My friend's doing a class today (in 5 hours) and wants to talk about the transition of hip-hop. He needs it horribly simplified for the kids, so I suggested an early 80s party kinda track, uplifting and positive, a gangster rap song (he'd adamant about using 'Gangsta's Paradise', and a modern hip-hop song about bling and bravado.

Any suggestions about which songs to use? I've only just got up and I can't think straight. The lyrics have to be appropriate for children.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Love 2 the 9s.

Bob George

Guys used to rap to girls to get their attention (Think Hoodini's Roxane Roxane).

It wasn't until the 80's where they developed a "message".

The 90s saw a return to the early "Impress the girl" bravado but with a much more glamerized plasticity to it.


Shit I can't spell.

I've got 'Super Rappin'' by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five for the first one. Just need a bravado-filled (but not too lascivious) modern hip-hop track. Would Nelly be ok? Maybe a Puff Daddy track?

Rappin Granny

Fauxie said:

I think you should do two of them: "Air Force Ones" and "Lost One" by Lauryn Hill. One exemplifies the plasticity of the consumer driven aspects of hip hop, and the other throws all that away and has a gospel edge to it.

ZeroSoul said:

Who is 'Air Force Ones' by?

I kinda messed up my overview because I decided to use 'The Message' (clear and articulate, so easy for the students to follow). I'm going to have alter things to say that early hip-hop also spoke of social ills (not in those words of course), whereas gangster rap explicitly rallied against them with violence. Something like that. I don't have time to do this, but here I am. Thing is, he's so intent on using 'Gangsta's Paradise' for gangster rap. Ugh, whatever.

Fauxie said:

That's such a lame song.

But then I'm not even a hip hop fan, so I don't know what I'm doing here.

Fauxie said:

Nelly fool!!


I'm street.

ZeroSoul said:

Yeah.

Downloading as we speak.

But does it refer to blastin' anyone or violence? I need straight up bitches, cribs, car and bling stuff. Something like that.

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[Edited 10/18/06 19:21pm]

Plus, listening to this track, I'm not sure a bunch of Thai kids would be able to follow the lyrics (even though they'll have them in front of them), as Nelly's voice isn't too clear and precise.

Or maybe I just need a recent hip-hop track (no earlier than say 2003) which just isn't violent. Something upbeat and with a party mood.

Fauxie said:

What about Ganster Glam?

It has an upbeat party mood, but still inspires violent thoughts.

Fauxie said:

'what you know' by T.I.

you should've posted this in non-prince.

I used to like hip hop. Now I find it very difficult to listen to.
Downright annoying at times. Though I think I'd pick it over the new EMO rock bullshit on radio.

But still, I think I'm getting old or something.

brownsugar said:

Thanks for the suggestion - I'll check it out.

I'm not even going to respond to Zero Soul's ( ) suggestion.

Fauxie said:

WHO THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN CRUSHING ON? BITCH, I'ma gonna go LIL KIM on yo azz.

ZeroSoul said:

Yeah, I don't listen to anything new these days, just dig out my Roots albums or maybe A Tribe Called Quest or Gangstarr. Don't really have anything since about 2000 though.

I've been crushing on girls.

TI's track talks about 44s and there are references to violence. I need a track without that, just glorifying the bling bling lifestyle, no earlier than 2003.



I know it's stupid, and hip-hop can't be summed up in 3 songs and 2 paragraphs, but I just want to get this done, and my friend really doesn't know any better. It's just got to work for the class.

Sod it, maybe just something by the Neptunes or Pharrell? 'Drop it like it's hot' perhaps?

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[Edited 10/18/06 19:51pm]
[Edited 10/18/06 19:51pm]

Fauxie said:

okay try 'shine' by cash money. damn i didn't think it would be this hard

brownsugar said:

damn maybe not that one either

'Drop it like it's hot' talks about AK47s and he says 'I'm a gangsta' in it.

Oh man.

Let's face it, even with all the bling and stuff, the violence never really went away in hip-hop. Every track has to mention somewhere that someone's going to get shot if they step out of line.

Fauxie said:

i know. i was just gonna mention snoop's drop it like its hot

I remember when somebody posed a question to Prince on L4OA.com as to why he used a mic in the shape of such a violent weapon as a gun.

And his response was some silly ass thing like "The words of peace spoken into the mic nullify it's power" or some wierd shit like that

It was around that time that I sought out for alternate news outlets for Prince and the org hooked me.

brownsugar said:

I think I'm going with Jay-Z's 'Change Clothes' and I'll stress the emphasis on fashion and high-living. It won't bloody download from Limewire though!

ZeroSoul said:

Prince is so full of shit.

If you want a serious timeline he should start with Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Sugarhill Gang, Eric B. & Rakim, then go to M.C. Lyte, N.W.A., Kool Moe Dee, Beastie Boys, M.C. Hammer, 2 Pac, Bigee, The Roots, Lil Jon, Jay -Z, Outkast, Ludacris, and all the sorry crap like Lil Wayne, Gibbs, YOung Joc, Akon and the sorts.