MAN Most of the groups coming out of the midwest at that time were considered garbage at that time outside of VERY small local followings. Common was as close to defining chicago style at that time as any of the groups coming out. As noted most people thought Da Brat repped ATL, Twista was back and forth between Chicago and New Orleans, Do Or Die were imitating southern rappers, MC Breed was west coast style... fuck even Bone Thugs (clevelands biggest export) were more west coast than anything else.
What's weird about that though is a lot of Chicago dudes at the time were dissing him for being too "New York"...
true but that was the only way to get on at the time, be from or act like you're from a coast (outside of rap-a-lot). If you couldn't do that then it was a really tough grind. Fuck i remember when Detroit's Most Wanted dropped their first album, straight jackin west coast style even in the name...
Well to me it was more indicative of the attitude that if you were doing something different, specifically if it involved sample-based beats and "lyrical" rhymes, that you were "trying to be from New York".
I would like to think that, but I really think it has more to do with the fact being in the midwest we were between both coasts each with their own scene. Some gravitated towards the East Coast (ie. Common) sound while others (ie. Breed and DMW and Bone) gravitated towards the West Coast sound. It was so coast centric then, that it was hard as hell if you were from a coast to get on, much less if you are from the midwest..
It's not like we're comparing Guns and Roses to Freestyle Fellowship here.
you do know that Axl bit the blowed though, right?
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
How could you rep a place better than by living there?
sounds like a quote out of the mouth of Senator Tom Tancredo
even in your wacky-world of thinking i would have expected you to realize that people move to new cities for reasons other than "reppin' that local experience/real schitt".
given that to be my case, why would i ignore my past? or would you prefer people just to assimilate into their new surroundings and forget any attributes of thier previous culture.
you sounding very Lou Dobbs-esque right now...
I don't consider you as one of the people who are guilty of doing anything wrong. And it's only inside joke wrong anyway, not real world trouble wrong.
But if you really want me to play along...I too have moved, but never[/b] to NYC.
Where I come from, there isn't much of a sell-out worse than that.
To each their own of course, but I'm saying...NYC residence and regional rap endorsements don't necessarily mix as seamlessly as some of y'all think they do.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
It's not like we're comparing Guns and Roses to Freestyle Fellowship here.
you do know that Crucial Conflict[/b] bit the blowed though, right?
How could you rep a place better than by living there?
sounds like a quote out of the mouth of Senator Tom Tancredo
even in your wacky-world of thinking i would have expected you to realize that people move to new cities for reasons other than "reppin' that local experience/real schitt".
given that to be my case, why would i ignore my past? or would you prefer people just to assimilate into their new surroundings and forget any attributes of thier previous culture.
you sounding very Lou Dobbs-esque right now...
I don't consider you as one of the people who are guilty of doing anything wrong. And it's only inside joke wrong anyway, not real world trouble wrong.
But if you really want me to play along...I too have moved, but never[/b] to NYC.
Where I come from, there isn't much a sell-out worse than that.
To each their own of course, but I'm saying...NYC residence and regional rap endorsements don't necessarily mix as seamlessly as some of y'all think they do.
Not even sure what this means, dude!
But I'll take a stab:
If moving to New York City, pumping Bay rap for years before anyone gave a fuck, highlighting those titles in my storefront, and pushing everything from Spice 1 to 4080 EP to "Shot Calling Big Balling Remix" to "18 Dummy" and "Tell Me When To Go" = selling out, color me sold.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
How could you rep a place better than by living there?
sounds like a quote out of the mouth of Senator Tom Tancredo
even in your wacky-world of thinking i would have expected you to realize that people move to new cities for reasons other than "reppin' that local experience/real schitt".
given that to be my case, why would i ignore my past? or would you prefer people just to assimilate into their new surroundings and forget any attributes of thier previous culture.
you sounding very Lou Dobbs-esque right now...
I don't consider you as one of the people who are guilty of doing anything wrong. And it's only inside joke wrong anyway, not real world trouble wrong.
But if you really want me to play along...I too have moved, but never[/b] to NYC.
Where I come from, there isn't much a sell-out worse than that.
To each their own of course, but I'm saying...NYC residence and regional rap endorsements don't necessarily mix as seamlessly as some of y'all think they do.
