I took $12 of my tips the other day and bought Kanye West's new album, Graduation. Unfortunately, I bought it at Wal-Mart, where I also bought a watch and some protein shakes (can't get either cheaper anywhere), and upon listening to it over the next couple of days, it's clear that I got the "clean" version. I checked the packaging again, and nowhere does it say this anywhere, so I'm a bit pissed off, but I figure that's my punishment for buying a CD from Wal-Mart. I got what I deserved, I guess.
But now I'm left in a quandary: should I buy the CD again, perhaps selling the original to Soundgarden? Or should I just stick with what I have? I don't buy myself pleasures very often, and I certainly can't afford to throw any money away.
In addition, it appears to be West's least satisfying CD so far. I do believe that Kanye West is the most talented and revolutionary music artist to emerge in the last decade, and that he has contributed more to the music culture than just about anyone in that time, but nothing is grabbing me like his epic "Spaceship" or "Jesus Walks" or "Never Let Me Down" from College Dropout, nor his "Goldigger," "Roses," or "Addiction" from his second album. There just doesn't seem to be a lot of soul there. I must say, though, that "Stronger" is right up there with his best tracks ever. Unfortunately, the bleeping of a curse word in it makes the song lost some power for me.
Speaking of albums, I was totally ready to declare Common's Finding Forever as the best album of the year, but I think I was entranced by its production more than its lyrics. The production is some of the best I've ever heard, and, at times, the lyrics matches its power. But not all the time. It's a 4-star album, not a 5-star album. West's is a 3-star right now, after a 5-star and a 4.5-star album before that.
Next, I'd really like to get Ben Harper's new album, plus Sinead O'Connor's and Suzanne Vega's. I'm holding myself back, though, for now. Sinead O'Connor is actually coming into the area at the end of October, and I think I might go. Like Suzanne Vega last month, I've been a fan of Sinead's for twenty years. I think she's the most misunderstood artist in American music during that time, and that she's produced some of the most daring, insightful, powerful, and influential music during that time. I'm not so much into reggae Sinead, though, nor into Sinead singing traditional Irish songs nor Gershwin songs. But according to some blog posts I've read, she's going all the way back to The Lion and the Cobra in her set lists, playing "Mandinka" and "Nothing Compares 2 U" and "Black Boys on Mopeds" and this song, my favorite of Sinead's:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
In case you can't hear it on your squeaky-clean Wal Mart version (that's another argument for later), there's a verse in the song "Stronger" that goes:
"So we goin' do everything that Kan like
Heard they'd do anything for a Klondike
Well I'd do anything for a blonde dyke
And she'll do anything for the limelight."
I'm a man, and this makes me sick. So apparently all women are eager, ambitious, and promiscuous connivers willing to use sex to get fame? And using the word "dyke", which is HORRIBLY offensive? I'm sorry. I can no longer support his megalomania, his sexism, and his homophobia. I hope his claim to fame is short-lived.
I'm sorry, but where do you get "all" from that verse?
I'm not really into using the word "dyke," though, but that "Klondike / blonde dyke" rhyme is pretty funny. I did a little research, and apparently the intention of the word here is to mean a strong woman. He performed this song with Ellen Degeneres on her show, arm in arm, so not all blonde lesbians find it offensive.
I've always thought Kanye's megalomania to be overstated, have never - other than this - noted him to be homophobic, and not all that sexist. I don't find this to be a sexist line any more than the verse about the woman who pretended the NFL player's son was his in "Gold Digger" was sexist. It's just a character in the song - and several of his songs have strong female characters - not an overarching theme.
As for homophobic, I can definitely see how someone can take offense to it, but can also see why others wouldn't. That's a line that got cut out of the Wal-Mart version, though.
Alright, so maybe I was a little too indignant with my comments, but I still think that Kanye still has some serious issues to work out with the gay community. I did a little research myself, and he said in one of his interviews that he's coming out against homophobia, but talking the talk and walking the walk are two different things.
