Hip-Hop As The New Southern Gothic

The southern environment and the artists that have come out of that environment have provided America with some of it’s greatest and starkest reminders of both how far we have come and far we have yet to go. To this very day, America remains a country divided between the North and the South with the South not fully trusting the North and vice versa. While the characterizations of both the North and the South have changed with the modern political language representing the South as the ‘Bible Belt’ and the North often as ‘Liberal Elites’, the history of this ambiguous geographical yet rather pronounced cultural divide stretches back to before the Civil War. While times have changed, the South remains characterized by the racial classes that have defined its history. 

It is important to mention that in no way is the South this backwards region while the North is completely righteous. Many African-Americans came North to flee the restrictions of Jim Crow to find many subtle yet just as forceful road blocks in Northern cities, and this was a point made very clear by Ralph Ellison in his landmark work Invisible Man. However, racial tensions have often been more accentuated in the South and this in many ways directly led to one of America’s most distinct literary genres; the Southern Gothic.

The Southern literature has often been characterized by extremes. Whether it is the 19th century fictional portrayal of the joyous slave or the 20th century Southern Gothic style, the South has been either a heaven or hell. Southern Gothic authors such as William Faulkner, and Flannery O'Connor often portrayed the South as the latter. However, this does not mean these artists exhibited uniformity in their feeling towards the South. O'Connor often supported the South and instead condemned the North for the hypocritical superiority it displayed when condemning racism in the south while turning a blind eye to their unique brand of racism in the North. But a common thread within the Southern Gothic novel is the portrayal of the South with grotesque imagery as a dying region.

However, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is now almost half a century old and the Souther Gothic novel has all but become history. As a result Southern Hip Hop has picked up where the likes of Faulkner and O'Connor left off with an interesting twist. 

Since bursting onto the seen in the past decade, Southern Hip-Hop has been blasted for it's apparent lyrical vapidity as it has jumped to the forefront of the drug rap subgenre. Dubbed the 'Dirty South' by the legendary Goodie Mobb, Southern hip-hop often contains the same grotesque imagery that characterized the Southern gothic novel. 

The divide between North/South is already apparent in this groundbreaking song with lyrics like:

So when they pulled up playing Rock the Bells

We took what we want and left 'em quiet as hell

While nihilism and the representation of the grotesque is nothing new to hip-hop, this song displays very well how much of a factor place plays within the narration. Setting is as much a defining characteristic within the Southern Gothic novel as it is in Southern hip-hop.

Of course, the twist that exists when comparing the Southern Gothic novel to Southern hip-hop is that southern hip-hop is a predominantly African-American art form which is often regionally focused while the Southern Gothic novel was dominated by white Southern authors portraying the grotesqueness of the South. This change in perspective is essential and this is clear when The Clipse states in their song 'Virginia': 

Ironic, the same place I'm makin' figures at

That there's the same land they used to hang ni**ers at

The South's tumultuous racial history is, of course, not lost on the modern southern hip-hop artists in most instances. They know and often have lived through the grotesque imagery that was often depicted in the Southern Gothic novel. 

In this sense, southern hip-hop is often more authentic than the Southern Gothic novel and is also a more authentic art form than many give it credit for. While the Southern Gothic often strove to reveal the grotesqueness of the South, which was often defined by racism, through the eyes of the white southerner, southern hip-hop lends that voice to the person at the center of that grotesqueness. 

However, with the change in perspective of the artist comes a change in the product. A very unique author in the Southern Gothic subgenre was Flannery O'Connor as she stopped short of completely condemning her Southern homeland and instead displayed the grotesqueness of the South as part of her identity. This is incredibly similar to much of southern hip-hop as the grotesque is often portrayed in a nostalgic light as it represents the familiar. 

However, one constant in both the Southern Gothic novel and southern hip-hop is it represents a unique part of America; a part where the past and the present struggle to reconcile each other. The South may be grotesque and it may have a very accentuated dark history, but both the Southern Gothic novel and southern hip-hop display it for what it always was: unique. And no hip-hop group displayed this better than the ATLiens themselves with a style that is uniquely Southern. 

ATLiens ~ Outkast from ATLien on Vimeo.

