My God. I haven't read something like this (so scintillating, so precise) in a long time. Your prescience is palpable. And this, like the best of free jazz, is like a code: anyone not in the know wouldn't have a clue what to make of your thesis. But I see it. And I wish some of these artists would accept it, too. Because you're right... beauty awaits beyond the bitterness, the commercial exploitation, within us. Bonus: thank you for mentioning Albert Ayler. A favorite that goes unrecognized often, I find.
“I am bored with the aromantic courtship between amorous enemy-emcees. I’m hyper aware of its desperation, how it indicates their need for real muses, and renewal of the passion that has long been dampened by the duties of fame and self-agrandisement.” !!! Wow incredible analysis
This is a very interesting piece, but I don't know if it is accurate to call Kendrick a "stranded soloist." Nearly every banger on the album includes at least one, at times multiple, Cali-based artist from Gen Z, and heart pt. 6 is a story about his come-up journey with TDE. While he is distancing himself from his peers at the grandest level of the industry (Drake, Wayne, Snoop, J Cole), there is a clear return and reconnecting with LA as a city and scene in this album, building upon the current regional sound of LA hip hop (and advancing it too with experimental flows and production). So I don't really see him as this isolated artist, and if there is anyone I wanna see taking a victory lap this year, it's Kendrick.
I'm not even a big follower of hip hop to weigh in on the ins and outs of it all. But I think that one of the reasons I'm not a big follower is this arrested development. Hip-hop turned 50 but who would know it?
Fantastic read 🙌🏻 My teen son is a big hip-hop enthusiast and plays his new favorites for me now and again. I hear guns, drugs, money, detached sex, and me vs everyone else — or a particular enemy. Recently, I asked him if there was anything he liked that spoke of joy or playfulness or love/intimacy (rather than “fucking bitches and hos”). Or something humorous without mocking or belittling someone else. He could not give me an example. I might also point out that he doesn’t listen to female acts. When asked why not, he rolled his eyes like I was crazy for even asking. What I love about lyrics, is they can reach your soul. Tickle your emotions in unexpected ways. Express feelings we cannot find the words for ourselves. I’d love to hear that tapping of humanity coming from more male hip-hop lyricists. Are men no longer allowed to express a range of emotions?
“A pain body running out of space to bleed” is the wildest thing I’ve ever read. the genre is lucky to have you writing on black music with this kind of care!
As someone who's not big on hip-hop, I found this piece profound. Not because of the review of GNX itself but the important aspect you've talked about when it comes to trust, brotherhood and even love in the hip-hop industry. And you do well to not just blame the artists. The aspect of shared trust and goals has made me think about where else this individualism is being glorified.
This is either a Scorsese establishing walk-through or whole chorus of a Lester Young solo: “Like so-called jazz came up through bands, initially big bands and swing before the war efforts and wartime economy forced the closure of large ballrooms and banned dancing with cabaret laws in New York, where jazz innovation was concentrated at the height of the genre’s popularity, turning the form more reticent and appealing to the cerebral or hip and disaffected white intelligentsia who enjoyed standing at a diagonal against the walls of small smokey clubs, maybe on a good drug or mimicking the effects of using, while witnessing aggressively sophisticated and deeply erotic molecular revolution through improvised black sound.” Bam! There it is.
This type of honesty cuts through the maze. And I really appreciate that. Its reads like medicine that even tho it might be hard to digest, it will indeed make you better.
My God. I haven't read something like this (so scintillating, so precise) in a long time. Your prescience is palpable. And this, like the best of free jazz, is like a code: anyone not in the know wouldn't have a clue what to make of your thesis. But I see it. And I wish some of these artists would accept it, too. Because you're right... beauty awaits beyond the bitterness, the commercial exploitation, within us. Bonus: thank you for mentioning Albert Ayler. A favorite that goes unrecognized often, I find.
“I am bored with the aromantic courtship between amorous enemy-emcees. I’m hyper aware of its desperation, how it indicates their need for real muses, and renewal of the passion that has long been dampened by the duties of fame and self-agrandisement.” !!! Wow incredible analysis
This is a very interesting piece, but I don't know if it is accurate to call Kendrick a "stranded soloist." Nearly every banger on the album includes at least one, at times multiple, Cali-based artist from Gen Z, and heart pt. 6 is a story about his come-up journey with TDE. While he is distancing himself from his peers at the grandest level of the industry (Drake, Wayne, Snoop, J Cole), there is a clear return and reconnecting with LA as a city and scene in this album, building upon the current regional sound of LA hip hop (and advancing it too with experimental flows and production). So I don't really see him as this isolated artist, and if there is anyone I wanna see taking a victory lap this year, it's Kendrick.
I'm not even a big follower of hip hop to weigh in on the ins and outs of it all. But I think that one of the reasons I'm not a big follower is this arrested development. Hip-hop turned 50 but who would know it?
Fantastic read 🙌🏻 My teen son is a big hip-hop enthusiast and plays his new favorites for me now and again. I hear guns, drugs, money, detached sex, and me vs everyone else — or a particular enemy. Recently, I asked him if there was anything he liked that spoke of joy or playfulness or love/intimacy (rather than “fucking bitches and hos”). Or something humorous without mocking or belittling someone else. He could not give me an example. I might also point out that he doesn’t listen to female acts. When asked why not, he rolled his eyes like I was crazy for even asking. What I love about lyrics, is they can reach your soul. Tickle your emotions in unexpected ways. Express feelings we cannot find the words for ourselves. I’d love to hear that tapping of humanity coming from more male hip-hop lyricists. Are men no longer allowed to express a range of emotions?
“A pain body running out of space to bleed” is the wildest thing I’ve ever read. the genre is lucky to have you writing on black music with this kind of care!
i disagree with the critiques but you wrote yo ass off. put yo ankle in it.
As someone who's not big on hip-hop, I found this piece profound. Not because of the review of GNX itself but the important aspect you've talked about when it comes to trust, brotherhood and even love in the hip-hop industry. And you do well to not just blame the artists. The aspect of shared trust and goals has made me think about where else this individualism is being glorified.
This was amazing. You so nailed this.
This is either a Scorsese establishing walk-through or whole chorus of a Lester Young solo: “Like so-called jazz came up through bands, initially big bands and swing before the war efforts and wartime economy forced the closure of large ballrooms and banned dancing with cabaret laws in New York, where jazz innovation was concentrated at the height of the genre’s popularity, turning the form more reticent and appealing to the cerebral or hip and disaffected white intelligentsia who enjoyed standing at a diagonal against the walls of small smokey clubs, maybe on a good drug or mimicking the effects of using, while witnessing aggressively sophisticated and deeply erotic molecular revolution through improvised black sound.” Bam! There it is.
god what a piece. such a surgical read and yet so filled with a heartful, earnest desire for this genre to be more than it is. beautiful.
Thank you so much.
🔥🔥🔥🔥
This is absolutely phenomenal. Thank you so much. You are one incredible writer.
This type of honesty cuts through the maze. And I really appreciate that. Its reads like medicine that even tho it might be hard to digest, it will indeed make you better.
This is linguistic art! Amazing job :)
This is an opinion wrapped in linguistic artistry. I take it for what it is. Beautiful.