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Syl(eena) Johnson "Is It Because I'm Black?"

Hotsauce84Hotsauce84 8,450 Posts
edited January 2009 in Strut Central
or ??

  Comments

  • CosmoCosmo 9,768 Posts
    Definitely NOT


    That song is a birthright to her.
  • Pistol_PetePistol_Pete 1,289 Posts
    Definitely NOT


    That song is a birthright to her.

    very true, but after hearing this, she shoulda just left it to her pops. sounds uninspiring compared to Syl.
  • luckluck 4,077 Posts
    It's cetainly not as bad as it could have been, and no modern singer has more of a right to cover it, but my personal opinion is that Syleena's trying to sound exactly like her father and loses the personal touch - and thus a certain and crucial anguish - in the process.

    What always puts the OG over the top for me is not just the undeniably perfect groove or even the crushing lyrics, but it's the way Syl iterates them. Some of the key lines, like "will I survive or will I die?" just aren't as convincing in the remake. There's thankfully little oversinging, but it exists and is deleterious. Additionally, for the last line to be "I want diamond rings and things" totally recontextualizes the original verse to where it's a "get rich or die trying" sort of false conundrum. Syl's song was about survival, with an occasional flight of dreamer's fancy that made the situation even more harsh. Syleena makes it sound like it was all for the Benjamins, after everything is said and done. What a sour finishing note.

    Hopefully, it gives a new generation a reason to check out the OG. We've heard this song a million times and may find it easy to pass judgement, but young cats haven't.
  • dayday 9,611 Posts
    I'm buggin' on how much she sounds like him vocally. Same inflections/intonations in some parts. Def. agree with Pete though. This nowhere NEAR captures the emotion in the OG.
  • CosmoCosmo 9,768 Posts
    I agree with both Pete and D, and let's face it - we're some music snobs. But on the strength I fully feel what Luck is saying.

    Hopefully, it gives a new generation a reason to check out the OG. We've heard this song a million times and may find it easy to pass judgement, but young cats haven't.

    Not saying that this is some shit that I'm going to be pumping, but still. I mean shit, she could have sung this using Autotune

    But for real though, she put that out there. And that's what's up. Oscar Grant III Rest In Peace.
  • Pistol_PetePistol_Pete 1,289 Posts
    It's cetainly not as bad as it could have been, and no modern singer has more of a right to cover it, but my personal opinion is that Syleena's trying to sound exactly like her father and loses the personal touch - and thus a certain and crucial anguish - in the process.

    What always puts the OG over the top for me is not just the undeniably perfect groove or even the crushing lyrics, but it's the way Syl iterates them. Some of the key lines, like "will I survive or will I die?" just aren't as convincing in the remake. There's thankfully little oversinging, but it exists and is deleterious. Additionally, for the last line to be "I want diamond rings and things" totally recontextualizes the original verse to where it's a "get rich or die trying" sort of false conundrum. Syl's song was about survival, with an occasional flight of dreamer's fancy that made the situation even more harsh. Syleena makes it sound like it was all for the Benjamins, after everything is said and done. What a sour finishing note.

    Hopefully, it gives a new generation a reason to check out the OG. We've heard this song a million times and may find it easy to pass judgement, but young cats haven't.
    well said.
    I get overwhelmed listening to Syl's song and I'm just a shade darker than albino
  • roistoroisto 879 Posts
    Surprisingly good compared to what she's done before, but still: unnecessary. The original can't be touched.
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