Get That Original Sin Off Your Shoulder...

There's been a lot of talk recently about whether Jay-Z is a free mason and even whether he worships the devil. This arises from his recent music video 'On To The Next One' which features several supposed occult images. However, this could not be further from the truth. In fact, Jay-Z is a devote born again Christian who has been saved and proof of this is very apparent in the imagery in one of his classics, 'Dirt Off Your Shoulder'.

The common misconception surrounding this song is that it's theme is centered upon Jay-Z dusting off a haters comments by 'brushing his shoulders off'. Even our great 44th President of these United States has fallen prey to this false interpretation during his campaign:



However, what Jay-Z's infamous song is about is not the bravado and general flossin' that many take it to be, instead Jay-Z is speaking of finding his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the sacrament of Baptism which was his coronation into the Christian world. Therefore, 'Dirt Off Your Shoulder' is one of the greatest religious pieces ever written as it speaks directly to the power of baptism to cleanse an individual of original sin, the proverbial 'dirt' that remains on everyone's shoulders. 

When one examines this powerful song word by word, line by line, bar by bar it becomes obvious what Jigga Man's intent was. Let's begin. 

Right from the start it's apparent that the Jigga Man is speaking about the Most High as he claims to be 'locked by the force' which sets up the rest of the song as a dedication to his new found Lord and Savior. This song has all the tell tale signs of a born again Christian. This is especially apparent in the first verse with lines such as: 

Came from the bottom the bottom, the top of the pots/ Nigga London, Japan and I'm straight off the blocks/ Like a running back get it man I'm straight off the block/ I can run it back nigga cause I'm straight with the Roc. 

This line is also constantly misconstrued as many tend to believe Jay is using the term 'block' in the typical sense as a place in impoverished communities where people sell drugs and perform other elicit activities. The truth is that Jay-Z is making a reference to Peter, the apostle of Jesus Christ upon which the Church was founded. When Shaun Carter says he is 'straight off the block' he is referencing the house of the Lord and spreading the word through missionary trips to distant lands. This also applies to the term 'Roc', which many believe to be a reference to Jay-Z's now former record label Rocafella Records. Instead, this is once again a reference to the Church. As anyone who has had that original sin brushed off their shoulder can tell you, it is a joyous occasion that one wants to share with every person ever regardless of the other persons wants, needs or beliefs. Once you have been saved, nothing will stop you from saving the souls of others. In Jay's case, he has the means to travel all over the world to spread the good word. 

Another generally misconstrued line is as follows: 

Feelin' no remorse feelin' like my hand was forced

Middle finger to the law nigga grippin' my balls

Many look at this and say: How vulgar, this is devil music! On the contrary, this is Jay-Z condemning the sinful secular society that surrounds him in America. He once again references the divine 'force' and claims that despite our Godless societies best efforts, he will be 'feelin' no remorse' for his Baptism. The secular nature of American society is clear evidence of Satan himself attempting to turn America, the worlds foremost power, into his kingdom on Earth. Jay-Z offers a brazen retort to the Satanist America by 'gripping his balls', a sign that he plans to have limitless children with his wife Beyonce, a typical characteristic of the born-again Christian. 

Now if all of this wasn't evidence enough, just take a look at Jay-Z's supposed retirement following The Black Album. He walks away on top to fulfill his duties to his Lord and Savior, but as with most fundamentalist Christians, he can't walk away forever and comes back years later claiming the game still needs him. And need him it does as there are still plenty-a-souls that need saving. 

Put Your W's Up!

One of my favorite debates when it comes to hip-hop music is who is the best hip-hop group of all time. Despite the huge numbers of talented ensembles to choose from my conversation generally boils down to just two: Outkast or the Wu Tang Clan. Of course, I always say, choosing between these two is like choosing between apples and oranges. You got the southern duo with the eccentric Andre and smooth Big Boi on the one hand and on the other you have the almighty conglomerate known as the Wu-Tang Clan with their no holds barred lyricism that is often introduced with some snippet from a kung fu movie. But for the debates sake, I never let reasoning get in the way of making a decision, and I always declare that the Wu has the number one spot. 

