Comments on: “Cause it’s trendy to be the conscious MC…” http://readethos.com/2008/06/02/cause-its-trendy-to-be-the-conscious-mc/ A blog on race, class, politics & culture Sun, 29 Mar 2009 03:55:29 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Rasmus http://readethos.com/2008/06/02/cause-its-trendy-to-be-the-conscious-mc/#comment-314 Rasmus Mon, 01 Sep 2008 14:05:07 +0000 http://ourtwocents.wordpress.com/?p=102#comment-314 So, this means that you can talk about pretty much anything with "awareness". You can be angry with awareness, you can make methaphores about guns with awareness, you can objectify womens bodies with awareness... as long as you are true to what you believe and you use your awareness, it's all good. So, this means that you can talk about pretty much anything with “awareness”. You can be angry with awareness, you can make methaphores about guns with awareness, you can objectify womens bodies with awareness… as long as you are true to what you believe and you use your awareness, it’s all good.

]]> By: Rasmus http://readethos.com/2008/06/02/cause-its-trendy-to-be-the-conscious-mc/#comment-313 Rasmus Mon, 01 Sep 2008 12:39:16 +0000 http://ourtwocents.wordpress.com/?p=102#comment-313 Hello! I'm not as "in the know" as many of you who commented before me, but I have something to say. In my opinion it comes down to being true to yourself. If you are an artist (rapper or other) you have the responsibility to give from your heart (and mind, but heart more importantly). This means that you should not sell yourself short. If you are aware of things that are fucked up, you have the responsibility to point that out, to give your input, your vision for a better tomorrow, or just to shine a light on something. That is how we, the human race, grows. Now, you can do this in many ways. You can come off as "holier than thou" or an opportunist. But, again, your responsibility is to be honest. To look inside and do what you believe in. Otherwise you are lying to yourself, and your life is passing you by. The responsibility you have is only towards yourself. And, if at the end of the day you can say you did what you believed in, then you are truly a man or a woman. (I am from Sweden so if I'm not so eloquent, that's why). Hello!
I’m not as “in the know” as many of you who commented before me, but I have something to say.
In my opinion it comes down to being true to yourself. If you are an artist (rapper or other) you have the responsibility to give from your heart (and mind, but heart more importantly). This means that you should not sell yourself short. If you are aware of things that are fucked up, you have the responsibility to point that out, to give your input, your vision for a better tomorrow, or just to shine a light on something. That is how we, the human race, grows. Now, you can do this in many ways. You can come off as “holier than thou” or an opportunist. But, again, your responsibility is to be honest. To look inside and do what you believe in. Otherwise you are lying to yourself, and your life is passing you by. The responsibility you have is only towards yourself. And, if at the end of the day you can say you did what you believed in, then you are truly a man or a woman.
(I am from Sweden so if I’m not so eloquent, that’s why).

]]> By: Ed http://readethos.com/2008/06/02/cause-its-trendy-to-be-the-conscious-mc/#comment-271 Ed Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:38:58 +0000 http://ourtwocents.wordpress.com/?p=102#comment-271 good article, when artists get put into this category of "conscious" it's more of a burden. Once ur labeled as conscious every line is under a microscope, u can drop a freestyle and people will take as u changing ur style and crossin over. Sheek Louch says it best in his song fittingly titled "Pressure"... I hear so much of this nonsense like brother you a role model, you supposed to rap like you conscious, even if that was true, understand I'm a man before anything, rap is what I do also I couldnt agree more with that Dead Prez comment...I tried to roll with them, I really wanted to give them a chance but I've listened to all of their cd's and they will have a couple decent songs on the whole cd...sometimes they dont even rhyme...theyre not fire at all good article, when artists get put into this category of “conscious” it’s more of a burden. Once ur labeled as conscious every line is under a microscope, u can drop a freestyle and people will take as u changing ur style and crossin over.

Sheek Louch says it best in his song fittingly titled “Pressure”…

I hear so much of this nonsense
like brother you a role model, you supposed to rap like you conscious,
even if that was true, understand
I’m a man before anything, rap is what I do

also I couldnt agree more with that Dead Prez comment…I tried to roll with them, I really wanted to give them a chance but I’ve listened to all of their cd’s and they will have a couple decent songs on the whole cd…sometimes they dont even rhyme…theyre not fire at all