Not even sure what this means, dude!
But I'll take a stab:
If moving to New York City, pumping Bay rap for years before anyone gave a fuck, highlighting those titles in my storefront, and pushing everything from the Spice 1 to 4080 EP to "Shot Calling Big Balling Remix" to "18 Dummy" and "Tell Me When To Go" = selling out, color me sold.
You ain't from the place that has me saying "where I come from". Berkeley High to Wall Street is hardly a stretch.
And I'm glad that you still rep the Bay because moreso than I do, you do it correctly.
In Breihan's favor, I will say that his own rap writing is much more palatable than that of David Foster Wallace, his "favorite creative nonfiction writer."
Real headz wish they did not know the deal:
Is this not good because it is outdated or not good because it never was? I enjoy DFW's fiction and short stories (except for his first novel, which is probably of the same vintage), and he usually brings a fair amount of insight into his non-fiction pieces. Never read this though, and probably never will.
How could you rep a place better than by living there?
sounds like a quote out of the mouth of Senator Tom Tancredo
even in your wacky-world of thinking i would have expected you to realize that people move to new cities for reasons other than "reppin' that local experience/real schitt".
given that to be my case, why would i ignore my past? or would you prefer people just to assimilate into their new surroundings and forget any attributes of thier previous culture.
you sounding very Lou Dobbs-esque right now...
I don't consider you as one of the people who are guilty of doing anything wrong. And it's only inside joke wrong anyway, not real world trouble wrong.
But if you really want me to play along...I too have moved, but never[/b] to NYC.
Where I come from, there isn't much a sell-out worse than that.
To each their own of course, but I'm saying...NYC residence and regional rap endorsements don't necessarily mix as seamlessly as some of y'all think they do.
Not even sure what this means, dude!
But I'll take a stab:
If moving to New York City, pumping Bay rap for years before anyone gave a fuck, highlighting those titles in my storefront, and pushing everything from the Spice 1 to 4080 EP to "Shot Calling Big Balling Remix" to "18 Dummy" and "Tell Me When To Go" = selling out, color me sold.
You ain't from the place that has me saying "where I come from". Berkeley High to Wall Street is hardly a stretch.
oooh hoooo! NOW we're talking! Let's get into some "I'm from a tougher hood from you" shit! lol....
When you lived in the Bay, I'm sure you were out in Waterfront lounging around in khakis and house shoes, when you weren't campaigning out on Seminary!
oooh hoooo! NOW we're talking! Let's get into some "I'm from a tougher hood from you" shit! lol....
When you lived in the Bay, I'm sure you were out in Waterfront lounging around in khakis and house shoes, when you weren't campaigning out on Seminary!
In Breihan's favor, I will say that his own rap writing is much more palatable than that of David Foster Wallace, his "favorite creative nonfiction writer."
Real headz wish they did not know the deal:
Is this not good because it is outdated or not good because it never was? I enjoy DFW's fiction and short stories (except for his first novel, which is probably of the same vintage), and he usually brings a fair amount of insight into his non-fiction pieces. Never read this though, and probably never will.
Not good because it never was--perhaps you could derive some pleasure from it if you were to approach it as a work of fiction.
I think even DFW is embarassed of it and pretty much disowns it.
The running joke is now fools who moved from smaller cities to NYC who now think it's their responsibility to rep for "regional rap".
How could you rep a place better than by living there?
To y'all's credit, do y'all think of yourselves as Johnnyappleseedeurs?
But if you really want me to play along...I too have moved, but never to NYC.
Where I come from, there isn't much of a sell-out worse than that.
To each their own of course, but I'm saying...NYC residence and regional rap endorsements don't necessarily mix as seamlessly as some of y'all think they do.
This is so rich.
Far be it from me to distract you from your rose coloured mind garden. But some people do things in life that have nothing to do with rap music.
I know, it's shocking.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
It has little to do with rap music, and everything to do with lifestyle choices.
But again, as I play along...how can someone be shouting out country rap tunes when they have so clearly chosen to live in the exact opposite locale?
Sure, variety in life is great...but it can also be seen as contradictory under certain circumstances.
