Comments on: musical expressions

By: arline

arline — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 18:38:00 +0000

Thats what I’m talkin about. I really do like the sound of some hip hop some times, especially when it is well versed and conscious. I like a lot of music, ant my taste is quite eclectic.

I totally agree that it is all about consciousness, and using music of any type can help to invoke or inspire a quality which can be very cathartic for sure, but being conscious is the key, and being willing to go deeper than the surface. Some will never go beneath the surface, or even care to do so. There is certainly a lot to express for sure.

Jaya, I am so glad you got that energy out of your home. Certainly they have every right to express what they wish, but I absolutely would not want it in my sanctuary.

By: lorin

lorin — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 17:06:59 +0000

i feel you, arline. i loathe the the crunk stuff. and while i do loathe it, and all the violence and misogyny that it seethes, i also understand on a certain level that it is mostly about a party, and an empowerment – like “we are getting rich now, whatcha think of that?” sad thing is, that is only the surface. the same big fat white industry cats are who are really getting rich and runnin’ tings. this music and the culture that surrounds it demands no accountability from its people. it is about partying and expressing years of anger and making a buck. some people within that community (the “hiphop” community) are beginning to speak up. but it is a long road. in the meantime, i will listen to any number of the following should i want to listen to some hiphop: hieroglyphics, souls of mischief, madvillian, the roots, digable planets, hydroponic soundsystem, and on – these are indictments, well-versed, conscious statements on serious issues, or feel-good expressions of a good time. no bitches and hos and guns needed.

By: Jaya

Jaya — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 16:05:15 +0000

My thought is that it has to do with consciousness. For the most part, I don’t listen to violent music, but some attitude-soaked hip-hop or punk can be great catharsis for getting anger out.

But to listen to it ALL the time? To me that’s a sign of someone stuck in negativity or unconscious to the forces of media exploitation.

My step son is a hip-hop producer, and for 1.5 years he had his studio in our home. At night, we’d have 6-10 gangsta’ rappers in the living room, smoking weed outside, and leaving trash everywhere. Some of them were trying “too hard” to be bad-ass, rapping about the bitches/ho’s and wanting to shoot people. I cannot begin to tell you how angry I was at having them bring that vibe into my home. The irony is that I had the anger of ritiousness. You’re gonna’ talk about women like that in MY home? Their unconscious expression of violence made me truly furious. Thank god I finally convinced my husband & step son to get a studio of their own. As long as I don’t have to listen to it, then it’s easier to be tolerant of their choices.