Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Song Anaylsis Two Essay : "Juicy" by Notorious B.I.G.

Christopher Wallace, a.k.a. Biggie Smalls, was born in Brooklyn, New York, May 21, 1972. He was raised in the poor Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant as the son of a preschool teacher. Dropping out of high school at the age of seventeen, Biggie became a crack dealer, which he proclaimed was his only source of income. Hustlin' one's way was a common life for a young Black man trying to make a living in the ghetto. His career choices involved certain risks. However, a trip to North Carolina for a routine drug exchange ended being the soon-to-be MC a nine-month stay behind bars. Once released, Biggie borrowed a friend's four-track tape recorder and laid down some hip-hop tracks in a basement. The tapes were then passed around and played at local radio station in New York.     
Biggie Smalls wasn’t your average Brooklyn rapper, he had dreams, ambitions and hopes for himself when no one else did. Biggie didn’t speak about sex, drugs, and hustlin’ people for money. He spoke his life, from the beginning to end, good and bad, happy and sad; no matter what he was faced with, he understood his life. Throughout his powerful song “Juicy”, Biggie speaks about how his life was before he got famous and how it differs now that he was.
Nothing came easy to Biggie, not money, not happiness, not love. He had to make his was through life on his own. His mom was always gone at work, and he got involved with the wrong people and became a part of the wrong things; not helping his situation. Biggies’ song “Juicy” gives vivid examples of the things he was faces throughout his life and career. “Born filla, the opposite of a winner. Remember when I used to eat sardines for dinner”, here is a perfect example of his awareness of his poor life. Knowing he had no luck, and using sardines as a symbol of the nothingness he had.
Knowing he was the best looking guy, Biggie Smalls recognized the women interested in him, and the women interested in his money. “Girls used to diss me, now they write letters ‘cause they miss me”,  Biggie understood why women started to take interest in him after he got his first major record deal.  Never knowing what it was like to have money and be able to support his family,  Biggie wasn’t interested in all the women throwing themselves at him. He was happy just to have fulfilled his dream.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Song Analysis Two : Notorious B.I.G. "Juicy"

Notorious B.I.G. : "Juicy"

[Intro:]

(F*ck all you hoes) Get a grip motherf*cker.

Yeah, this album is dedicated to all the teachers that told me
I'd never amount to nothin', to all the people that lived above the
buildings that I was hustlin' in front of that called the police on
me when I was just tryin' to make some money to feed my daughters,
and all the ni**az in the struggle, you know what I'm sayin'?

Uh-ha, it's all good baby bay-bee, uh

[Verse One:]

It was all a dream
I used to read Word Up magazine
Salt'n'Pepa and Heavy D up in the limousine
Hangin' pictures on my wall
Every Saturday Rap Attack, Mr. Magic, Marley Marl
I let my tape rock 'til my tape popped
Smokin' weed and BambĂș, sippin' on private stock
Way back, when I had the red and black lumberjack
With the hat to match
Remember Rappin' Duke, duh-ha, duh-ha
You never thought that hip hop would take it this far
Now I'm in the limelight 'cause I rhyme tight
Time to get paid, blow up like the World Trade
Born sinner, the opposite of a winner
Remember when I used to eat sardines for dinner
Peace to Ron G, Brucey B, Kid Capri
Funkmaster Flex, Lovebug Starsky
I'm blowin' up like you thought I would
Call the crib, same number same hood
It's all good

Uh, and if you don't know, now you know, n*gga, uh

[Chorus:]

You know very well who you are
Don't let em hold you down, reach for the stars
You had a goal, but not that many
'cause you're the only one I'll give you good and plenty

[Verse Two:]