It has little to do with rap music, and everything to do with lifestyle choices.
But again, as I play along...how can someone be shouting out country rap tunes when they have so clearly chosen to live in the exact opposite locale?
Sure, variety in life is great...but it can also be seen as contradictory under certain circumstances.
I've grown up in the south (Texas). Therefore, I shout country rap tunes. Rappers have taught me that money is everything. I have tripled my income in 3 years.
Contradictory? Hardly.
You are sounding like I left you off the office Christmas card list. You miss me, dont' you?
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
I've grown up in the south (Texas). Therefore, I shout country rap tunes. Rappers have taught me that money is everything. I have tripled my income in 3 years.
If that's what you value above all else...
Contradictory? Hardly.
It is when you leave a place and join hateurs in shitting on it in its entirety.
You are sounding like I left you off the office Christmas card list. You miss me, dont' you?
I never bothered to listen to Houston for Dummy's, if that's what you're really wondering.
But honestly, if I were to compare you to most of the deejay's currently down here in Austin...yeah, you'd fare pretty well down here, even in my book.
funny. as you should know, raising a family ain't cheap. To top that off, these lizards got their foot on my back, dog. Shit is real.
It is when you leave a place and join hateurs in shitting on it in its entirety. .
I root for the home team, I shit on the home team. Which is it?
I never bothered to listen to Houston for Dummy's, if that's what you're really wondering.
Nice attempt of trying to flip this around.
But honestly, if I were to compare you to most of the deejay's currently down here in Austin...yeah, you'd fare pretty well down here, even in my book.
Lupe and Rhymefest are really on to something. They both come from a city whose biggest rap export throughout the 90s was an insufferable granola-munching pseudo-boho. They've both fully absorbed the aesthetics of the late-90s Rawkus backpack boom, and they both get a little sanctimonious from time to time, but it's only a piece of the puzzle for both of them. There's not a lot of "real hip-hop" talk from these two; both of them claim that they don't even really listen to rap, even if both of the cram in enough internal rhymes and quick allusions to let you know it isn't true. Compared to overbearingly conscious types like Talib Kweli or Little Brother, they both sound like they're having a blast all the time, like they're both perfectly aware of everything that's wrong in the world but they aren't going to let that detract from the joy of piling words on top of each other. Both Food & Liquor and Blue Collar remind me of one of my favorite records of all time, Brand Nubian's One for All; they're charged with rage and frustration and injustice and bad faith, but the "eating up suckas as if I was Pac-Man" stuff remains fully intact. I get a lot of heat in the comments section for preferring T.I. and Jeezy to Common and Kweli, but I'd like to offer Rhymefest and Lupe as examples of ways to escape the us-vs.-them grandstanding that infects so much Okayplayer fare. These two guys don't need to wear their brains and their hearts on their sleeves to let you know that they're there.
Could this be true?
NO.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
I root for the home team, I shit on the home team. Which is it?
You tell me.
You've made a point to keep your name connected with Houston rap...as you should since you were logging trench time pre-revival boom.
But, and I know this has at least somewhat to do with your brother's unfortunate situation, you have also made it seem like you've escaped from hell on earth.
Of course you didn't move for rap reasons. And of course Texas isn't perfect. But my radar has been picking up the distinctive bleeps of a fencerideur[/b].
I root for the home team, I shit on the home team. Which is it?
You tell me.
You've made a point to keep your name connected with Houston rap...as you should since you were logging trench time pre-revival boom.
But, and I know this has at least somewhat to do with your brother's unfortunate situation, you have also made it seem like you've escaped from hell on earth.
Of course you didn't move for rap reasons. And of course Texas isn't perfect. But my radar has been picking up the distinctive bleeps of a fencerideur[/b].
So, what say you?
Archied, in all seriousness, this is not the place for whatever personal issue you think you have with JD. Bringing up his family is not appropriate.
You are looking real crazy with this and should just drop it.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
I root for the home team, I shit on the home team. Which is it?
You tell me.
You've made a point to keep your name connected with Houston rap...as you should since you were logging trench time pre-revival boom.
But, and I know this has at least somewhat to do with your brother's unfortunate situation, you have also made it seem like you've escaped from hell on earth.
