Hip Hop vs. Rap ...

[1womanARMY]

[1womanARMY]

I'm the King. You're not even the Queen.

don't forget who the




is...

[One-Way]

That's adorable.

[1womanARMY]

just like me!

[One-Way]

^ Of course, cutie.

[Lamb Boy]

You know one of the things I love about hip hop is the art of sampling. Now I know that wherever a small or HUGE snippet is taken from a previously recorded musical piece it is considered sampling. I have no beef with that fact at all. The only problem I have with sampling is when an artist like P~Diddy just take the main grooves or the catchiest excerpts from a musical selection, adds a clichéd hip hop beat that is also not original, and then sells a million copies. It's just too easy like fishing with dynamite. Of course it's going to work dummy ... the song you're sampling, IN IT'S ENTIRETY, was already a mega success (i.e. the Kool & the Gang sample/song P~Diddy used with Mase in that one tacky video where he is dressed up in a silver suit ... I forget the name ... Hollywood Swingin' or sumthin'.).

Well to get to my point the part of sampling I actually enjoy is the whole diggin' culture and those ppl who are really the proprietors and gate keepers of hidden musical jems. If not for these ppl, that bring older songs to your attention in the medium of sample exposure, then many remarkable songs might get missed all together. It's a second level art no doubt but it's still creative and intriguing on a recyclable level.

By researching the origins of the samples contained within any particular hip hop track you begin to take a major history lesson into the world of music. If a producer is interested in creating tracks in this time honored method you can imagine how much music from all the ages and genre's said producer will have to listen to just to find one small usable section. In the process many ppl find tracks that are complete random favorites although they really have nothing worth using ... technically speaking.

The next song I am going to post is from Pete Rock & CL Smooth. The title is T.R.O.Y. or They Reminisce Over You. It's my favorite hip hop song pretty much ever because the sample and its usage are rare and extremely creative in that order. The lyrics are also some of my favorite ever. The sample comes from Tom Scott's cover of Jefferson Airplane's Today. Both versions of Today are worth listening to imo and listening to the transition from the Jefferson Airplane original through the Tom Scott cover, and finally to Pete Rock & CL Smooth's T.R.O.Y. is truly remarkable in a "progression of musical styles" sense. This is also a great example of how a small musical section can actually be used to create an entire new musical piece or idea. It's like taking a musical moment and extending the life of that moment. What was a riff becomes a song.
__________________________________________________ _______________

Artist: Pete Rock and CL Smooth
Album: Mecca and the Soul Brother
Song: They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y)

I reminisce for a spell, or shall I say think back
22 years ago to keep it on track
The birth of a child on the 8th of October
A toast but my granddaddy came sober
Countin all the fingers and the toes
Now I suppose, you hope the little black boy grows, uhh
18 years younger than my mama
But I really got beatings cause the girl loved drama
In single parenthood there I stood
By the time she was 21, had another one
This one's a girl, let's name her Pam
Same father as the first but you don't give a ____
Irresponsible, plain not thinking
Papa said chill but the brother keep winking
Still he won't down you or tear out your hide
On your side while the baby make a slide
But mama got wise to the game
The youngest of five kids, hon here it is
After 10 years without no spouse
Momma's gettin married in the house
Listen, positive over negative for the women and master
Mother Queen's risin a chapter
Deja vu, tell you what I'm gonna do
When they reminisce over you, my God

~

When I date back I recall a man off the family tree
My right hand Poppa Doc I see
Took me from a boy to a man so I always had a father
When my biological didn't bother
Taking care of this so who am I to bicker
Not a bad ticker but I'm clocking pop's liver
But you can never say that his life is through
5 kids at 21 believe he got a right too
Here we go while I check the scene
With the Portugese lover at the age of 14
The same age, front page, no fuss
But I bet you all your dough, they live longer than us
Never been senile, that's where you're wrong
But give the man a taste and he's gone
Noddin off, sleep to a jazz tune
I can hear his head banging on the wall in the next room
I get the pillow and hope I don't wake him
For this man do cuss, hear it all in verbatim
Telling me how to raise my boy unless he's taking over
I said pop maybe when you're older
We laughed all night about the hookers at the party
My old man standing yelling good God, almighty
Use your condom, take sips of the brew
When they reminisce over you, for real

~

I reminisce so you never forget this
The days of wayback, so many bear witness to fitness
Take the first letter out of each word in this joint
Listen close as I prove my point
T to the R-uh-O-Y, how did you and I meet?
In front of Big Lou's, fighting in the street
But only you saw what took many time to see
I dedicate this to you for believing in me
Rain or shine, yes in any weather
My grandmom Pam holds the family together
My Uncle Doc's the greatest better yet the latest
If we're talking about a car, Uncle Sterling got the latest
I strive to be live 'cause I got no choice
And run my own business like my Aunt Joyce
So Pete Rock hit me, nuff respect due
When they reminisce over you, listen

Pete Rock and CL Smooth for '92
__________________________________________________ _______________

Later

[bell-the-cat]

I don't think those genitalia-challenged cartoon characters could even have one way of doing it.

[ddd]

The verdict is in:

Here

[One-Way]

I don't think those genitalia-challenged cartoon characters could even have one way of doing it.

.....

[TomServo]

bell-the-cat has got to be my second favorite Scottish guy, after Sean Connery of course.