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QUESTION TO MY JEWISH STRUTTER N*GGAZ

Phill_MostPhill_Most 4,594 Posts
edited October 2005 in Strut Central
I have a dope version of "Hava Nagila" with a drumbreak and everything, and I want to possibly use it for a rap song. My question is if it would in any way be disrespicfellating to use this traditional Jewish ditty for a rap joint that may include profanity, violence, graphic sex talk, etc. Like, I know it's an old traditional song, but is it at all a religious song or anything? (probably not, but I still want to be sure no toes are stepped on.) And how about even if there wasn't any real terrible profanity in the lyrics, would it be to drop yiddish terms here and there in the verses, like saying little things like "oi vai" or "putz" or "shlimazel"? If I am a retard for even asking, plaese excuse my ignorance... I just like this beat and want to do something crazy with it. I want to call all these wack rap n*ggaz nudniks, mane! That yiddish sh*t is so dope, it's like Houston rap slang. Anyway, holla and let me know.
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  • Young_PhonicsYoung_Phonics 8,039 Posts
    I have a dope version of "Hava Nagila" with a drumbreak and everything, and I want to possibly use it for a rap song. My question is if it would in any way be disrespicfellating to use this traditional Jewish ditty for a rap joint that may include profanity, violence, graphic sex talk, etc. Like, I know it's an old traditional song, but is it at all a religious song or anything? (probably not, but I still want to be sure no toes are stepped on.)
    And how about even if there wasn't any real terrible profanity in the lyrics, would it be to drop yiddish terms here and there in the verses, like saying little things like "oi vai" or "putz" or "shlimazel"? If I am a retard for even asking, plaese excuse my ignorance... I just like this beat and want to do something crazy with it. I want to call all these wack rap n*ggaz nudniks, mane! That yiddish sh*t is so dope, it's like Houston rap slang. Anyway, holla and let me know.


    the fact that you care to ask is some real standup stuff.


    phil most for pope.
  • yoigotbeatsyoigotbeats 1,667 Posts
    As the sole black jew on the strut, I'd say it's to flip it AND try to rock "jewish" slanguage. I don't think it's crazy disrespectful to rock the music, but to go the whole nine of trying to flip some words to over-emphize would be kinda wack. And remember Anthrax rocked Hava Nagila back in the day for I'm The Man, but Scott's jewish.

    The real crazy shit is you're asking this 2 days before Yom Kippur - The Day Of Atonement
  • CosmoCosmo 9,768 Posts
    As the sole jew on Soulstrut who is a quarter black, I don't see any problem with it, as long as you're not trying to clown and whatnot.
  • Phill_MostPhill_Most 4,594 Posts
    As the sole black jew on the strut, I'd say it's to flip it AND try to rock "jewish" slanguage. I don't think it's crazy disrespectful to rock the music, but to go the whole nine of trying to flip some words to over-emphize would be kinda wack. And remember Anthrax rocked Hava Nagila back in the day for I'm The Man, but Scott's jewish.

    The real crazy shit is you're asking this 2 days before Yom Kippur - The Day Of Atonement

    OH NO... damn, if I am way out of line please let me know and I will delete this schitt right away! DEFINITELY do not want anybody thinking I am on some bullschitt here. Yeah, I was thinking the music AND the slang might be overdoing it to the point of wackness, but I just love that yiddish terminology.
  • Phill_MostPhill_Most 4,594 Posts
    As the sole jew on Soulstrut who is a quarter black, I don't see any problem with it, as long as you're not trying to clown and whatnot.

    Naw, definitely not clowning, but I did think that some might see it that way. That's why I was asking. It's probably just to go down that path at all... not worth the controversy that it could cause. I like that damn beat, though. Damn.
  • GrafwritahGrafwritah 4,184 Posts
    I don't think it's crazy disrespectful to rock the music, but to go the whole nine of trying to flip some words to over-emphize would be kinda wack.
  • hogginthefogghogginthefogg 6,098 Posts
    As the sole black Haitian[/b] jew who lives in Nashville and has seen Iron Maiden in 10 countries[/b] on the strut


    There is only one yoigotbeats! 'Sup, G******?
  • FunkyFlatulentFunkyFlatulent 1,106 Posts
    Phil there's a sign at the door no biting aloud...