Of course you didn't move for rap reasons. And of course Texas isn't perfect. But my radar has been picking up the distinctive bleeps of a fencerideur[/b].
So, what say you?
Archied, in all seriousness, this is not the place for whatever personal issue you think you have with JD. Bringing up his family is not appropriate.
You are looking real crazy with this and should just drop it.
Stay out of it. Jason and I have been half-befriending-each-other/half-repelling-each-other for longer than you have been a self-proclaimed rap expert.
It's not even beef, more like portabella mushroom.
I root for the home team, I shit on the home team. Which is it?
You tell me.
You've made a point to keep your name connected with Houston rap...as you should since you were logging trench time pre-revival boom.
But, and I know this has at least somewhat to do with your brother's unfortunate situation, you have also made it seem like you've escaped from hell on earth.
Of course you didn't move for rap reasons. And of course Texas isn't perfect. But my radar has been picking up the distinctive bleeps of a fencerideur[/b].
So, what say you?
Archied, in all seriousness, this is not the place for whatever personal issue you think you have with JD. Bringing up his family is not appropriate.
You are looking real crazy with this and should just drop it.
Stay out of it. Jason and I have been half-befriending-each-other/half-repelling-each-other for longer than you have been a self-proclaimed rap expert.
It's not even beef, more like portabella mushroom.
Yeah dude, that's the thing: I would love to stay out of it.
I'm not suggesting that you drop your efforts to "half-befriend/half-repel" him, or whatever you want to call it, only that if doing so involves bringing up his personal business, you shouldn't be doing it publicly.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
I root for the home team, I shit on the home team. Which is it?
You tell me.
You've made a point to keep your name connected with Houston rap...as you should since you were logging trench time pre-revival boom.
But, and I know this has at least somewhat to do with your brother's unfortunate situation, you have also made it seem like you've escaped from hell on earth.
Of course you didn't move for rap reasons. And of course Texas isn't perfect. But my radar has been picking up the distinctive bleeps of a fencerideur[/b].
So, what say you?
Archied, in all seriousness, this is not the place for whatever personal issue you think you have with JD. Bringing up his family is not appropriate.
You are looking real crazy with this and should just drop it.
Stay out of it. Jason and I have been half-befriending-each-other/half-repelling-each-other for longer than you have been a self-proclaimed rap expert.
It's not even beef, more like portabella mushroom.
Yeah dude, that's the thing: I would love to stay out of it.
I'm not suggesting that you drop your efforts to "half-befriend/half-repel" him, or whatever you want to call it, only that if doing so involves bringing up his personal business, you shouldn't be doing it publicly.
The only reson why I know this "personal business" is because it was previously posted on this board by Jason. And it's not like I recounted specifics.
Is that better, boss?
Or are you demanding that I drop and give you 20 for the indiscretion?
Ok I'm white and was very involved in the making of One for all. I would like to air a few misconceptions I read around here. Grand Puba was never back pack ever. He was hood for sure. The thing was he wasn't afraid to be funny as many weren't afriad to be funny back then like Biz Markie,Nice and Smooth,Slick Rick and many others. Now a days everyones hard except maybe Ludicris who still has a sense of humor about himself while not being soft. I appluad Rhymefest(worst name for a good rapper ever. Note good not great. Puba was great)but his record which I have heard several times while good will never be hailed as a classic like One for All. I know it's easier to site an example then let something stand on it's own merits but comparing the 2 is a stretch to me sorry. As for Lupe Fiasco thus far unimpressed by most of what I heard but alot of people feel this cat so maybe I'm just not seeing it for some unkown reason.
I have to say this, people may get mad,but me I skated for almost 30 years and still skate. Lupe Fiasco seems to be and Pharell as well attempting to exploit skate culture almost in a way that Vanilla ice tried to rape black culture. Skating cause it's as popular as it has ever been these days brings fans to the party. More so in my eyes Lupe than Pharell cause I swear he wasn't doing that ollie in the video and really you don't see him skate in his video at all. I think he's as Pharell once sang fronting! As for Pharell hey man dude is hot with the beats why he wants to front like he's a skater is beyond me. I saw his pics skating and he looked kind of lame to me.Whatever the whole idea of the Ice Cream team is lame to me. Seems like a contrived psuedo hiphoped dudes to me.Nothign worse than skaters frontinf and it looks like some fronting going on. Rob Dyrdek ring a bell anybody?