Despite singing the song with Ellen DeGeneres, I think your classifying his use of the word "dyke" as connoting a strong woman is a little naive. It's no secret that in hip-hop culture, lesbians or bisexuals are seen as commodities for men who are into girl-on-girl or threesome action. Now I'm not crazy about that kind of objectification, but Kanye takes it to a new level by adding a derogatory term to it. Check out this verse too:
"But I know that God put you in front of me
So how the hell could you front on me
There's a thousand yous
And only one of me"
So there's thousand other women for him to copulate with, and the fact that there's only "one of him" reinforces his megalomania. Perhaps I'm being nit picky, but I find it unsettling that he's so self centered.
One last comment: I was fortunate enough to listen to a radio interview of him on 92Q (I'm a Baltimore resident), and he said something to the effect of, "I'm... like... a jet plane... a jet plane on a six lane high way. I'm going to take off... and I also block all the other lane, so no other cars can get by."
So while I used respect him for his artistic talent ("Jesus Walks" was amazing), and I applaud his comments in opposition to homophobia, there's a difference between saying one thing and putting it into practice. He's shown so many bad sides of himself that I can no longer respect his vision. Perhaps you have more tolerance for that kind of stuff than I do.
I'm a daily reader, btw, and a big fan. I'm a grad of your rival school (I kind of figured it out), so I understand your struggles.
- the same anon
Maybe I am being a little naive. A few months ago, I had a debate about the word "tramp" on this diary, which I don't think is that bad of a word. I feel the same way about the word "dyke." While I don't use the word myself, it's a word that I hear my friends - all politically correct individuals for the most part, and lesbians are always present - use fairly often (often in the adjective form of "dykalicious.") To me, it's not really a word like the "f" word that rhymes with maggot or the n-word, words that hold people back and denigrate an entire group of people. I mean, I'm certain that the word's not like that, actually. It's nowhere near those two words in level of offense. I'm not saying that some people don't find it very offensive, but I think the lesbian community has done a pretty good job of reclaiming this word and zapping it of a lot of its power.
And, here, West is clearly speaking of the term in a positive light. It's not Eminem-style homophobia, but more that stereotypical straight guy obsession with gay women. That's not a great thing, but it's not like he's writing, "I hate that bull d--- Rosie."
As a longtime listener of hip-hop, I've never encountered rappers treating gay women as possessions before, so maybe I am naive about that, as well.
I agree with you that talking the talk and walking the walk are totally different things. I have also heard West make anti-homophobia comments, and I don't quite see these lyrics as being clearly homophobic. He wants to have sex with a woman who likes women. Using the word alone doesn't make it homophobic, does it? Is all girl-on-girl porn automatically homophobic? I think that's what West is crowing about here.
And, sorry, I don't see that other verse as that bad. One of the stereotypes about West is that he's got a huge ego. This might be true, but several of his songs reveal uncertainty and modesty ("Jesus Walks", "Diamond Are Forever", "Roses," "Family Business"). He feeds into the ego thing, but I don't think he should be crucified for it.
In fact, I think nearly every rap artist displays quite a big of ego. From socially conscious rappers like Mos Def (his "Mr. Booty" character) and Common (quite a few songs on his new album trumpet his abilities over others in the Chicago scene), to the king of self-aggrandizement, Jay-Z, it's part of the genre. In fact, I'd argue that the conflict between this bragaddacio and the rapper's own insecurities is one of the interest parts of the genre.
If you don't like the ego in Kanye's songs, I say this: it's been there since his first album ("Get 'Em High", all the anti-college skits, that long hidden track), and it's always been balanced by a fair amount of insecurity to go along with it.
I'll be the first to admit that I'm not sure if he's homophobic or not, though. But I don't think the verse you cite is enough evidence to declare that he is. In fact, his anti-homophobia stance in interviews is so rare in the world of hip-hop that I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt until I see more than just the use of the term "dyke."
Thanks for reading, and for an intriguing discussion.
By the way, I must say, after several more listens, that the song "Stronger" is not among Kanye's best, as I first said. It's got amazing production, and the chorus is uplifting and inspiring, but the verses don't match with it. They're silly and amateurish.
Walmart started doing this a few years ago. ALL their cds are clean. You could always try downloading limewire and downloading songs through there.
Post a Comment