It is important to note that this doesn't take anything away from Outkast. Bombs Over Baghdad is still ahead of its time. But a collection of talent that is compiled within the group of the Wu-Tang Clan is so astounding that they have not only produced great albums as a group, but the solo projects that have spun off have been equally as rewarding with Raekwon's Only Built for Cuban Linx II being the latest example. 

But perhaps the greatest example of Wu-Tang's greatness is their latest album titled Chamber Music which isn't even technically a Wu-Tang album considering that three members are missing. Despite this, it was one of the best hip-hop albums of 2009 and since it was not an official Wu-Tang album it has not received the attention it deserves. 

What one finds in Chamber Music is RZA at his best with production that puts Wu-Tang's already dramatic lyrical story-telling against a live band sound. The album is an unofficial tribute to their legacy and shows that a combination of RZA production with even a less than full Wu Tang roster makes for a better product than most conglomerates could ever dream to put out. 

Harbor Master- Wu Tang Clan

Wu Tang Clan Chamber Music

The Mixtape

One of the greatest gifts hip-hop has given to the world is the popularization of free music, mostly in the form of the infamous mixtape. Honestly, it's one of my favorite things in this world and it lends itself perfectly to the hip-hop genre. Not only does it provide me with a guilt-less form of music to download but mixtapes are also often legit as artists are often set free from the shackles of the music industry and just put their lyrical virtuosity on display over some of their favorite beats. Forget the expensive production, forget getting a big name pop star for the hook, it's all about creating clever rhymes for a solid 10-20 tracks. Some artists are even better on their mixtape than album as Jay-Z hinted at when he referred to the 'Mixtape Weezy'. By the way, Wayne just justified this with his ballistic No Ceilings tape. LAWD have mercy!

Lil' Wayne- Swag Surfin' 

Now a mixtape can provide two basic functions. It can provide a vessel for an established artist to show he's still got it on a nasty-'Eat rappers and go in my yard and bury the bones'-lyrical level like Wayne did with No Ceilings but the mixtape is mainly for the young artists and it can be a powerful tool, as 50 Cent proved. Young artists can use the mixtape as a vessel of introduction for the listening public so that by the time an actual album comes out the artists barely even qualifies as 'new'. The best example of this is Drake as his So Far Gone mixtape made him into an overnight star and was more popular than most artists albums. And did I mention it was all free! 

But lately I've been listening to a couple tapes. As B.O.B. prepares to release his first album he also plans to release his mixtape titled May 25th which answers the question of when B.O.B.'s first album comes out. 

B.o.B. - The Biz

Cam'ron also released a tape titled Boss of All Bosses 2 which is pretty mediocre, but hey no need to feel like anything was wasted after all it was free. And it did provide me with this awe-inspiring Introductory track with the gem of 'Your money short like the shorts on Stockton'. 

Cam'ron- Intro

Now what would a mixtape be without the obligatory DJ shouts/bombs/gunshots/screams and poorly photoshopped cover? I wouldn't want to know what that would be, but it wouldn't be a mixtape. Luckily Cam's tape has both as the cover features a neckless Cam'Ron with a white man hand and DJ Drama yelling 'Let's go Avatar on these ni**as!' one song in. Yes!

Don't Sleep!

(R.I.P. Tiger Stadium)

Every time my father and I discuss music, which is very seldom, there are two sure topics that are supposed to arrive. The first is always that there is no longer any universally accepted 'great' band that dominates the musical landscape thanks to the rise of the digitalization of music and the last is always a discussion about how he doesn't understand why I love hip-hop music. 

I have learned to ignore the latter for the sake of family unity and address the former by stating that the digitalization of the music world has created positive change as well as negative. While there aren't the handful of dominant and universally appealing musicians or bands like my father experienced there is a much wider array of musicians thanks to the increased outlet that has occurred because of the internet. While it's certainly true that artists don't make as much money thanks to the dramatic decrease in album sales, the independent music industry is booming artistically as innumerable amount of artist are granted a previously non-existent outlet. 