While I appreciate the fact that they will hopefully bring more black and hispanic kids into the realm of skateboarding I just wish they didnt appear to be using it as a means of gathering a new crossover fanbase. It's a double edged sword. I like the fact the hood is open on skating( Harold Hunter anyone? RIP my brother!) but I wish it was more becuase of the Stevie Williams' and Harold Hunter's of the world instead of the Lupe's and Pharells.
That said diversity in hiphop is just what we need right about now and this may be a step towards it. I never felt like the Rawkus movement was real. It seemed like hiphop for college whiteys. Grand Puba was never that. Fuck it niether were House of Pain they were for knuckleheads to me,white trash brwlers not the rawkus set. See all white people aint the same! Ditto for Cypress. Rawkus music though good at time's (Pharoh Monch! Black Star) it always smelled a little corny to me image wise and I just could roll with it.Brand Nubian wasn't Rawkusish to me at all. Good luck to RhymeFest and Lupe regardless they aint the same old same dope dealing rappers and thats a big plus. Hiphop is hurting right now so lets embrace this stuff and maybe it can help make a change. Looks like Gnarls Barkley is right about now and I like that better than both of these records!
I'm still not getting how Passing Me By and The Choice Is Yours were any bigger than Come Clean and I Used to Love HER.
Really? Do you only talk to hip-hop purists on message boards? My girlfriend might recognize the pharcyde and the black sheep songs, she might even know who common is, but she definitely wont know used to love her or come clean, or any jeru for that matter. please, i hope your playing dumb to play devil's advocate, and not actually unable to see the difference between true school hiphop classics and mass market, universal party jams...
I'm still not getting how Passing Me By and The Choice Is Yours were any bigger than Come Clean and I Used to Love HER.
Really? Do you only talk to hip-hop purists on message boards? My girlfriend might recognize the pharcyde and the black sheep songs, she might even know who common is, but she definitely wont know used to love her or come clean, or any jeru for that matter. please, i hope your playing dumb to play devil's advocate, and not actually unable to see the difference between true school hiphop classics and mass market, universal party jams...
Ya know, that's a good way of looking at this whole debate, UnheardMentality- if your girl who really isn't all that much into rap knows a particular rap song, then it's probably pretty huge. That's how I always gauge just how popular a hip hop joint is- if I catch my wife singing it, I know that schitt is or is gonna be HUGE. I was out on the West Coast around the time "Come Clean" came out and was shocked to see quite a few dudes who I did not consider "real headz" losing their minds over that song, which is like about as real as real schitt is ever gonna get. So as I read this little Soulstrut debate, I'm thinking "that Jeru joint was actually kinda large when it dropped". But now I'm thinking about my wife, and I know damn well she wouldn't know schitt about "Come Clean". "The Choice Is Yours"? Hells yeah! "Passin' Me By"? Possibly but maybe not. "I Used To Love HER"? Absolutely not. But out of all of the artists who made those songs, Common is the only one that she would know (and probably wouldn't know him all that well). So I guess huge = rappers or rap songs that are known by people who really don't give a schitt about rap?
So I guess huge = rappers or rap songs that are known by people who really don't give a schitt about rap?
After just reading this whole thread, that was pretty much the only thing I was going to say, and you said it at the very end. It seems simple: Pharcyde & Black Sheep were huge with non-rap fans, girls in college who wanted something spicy to go between their Blind Melon & Jewel CD's. A ton of true hip hop headz were into them too, but I also remember dudes hating on 'em a good deal - especially Pharcyde. I heard that crew called "mad corny" more times than I could ever remember. "Come Clean" & "H.E.R." were monsters on the hip hop scene, but had almost no crossover into the college/suburban crowd.
So, yeah, if "huge" means white girls liked it, Pharcyde were ENORMOUS.