I made the change from a common thief
To up close and personal with Robin Leach
And I'm far from cheap, I smoke skunk with my peeps all day
Spread love, it's the Brooklyn way
The Moet and Alize keep me pissy
Girls used to diss me
Now they write letters 'cause they miss me
I never thought it could happen, this rappin' stuff
I was too used to packin' gats and stuff
Now honies play me close like butter played toast
From the Mississippi down to the east coast
Condos in Queens, indo for weeks
Sold out seats to hear Biggie Smalls speak
Livin' life without fear
Puttin' 5 karats in my baby girl's ears
Lunches, brunches, interviews by the pool
Considered a fool 'cause I dropped out of high school
Stereotypes of a black male misunderstood
And it's still all good

Uh...and if you don't know, now you know, n*gga

[Verse Three:]

Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis
When I was dead broke, man I couldn't picture this
50 inch screen, money green leather sofa
Got two rides, a limousine with a chauffeur
Phone bill about two G's flat
No need to worry, my accountant handles that
And my whole crew is loungin'
Celebratin' every day, no more public housin'
Thinkin' back on my one-room shack
Now my mom pimps a Ac' with minks on her back
And she loves to show me off, of course
Smiles every time my face is up in The Source
We used to fuss when the landlord dissed us
No heat, wonder why Christmas missed us
Birthdays was the worst days
Now we sip champagne when we thirst-ay
Uh, damn right I like the life I live
'Cause I went from negative to positive
And it's all...

(It's all good)

...and if you don't know, now you know, n*gga, uh
Uh, uh...and if you don't know, now you know, n*gga
Uh...and if you don't know, now you know, n*gga, uh

Representin' B-Town in the house, Junior Mafia, mad flavor, uh
Uh, yeah, a-ight

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Song Analysis One Essay: "Papa'z Song" By: 2Pac

 
 
Born on June 16, 1971, in New York City, Tupac Shakur, otherwise known as “2Pac”, grew up primarily in Harlem. In 1984 his family moved to Baltimore, Maryland, then again in 1988 to Oakland, California. Tupac and his family moved a lot so it was hard for him to make friends. His first breakthrough in music came in 1991 as a member of the group Digital Underground. In the same year he received individual recognition for his album "2Pacalypse now," but this album was also the beginning of his notoriety as a leading figure of the gangster permutation of hip-hop, with references to cop killing and sexual violence. In life, different people portray struggle as all different things; In Tupacs, “Papa’z Song”, he portrays his life struggle as not having a father around and growing up with loneliness.
Throughout his songs, Tupac uses his choice of words carefully, especially in this song. While being blatant and focused, he’s trying to show us his pain and struggle without showing weakness. “Had to play catch by myself, what a sorry sight” here, is where he beings to show sorrow but as you can see he is comfortable with admitting to his misfortune by saying he remembers seeing himself playing alone. “the things I wouldn’t do to see a piece of family unity” again, here, he is showing that  not having a “perfect family” that he wants or as everyone else seems to have,  bothers him. He doesn’t just want a normal family with just anybody; he wants his father to step up to the plate.
Aside from Tupac showing his sorrow, and his pain; he exhibits his anger more than anything. To him, anger is an understatement; he’s more disgusted than anything. “I heard God don’t like ugly, well take a look at my family”. Tupac knows his family is nothing special, and here he is making sure the world is aware of it too. As most people were told as children, and adults, God is supposed to be portrayed as a figure that loves all and treats everyone and everything with equality. For Tupac to say that God himself is disgusted with his family, dismisses and ignores the world‘s beliefs and idea of God.
Tupac is very descriptive in giving a sense of what he sees through his eyes growing up, and how the absence of his father effects and damages the people and their feelings around him. For example, “Look at mama’s lonely smile”  not only is he telling the world about him being lonely, here he is showing how he sees his mother putting up a smile even though it may be a lonely one, she is still trying so Tupac doesn’t the depth of her full loneliness. “Mom ignores me and avoids me like cancer, Grow up rough and it’s hard to understand stuff” now that his mother, who has been there as a secure figure in his life, is now pushing him away, starts to deepen his feeling of loneliness to a whole new level of insecurity.

