ETHOS

By Paul Pennington

“I’m in your girl with her heels in the air n****”
~”Conscious” brotha from the Legendary Foundation

Now personally, I am not a huge fan of labels—in relationships, art and anything else people love to smack a label on. In hip hop music we can see labeling of “conscious” or “underground” emcees as a by-product of the commercialization of the genre. The irony in this assessment of rappers such as Common, Talib Kweli and Mos Def, is the seemingly commodified and packaged identity that these characters are given. I say this in the sense that while these particular artists do not box themselves into the packaged product akin to the “commercial” artist, the backpacking fans manage to pigeonhole their heroes into altruistic lights of positivity and revolutionary thought.

Let’s Get Free…How?….Well, um let’s um burn flags, um eating our vegetables like mommy said…that should work…yea and let’s disregard capitalization…just so the white man knows we don’t play his silly games.

I have major contentions with these notions for several reasons. The first comes in definition. Who was the linguistically-challenged (read: idiot) individual who decided that “conscious” was the proper adjective to describe this particular sect of artists. Most sources define “conscious” as being self-aware or general cognition…wtf?!?!?!?…Are we seriously going to put some people on a pedestal because they ostensibly maintain a level above a vegetative state? Well, in that case every rapper in the game, is conscious unless there is an unknown artist named LIFsupport, with the tentatively-titled Pull The Plug EP, coming this summer (don’t be the idiot who actually googles that ish…please)My next contention is the audacity of individuals who like to purport “conscious” rappers as equating to good rappers, by default of content. Listen, folks: dead prez (one good album doesn’t make you great) is really, really bad. I know they rap about afrocentricity and eating well; however, have you actually listened to what they are saying? These guys are two of the most misguided, poor-rhyming, sophomoric bunches of clowns in the game. The sole difference between stic.man and Cam’Ron is the fact that stic.man raps about things perceived as “positive” and righteous.” Sure I like “Mind Sex” too, but that doesn’t negate the fact that these guys are utterly ridiculous.

My contentions with the cultural nationalism that dead prez and many other similar acts espouse, comes from the ideology that it creates—fitted in sheer irony. Implicitly it suggests a monolithic cultural narrative in the black “community”. While this has been used to purport an elite black agenda throughout history, I would contend that the more problematic results of these rapper’s interpretations comes from their elevation of blackness. Advancing on the rhetoric of embedded black homogeneity, a popular assertion comes from the idea of Africa as the “Motherland.”—which makes as much sense as a Scottish man feeling pride towards the Spanish Armada due to their shared European ancestry. This issue, deserving much more time, speaks to a broader issue of racial pride and misguided declaration.

Nas repping our “brothers”…the ummm…Egyptians?

.I find its distressin, theres never no in-between
We either n****s or kings
We either b*****s or queens
~Pretty Flaco (Black Star), “Thieves in the Night”

When emcees such as Nas spits lines talking about “his people” as “kings and queens” and the various African empires, he fails in several ways. The first issue comes from the fact that it plays into the “black community” ideology that perpetuates ideas of blacks as one sound body. What it also does is, while attempting to separate itself from white culture, it directly engages itself within a eurocentric capitalist framework of regalia and prosperity. It attempts to authenticate itself as a culture, to white people, by trumping up it’s accumulation of wealth and educational attainment. My problem is that, while I understand the necessity of cultural validity, Africa is made up of myriad different individuals of various economic standings and education. Solely posing the positives is as ridiculous as a white man solely posing the negative.

The issue around calling these characters talented also plays into the idea that their politics are relevant or of any substance. People actually have the nerve to take the asinine political scopes of these emcees and attempt to place them in a position as legitimate political trajectories. (In Charlie Murphy voice) Wrong! Now I respect the vaguely political stances that many of these emcees take—poverty, crime, racial discrimination, etc. However, with verses like…

“Elvis was a hero to most
But he never meant s*** to me you see
Straight up racist that sucker was simple and plain
Motherf*** him and John Wayne
‘Cause I’m black and I’m proud. I’m ready and hyped
plus I’m amped most of my heroes don’t appear on no stamps”
~Chuck D, “Fight The Power”

…there is much left to the political imagination. I understand that he is simply an artist but that does not negate his elementary political commentary. A new stance I have taken is any idea I would like to convey that Adolph Reed already has tackled; I’ll just give it to him. With that said, allow me to elaborate on the apolitical rhetoric of said rhymesayers. As Reed notes,

“Confused and depressingly ignorant performers such as KRS-One, Public Enemy, X-Clan and Sister Souljah spew garbled compounds of half-truth, distortion, Afrocentric drivel, and cracker-barrel wisdom, as often as not shot through with reactionary prejudices, and claim pontifical authority on the basis of identity with the props of their stage and video performances. Interviews raise the disturbing possibility that many of these “raptivists,” the purportedly authentic voices of politically astute youth, in their minds construe the scenes staged in their message videos as identical with actual political experience (Stirrings In The Jug).”

Yeah…what he said.

Now I know mad people who maintain their existence with only an ear to the underground and would never listen to the likes of Ludacris or Lil’ Wayne, despite the fact that these dudes are pretty damn good on the mic. It’s like people don’t hear “gun rhymed with fun” and they laud someone as being nice. Am I seriously the only one that notices this stuff. I feel like Huey Freeman:

“Excuse me. Everyone, I have a brief announcement to make….” dead prez sucks, MF Doom rhymes solely in non sequiturs, and Nas made “Oochie Wally”. “…Thank you for your time and good night.”

Now let’s talk about your favorite rapper. I’ll leave Common alone (for now…) because at this point dude is like a million and one “peace, love and gap” jokes with two legs and a driver’s cap. I got you next post homie. And I believe that I have already pointed out the contradictory status of Nasir “I Can” Jones.

