Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Freedom Song

Sometimes I wonder who you are

I just can't grasp your perspective

You scream and yell at me all night

Your memories are all selective

I'm so tired of trying to find out

What is your reality

Just what planet are you on

Why is it you torture me?

In your mind I'm all that's wrong here

Burden to your paradise

Place the blame upon my shoulders

That must feel so fucking nice

I'm so tired of trying to find out

What is your reality?

Just which ship did you arrive on?

Cut the rope and set me free.

Logic has no place in your world

Everything is bound by fear

I can't fight the paranoia

I'm immune to all your tears

Now you have your armor on

It's you against the universe

What you never stop to see

Is that you always slay me first

Find some fucking gravity

Find some fucking sanity

I can't take this trip again

I'm floating away from me.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Blacks and Rock Music

An article in "The Root" http://www.theroot.com/views/rock-black-music-too?Gt1=38002, sounds the death knell for hip-hop, saying that the genre has run out of ideas.  It uses as evidence the fact that rap star Lil Wayne is at work on a rock album.  Author Rob Fields applauds the presence of blacks in rock music.  I'm not sure where he's been, since we've never been absent; just present in small numbers.  At the end of the day, music is music and different types move different people. Though sometimes I do want to scream when I hear a classic under a rap.  Lots of rappers (Diddy, Jay-Z) are hardcore rock fans.  Jay-Z did a mash-up with Linkin Park that KILLS.  If the beat moves you, it doesn't matter who plays it.  Though I have to say I'm so happy to see folks like TV On the Radio and remember Corey Glover and Living Colour from back in the day?  More metal bands have black lead singers (check out Lajon Witherspoon from Sevendust - the man could crack walnuts with his thighs... http://www.zimbio.com/Lajon+Witherspoon, or Howard Jones from Killswitch Engage http://static.playdo.com/1016/megadef/tabimages/killswitch_20engage_202%5B1%5D.jpg.  It’s really nice to no longer be the only brown spot in the crowd at rock shows, though I still find myself counting…

I don’t think black folks have run out of imagination.  It’s a trend and rap will turn into something else as time goes on, just like all music evolves.  The music industry has to be ready and willing to market what musicians produce.  If all they’ll push from black artists is rap, that’s what folks will produce.