Yo, yo yo, wazzup? I was thinking today that I've been listening to too much Sixties folk music lately. I signed up for Live365.com Radio a couple months ago, and have been addicted to the Radio Vietnam channel. It's like Good Morning, Vietnam sans Robin Williams, which is a huge plus. But the music is starting to get to me; I've become too nostalgic. I long for a time when music told political stories and everyone was high. I'm sure the Acid Movement was great while you were up, but just like living in post-9/11 America, life's a bitch when you come down.
So I've been following the example of people I work with. Most guys on the line want to be white rappers. I keep telling them: "You're from Iowa. You're not hard," but they don't listen. Who can blame them? Hip hop is hot right now; folk music is a thing of the past. I do like some hip hop, though. I like this one Muslim guy, Akon, because he reminds me of Muhammad, my best friend in high school from Lebanon who wanted to be the first Muslim rapper. I respect black guys like Akon who are telling their story while playing around with the genre. But Clint and Dapkeo (and myself) are no Akon. White people from Iowa probably shouldn't even try to rap. It's not our thing. My motto has always been be yourself. My parents were Christian hippies, so folk music comes naturally to me--I grew up with Simon and Garfunkel.
The problem is we have to figure out how to give white people a voice again in music to tell their stories without co-opting other cultures. It's a tough challenge. John Mayer might be breaking the mold for other white guys to follow. Mayer is the new Eminem. Eh, what can I say. Clint, Dapkeo and I grew up in Iowa during the age of Eminem, and Midwestern people are always behind the times. Maybe they should start listening to "M.C. Crew Member of the Month, September 2006." Maybe if I start rapping, then they'll see how silly we all look:
Employee of Da Month
Working at the Lob
Cuz it's our job
Sparkin' mad rhymes on the line
We all work overtime
We all work overtime
Clint's got the flint
Thinks he's hot shit
Colorado Cowboy, without a gun
He'll show you how it's done.
Working at the Lob
Cuz it's our job
Sparkin' mad rhymes on the line
We all work overtime
We all work overtime
Dapkeo will show you how
To be hip now.
Yellow Chocolate, he ain't black
But gonna bring Laos back.
Working at the Lob
Cuz it's our job
Sparkin' mad rhymes on the line
We all work overtime
We all work overtime
John is my name
Jokin' is my game
Workin' Class hero?
Ha. Just another zero
Working at the Lob
Cuz it's our job
Sparkin' mad ryhmes on the line
We all work overtime
We all work overtime
We all work overtime
See, I can't rap either. But everything must start with a decent story, bitches. So shut up and listen.
Peace out, bitches.
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