Thursday 22 September 2011

Thought of the day..Rap.. + music in general

Most days I like to get ready in Ti's room.. by that I mean check the mirror ( unbelievable I know) and.. 'chat kwap':)

Sometimes I ask him what time he's got to be at college..that kind of thing.. Best time to catch him is in the a.m.. his mind is much clearer methinks!!
Anyway.. this I guess is one of the reasons I know his tunes etc..blah blah..

Well.. he plays music in the a.m and some of the lyrics on these tunes make me cringe..
I often say... Oh my god is that what you're listening too!! how can you listen to that??... would you play that around grandma?.. bet you wouldn't play that around grandma.. how can you play that around me??..

( He's older now so I feel a bit odd saying turn it off.. although.. it's been known!!.. I have my limits)

'How is that helping you' i'd ask.. .. 'what do you think that 's doing to your mind?.. and on and on I go.. ( like an old bat apparently) whilst in the background is graphic detail of one persons anatomy and what it may or may not be doing to another!!

Other times.. I say nothing. I just turn.. real slowly .. look at him and turn away.
Other times, I'd continue to look in the mirror shake my head and make a sound.. ehh ehhhhhh( bit like a buzzer!!)

Anyway. Ti is fine.
Fortunately this music has not turned him into a wild thug.

It made me wonder though , why so many of us think that rap .. and ganster rap in particular is partly to blame for the way some ( young black males in particular ) behave.. ( only when behaving badly of course.. no one ever thinks to ask those who 'behave well' what they listen too.. may be in for a shock')

I used to think this.. now I'm not so sure. I'm not so sure because I too ( I confess) have enjoyed rap over the years, and it hasn't made me want to do anything i wouldn't ordinarily do.
Yet, a recent article in the Voice featured filmmaker Menelik Shabazz. ( well respected filmmaker) He was saying he felt that the music genre 'Lovers Rock' makes people want to love, be more loving or show affection.
He may have a point.

Now..those of you who read my blog often, will know i often love a sweeping statement ( oh yes.. scrap it all up together and blam.. saves time:)!!)

And here is that statement.
Most of the women who listen to lovers rock are single , and most of the men ( of a certain generation) are philanderers, with several baby mothers, for whom they are not responsible for!..(ah yes..blam.. best one yet!!:D)

Just so you know.. this statement was born out of a few conversations.. with women mainly.. I didn't create it..

One conversation with a friend a while back was questioning whether or not lovers rock ( as nice as it is) keeps women's heads in the clouds, and men off scot- free!!

(*Just so you know.. I love my lovers rock kings and queens!!)

I could go on about music.. but my question is.. just how much does music influence us.. and does it depend on our age?.
e.g When I was young I listened to lots of roots , reality , pop, country.. By the time I listened to G rap I was much older.
However, I suspect the story of Caribbeans in the UK can be told and understood through music alone.. ( remember '13 dead?'.. 'Police officer' and much much more)..which kinda implies for me that music is an expression of the consciousness of the people..
Still.. I can't be sure.. music is creativity, and creativity can create anything.. worlds.. people..truth from fiction and fiction from truth..

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