Comments
I would like to think that, but I really think it has more to do with the fact being in the midwest we were between both coasts each with their own scene. Some gravitated towards the East Coast (ie. Common) sound while others (ie. Breed and DMW and Bone) gravitated towards the West Coast sound. It was so coast centric then, that it was hard as hell if you were from a coast to get on, much less if you are from the midwest..
you do know that Axl bit the blowed though, right?
I don't consider you as one of the people who are guilty of doing anything wrong. And it's only inside joke wrong anyway, not real world trouble wrong.
But if you really want me to play along...I too have moved, but never[/b] to NYC.
Where I come from, there isn't much of a sell-out worse than that.
To each their own of course, but I'm saying...NYC residence and regional rap endorsements don't necessarily mix as seamlessly as some of y'all think they do.
beleive it or not, I can see this being true.
Not even sure what this means, dude!
But I'll take a stab:
If moving to New York City, pumping Bay rap for years before anyone gave a fuck, highlighting those titles in my storefront, and pushing everything from Spice 1 to 4080 EP to "Shot Calling Big Balling Remix" to "18 Dummy" and "Tell Me When To Go" = selling out, color me sold.
You ain't from the place that has me saying "where I come from". Berkeley High to Wall Street is hardly a stretch.
And I'm glad that you still rep the Bay because moreso than I do, you do it correctly.
Is this not good because it is outdated or not good because it never was? I enjoy DFW's fiction and short stories (except for his first novel, which is probably of the same vintage), and he usually brings a fair amount of insight into his non-fiction pieces. Never read this though, and probably never will.
oooh hoooo! NOW we're talking! Let's get into some "I'm from a tougher hood from you" shit! lol....
When you lived in the Bay, I'm sure you were out in Waterfront lounging around in khakis and house shoes, when you weren't campaigning out on Seminary!
An old chestnut makes its return!
Not good because it never was--perhaps you could derive some pleasure from it if you were to approach it as a work of fiction.
I think even DFW is embarassed of it and pretty much disowns it.
This is so rich.
Far be it from me to distract you from your rose coloured mind garden. But some people do things in life that have nothing to do with rap music.
I know, it's shocking.
But again, as I play along...how can someone be shouting out country rap tunes when they have so clearly chosen to live in the exact opposite locale?
Sure, variety in life is great...but it can also be seen as contradictory under certain circumstances.
I've grown up in the south (Texas). Therefore, I shout country rap tunes. Rappers have taught me that money is everything. I have tripled my income in 3 years.
Contradictory? Hardly.
You are sounding like I left you off the office Christmas card list. You miss me, dont' you?
If that's what you value above all else...
It is when you leave a place and join hateurs in shitting on it in its entirety.
I never bothered to listen to Houston for Dummy's, if that's what you're really wondering.
But honestly, if I were to compare you to most of the deejay's currently down here in Austin...yeah, you'd fare pretty well down here, even in my book.
You want us to believe that you didn't move to New York in order to "rep the scene"?
Next you'll be trying to say it was for "professional reasons"!
We are onto you, jdeez.
funny. as you should know, raising a family ain't cheap. To top that off, these lizards got their foot on my back, dog. Shit is real.
I root for the home team, I shit on the home team. Which is it?
Nice attempt of trying to flip this around.
*smitten* You had me at hello.
NO.
You tell me.
You've made a point to keep your name connected with Houston rap...as you should since you were logging trench time pre-revival boom.
But, and I know this has at least somewhat to do with your brother's unfortunate situation, you have also made it seem like you've escaped from hell on earth.
Of course you didn't move for rap reasons. And of course Texas isn't perfect. But my radar has been picking up the distinctive bleeps of a fencerideur[/b].
So, what say you?
Archied, in all seriousness, this is not the place for whatever personal issue you think you have with JD. Bringing up his family is not appropriate.
You are looking real crazy with this and should just drop it.
Stay out of it. Jason and I have been half-befriending-each-other/half-repelling-each-other for longer than you have been a self-proclaimed rap expert.
It's not even beef, more like portabella mushroom.
Yeah dude, that's the thing: I would love to stay out of it.
I'm not suggesting that you drop your efforts to "half-befriend/half-repel" him, or whatever you want to call it, only that if doing so involves bringing up his personal business, you shouldn't be doing it publicly.
