Billy X. Sunday finds the elusive truth in rap music lyrics.
If I have learned anything from all my years on this planet, it is to believe absolutely nothing I hear from the mouths of preachers or politicians. Now I am going to have to add peddling poets to that list.
The feel-good song for 2009 appears to be the Jay-Z remix verse for Young Jeezy’s ‘My President Is Black’.
Let me just say off the top that I was truly disappointed that negro Jeezy does not have a ‘Z’ anywhere in the song title when he knows good gotdamn well there should be at least one.
“What recession?” – (c) Young Jeezy
Once again Jay-Z brodies another person’s song and with the talent that he has shown us over the years he creates an anthem both simple and insipid as a sign of our times…
My president is Black
My Maybach too
And I’ll be goddamned if my diamonds ain’t blue
My moneys dark green
And my Porsche is light grey
And I’m headed for DC, anybody feel me?
My first question is how does someone becomes YOUR president when you didn’t even vote?
My president is Black, in fact he’s half white
So even in a racist mind, he’s half right
If you’ve got a racist mind, you be aiight
My president is Black, but his house is all white
WTF?!?
Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther could walk
Martin Luther walked so Barack Obama could run
Barack Obama ran so all our children could fly
So I’m a spread my wings, you could meet me in the sky
Martin Luther, the founder of the rap music reformation, or Martin Luther, the leader of the Black rock reformation? Anyhoo…
Already got my own clothes, already got my own shoes
I was hot before Barack, imagine what I’m gon’ do
Hello Miss America, hey pretty lady
Red white and blue flag, wave for me baby
Uggh, and BeYonce taught him that.
Never thought I’d say this shit, baby I’m good
You can keep your puss, I don’t want no more bush
No more war, no more Iraq
No more white lies, my president is Black
Obama won’t complete his term as president if any more of these songs are made
Jay-Z’s rendition is metrically built similar to Young Jeezy’s in that simple words are inserted with literal lightweight comparisons and contrasts. Jay-Z says no more Iraq, but you have to wonder where he plans on getting the fuel for his Porsche and his Maybach. The genius of the composition is that it is the rap music equivalent of chanting “U.S.A.”
Yeah, Barack Obama lives in the White House. “U.S.A.”
Rosa Parks, Martin Luther (King Jr. we’ll assume). “U.S.A.”
Miss America. “U.S.A.”
Four years of Black lies? “U.S.A.”
Let’s be clear, I’m not looking to hear something with the depth of the 95 Theses, or even the Letter from a Birmingham Jail because these are great and everlasting pieces of literature, you know, shit people took the time to write down. But if you really thought you had arrived at a moment in history that was truly important, why wouldn’t you use your talent to create something that is transcendent? Anybody can put some shit together that tells me what the color of their car is, and frankly, as rich as Jay-Z purports to be, I’m embarrassed that he thinks his money is still green and not something that is colorless, odorless and totally electronically manipulated. Seriously, do you think really wealthy people even sully their fingers with cash?
I’m not hating on Jay-Z either, as some of the lower life form so-called brains might utter in kneejerk unison. If there’s anyone I would want to hit the ball 450ft. over the centerfield fence, it would be the Jigga Man. He would redeem himself in my eyes from the man who created the anthem ‘Jigga My Nigga’ that I listened to a six year old sing while I stood on Fulton Street across from Albee Square Mall waiting for the B52 bus. Instead mighty Jay-Z struck out. I suppose it is equally fitting that Albee Square Mall has also been reduced to rubble. It also makes me wonder what has become of that child.
From the inauguration of what could be the first Hip-Hop president (bigger than African American), we are left wanting from everyone that was all too happy just to be at the party.
I just hope that someone will come to the artform again who respects the pad and the pen so that the true legacy will be recorded for history.
whattup Billy?
when you see Dallas, show this to him
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1873496,00.html
i know you’ve seen pics
what u think about the air yezzy’s or kanye teaming up with LV.
also sorrry about your moms yo.
