Music Is Music Addiction Taking Over Our Lives?

[Cyrus]

CRAP!? You wish you had taste as refined as me!

It's been a long time, I shouldn't have left you
Without a strong rhyme to step to
Think of how many weak shows you slept through
Time's up, I'm sorry I kept you
Thinking of this, you keep repeating you miss
The rhymes from the microphone soloist
And you sit by the radio, hand on the dial, soon
As you hear it, pump up the volume
Dance with the speaker 'till you hear it blow,
Then plug in the headphone 'cause here it go
It's a 4 letter word when it's heard, it control
your body to dance (You got it) soul,
Ditects the tempo like a red alert
Reaches your reflex, so let it work
When this is playing, you can't get stuck with
The steps, so get set and I'm a still come up with
A gift to be swift, follow the leader, the rhyme will go
Def wit the record that was mixed a long time ago
It can be done but only I can do it
For those that can dance and clap your hands to it
I start to think and then I sink
Into the paper like I was ink
When I'm writing, I'm trapped in between the lines,
I escape when I finish the rhyme...
I got soul

That is the CORNIEST lyrics I ever heard in my life man.

PUMP UP THE VOLUME!? ?!

YOU CALL THAT CREATIVE!?

Granted, that might have been for 1980, but this ant 1980!

YOUR NUTS MAN!

 

[Cyrus]

Here, some common lyrics for you:

Night Blows, Stoves don't work, Hoes at work
A warrior, so I wear 'em on my shirt
Wish I was free as Che was,I spend a day buzzed
Trippin on heights, wishin for nights in different flavors
The age of Kane and Big Daddy,shown by the caddies
Uncles named Larry, that never really grabbed me
My mother gave birth but she really never had me
Left to the hood to play daddy
Raised by niggaz named Butch through the bay bay
With waists so they weigh they status on the streets
License plates that say they, motto This is Chicago in the hay day
Similiar to Good Times, I guess that I was Jay Jay
A skinny nigga, young girls with penny figures
So many niggaz, stacked upon each other
It's the black upon each other that we love so much
Wonder how many of us, these drugs going to touch
Used to gangbang, ain't really thug that much
Rather have some thick broads then the dutch to clutch
Went to school in Baton Rouge for a couple of years
My college career got downed with a couple of beers
Came back home, now I got to pay back loans
Same nigga, same block, same **** they own
Only thing different, quicker, they click that chrome
In my defense, yo I had to hit that zone
Man to man, I'm good workin with my hands
My generation never understood workin for the man
And, of bein broke I ain't a fan
Now I stand in the same spot, as my old man
My life I planned not to be on this corner
I still want to see California
But this is my world

[Verse 2]
Life and death law around us
Four pounds and pounds a verb from out of towners
It's hard to stay grounded
We stay high, that's why old folks down us
Lost, nobody found us, the force that sorrounds us
Ain't with us, they get us on the ground and hit us
We paint pictures of the chains under their names and scriptures
Removed from earth, only to return through birth
Knew this girl sellin her body, wish she knew what it was worth.
Between God and trash, lookin in every car that pass
With a walk that suggests head, to milk niggaz she was breastfed
She know dairy so she say cheese to get bread
In the area where it's more weaves and less dreads
Kinda scary, amongst theives and base-heads
Said it was her toes, but I could tell her soul hurt
She was colder (?), growin up she got to know hurt
very well in a world where self hate is overt
Her step-father that he was aite, so her mother he striked
she got to like like minded niggaz, who liked crimes and figures
Doin white lines and liquor, see hard times had kicked her
In the ass, it used to be thicker
Life is fast, some choose to be quicker
I remember in high school she had a passion to sing
Now she see herself in a casket in dreams
These are the children of crack and rap, blacks done lack
Self-esteem, yo we forgot the dream
On our jeffersons y'all but we forgot the theme
In the Chi, we even rootin for a garbage team
This queen never seen herself on this Corner
She still want to see California
But this is her world

Wow, shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh please stop talking please your killing me!

Its a song about the struggle of living in the ghetto. Not some mindless dribble about pumping up "volume"

uuuuuuuuuuuoooooooooooo pump up the volume, that really means something.

 

[mattmns]

Hell of a lot more creative than the typical, I live in the ghetto, people get killed by guns, my friends do drugs, girls are prositutes, ...

Common wishes he could write and deliver rhymes like Rakim.

I AM NUTS? ROFL Let us see what Common has to say about Rakim.

"I knew he [Rakim] was the best on the written side, but he was ripping it on the freestyle. I was like, 'Man, this is the reason I'm rapping.' For real. Rakim, when he made Paid in Full, it was something about his demeanor and the way he carried hip-hop. I was like, 'I want to be that.' Rakim is usually the unseen MC. For him to be there and open, that was one of my great moments."

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1534034/06092006/rakim.jhtml

 

[Cyrus]

I don't care what he has to say.

