Alright...Here we Go...for real this time

As most of you know, I'm relatively laid back and soft-spoken as I have been in pretty much all of my performances, but I came into the class to break-out of that, which isn't what I have really been working to do. Not that I've been half-assing my work at all, but I have been half-assing performing it, and not "owning" it as mine and as Kashi said, "Spitting it in a way that is indisputable". I haven't been doing that and I need to, so I do need to start memorizing MY stuff since I wrote it anyway, makes no sense why I can't memorize it. I did it for Love Jones. I realize that I do have talent and I need to express it in a way that other people will recieve it the way that I recieved it, feel it like I felt it..etc.(not tooting my own horn at all, seriously)..so HERE WE GO...I'm on a mission.

Midterm...

Differentiating herself is something Chelsea G aka MszEdukated is fond of, since her younger years. She comes from Danbury, CT now a sophmore at Lehigh and continues to press the limits with her eclectic style and personality. Her upbringing has a lot to do with her love for hip hop, her parents enstilled the art of music in her at a young age, mainly R&B and old school as she grew older she proceeded to listen to these and the music of her time. Coming from CT, one would think that her take on urban lifestyle would be much different than it is, it is often said that she was a metropolitan child misplaced. It is clear she has something to say as a young black woman in America, but she speaks for everyone.

MszEdukated started really writing as a form of expression around the age of 10. It first started as a means to express her anger and frustrations from issues with siblings and disagreements with the parents, short stories, and a little poetry here and there. Literature was always one of her fond pastimes, she read authors such as Maya Angelou and Alice Walker at a young age for pure recreation. Over the years, she has stuck with this and really divulged into this poetry realm and is running with it. The urban venacular as has always been an interest and she continues to explore the art and intriguing persona of the metaphor and similes with thought provoking phrases. She refers to poetry as, "It's the lyrics, words, speech whatever you call it, of my heart, which doesn't have a mouth, so it's relayed through my mind and pen." She was always more of a timid writer, wasn't fond of openly sharing pieces, but upon arrival to Lehigh has decided to step out of her shell and speak up, sharing her work at different events and collaborating with classmates with their works as well. She has even begun to explore the art of freestyling and rapping.

This piece reflects the division between a salary versus a reality as relates to hip-hop and MszEdukated's take on it. It's relaying her beliefs on the negative influence she thinks capitalism takes on the true essence of hip-hop sometimes and how it has seemingly divulged from a true art form into a money-making arena full of gimmicks. A salary, represents the a skewed version of hip-hop, and has just become a venue for craziness that sells, these artists are merely here for a quick buck. Reality, is real hip hop, a real story to tell, a real lifestyle, R-E-A-L-ity. Her emphasis placed on certain words really conveys the message and let's us know as listeners and observers that this is something she's quite passionate about. However, she's soft spoken and might be often hard to hear her, but has been working greatly on trying to be heard. She has to work on commanding the stage and really capturing and engaging her audience, and should probably start with memorizing her pieces, to allow for some mellow, yet influential theatrics during her performances. Failing to due, makes her seem to lack confidence and we believe it's in there, so she needs to let it out and go.

MszEdukated is continuously working on different pieces and is truly a fan of hip-hop and lives it everyday. She yearns to grow and continue growing as an up and coming artist in '09. With some hard work and consistent motivation there's no doubt in our minds that she could potentially go far and make a name for herself.

Wintertime....

So I went to see WinterTime opening night....GREAT PLAY! Hilarious. Shout out to Ben, Millie and Dave for being on point the whole show and last but not least Kashi of course for directing such a stellar performance, I was really impressed. Go see it if you haven't! It's definitely an experience you've never had before.

Nore..back to Rap and just in case you aren't sick of Mr. Browz yet...

Got Money and you know it..take it out ya pocket and show it??

Uhm first things first,hout out to Dom, Vic, Millie and Ricky for you all's presentation. I liked it a lot and it sparked good discussion.

I think the influence of capitalism on hip-hop is definitely a worthwhile discussion to have, because it started as a thing for "under-privileged" young people(kids who didn't have money) to have something fun to do, to express themselves. Now it has evolved into this money-making captilatistic arena full of cash, cars, drugs, and sex. Not everybody, but the vast majority of what people see are definitely those things. I just think it's crazy how times have changed.

I guess the flossy stage appeared with the gold rope chains and whatnot and has progressively grown since then, alright fine. But now, I feel like the money binge has gone overboard compoletely. I understand it's a business, well to most people. I do still honestly believe that some people aren't in it for the money, the people less heard from mainly, but that's another story. Anyway, I just feel like now some people take it too far, "gettin money" tests the extremes. I understand the business aspect but I just think things like 50 cent entering the "sex toy" industry is ludicrous. As I think Chuck put it in class paraphrased, "I think you become a sell-out when what you're doing becomes a mockery. People start laughing and shaking their head at you, because you're doing something they don't respect." I completely agree with that.

It's a grey area clearly. I just feel that it's not pure if you're out for nothing but money anyway, then you're not a real artist. I feel like a real artist just wants their message to be heard, they just want to say what they want to say, not be flashy or whatever. If the money comes it comes if not then they're cool with that. That's just me talkin though. How do yall feel?

Real vs Fake..The Authenticity Argument...

So the other day in class we had a great discussion on what it means to be authentic, essentially what it means to be a Real N***a vs what it means to be a Fake N****a, relative to the Hip-Hop movement. I think this topic is such a good one, because it's so controversial and peoples opinions vary by such different criteria.

Me personally, I feel this way about it I think that you're authentic if what's coming out of your mouth is real, meaning that it's something relevant to you, I think that makes you authentic. SO like if you're talking about your life and your trials and tribulations or even your fame and fortunes, like I feel that's REAL, that's you, that's how YOU feel I also think it's your thoughts on certain things, whereas we have politically and socially concious rhymes as well. If it just happens that people may relate and be able to vibe with you, then that's an added bonus, but authenticity to me, the real essence of hip hop, is a person's everyday way of expressing themselves and whatever they're going through. So like when we had the Tupac and Will Smith comparison, I think they're both authentic. I mean Tupacs was going through what he was going through with gangs, drugs and violence, and Will was going through what he was going through with his parents, just because he didn't talk about slangin and banging doesnt make him any less official.

And then there's Soulja Boy...hmmm IS he Hip-Hop? I really don't care for the guy, true I've fallen victim to the "Superman" syndrome at its earliest emergence, come on who didn't? But after a while of hearing him release songs with essentially the same beat with a new 5-6 word hook and a new stupid dance move and being a featured artist on some tracks uttering bull****pretty much, I got sick of the cat real quick. I mean I give him his props for taking over the YouTube nation, that was smart, hell I wish I came up with the idea. He's getting his money, because people are buying into it. But Hip-Hop wise, nah chill, I have yet to come to terms with calming him "Hip-Hop", like for real what is he talking about? No relevance to anything whatsoever.