“Is it ‘Oochie Wally Wally’ or is it ‘One Mic’?
Is it ‘Black Girl Lost’ or shorty owe you for ice?”
~An unnamed “commercial” emcee who somehow managed to get with Beyonce, thereby proving the existence of God…or the power of money in attracting women.

He’s probably thinking about the suffering of black women, child soldiers in Somalia and the moral issues around euthanasia…or big booty girls…you know the deep stuff.

Now let’s go to Mos Def. First off, the dude is supposedly a bigamist, but I don’t believe in monogamy anyways, sooo….But let’s look at his lyrics. He’s generally on point in the minds of most “conscious” listeners. However…wait…COMMODIFICATION ALERT: “Ms. Fat Booty” unabashedly objectifies women. He’s basing an entire song around the commodification of the black female body….why Allah, why?!?! For shame, Mos Def, you didn’t rap about beautiful black queens and hating Bush (without a logical reasoning, of course…”but he’s dumb, Paul!”)

Most of you, I’m sure love Kweli, however the same dude who gave the world, “Get By” and “Black Girl Pain has also done “In The Mood”, in which he negates any romance or substantial courting in favor of raw, unadulterated sexual relations. He has also done “Gun Music”, which despite giving some of the “conscious” anti-government rhetoric, still maintains semblances of the irreverent verbal gun-play seen in modern hip hop acts.

The last character I would like to examine is Lupe Fiasco, the guy who inspired “sort-of conscious” rapper Kanye West’s heavily-lauded “Diamonds from Sierra Leone.” Now I respect the proverbial wit of Mr. Fiasco. There is no denying his fresh lyricism as it is comparable to the clever wordplay of rap pioneer, Rakim. However, just because he’s a little complex doesn’t negate his moments of “unconsciousness.” Lupe once said, “More cool than a pool in a blizzard…with ice cubes in it during Christmas” What we must understand is that he has no further removed himself from the blatant braggadocio as has any other mainstream artist. Instead he has simply placed his boasting within a layering of eloquence. I mean this guy once said,

But this my gang
FNF crew, first and fifteen
Bear arms like Lebat Blue
Oh yes it’s bullets in the toasters as many as the clips that the gun hold
And they itchin to come up out the magazine like the posters that unfold
So my heat like Tigerbeat
I got the shotgun in the driver’s seat
So if Lupe’s a coupe, my man is a sedan
If there’s more than 2 of us, then you up against a van
If I’m leavin, then you leavin
If your n****s wanna come, y’all can ride with me
It’s just gonna be a lot of squeezin
Ya understand?
~Lupe Fiasco, “The Champ Is Here”

Yeah, so it was kinda hot. True. But he’s still talking about bustin’ guns and that’s an issue-which is most likely shaking the fragile worlds of the most hardcore Okayplayer.

Real “conscious” emcees don’t eat, Lupe. They gain sustenance from reading Amiri Baraka and inhaling Nag Champa…

Now at this point I can only imagine that you have situated me as the resident hater. How can I, a supposed supporter of good music, attack these emcees who strive to swim outside of the mainstream? Well, my point is that it’s not the emcees fault that music elitist find it necessary to ironically box their favorite artists into such a narrow framework. I can sympathize with the backpacker who wants to label his favorite emcee as “conscious” insomuch that it separates them from most of the mainstream artists who are pretty wack. By labeling these artists, in many ways it legitimizes them in the eyes of the fan and furthermore allows some type of ammunition in combating the commercial fan that pushes 50 as the best rapper in the game based on his album sales. However, as much as I understand the notion, I abhor it at the same time. My problem is that when these artists are labeled “conscious”, they are put into a box in which they are not allowed to escape. If Kweli wants to talk about rims, then let him talk about rims. (I loved “Ms. Fat Booty”, for the record…I commodify females bodies on a daily basis.) If we make Mos Def the voice of “consciousness”, then that’s all he will be. However, he too will become a packaged product mirroring the persona of 50 Cent. It’s not as if the artists themselves like these labels. Kweli’s latest effort will be titled, Prisoner of Consciousness, which title reflects his frustration towards the “conscious” label and its residual hindrances. I enjoy hearing the alternative voices of the “conscious” emcee, however I understand the complexities and heterogeneous nature of a person’s being. I find it pleasantly surprising when an artist goes outside of the box. Imagine if Lupe had done “Chicken Noodle Soup”…tell me it wouldn’t have been the hottest track out…I would be shuckin’ with the rest of you all.

I would like to leave you with a one of my favorite verses of all-time from one of the most underrated “conscious” emcees (and maybe too much so, thanks BET) Phontigallo The Rap Jiggalo,

Ya’ll know them n****s that I’m talkin bout
The ones that ya’ll be seeing at the coffee house
Soon as they get the mic I start walkin out
And swear that they skill the most talked about
It’s time to bring the emcees on, I’m sick of n****s lookin
B**** trying to read poems
And try to battle me with sandals and capris on, come on dog
I’m about to get hyped with this, shed some light to this
So called black righteousness
Even though ya’ll n****s might not cuss like me
At the end of the night ya’ll just trying to fuck like me
So what’s the reason for the hating, n****s with dreads
Calling they self gods with white girls named Caitlin
And I’m cool with interracial dating, but I ain’t about
To hear no f****g speeches cause I wanna have some bacon
I rock and swerve, that’s why I cant f*** with
Coffee houses man, get on my god d*** nerves
And deep down ya’ll know that I’m right, man s*** I’m bout
To kick some Trick Daddy next poetry night like
My black queen
Don’t know nan n****!
~Little Brother, “Yo-Yo (Nicolay Remix)”