'The Art Of Hip Hop' is out - My feelings on Hip-Hop as I reminisce...
"They need to know their history. If I'm going to be a jazz player, I need to understand Miles Davis." Ice T regarding young Hip-Hop fans in his recent interview. See the full Q & A about his film 'The Art of Rap' at Rolling Stone
Word Ice-T. I loved watching the trailer, my heart just soared when I spotted the legends such as Doug-E, Ice-T, MC Lyte & Salt, then the names on the screen such as Marle Marl and Melle Mel! *EEEK!* I really really really want to see this film.
I grew up on what I call original, real, Hip-Hop, amongst other great genres. I prefer the old school Emcees and old school sounds. It was electric for me back then! When the craze hit at school, we'd have battle sessions in the playground. The boys and their windmills! Yeah! Only one girl could break and pop. She was much younger than me and she was my Shero. She showed 'em! I mean, talk about a movement for us British youngsters. Before that was probably Lovers' Rock which was and is amazing too, but this was happening during MY childhood. Peak timing!
I used to pop, I was a Fly Girl hehe - (Although I was a lil' bit acrobatic, I never really could breakdance, that seems to have skipped a generation! Ja is now kicking butt as a Bgirl) I used to rhyme a bit and had an AMAZING collection of vinyl. Incidentally, does anyone remember 'Fade to Black'? It was by a female rapper. I really liked her album at the time but I've forgotten her name now.... I remember my first actual release had come out then and it was so cool to have my very own vinyl to place alongside the amazing classic Hip-Hop tracks that I had. Ah. Memories! Then Public Enemy ("Public Enema") Ha! If you saw the rap films of the day, you'll know what I mean by that one! What a group. Kid n' Play? Pure acrobatic badassness! Special Ed, Big Daddy Kane. They were on posters on my wall. My walls and ceilings were filled with posters (not just from Rap), but those two lovelies' pics were very close to my face, next to my bed haha! Roxanne Shante, The real Roxanne, Queen Latifa, Miss Mello-D and then some more too.
One boyfriend even got me my very own authentic VW badge to prove his love for me! Oh no... Me, being the princess of good ethics even back then was horrified that he'd done that. I sort of told him off, telling him to return it immediately. He said he'd try. Talk about kill the romantic gesture... was I always such a goodie goodie? Well, yes, I suppose so. (Whoops!)
(Quick reference: As much as I loved the Cookie Crew, London Posse, MC Merlin, Overlord X et al, I won't be mentioning them anymore in this post.)
During the Daisy Age era, I remember a stint as a junior at a hairdressers while in between tours and my then colleague kept bragging that she knew Monie Love personally. This was because she knew I loved Hip-Hop ( I was a Goth at the time!). Monie Love did us proud. Brilliant skills. She was able to demonstrate them without feeling the need to prance around half-dressed (which, to me was another great thing about the old school days), and she was/is so pretty!
I was lucky enough to meet MC Lyte backstage in the early 90s (another beautiful yet fully clothed lady) just as I was near the end of my Hip-Hop following days. Paper Thin? Oooh! Back int' day, I used to rap that and all of her rhymes by heart! MC Lyte = FIRE! If I find the pic I had taken with her, I'll upload it. The Nu school and Gangsta Rap was starting to come in around the time I'd met her. I have love for Busta and all the leaders of the Nu School as it were! EPMD, YoYo, Red Man... Yes, I did have a bandana round my head, I wore DMs, red lipstick, and some designer boots I can't quite remember the name of now. I loved the songs 'Rough neck' and 'Afro Puffs' haha! Onyx were hot and just... raw. Wonderful! Y'know?
The thing is, I had a young daughter at that time and I chose to evaluate things I did in a careful manner, due to my role and responsibility as a (young) mum. I took a long hard look at the state of Hip-Hop/Rap. Maybe it is because I am a lyricist, but I really dissected the songs and listened beyond the amazing hypnotic beats. I realised that most of the music being churned out wasn't poetic, prophetic, on a level with my beliefs or even aspirational any more. I couldn't raise a young girl around music that had no respect for women, let alone all the other negatives that were prominent too. I woke up. The music itself was getting bigger in the mainstream but less uplifting in my opinion. It didn't really work for me any more.
Violence, thuggery, drugs and calling the female "B's and H's" don't appeal to my sensibilities. They never did. My understanding of music, creativity, artistry and saying something with your music is fully embodied by Hip-Hop in its early form.
I am not here to diss the modern popular sounds. I don't like them like I loved the music in the 80s, nor do I take them seriously, but that's my choice. It is a shame that the conscious underground sounds have been (consciously) buried - a mon avis...
No matter what my personal views are, I wish everyone doing their thing well and hope that as many souls as possible can remain intact and stop encouraging needless misery to their peers, humans and the environment in general. I believe that the masses will see through the hype and smokescreens eventually and honest true work ethics will still be evident and inspirational for the best possible future of our youth and planet if nothing else!
I believe and hope that 'The Art of Rap' will satiate my desire to be ensconsed in the old school Hip-Hop vibe for an hour or two at lease.
