Artist: Master P
Track: Ghetto Rain (Silkk the Shocker f/ Master P)
Album: Made Men
see that's the way I felt when my lil' brother died
And some fools say it ain't no justice
and other niggaz say it ain't no peace
that's why thugs handle their business in these projects and on these streets
See my daddy made me a dealer
and my cousin made me killer
See that's why everything we do, they gonna respect us and feel us
And I'm still tryin' to understand why big daddy was with da rest
and my nephew Lance Connor on da 14th died in the car wreck
It ain't a muthafuckin' antidote for crack or AIDS
and I see so many ghetto people go to jail
and live your life and die like slaves
I got a relative on appeal doin' 25 flat
on murder, armed robbery
nigga fuck it Johnny Cochran can't fight that
And since I'm Black and I'm rich
they seem to overlook us
me and (?????) bought some first class tickets, they called
And since I'm Black and I'm rich
they seem to overlook us
me and (?????) bought some first class tickets, they called
da police tryin' to book us
Ain't that a bitch, I done made millions
and I'm still goin' through a thang
That's why niggaz ask me P why the fuck you never change?
Ain't that a bitch, I done made millions
and I'm still goin' through a thang
That's why niggaz ask me P why the fuck you never change?
Why is a southern rapper in the bar exam?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the bar exam for purposes of this blog?
ReplyDelete@Anonymous 2: The Bar Exam is intended to examine some "bars," or lyrics, that offer up interesting, astute, or even funny commentary on race/class/law/criminal justice/urban studies/or any number of other issues.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous 1: Southern hip-hop often gets neglected in scholarly discussions of hip-hop. Even on this blog, much of the focus has been on artists that align themselves with East or West Coast rap. Now Southern hip-hop has been superseded by Crunk, which I haven't found to be particularly though-provoking, but then again I'm not an avid listener. Even Houston-based Screw music, doesn't get much recognition. I felt it important to highlight a Southern artist given this broader context. Although I don't particularly find any of the No Limit artists to be poignant social commentators, I do enjoy some of their music. I think this verse, especially as I was listening to it after pouring through the crates, was really heartfelt and actually somewhat unusual for P, especially relative to his commercially successful singles.
Thanks as always for reading and for the comments.
Wow, now that I know what the bar exam is, I can't believe comment 1!
ReplyDeleteIn response to Nick, I think southern rap is neglected in scholarly discussions because most scholars are older and have less exposure to more recent (and relevant) southern rap. Nick, I remember an earlier post you had about, hip hop professors not getting respect due to lack of street cred. Its not necessarily street cred hip hop scholars lack. Students just do not want to here about LL Cool J. It is important for younger generations to understand where hip hop came from, but it is equally important for the OG's to keep up with the times. THERE IS GOOD MUSIC OUT THERE!
I do not agree with Comment 1, but I do understand why that commentor would post such a thing. For a while I was a souther rap elitist, much like the author of comment 1 is probably a Northern hip hop elitist. That is just evidence that Commentor 1 has not been exposed to enough music. Recently Ive been listening to alot more non-southern rap like Bay Area rap.
Here is a song commentor 1 should listen to.Ironically, its Master P, off his Getto D album on No Limit Records: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB6HP3ZmLlg STOP HATIN on the South. That movement is old and weve gotten OURS!
Nick, please check out this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OAFcQEIz7o This guy is so talented. And all of his songs are saturated with social commentary. Maybe this song will qualify for a bar exam.
Finally, please check out this old Pimp C interview, where he explains why UGK doesnt make HIP HOP, instead Pimp C claims to make "country rap tunes." Reason being, when he tried to make hip hop, northerns told him he couldnt! So he said screw it, Ill make my own genre. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT3hhH6bdPM SEE MINUTE 2:00
Rap music is such an complex genre that we have lyrics covering everything from the glorification of grillz to racism to gang life to murder to love songs to political agendas and everything in between. Nobody can't stop this thing, we cant contain or confine it and the more we try, the more fuel we add to the fire that is rap and hip hop. New sub-genres are bound to unfold as the hip hop organism takes on a life of its own and evolves and adapts to the current trends.
ReplyDelete