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Material, Success and History (1)

All Falls Down - Kanye West

A commentary of current African-American and hip-hop culture, the track ‘All Falls Down’ from Kanye West’s 2004 debut album is littered with references connecting back to the mistreatment of his ancestors. He relates these cultural and historical issues to the remaining influences that still exist today. The song focuses on examining society’s actions and insecurities, primarily in the black community.

There are a myriad of deeply rooted insinuations in lines such as 

“We buy our way out of jail, but we can’t buy freedom”, 

West encapsulates a lot of social issues with a seemingly small statement. Following even the abolishment of slavery, the majority of the black community still suffer an impending feeling lacking of true freedom. Additionally he speaks to the criminal tendencies of those who can afford their way out of prison, regardless of their success or status.

After an ethnic disconnect, and being taken from their homeland amongst the slave trade era, came an identity and cultural crisis. West speaks to the materialistic approach that has been adopted by the black community as a position of status / success in lieu of they cultural history. 

“We shine because they hate us, floss cause they degrade us

We trying to buy back our 40 acres

And for that paper, look how low we’ll stoop

Even if you in a Benz, you still a nigga in a coupe (coop)”

West makes a comparison between the inherent consumerism culture as trying to make their way in the American world, and to buy back (literally) what was lost after the disconnect of slavery. The last line of this stanza has been intentionally left as a homonym (coupe/coop). The use of coop can be taken to represent the remnant caged feeling of those is his demographic.

Through “All Falls Down” West has simultaneously given an in-depth commentary on the importance of social status in the modern Black society, as well as its roots and beginnings in the aftermath of the slavery and segregation cultures they came from.

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The Human Drum Machine (2)

So Far To Go - J Dilla, Common, D’Angelo

The late J Dilla (born James Yancy) is considered by many hip-hop consumers and musicians to be one of the most influential producers of the genre. His techniques in creating sample based hip-hop are globally viewed as some of the most creative and intricate in the world of hip-hop beat making. 

“So Far To Go” is a collaboration track by J Dilla, alongside R&B powerhouses Common and D’Angelo. Many attribute the success of this track to J Dilla and his absolute mastery of sampling, or as The New York Times called it — “meticulous but casual style.”

Dilla’s instrument of choice, was notably the AKAI MPC300. Released in 1994, the MPC3000 was a drum machine with the ability to interchange and alter samples loaded in to the machine. Through the MPC3000 alongside Yancy’s prodigious approach, new capabilities of sampling and new styles of hip-hop began to emerge.

An important part of Dilla’s sound, was how he famously worked without the use of quantisation (Quantising meaning to automatically place kicks, snares etc. perfectly and directly on beat). Described by renowned drummer Questlove, a frequent collaborator at the time, “the kick drum sound like it was played [by] a drunk three-year-old.” He later described the ability to nonchalantly incorporate these odd and intricately out of time beats as “the most liberating moment.”

On the track “So far to go”, the main riff melody is a flipped sample from “Don’t say Goodnight, It’s Time for Love” (The Isley Brothers, 1980). The sample can be heard here at 0:40 and throughout:

As was his style, a lot of the track is off kilter. From the drums to the driving melody, almost nothing is set completely on time, this gave the track a more human feel, although it is produced almost entirely electronically.

From amateurs to professionals, many still look to the sampling styles and techniques of J Dilla for inspiration. Using the MPC3000 as an extension of himself, he caused a culture shift and paved the way for a new evolution of music production and hip-hop respectively.

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Roots and Friends (3)

Gang Over Luv - Brent Faiyaz

A standout track from the debut album of Maryland native Brent Faiyaz, “Gang Over Luv” is a coming of age reflection. The track is centred around his financial journey, alongside the values of his group of friends as a youth, compared to his current values.

As a youth, Faiyaz nurtured a turbulent relationship with his parents. Described as “always distracted by music” he did not receive much support from the family in terms of his musical endeavours. The singer did not take educational pursuits too seriously, further evidenced by the lines:

“I remember we would cut class

My teachers used to hate me

The only reason that I did that 

Was to keep from going crazy”

Further reflecting upon his time as a youth, he talks about a lack of money growing up. However, he always put time in for his music.

“I was hella broke then

I ain't have a dime

But I was always focused

I ain't waste no time”

This is referenced later in the track, comparing his and his friends positions from then to now, and what it means to his persona.

“All the homies, we came up the same way

And I swear ain't nothing change

Got a little bit of change in my pocket but I maintain”

There is an eerie reminiscence throughout the track, which is supported by the echoing and omnipresent backing vocals. Faiyaz has used a vivid lyrical imagery to portray this piece of his story, as influenced by his environments and his experiences.

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Through Thick and Thin (4 & 5)

Dreaming - Scribe (Analysing The Tikanga of Scribe.)

A breakout artist in 2003, Scribe (born Malo Luafutu) quickly rose to the top among the NZ hip-hop scene. Supported by already established acts such as P-Money and Savage, the Christchurch rappers rise to fame was almost instantaneous.

The single “Dreaming” from his debut album “The Crusader”, expressed his journey and his values that allowed him to work hard, refine his talents and gain footing in the industry. Scribe’s Tikanga at the time reflected sobriety, and the fruitfulness of both hard work and sacrifice.

“Gave up the drugs and alcohol

I didn't want to distort

My vision to be living life to the full”

Before Luafutu’s rise to fame, he struggle with addiction issues. The songs chorus speaks to this experience and how he used his dedication to music to overcome these challenges.

“I was down and out

Struggling

Wondered how I'm gonna make it through”

Scribe continues this message throughout the track. He further expresses that the sacrifices don’t stop once you’ve hit a milestone. Even after gaining success, he finds success through his work ethic and through sacrifice.

“I'm working 9 to 5; 

I'm slaving over beats

It’s hard work living the dream 

I hardly ever sleep”

Evaluating The Tikanga of Scribe.

The success of the Christchurch rapper was widely celebrated, a lot of this was due to the positive nature of the message in his lyrics. His reflective lyrics resonated with a lot of youth, especially those in pacific cultures who were able to view him as a role model of success.

Scribe lived at this time, by a very powerful Tikanga, which paved the way for his success. Overall Scribe was held up by the New Zealand and Pacific communities as a ground-breaking and positive artist for the New Zealand Hip-Hop community.

Following the rappers 2007 album release, rumours began to amount to his slip back into addiction. This had an extremely detrimental effect on his reputation, as aforementioned a strong part of his success was the positive message of his music.

While still an icon, he has struggled to return to the limelight following arrest warrants and being admitted to rehab.

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References

Diaz, Z. (2018, November). Analysis of Sampling Techniques by J Dilla in Donuts. SFA State University. 

https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1211&context=etds

Helfet, G. (2020, April 12). This film explores how J Dilla used the MPC to revolutionise hip-hop. The Vinyl Factory. 

https://thevinylfactory.com/news/how-j-dilla-used-mpc-revolutionise-hip-hop/

Okoth-Obbo, V. (2017, October 16). Brent Faiyaz : “Gang Over Luv.” Pitchfork. 

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/brent-faiyaz-gang-over-luv/

Scribe – Dreaming. (2019, May 13). Humanity4HipHop. 

https://humanity4hiphop.com/2019/05/04/scribe-dreaming/

Zadeh, J. (2014, July 7). Just One Song: “All Falls Down.” Clash Magazine. 

https://www.clashmusic.com/features/just-one-song-all-falls-down