I am so excited to see it! Kudos to all involved in this historic piece of work.
Thanks for reading.
All love
D x
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Mailing List: http://eepurl.com/nd3uH
Word Ice-T. I loved watching the trailer, my heart just soared when I spotted the legends such as Doug-E, Ice-T, MC Lyte & Salt, then the names on the screen such as Marle Marl and Melle Mel! *EEEK!* I really really really want to see this film.
I grew up on what I call original, real, Hip-Hop, amongst other great genres. I prefer the old school Emcees and old school sounds. It was electric for me back then! When the craze hit at school, we'd have battle sessions in the playground. The boys and their windmills! Yeah! Only one girl could break and pop. She was much younger than me and she was my Shero. She showed 'em! I mean, talk about a movement for us British youngsters. Before that was probably Lovers' Rock which was and is amazing too, but this was happening during MY childhood. Peak timing!
I used to pop, I was a Fly Girl hehe - (Although I was a lil' bit acrobatic, I never really could breakdance, that seems to have skipped a generation! Ja is now kicking butt as a Bgirl) I used to rhyme a bit and had an AMAZING collection of vinyl. Incidentally, does anyone remember 'Fade to Black'? It was by a female rapper. I really liked her album at the time but I've forgotten her name now.... I remember my first actual release had come out then and it was so cool to have my very own vinyl to place alongside the amazing classic Hip-Hop tracks that I had. Ah. Memories! Then Public Enemy ("Public Enema") Ha! If you saw the rap films of the day, you'll know what I mean by that one! What a group. Kid n' Play? Pure acrobatic badassness! Special Ed, Big Daddy Kane. They were on posters on my wall. My walls and ceilings were filled with posters (not just from Rap), but those two lovelies' pics were very close to my face, next to my bed haha! Roxanne Shante, The real Roxanne, Queen Latifa, Miss Mello-D and then some more too.
One boyfriend even got me my very own authentic VW badge to prove his love for me! Oh no... Me, being the princess of good ethics even back then was horrified that he'd done that. I sort of told him off, telling him to return it immediately. He said he'd try. Talk about kill the romantic gesture... was I always such a goodie goodie? Well, yes, I suppose so. (Whoops!)
(Quick reference: As much as I loved the Cookie Crew, London Posse, MC Merlin, Overlord X et al, I won't be mentioning them anymore in this post.)
During the Daisy Age era, I remember a stint as a junior at a hairdressers while in between tours and my then colleague kept bragging that she knew Monie Love personally. This was because she knew I loved Hip-Hop ( I was a Goth at the time!). Monie Love did us proud. Brilliant skills. She was able to demonstrate them without feeling the need to prance around half-dressed (which, to me was another great thing about the old school days), and she was/is so pretty!
I was lucky enough to meet MC Lyte backstage in the early 90s (another beautiful yet fully clothed lady) just as I was near the end of my Hip-Hop following days. Paper Thin? Oooh! Back int' day, I used to rap that and all of her rhymes by heart! MC Lyte = FIRE! If I find the pic I had taken with her, I'll upload it. The Nu school and Gangsta Rap was starting to come in around the time I'd met her. I have love for Busta and all the leaders of the Nu School as it were! EPMD, YoYo, Red Man... Yes, I did have a bandana round my head, I wore DMs, red lipstick, and some designer boots I can't quite remember the name of now. I loved the songs 'Rough neck' and 'Afro Puffs' haha! Onyx were hot and just... raw. Wonderful! Y'know?
The thing is, I had a young daughter at that time and I chose to evaluate things I did in a careful manner, due to my role and responsibility as a (young) mum. I took a long hard look at the state of Hip-Hop/Rap. Maybe it is because I am a lyricist, but I really dissected the songs and listened beyond the amazing hypnotic beats. I realised that most of the music being churned out wasn't poetic, prophetic, on a level with my beliefs or even aspirational any more. I couldn't raise a young girl around music that had no respect for women, let alone all the other negatives that were prominent too. I woke up. The music itself was getting bigger in the mainstream but less uplifting in my opinion. It didn't really work for me any more.
Violence, thuggery, drugs and calling the female "B's and H's" don't appeal to my sensibilities. They never did. My understanding of music, creativity, artistry and saying something with your music is fully embodied by Hip-Hop in its early form.
I am not here to diss the modern popular sounds. I don't like them like I loved the music in the 80s, nor do I take them seriously, but that's my choice. It is a shame that the conscious underground sounds have been (consciously) buried - a mon avis...
No matter what my personal views are, I wish everyone doing their thing well and hope that as many souls as possible can remain intact and stop encouraging needless misery to their peers, humans and the environment in general. I believe that the masses will see through the hype and smokescreens eventually and honest true work ethics will still be evident and inspirational for the best possible future of our youth and planet if nothing else!
I believe and hope that 'The Art of Rap' will satiate my desire to be ensconsed in the old school Hip-Hop vibe for an hour or two at lease.
I am so excited to see it! Kudos to all involved in this historic piece of work.
Thanks for reading.
All love
D x
Sign up to my mailing list for special news, discounts and treats!
Mailing List: http://eepurl.com/nd3uH
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