    Kufi smacking lists are one thing, but you don't want to get a yarmulka smacking list. That's


  • BaptBapt 2,503 Posts
    the fact that you care to ask is some real standup stuff.
  • DrWuDrWu 4,021 Posts
    As far the music goes you have my blessing. That is our number one party jam. Kinda like "supersition meets baby's got back". Full dance floor body movin' guaranteed. As far the yiddishisms, watch yerself. More than anything I think that shit could wind up sounding real corny.




    Just in case you decide to get down on the OG monotheistic tip. A few phrases, words or names that you should work on rhymes for:

    Torah Portion
    Seder Plate
    Star of David
    Menachem Begin (former Prime Minister of Israel)
    Mieskeit (pron. meese-kite) (an ugly foll)

    Now get to work my brother.


  • Phill_MostPhill_Most 4,594 Posts
    As the sole black Haitian[/b] jew who lives in Nashville and has seen Iron Maiden in 10 countries[/b] on the strut


    There is only one yoigotbeats! 'Sup, G******?

    Yeah, I was getting ready to mention the whole Haitian / residing in the home of country music/ heavy metal fanatic connection... I didn't even know Judaism was a part of the equation! You a unique dude, G*****s.
  • GuzzoGuzzo 8,611 Posts
    I have a dope version of "Hava Nagila" with a drumbreak and everything, and I want to possibly use it for a rap song. My question is if it would in any way be disrespicfellating to use this traditional Jewish ditty for a rap joint that may include profanity, violence, graphic sex talk, etc. Like, I know it's an old traditional song, but is it at all a religious song or anything? (probably not, but I still want to be sure no toes are stepped on.)
    And how about even if there wasn't any real terrible profanity in the lyrics, would it be to drop yiddish terms here and there in the verses, like saying little things like "oi vai" or "putz" or "shlimazel"? If I am a retard for even asking, plaese excuse my ignorance... I just like this beat and want to do something crazy with it. I want to call all these wack rap n*ggaz nudniks, mane! That yiddish sh*t is so dope, it's like Houston rap slang. Anyway, holla and let me know.

    that specific song isn't holy at all, its just kind of celabratory number, but to use Jewish slanguage and include cussing or other things of that nature while refering to Jewish culture is most defintly not a good look.

    Just think how you would feel if I took a slave spiritual and used it in a song to make light of (AKA bastardize) the black plight in America.

    so in summation:
    the drums - use that shit
    the words - use that shit
    making light of a deep historical culture -

    walk that thin line carefully and all will be good
  • Sun_FortuneSun_Fortune 1,374 Posts
    I think it wouldnt be offesnive in the least. Its not a religious song, its a song of celebration, and like RIck James says...

    But, is doing some jewish rap cool?? I dont know, maybe it is. Remember 2 live Jews?? If you need the yiddish phrases, Im a fucking lexicon of that shit.
  • Phill_MostPhill_Most 4,594 Posts
    As far the yiddishisms, watch yerself. More than anything I think that shit could wind up sounding real corny.

    Nah, it wouldn't be like a whole lot of that... just regular rhymes with a few little yiddishisms thrown in there. You know, like calling a muhf*cka a shtunk instead of a punk, ya know? It's all about how it's done, and not overdoing it. Now, if I go at it like MC Moisha and Easy Irving, yeah, that would definitely be real corny. It's a thin line...
  • CosmoCosmo 9,768 Posts
    I used to (and still do) mix Harry Belafonte "Hava Negila" with Louie Rankin "Typewriter" RMX instrumental, back at The Lay Up. The Gods used to get their heads tripped out on that.
  • Sun_FortuneSun_Fortune 1,374 Posts
    As far the yiddishisms, watch yerself. More than anything I think that shit could wind up sounding real corny.

    Nah, it wouldn't be like a whole lot of that... just regular rhymes with a few little yiddishisms thrown in there. You know, like calling a muhf*cka a shtunk instead of a punk, ya know? It's all about how it's done, and not overdoing it. Now, if I go at it like MC Moisha and Easy Irving, yeah, that would definitely be real corny. It's a thin line...

    best yiddish word = schmegege. it means little penis.
  • GuzzoGuzzo 8,611 Posts
    I always dug that one Joint Remedy had on that Killa Bees comp in which he took one of them Saturday Morning prayers and flipped it. (damn I'm tired, I'd be kicked out of Jewish know-it-all school if anyone caught me calling this a "one of the Saturday morning prayers")

    Tupac using Hatikvah was just wack though
  • Phill_MostPhill_Most 4,594 Posts


    that specific song isn't holy at all, its just kind of celabratory number, but to use Jewish slanguage and include cussing or other things of that nature while refering to Jewish culture is most defintly not a good look.