]]> By: Perk http://readethos.com/2008/06/02/cause-its-trendy-to-be-the-conscious-mc/#comment-237 Perk Sun, 15 Jun 2008 04:46:56 +0000 http://ourtwocents.wordpress.com/?p=102#comment-237 As a Business/Economics major at GW, I have to make alot of assumptions. With this statement my assumption is that music has a profound impact on one's psychological being. With that assumption, I Would say that rappers such as Common and Most Def. have more positive messages and thus being placed in a "better" category could actually be a good thing. With the assumption that music really impacts people, we'd rather see positive messages sent to people as opposed to the negative ones about sex, violence, etc. Again, this is assuming that music has a profound impact on people and at times I think it does. At the same time, I think that everyone must realize that artists are in existence to make money. Sure, I'm concentrating in HR because I want to help people in a Business setting, but at the same time, it can't be overlooked that I said a "Business" setting because I'd make more money there as opposed to being a social worker (The wage differential should not be as large as it is, but that's a totally different story...Someone should write a blog on the wage differentials between professions and their "importance" to society)...anyways I think that we must not overlook the fact that they indeed are in existence to make money and these "Positive" messages can and do indeed aid in this goal for them. Good blog man. As a Business/Economics major at GW, I have to make alot of assumptions. With this statement my assumption is that music has a profound impact on one’s psychological being. With that assumption, I Would say that rappers such as Common and Most Def. have more positive messages and thus being placed in a “better” category could actually be a good thing. With the assumption that music really impacts people, we’d rather see positive messages sent to people as opposed to the negative ones about sex, violence, etc. Again, this is assuming that music has a profound impact on people and at times I think it does.

At the same time, I think that everyone must realize that artists are in existence to make money. Sure, I’m concentrating in HR because I want to help people in a Business setting, but at the same time, it can’t be overlooked that I said a “Business” setting because I’d make more money there as opposed to being a social worker (The wage differential should not be as large as it is, but that’s a totally different story…Someone should write a blog on the wage differentials between professions and their “importance” to society)…anyways I think that we must not overlook the fact that they indeed are in existence to make money and these “Positive” messages can and do indeed aid in this goal for them. Good blog man.

]]> By: Paul http://readethos.com/2008/06/02/cause-its-trendy-to-be-the-conscious-mc/#comment-234 Paul Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:23:25 +0000 http://ourtwocents.wordpress.com/?p=102#comment-234 For those of you who do not know...m3 is dear friend, Jamil. Yes, I do know this character and all of his foolishness. I felt the need to clarify that considering his comments could be taken out of context and placed in the mouth of say...a white supremacist who has a newfound appreciate for the subhuman negroid intelligence. This is simply not the case. Nope people. Not hate mail. Just Jamil (who is colored so it's ok) being Jamil. For those of you who do not know…m3 is dear friend, Jamil. Yes, I do know this character and all of his foolishness. I felt the need to clarify that considering his comments could be taken out of context and placed in the mouth of say…a white supremacist who has a newfound appreciate for the subhuman negroid intelligence. This is simply not the case. Nope people. Not hate mail. Just Jamil (who is colored so it’s ok) being Jamil.

]]> By: m3 http://readethos.com/2008/06/02/cause-its-trendy-to-be-the-conscious-mc/#comment-232 m3 Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:41:26 +0000 http://ourtwocents.wordpress.com/?p=102#comment-232 you still just a nigga... just a nigga with words... and you know what i think about niggas... nothing. but you almost changed that with this post my nigga you still just a nigga… just a nigga with words…

and you know what i think about niggas… nothing.

but you almost changed that with this post my nigga

]]> By: thelonius http://readethos.com/2008/06/02/cause-its-trendy-to-be-the-conscious-mc/#comment-229 thelonius Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:08:29 +0000 http://ourtwocents.wordpress.com/?p=102#comment-229 and by other bloggers, I mean Chloe, Josh, Cami, and Eric... PAUL... (f-ck wit ya soul like ether) WILL... (teach you the king you know you) NOT... ("God's son" across the belly) LOSE... (I prove you lost already) and by other bloggers, I mean Chloe, Josh, Cami, and Eric…

PAUL… (f-ck wit ya soul like ether)
WILL… (teach you the king you know you)
NOT… (”God’s son” across the belly)
LOSE… (I prove you lost already)

]]> By: thelonius http://readethos.com/2008/06/02/cause-its-trendy-to-be-the-conscious-mc/#comment-228 thelonius Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:06:16 +0000 http://ourtwocents.wordpress.com/?p=102#comment-228 the perfect post... other bloggers just got ethered... the perfect post… other bloggers just got ethered…

]]> By: thelonius http://readethos.com/2008/06/02/cause-its-trendy-to-be-the-conscious-mc/#comment-227 thelonius Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:05:21 +0000 http://ourtwocents.wordpress.com/?p=102#comment-227 'Cause underground rap is just incense and gimmicks An image they phone in for 10 cents a minute ‘Cause underground rap is just incense and gimmicks
An image they phone in for 10 cents a minute

]]> By: Witz http://readethos.com/2008/06/02/cause-its-trendy-to-be-the-conscious-mc/#comment-194 Witz Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:08:26 +0000 http://ourtwocents.wordpress.com/?p=102#comment-194 haha well i mean sean price really said it best and so simply "This ain't no gangsta rap How many muthafuckin gangsters rap" so like to me i always see this shit as entertainment because if youre really a gangster, what are you doing rapping? haha well i mean sean price really said it best and so simply
“This ain’t no gangsta rap
How many muthafuckin gangsters rap”
so like to me i always see this shit as entertainment because if youre really a gangster, what are you doing rapping?

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