The Fat Boys: Hip Hop’s unsung heroes

Ok everyone, I’m back from lunch and even though I know the Palin/Debate may still be on your mind (or if you’re like me, probably not), I’d like to change the pace… 

So I went to one of my favorite crack sites, Mediatakeout.com to see what was the latest black entertainment gossip and to get a laugh.  They had pics of the hip hop honors show that VH1 puts on.  I think the concept of the award show is cool, but it kinda saddens me that because of the comparatively short shelf life of 99.9% of all rappers, a show that honors the pioneers can be so fitting.  Sure, they are getting honored, but at the same time, it’s a sign that lets you know that people really aren’t checking for them as they once did.   

Oh, before I get into this, yes, I do know there is a difference between hip hop and rap.  Hip hop is the culture, and rap is more so the commercial manifestation of it.  But don’t get in a tizzy. I really don’t give a sh!t about either, so I use them interchangeably

I have a friend who will argue me down about this, but I think in most respects, hip hop is a music of the youth.  The reason why I say this is because the sensationalization of the hip hop lifestyle, along with all the positives and negatives, is appealing and impressionable to younger kids. Today, what dominates mainstream hip hop that the kids are saturated with are messages of guns, violence, and sex.  Of course I realize that there are some positive rappers out there, but we all know they aren’t promoted as much and endorsed by the powers that be.  The reason for this? Well, it could be a plan by THE MAN, or it could be just the darkness in human nature to want to hear about those things. 

When I listen to all that foolishness that 50 cent spouts off and every other rapper that puts on his “I’m the hardest n!gga in the Universe” persona, I think to myself “the things you are saying sure have the potential to f*ck up a child’s mind and destroy our community, but you probably don’t care because you live in a mansion and drink Ace of Spades champagne all day long.  I’m glad I’m grown and know better. That beat is TIGHT though!” 

Speaking of Ace of Spades champagne, if you didn’t know, that’s Jay-Z’s champagne.  I’m wondering if he put much thought behind his endorsement of it. Here it is below:

I mean, come on Jigga man…Ace of SPADES?  It might as well be called the King of COONS!  Just a thought..

As far as the positive messages, the positive rappers aren’t saying anything to me that I don’t already see in the world, and being a grown man, I know what it means to live right (actually doing it is another story!).  Their messages are more effective to opening the minds of kids who soak it up.  When I hear it, I’m thinking “Yeah Common, yeah Talib, I hear you.  I knew that already though, so keep on teaching the youth. I like the beat you made though and the chick you have singing the hook. Keep up the good work!” 

I remember when I was in the sixth grade riding the bus, and the eigth graders in the back of the bus had a boom box and would put the volume on 10 playing Eazy E and NWA.  It was mind blowing.  I didn’t know they could say that kind of stuff in a song!

“Eazily I approach….

The microphone because I ain’t no joke…

Tell your mama to get offa my tip…

I have no time to give her my d!ck…

I’m gonna hold it….And walk around the stage…And if she f*cks up…I’m going to get my gauge

And unload the barrel and laugh…Because I’m putting lead in your motherf*cking ass”

I wanted to hear as much of it as I could. I had a friend dub it for me on his dual cassette tape player, and I had my own copy then.  I knew all the words by heart.  Now fast forward and (even though these guys aren’t as popular) you have the Ying Yang Twins talking about “skeet skeet skeet”.  I can only imagine that these kids love that stuff.  They supposedly put “clean” versions of these songs on the radio, but hey, these kids aren’t dumb. 

These rappers are quick to say that they make music for grown folks, and yeah, I hear that and understand that.  It makes sense too, except for the fact that as you get older your tastes change.  I know mine sure have.  I would groan when my mom would put on Anita Baker when I was a boy.  Now, I would pay good money to see her live.  I used to laugh at my dad’s affinity for Barry White as he would bite his lip, snap his fingers and stomp his feet to Barry’s funky baselines.  Now, I own about 6 Barry White cds and plan to have all his music. R.I.P. Maestro.  

The point there is that I like MUSIC with instruments and singing.  And although rap is music, it’s just not as euphonic to me as a voice’s timbre or the the strings and horns of non looped instruments.  I would choose listening to the best singer over listening to the best rapper 11 times out of 10. 

When I’m in the mood, I may listen to a rap song or two to see what these jive turkeys are talking about.  How many different ways can I be told about cash, clothes, and hoes?  It seems that there is no limit.  Now don’t get me wrong, I love hip hop.  I really love the stuff I grew up on though. There are also a handful of rappers that I’d listen to now more than once.  VH1 honored De La Soul this year as one of the honorees. They are my favorite group of all time.  I will buy a De la cd even if they put out a nursery rhyme cd.  Why? Well after the first time I heard “3 feet high and rising” at a pool party I was hooked.  I didn’t know what they were talking about in that cd (and still don’t), but they were having fun, and were clearly skilled at weaving together intelligent rhymes, and weren’t following the mainstream formula.  They still don’t and stayed true (and stayed a group!!).  I mentioned Common and Talib, and they are cool.  Kanye is good for what he does (even though his ego is way too much). 

Now I really have grown fond of Little Brother.  These guys rap about stuff that many of us black men that are in our 20s and early 30s can relate to.  Dealing with college life, girl problems, being broke, and growing into being a man.  They are my new favorite now, but I’ll always hold a place for De La.  They are pretty funny too, which brings me to my point of this blog (sorry it took so long).

VH1 is honoring the various groups for their contributions to hip hop, but why have people forgotten about the Fat Boys?  Depending on who you ask, Notorious B.I.G. is the greatest rapper of all time (primarily people North of the Mason Dixon line). I don’t think so, but that’s my opinion.  Anyhow, I can’t question his significance to hip hop.  There is a recording of him saying that when he was little and first fell in love with rap, all he had was a Run-DMC tape and a Fat Boys tape.  Now, how significant is that?  If you think he is the greatest rapper, I’d say it’s prety significant.  Not saying that what he had in his collection should mean anything, but people, that was the first tape I ever owned. The Fat Boys.  I still have it too. It’s beige and all the words have worn off of it. 

If you’re around 31 and older, you might remember beat boxing in the bathroom or beat box battles (I never really understood how people picked the best beat box). 

These guys were pioneers in their own right.  They were the first to come from the angle of self deprecating humor.  They were all about fun, something that is missing from most hip hop today.  I know, a lot of you wanna hear what’s “real”, but I look at it like this….my LIFE is real….I turn on the news and see how REAL it is all over the world….so why do I need to turn on music telling me more about this REALNESS?  What is wrong with smiling, laughing and beat boxing to make you forget for a little bit about the world sucking ass? 

This one goes out to the Fat Boys:

To Kool Rock Ski, Prince Markie Dee, and R.I.P. to The Human Beat Box.