Therefore, not only does Tupac portray his life struggle, loneliness and, abandonment, but he but he realizes now that his young age, kept him from having an understanding of the behavior of his mother and his own sense of loss.

Friday, October 1, 2010

2Pac "Papa'z Song"

Daddy's Home...

[Tupac speaking]

So...you say that like that means somethin to me
You've been gone a mighty long muthaf*ckin time
for you to be comin home talkin that 'daddy's home' sh*t
We been getting along fine just without you
Me, my brother, and my mother
So if you don't mind, you can step the f*ck off, pops
F*ck you!

(Tupac)

Had to play catch by myself
what a sorry sight
A pitiful plight
so I pray for a starry night
Please send me a pops before puberty
the things I would do to see a piece of family unity
Moms always work, I barely see her
I'm startin to get worried without a pops I'll grow to be her
It's a wonder they don't understand kids today
so when I pray, I pray I'll never grow to be that way
And I hope that he answers me
I heard, god dont like ugly, well
take a look at my family
a different father every weekend
before we get to meet him they breakup before the week ends
I'm gettin sick of all the friendships
As soon as we kick it he slipped and then [uhh] sh*t ends quick
How can I be a man if there's no role model
Strivin to save my soul I stay cold drinkin a forty bottle
I'm so sorry...

(Chorus)

I'm so sorry
for all this time
for all this time
for all this time

(Wycked)

Moms had to entertain many men
didn't wanna do it but it's time to pay the rent again
I'm gettin a bit older and I'm startin to be a bother
moms can't stand me cause I'm lookin like my father
Shall I stay or run away
tell me tha answer
moms ignores me and avoids me like cancer
Grow up rough and it's hard to understand stuff
moms was tough cause it's poppa wasn't man enough
couldn't stand up to his own responsibilities
instead of takin care of me
he'd rather live lavishly
That's why I'll never be a father
unless you got the time
it's a crime
don't even bother

That's when I started hatin the phony smiles
said I was an only child
[look at mama's lonely smile]
It's hard for a son to see his mother cry
She only loves you, but has to f*ck with these other guys


(Chorus x2)

I'm so sorry
for all this time
for all this time
for all this time

(Tupac)

Man child in the promised land
could afford many
moms was there only when pops was a no-show
and Oh
I guess ya didn't know that I would grow to be so strong
lookin kinda pale was it the ale that pops was wrong
Where was the money that you sent you would send me
talked on the phone and ya sounded so friendly
Ask about school and my welfare
but it's clear, you ain't sincere
hey, who the hell cares
You think I'm blind but this time I see ya comin, Jack
You grabbed your coat, leathers broke
now ain't no runnin back
Ask about my moms like you loved her from the start
Left her in the dark, she fell apart from a broken heart
So don't even start with that 'wanna be father' sh*t
don't even bother with your dollars I don't need it
I'll bury moms like you left me all alone G
Now that that I finally found you,
stay the F*ck away from me
I'm so sorry...

(Chorus x2)

I'm so sorry
for all this time
for all this time
for all this time

(Tupac voiceover)

I never meant to leave but I was wanted
lost too many people every house of which was haunted
had to watch the strangers
every brother was in danger
If I was to keep you breathin had to have you out of range
Had to move out and lost my name, and picked a number
baby watch my back I had no happy home to run to
Maybe it's my fault for being a father living fast
But livin slow, we'd have no dough, youd grow to kick some ass
? showed me it was wrong all along
I wanted to make some dough so you could grow to be so strong
It took a little longer than I thought
I slipped, got caught, and sent to jail by the courts
Now I'm doin time and I wish you'd understand
all I ever wanted was for you to be a man
and grow to be the type you was meant to be
Keep the war fightin by the writings that you sent to me
I'm so sorry...

(Chorus repeated till end)

I'm so sorry
for all this time
for all this time
for all this time