The only reson why I know this "personal business" is because it was previously posted on this board by Jason. And it's not like I recounted specifics.
Is that better, boss?
Or are you demanding that I drop and give you 20 for the indiscretion?
I have to say this, people may get mad,but me I skated for almost 30 years and still skate. Lupe Fiasco seems to be and Pharell as well attempting to exploit skate culture almost in a way that Vanilla ice tried to rape black culture. Skating cause it's as popular as it has ever been these days brings fans to the party. More so in my eyes Lupe than Pharell cause I swear he wasn't doing that ollie in the video and really you don't see him skate in his video at all. I think he's as Pharell once sang fronting! As for Pharell hey man dude is hot with the beats why he wants to front like he's a skater is beyond me. I saw his pics skating and he looked kind of lame to me.Whatever the whole idea of the Ice Cream team is lame to me. Seems like a contrived psuedo hiphoped dudes to me.Nothign worse than skaters frontinf and it looks like some fronting going on. Rob Dyrdek ring a bell anybody?
While I appreciate the fact that they will hopefully bring more black and hispanic kids into the realm of skateboarding I just wish they didnt appear to be using it as a means of gathering a new crossover fanbase. It's a double edged sword. I like the fact the hood is open on skating( Harold Hunter anyone? RIP my brother!) but I wish it was more becuase of the Stevie Williams' and Harold Hunter's of the world instead of the Lupe's and Pharells.
That said diversity in hiphop is just what we need right about now and this may be a step towards it. I never felt like the Rawkus movement was real. It seemed like hiphop for college whiteys. Grand Puba was never that. Fuck it niether were House of Pain they were for knuckleheads to me,white trash brwlers not the rawkus set. See all white people aint the same! Ditto for Cypress. Rawkus music though good at time's (Pharoh Monch! Black Star) it always smelled a little corny to me image wise and I just could roll with it.Brand Nubian wasn't Rawkusish to me at all. Good luck to RhymeFest and Lupe regardless they aint the same old same dope dealing rappers and thats a big plus. Hiphop is hurting right now so lets embrace this stuff and maybe it can help make a change. Looks like Gnarls Barkley is right about now and I like that better than both of these records!
Posted by: D.Ross at May 25, 2006 12:26 AM
Really? Do you only talk to hip-hop purists on message boards? My girlfriend might recognize the pharcyde and the black sheep songs, she might even know who common is, but she definitely wont know used to love her or come clean, or any jeru for that matter. please, i hope your playing dumb to play devil's advocate, and not actually unable to see the difference between true school hiphop classics and mass market, universal party jams...
Ya know, that's a good way of looking at this whole debate, UnheardMentality- if your girl who really isn't all that much into rap knows a particular rap song, then it's probably pretty huge. That's how I always gauge just how popular a hip hop joint is- if I catch my wife singing it, I know that schitt is or is gonna be HUGE.
I was out on the West Coast around the time "Come Clean" came out and was shocked to see quite a few dudes who I did not consider "real headz" losing their minds over that song, which is like about as real as real schitt is ever gonna get. So as I read this little Soulstrut debate, I'm thinking "that Jeru joint was actually kinda large when it dropped". But now I'm thinking about my wife, and I know damn well she wouldn't know schitt about "Come Clean". "The Choice Is Yours"? Hells yeah! "Passin' Me By"? Possibly but maybe not. "I Used To Love HER"? Absolutely not. But out of all of the artists who made those songs, Common is the only one that she would know (and probably wouldn't know him all that well).
So I guess huge = rappers or rap songs that are known by people who really don't give a schitt about rap?
After just reading this whole thread, that was pretty much the only thing
I was going to say, and you said it at the very end.
It seems simple: Pharcyde & Black Sheep were huge with non-rap fans,
girls in college who wanted something spicy to go between their Blind Melon
& Jewel CD's. A ton of true hip hop headz were into them too, but
I also remember dudes hating on 'em a good deal - especially Pharcyde.
I heard that crew called "mad corny" more times than I could ever remember.
"Come Clean" & "H.E.R." were monsters on the hip hop scene, but had
almost no crossover into the college/suburban crowd.
So, yeah, if "huge" means white girls liked it, Pharcyde were ENORMOUS.