As a result, every year there are probably hundreds (perhaps thousands!) of great albums that you don't hear. You can file the latest album from Motor City's own Finale, titled A Pipe Dream and a Promise, as it is one of the great hip-hop albums this year that few will here. My love for this album goes beyond the Detroit artist stannery I have exhibited from time to time. It is a legit great album from someone who left college early to be an automotive engineer for the Big Three and how Detroit is that. His music also mirrors the city as he has managed to create greatness with a workman like approach for his debut album that has not garnished widespread fanfare. 

Finale- What You Mean To Me

Finale- Heat

Finale A Pipe Dream And A Promise

D'Evils

A strange thing has happened these last couple of days as I have been listening a lot to Tupac's masterful Makaveli: The Don Killuminati 7-Day Theory. Released shortly after his death, the inspiration from this album was founded when Tupac read Makaveli's 'The Prince' in prison. The album, one of Tupac's most politically energized works, is often interpreted to speak directly against the Illuminati secret occult society that seeks to control the world and maintain that control through subliminal messages (more or less). A stretch I know, but I can dig because Tupac wasn't really concerned with said secret society but instead the crippling forces such as racism that destroyed his community. Or maybe the whole Biggie Tupac beef was really created by the Illuminati because they know Pac had figured them out! 

Tupac- Krazy

Now I thought after listening to Tupac for a while and glancing over 'The Prince' my foray into hip-hop and the occult had finished. But then Jay-Z released his music video for 'On To The Next One' and it has conspiracy theorists up in arms. 

Now I thought the video was a little strange, but overall it was interesting. But people are taking this thing seriously claiming that the video is evidence that Jay-Z is Illuminati himself and that Satan's takeover is quickly approaching. There is even discussion that Heath Ledger's death was ritual sacrifice. No joke. Check it.  

Now I'm all for a good conspiracy theory or two. I'm also all for the proletariat rising against the bourgeoise type thing. But like most conspiracy theories this one takes a few weak instances that resemble evidence and use it to support a theory that ends with Satan walking the earth. Just pump those brakes for a second. So what you're telling me is that because of this four minute video and a hand full of split second images it is definitive proof that Jay-Z is a member of a secret Satanic cult that controls everything (assuming such a cult even exists) and that he is just trying to indoctrinate the world and prepare the Earth for the time when Satan arrives? And you want me to buy this!? 

My whole problem with this is its total reliance on the interpretation of symbols. For instance, when I see the image of two bullets next to a crucifix I am not tempted to think Jay-Z is a Satanist, I instead think of how divisive Christianity often is and how religion is often the source of some of the most ugly violence our world has ever seen (see the Crusades and Europe for most of its history). Who's to say I'm not right? No one, because it's an interpretation not a fact. On to the next one!

The Warm Up

Hip-hop, and music in general, has changed a lot the past decade. The obvious change is in the sharp decline in album sales making the relationship between musicians and label companies all the more tenuous. Unfortunately with music becoming less profitable many rappers turn to other means to meet their ends like Clipse with Play Clothes and all the rapper turned actors. But let's stray from that talk. After all, Wale made a pretty encompassing song about the modern album sales conundrum. 

What's just as interesting these days is that a lot of the rappers that defined hip-hop's golden era are either approaching (or past) 40 and are making less or no music and have turned to other interests (I'm looking at you Ice Cube.) 

Not that I'm blaming those artists whatsoever as most of those people have families and lead much different lives, but it has put hip-hop into an interesting transitional period it hasn't really encountered. As a result of this defining generation starting it's ride off into the sunset everyone is starting to look for the best of the young kids coming up and what has resulted is a mess of buzz that has anointed about 50 young rappers the next (fill in favorite rapper here). 

The latest young kid that many have invested in is J. Cole, with his biggest investor being Jay-Z who signed him to a deal to his Roc Nation label. That buzz coupled with a supreme mixtape that dropped this summer titled The Warm Up has this kid looking like one of the new stars Hov spoke of in the song that featured the young prodigy himself. This shows probably the best change hip-hop has seen industry wise this past decade. It has gone from a genre shut out by much of the music industry to one in which those that were once shut out now control a part of that industry making it so much easier for young artists to gain a foothold. 

In the words of J. Cole himself, 'Applaud Hov, he gave 'em the platform'. 

J. Cole- Lights Please

J. Cole The Warm Up