You think that rap about life in the Ghetto is not rap? Man, you are CLUELESS. Its an expression. If you live in those conditions, that's what you will express yourself about, not "pumping up volume".....lameeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

 

[mattmns]

You don't care about what he has to say? You just quoted him like 2 times rofl!

I never said Ghetto life is not rap, I said it is not creative anymore. I am tired of hearing the same old crap. Nas, Pac, Big, many have done it already, quite good I might add, these new rappers need to find a new style! I don't need to hear the same old story about drugs, prostitutes, and crime, find something new to rap about.

As for pumping up the volume, whenever Rakim is playing, I will always pump up the volume.
All they can go get is me a glass of Moet
A hard time, sip your juice and watch a smooth poet
I take 7 MC's put em in a line
And add 7 more brothas who think they can rhyme
Well, it'll take 7 more before I go for mine
And that's 21 MC's ate up at the same time
Easy does it, do it easy, that's what I'm doin
No fessin, no messin around, no chewin
No robbin, no buyin, bitin, why bother
This slob'll stop tryin fightin to follow
My unusual style will confuse you a while
If I was water, I flow in the Nile
So many rhymes you won't have time to go for your's
Just because of a cause I have to pause
Right after tonight is when I prepare
To catch another sucka duck MC out there
Cos my strategy has to be tragedy, catastrophe
And after this you'll call me your majesty
My melody...

 

[Cyrus]

And what should they rap about then? How great life is in the Ghetto?

Why on Earth are you even talking about Kanye west and his use of the word izzert? Common does not do stuff like that in his rap.

If you want to talk about common, then talk about common.

I am not talking about Kanye west, I don't like Kanye. Hes a good producer, not a rapper.

 

[JamesU]

I'm pretty sure that rap was originally supposed to revolve around life in the ghettoes

 

[mattmns]

They can rap about whatever the hell they want, I'm just saying the ghetto idea is played out already.

edit... rofl, yomamma, you are as bad as Cyrus, you both know need to listen to some original rap (read: 80s). Rap was all about being better than the "sucker" MCs. It was about being cocky, having fun.

 

[Cyrus]

Unless you actually live in the Ghetto and its a part of your life. Which is why you rap about it because your rap has MEANING to it. It's not some cheesy rhyme to sell to clubs and dance to.

Edit: No, he is just that good. Good job Yomama, keep up the good work.

 

[JamesU]

I don't listen to rap mattmns, I was just saying...

 

[mattmns]

Life in the ghetto is played out, it is the same old story. Hell, KRS-One was homeless, lived in shelters in the Bronx, and when he made Criminal Minded back in 86-87 you didn't hear him whining about that crap. He didn't go around getting high like Common, he educated himself at the library.

edit... If you don't listen to rap, why are you commenting on it yomamma ... ?

 

[JamesU]

because this argument is pointless...an attemt to end you people saying the same old things over and over ;)

 

[mattmns]

True it is quite pointless. I'm just tired of the "ghetto."

 

[Cyrus]

Life in the ghetto is played out, it is the same old story. Hell, KRS-One was homeless, lived in shelters in the Bronx, and when he made Criminal Minded back in 86-87 you didn't hear him whining about that crap. He didn't go around getting high like Common, he educated himself at the library.

edit... If you don't listen to rap, why are you commenting on it yomamma ... ?

What, who said common goes around getting high? Do you even have a clue what common is about?

He is considered "positive" rap.

You are arguing from an ignorant point of view!

You need to stop man, seriously. Your just saying things now.

If you want to listen to people outsmart each other, then you don't listen to rap, listen to freestyle battles that's not what rap is about (necessarily).

 

[mattmns]

In the lyrics you posted...
-------------
Life and death law around us
Four pounds and pounds a verb from out of towners
It's hard to stay grounded
We stay high, that's why old folks down us
-------------

Maybe I misunderstood what he was saying.

 

[Cyrus]

Read some more of his lyrics

{Common}
After bein' 25, you know, just trying to survive in the world
Bout to have a little boy or baby girl. Who knows?
Anyway, just when you start gettin that little age and experience to you
You start thinkin about stuff...tryin to make the right moves
So bust it out, this is what I was thinkin, check it

Yo, the education of the Lon-chicka-Lonnie Lynn
Began, began with time
Bein my bloodline is one with the divine
In time brotha, you will discover the light
Some say that God is Black and the Devil's White
Well, the Devil is wrong and God is what's right
I fight, with myself in the ring of doubt and fear
The rain ain't gone, but I can still see clear
As a child, given religion with no answer to why
Just told believe in Jesus because for me he did die
Curiosity killed the catechism
Understanding and wisdom became the rhythm that I played to
And became a slave to master self
A rich man is one with knowledge, happiness and his health
My mind had dealt with the books of Zen, Tao the lessons
Koran and the Bible, to me they all vital
And got truth within 'em, got to read them boys
You just can't skim 'em, different branches of belief
But one root that stem 'em, but people of the venom try to trim 'em
And use religion as an emblem
When it should be a natural way of life
Who am I or they to say to whom you pray ain't right
That's who got you doing right and got you this far
Whether you say "in Jesus name" or "Al hum du'Allah"
Long as you know it's a bein' that's supreme to you
You let that show towards others in the things you do
Cuz when the trumpets blowin, 24 elders surround the throne
Only 144,000 gon get home
Only 144,000 gon get home
Only 144,000 gon get it baby