*eyeroll*
I thought this Jeezy song was retarded and now its gotten dumber. Seriously the best follow up line to “My president is black…” was “My Lambo is blue?” Whereas Jay’s verse is “better” understand its a relative term. Very relative.
Also, lets stop this phony charade that “Hip-Hop got Barack Obama elected”. NIggers always want credit for shit…
NaS definitely had the best My President is Black verse. Jay even stole the sit, walk run, fly line from the internets.
I got this in the inbox from the Saul Williams mailing list, it also came with a download but I havent had the chance to listen to it yet. I’m kinda mad that he doesn’t tell us what color his Prius is or if he has a Discover card or not but it still looks good:
We have overcome.
Except those of us now in Gaza. Except those of us whom police kill. Except those of us who are suspects. Except those of us whom the church hate. Except those of us damned to taste good. Except those of us held by fate. We are meeting in the capitol. Word is, freedom will not wait.
All that once was never shall be.
All they could do won’t be done.
All we sang of is now happening.
[note to self:]
Must write
new songs
to become…
…And so it was. Through the collective imagination of the people, the force of will and human potential, and an unflinching ability to hold himself to task, Niggy Tardust was liberated. His ability to see beyond the boundaries and obstacles of ‘genre’, ‘race’, and suppression, allowed him to encompass a grace and sound that embodied the all. All that had stood against him, now stood with him. All that had claimed a lesser harmony, now craved voice and resonance. He stood with poets, painters, dancers, students, children of the night who had transformed themselves into a million bright ambassadors of morning, and proclaimed,
“We declare declaratives and deny the official. Based in the landmark of the G-spot, we have overtaken ourselves and overthrown our forefathers. Let there be light within the light and let it answer to the name of Darkness. We are forever risen from the deadly: the anti-virus and the All Stars. Granted power by forces unbeknownst to us. Made in the likeness of kindness. We offer anger to the angry and fear to the fearful. We dance at our own funerals to forsake the mourners…
…This is no time to cry! This is no time at all! Here is the moment of the overlooked and the unforeseeable. We are the elected officials of the people: poets and artists. We are the declarative statement of the inarticulate, the irreparably damaged goods of the bad meaning good. We are the government! We are the government! We are the government!”
is olympic winner still open?
Lame song.Black Republicans was lame too.I find it funny that since Naz & Jay Z squashed beef there hasn’t been any collabo worth saving on my mp3 player. ***Pedro***
Saul williams is the one.
Shawn should take a lesson from Nas– hell a lesson from Prodigy– and read a gotdamn book once in a while. This always half-cocked (II) fucktard has been embarrassing BK for nearly 15 years now; for every “99 Problems” video (which was great work) there’s garbage like this and worse.
DP on the B52 = man of the people, Albee Sq RIP. Dallas, do you remember Willougby and Myrtle before all the Metrotech bullshit went up?
The Music Director
Who Walk In Brooklyn
is nobody as obsessed with Hov’s verse on the Mavado “On the Rock” remix as I am?
Talk about a song that wasn’t his that Jay got on and bodied.
“Shawn should take a lesson from Nas– hell a lesson from Prodigy– and read a gotdamn book once in a while”
I agree, never was of fan of this proclaimed GOAT by the Y Generation. I thought that performance was apalling! I’m gonna really need these jigs to STFD! I’m sure Barack doesn’t need any of their shout outs or support for that matter…ignorant!!!!
I find it hard to believe with money as tight as it is, people still want to hear someone elses bullshit swagger bragging. This is the kind of new money that thinks it has longevity by spitting out every fart that crosses his brain…Did I mention that I did not like the song, lol!
Jigga looks like the little dude from the Six Flags commercial with those Cazals on.
DP u’z a fool!!! 😛
I’m not a Jay-Z fan however, I do agree with you wholeheartedly about about his lack of creativity.