    Just think how you would feel if I took a slave spiritual and used it in a song to make light of (AKA bastardize) the black plight in America.

    I hear you... and see, that's exactly what I DON'T want it look like I'm doing. Even though that may not be my intention, somebody's probably gonna take it as disrespicfellatin'. Just like there are those who had problems with the Beastie Boys using black slang and black music when they 1st came out, and I'm pretty sure their intention was not to be disrespectful. What I'm talking about doing is pretty different IMO, but I still don't want to piss folks off. So I think I probably should just leave that idea alone.
  • HAZHAZ 3,376 Posts

    I don't think it would offend me - if the song was called something like "Kill all Jews", that might be a different story. Its all about context. Yiddish words thrown in might be a bit played out. What rhymes well with "meshuginer" anyway?

    peace

    h
  • funky16cornersfunky16corners 7,175 Posts
    I'm only an honorary Jew (my wife and in-laws are Jewish, and I got a Hebrew name when we got married - on the katubah)...but I concur with the mighty Guzzo that Hava Negilah is more of a celebratory tune than a religious thing.
    This dude rocked it HARD...

  • LooksLikeSinbadLooksLikeSinbad 187 Posts
    Phill - are we gonna hear a clip of the jewish squirrel?
  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    cosign on the thumbs up for hava nagilah

    and there's nothin wrong with callin some folls "corny schmucks" (yiddish slang in rap = infinite potential) but breakin that out on the hava nagilah beat is not only but it'd be mad corny.
  • HAZHAZ 3,376 Posts

    This would be really cool as a new baritone tiplove release.
  • ZekeZeke 221 Posts
    Would growing up in a Jewish community give a non-Jew a "pass" to do this kind of thing?

    Which leads me to asking if this is really any different than a white emcee sampling traditionally black music and using regional black vernacular? I think the connection could be pretty easily made between traditional African music and Soul/R&B/Funk/Blues/etc.

    Which leads me to asking if this is really any different than a group of mostly white folks coming together to discuss music, a lot of which was created by people of African descent, all the while using regional black vernacular, which has only been adopted (or co-opted) by the mainstream relatively recently?

    When did these boundaries become necessary? Does one not create in fear of offending? Is this really any different than creating to offend?

    Too much coffee, but I really am asking because I don't understand how it's any different.

  • DrWuDrWu 4,021 Posts
    I really don't think that using yiddish would be offensive just corny. That said, Phil get this project rolling. I would love to be able to drop a fat hip-hop Hava on the meshpokha (extended family). If done right, Phil, a cd of this could end up paying for your kids' college. Think about the weddings and Bar/Bat Mitvahs. You would get out from under the soulman thang (LOL) and into the MC Israel biz.
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    Phill don't trip off offending the jew man by trying to use slang. I would check and make sure you're using it right, but fuck. any white or jewish guy offended by that kind of shit needs to drop a whole lot of words from their vocabulary then....
  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts

    Just think how you would feel if I took a slave spiritual and used it in a song to make light of (AKA bastardize) the black plight in America.

    Haha! Get your analogy game up, dude--it might not be a good look, but it would not be "like" what you described.
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts

    Just think how you would feel if I took a slave spiritual and used it in a song to make light of (AKA bastardize) the black plight in America.

    Haha! Get your analogy game up, dude--it might not be a good look, but it would not be "like" what you described.

    Didn't Guzzo do this on Blind Date?
  • Double_BDouble_B 169 Posts
    As a jew I can state that the only people who use yiddish at all are hasidim, old people, and everyone else... "Everyone else" is generally just using it as a joke or to swear. So, yiddish is basically a big joke, and I don't think it really makes us jews look cool like the Sopranos slang kinda makes italians look cool.

    Hava Nagila is also a big joke that always incites a big groan whenever played at a bar-mitzvah, etc... Being that the most visible jews are Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David, etc.. it seems that Judaism is inextricably linked with humor in today's usa. So sampling hava nagila would probably turn out as a joke, which really isn't so bad, but I personally am tired of it.

    I've got some killer eastern european yiddish records that I just have to get around to sampling, and these sound more like bhangra music than anything else so wait for that.

    If you can make some money from it, I'd say go for it.
  • ayoayo 44 Posts
    i am a jew that wouldnt have a problem with it, but you should have a jew act as "executive producer" on the project so that they can vouge for anything that might come up. like howard stern using robin to say whatever he wants about black people.
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