Chorus: Cee-Lo

I've lived and I've learned
I have taken and I've earned
I have laughed, I've cried
I have failed and I have tried
Sunshine, pouring rain
found joy through all my pain
I just want to be happy with being me

{Cee-Lo}
Let me voice my concern
So many of my fellow brothers have given themselves a title
That their actions didn't earn
Our ignorance is in the same breath as our innocence
Subconciously, seeking to find an impressionable mind to convince
I've finally come to the realization why Black people in the worse place
Cuz it's hard to correct yourself when you don't know
Who you are in the first place
So I try to find the clue in you
But evidently, White folks know more Black history than we do
Why're we bein' lied to? I ain't know our history was purposely hidden
Damn, somethin' in me want to know who I am
So I began my search, my journey started in church
It gave my heartache relief when I started to understand belief
Hustlin was like a gift spent my share of time in the streets
Taught me survival from this evil I'm just going to have to deal with
And I felt like a fool when I tried to learn it in school
It almost seemed like a rehearsal when the only
Science and math are universal
Takin elder advice, read the Bible, the Koran
Searched scrolls from the Hebrew Israelites
Hold on, this ain't right, Jesus wasn't White
Some leads were granted with insight
and it's all in the plan, but it took me some time to overstand
He still created with the imperfection of man
So, with followin' I disagree
By no means have I forgotten or forgiven what's been done to me but
I do know the Devil ain't no White man, the Devil's a spiritual mind
That's color blind, there's evil White folk and evil niggas
You gon surely find there's no positivity without negativity
But one side you going to have to choose
Any chance to speak I refuse to misuse
So how can you call yourself God when you let a worldly possession
become an obsession and the way you write your rhymes and
Can't follow your lesson
If a seed's sown, you make sure it's known, you make sure it's grown
If you God, then save your own, don't mentally enslave your own
If you God, then save your own, don't mentally enslave your own
If you God, then save your own, don't mentally enslave your own

Well, I've lived and I've learned
I've taken and I've earned
I have laughed, I have cried
I failed and I have tried
Sunshine, pourin rain
I found joy through my pain
Just want to be happy...bein me
Bein me

And stop saying things that are NONSENSE MAN!

 

[Cyrus]

In the lyrics you posted...
-------------
Life and death law around us
Four pounds and pounds a verb from out of towners
It's hard to stay grounded
We stay high, that's why old folks down us
-------------

Maybe I misunderstood what he was saying.

What, you think every rapper does what they rap? Give me a break.

 

[mattmns]

Well who is to say that he is positive then, because he raps things that may be positive (as you said, "you think every rapper does what they rap? Give me a break.")

 

[Cyrus]

...

I am done, bye bye.

 

[Cyrus]

Well who is to say that he is positive then, because he raps things that may be positive (as you said, "you think every rapper does what they rap? Give me a break.")

And BTW WE does not mean him. WE means young black people.

so yea, you did misunderstand him.

 

[mattmns]

We: 1. Used by the speaker or writer to indicate the speaker or writer along with another or others as the subject

If he did not want to include himself in the group, he should have used "they." Though from what I have seen of his lyrics, he thinks "they" means "their," so maybe he should check out a dictionary.

 

[Cyrus]

You just don't get it do you? Rap is NOT the written language. If you think it is, then you are under the wrong impression and you should stop listening to it. Go listen to a NAS CD, you could make the same argument towards NAS, yet you like him.

 

[mattmns]

I am not saying I don't like Common, I have never listened to anything he has done, so I have no place to judge his music. My goal here is to show you how silly it is to judge an artist from strictly lyrics and a sample from iTunes which is what you have done with Rakim.

 

[Cyrus]

I just bought "I know you got soul"

If this song stinks, your a dead man.

 

[mattmns]

That is a good song. Though, if you have GTA: San Andreas, you could listen to the whole thing on there for free. If you are going to listen to Rakim, give it a few listens to sink in, some of his lyrics/word/rhyme-plays are very complex. Listen to My Melody and you will definitely see what I mean.

 

[Cyrus]

Go listen to commons album

One day it'll all make sense.

http://www.napster.com/view/artist/index.html?id=10474224

 

[mattmns]

I am going to buy Like Water for Chocolate in my next cd purchase. Today is monday, I thought it was the weekend. I guess I will buy it now.

 

[Cyrus]

No, that one is not that good!

Buy Be, or one day itll all make sense

BTW, common is not new. Hes been at it since 92'

 

[JamesU]

you people have been arguing for 3 days, and 4 pages

 

[mattmns]

Too late already bought it, but from the reviews, they all seem good. If I like it I will check out One Day.