lorman. This would be the only time in her life she would see three of her grandkids (myself, and two cousins who play for Alcorn) play against each other in football. The game was nine months before she passed away.
And perhaps most intriguing of the lyrics is Jamila Woods’s line, “Come on in this house, because it’s gonna rain”. I remember hearing these exact words time and time again while I played outside with my cousins as a storm approached. If my grandmother decided to stay inside while we played, she would always come outside right as it started drizzling and yell out from her porch, “Y’all get in this house before it start storming!” The lyrics are a perfect picture of the relationship of Black children and the matriarchs of their familes.
Lyrics: https://genius.com/Donnie-trumpet-and-the-social-experiment-sunday-candy-lyrics
rl��f^�O
0 notes
Text
Mid-term
The lyrical and musical content of the soundtrack of the documentary and other Blaxploitation films mirrored the attitude of many working class Black Americans in the 70s. Blacks had been pulled away from the respectable and zealous creed of non-violence propagated by Martin Luther King in the early to mid-1960s. The Black power movement was in full-swing, and the lyrics catered to the movement. The music was brash, the lyrics were assertive, and were without regard to what was deemed as respectable.
According to Blaxploitation movies, Black life was materialistic and crime centered. Blacks had no respect for the law and lived life by their own rules. Blacks were overtly sexual beings and operated outside of American mainstream society, above the law. Drug dealers, pimps, crooked detectives or cops, and mobsters were common characters in Blaxploitation films and Blacks who lived this lifestyle were the ones that prospered, given that many of these characters were “anti-heroes” in Blaxploitation films.
The cultural representations in Blaxploitation movies were caricatures that had evolved over time. The buck, coon, and mammy had evolved over time and now became heroes of movies instead of the subservient objects of derogatory stereotypes. The Black bucks and coons, still overtly sexual, became rebellious heroes by using strategic violence and sex to “stick it to the man” instead of remaining beast-like beings controlled by sexual impulses and a susceptibility to impulsive criminal activity. The mammies became strong, empowered women, with a willingness to fight men and claim their own womanhood while using their sex appeal to their advantage. These images are still present in hip-hop culture today, as a large portion of mainstream rappers have overtly masculine personas, personas buttressed by rebellion, sexual conquest, and economic prosperity attained outside of the law. Female musicians that express their sexuality also are bolstered by mainstream media outlets more than female musicians that remain conservative.
The reason the films are called Blaxploitation depends on who you ask. If you ask actors and actresses what Blaxploitation means, they may deny that the term is even accurate, or they may say that Blacks were exploited because film makers knew that Black audiences would support films with Black anti-heroes. If you ask the Black intellectuals of the 70s, they would likely say that Black people were exploited by showcasing the worst stereotypes and putting them in front of the big screen for Black viewers to internalize and for White viewers to justify their prejudices.
1 note
·
View note
Text
3/7 Prompt B
The five pillars of hip-hop culture are: MCing, DJing, Breakdancing, Graffiti, and Knowledge.
MCing refers to the way lyrics are delivered to the listeners. MCing, as opposed to singing, offers artists a way to pack tons of content into a standard set of bars in a song. MCing also allows for the artists to deliver messages in a multitude of tones, whether than be militant, passionate, reflective, or just fun-loving. It creates the greatest opportunity for expression through the use of words, which was needed to tell stories of street life among poor and Black inner cities.
DJing is action of spinning records in order to create beats for dancing and rapping. DJing is integral part of hip culture as it serves as the generator of breakdancing and the backbone of MCing. DJs are a key ingredient to parties in hip-hop culture, as they can make or break an event based on their performance.
Breakdancing is the physical expression of hip hop culture. A very expressive dance form that entails complete freedom of movement, and shuns uniformity and delicacy, breakdancing can express feelings and emotions that can’t be put into words. Breakdancers are in complete sync with the beats played by DJs, yet are not restricted by anyone or anything while dancing. It is a physical representation freedom and rebellion.
Graffiti, another expression of rebellion is the spray painting, or “tagging” of words or murals on public spaces. Graffiti can be found on the side buildings, trains, the ground, and almost anything solid. Graffiti represents the voice of the people, not just the words. Graffiti may express rage, joy, pain, or thankfulness. The artistic value of graffiti is noteworthy as is displayed publicly and cannot be relegated to a canvass, and can’t be re-done if something doesn’t look as desired. Therefore any mistake by a graffiti artist must be painted over, just as in life, there are no do-overs, you simply must continue on despite your mistakes.
Knowledge, the last of the pillars of hip-hop, is self-explanatory. Knowledge of self is necessary in order to express yourself and carry out an entire culture. Hip hop was intended to bring people together to create a sense of unity and community in an environment where realities were a lot gloomier than people’s dreams. And in order to create this sense of community, knowledge of everything around you is paramount.
0 notes
Text
3/2 Prompt A
Assuming “The Mothership” relates to the African roots of the culture of funk, “The Mothership” is essentially the basis for all African-American expression. This base, the sensuality, grittiness, and freedom all concentrated in rhythms and bodily movements, has been expressed in the funk years of African-American music. It is not only a natural sense of humanity and a celebration of the body, but also a direct reaction to the oppression and mistreatment Blacks have faced since the 1600s in America. Funk is resistance to that pain, finding joy in sorrow, and finding freedom amongst subjugation. This type of resistance was the antithesis of Western culture, as it ignored the proper, respectable conduct that is so valued in Western culture.
[��컜V+j�
0 notes
Audio
I saw a friend tweeting about Anderson .Paak and I decided to check out his album Malibu. This is the first song on the album and I fell in love with it immediately.
0 notes
Audio
“River” is one of my favorite songs. It reminds me of negro spirituals and the soul of Bridge’s voice is so powerful in this song. I want someone to sing this at my funeral.
1 note
·
View note