R.I.P. (Sometimes)

[Claimer: This is just some funny shit I noticed, don't take it too too seriously.]

Ok, so...

I was at a Brand Nubian show the other night. The crowd, it was cool, it got better as the night went on. At first I thought I was in a damn Black Moon video, no women in sight. I mean, I like to go to "real Hip Hop" shows as much as the next guy, but it is nice to have some kind of estrogen level in the building. Eventually, women started falling though. They were all probably at the Shawty Lo party on the other side of town.

Anyways, the DJ was doing his thing. Spinning your favorite early 90's and underground classics that you'd expect to hear (I guess) at a Brand Nubian show. Then, he got to to the part of the night where he did the R.I.P. dedication for "our fallen soldiers."

First, he played Big L's "Ebonics." He followed that with BPD's "Super Hoe" to show respect to Scott La Rock. Then he played "Jam Master Jay" to pay homage to the obvious. He ended the set tributing Pimp C with "Next Up" from the last UGK album, you know, the Marley Marl-produced song with Kane and G. Rap on it.

That was it.

I planned on going to the Shawty Lo show afterwards, but the parking lot was filled to capacity, so I didn't make it inside. But, I have been to one of his shows, and plenty of shows like his before.

Most of the time at "those shows," when and if the DJ does his R.I.P. set, he plays Biggie and Pac, mostly 'Pac. Every now and then, they'll slip in some Soulja Slim...well no, not really, they'll just play "Slow Motion." The chances of hearing something like "Soulja Life Mentality" are (no Pun intended) very slim.

Seeing this always makes me laugh on the inside. It seems as if at certain shows, some rappers/DJs/producer aren't dead enough to get any shine. I understand DJing in the club is about catering to the audience and playing what they are accustomed to hearing (is that right?), but still though.

I mean hey, I'm from the A, but shied, I wouldn't mind hearing some Mac Dre here and there. I guess the DJ doesn't think that's their job. I'm aware that I'm a six-hour flight away from Compton, but damn...some of us want Eazy too. I know a lot of the music from my city is the anti-thesis of Screw, but shit...Big Moe at least has one song that could get some burn "at the club." I know that Freaky Tah doesn't have any verses the non-Lost Boyz album buying public would remember, but as much as they used to get played on the radio, I'm sure a couple of their joints would get a couple smiles and nods.

Oh yeah...I know some HUGE fans of this producer guy who made this song. I'm sure people hearing this song for the first time would prolly go ape shit in the club too after while.

Like I said at the top, this dead rapper civil war stuff is just some funny shit I noticed. A lot of ya'll had prolly been feeling this way long before I dropped some words about it. There's plenty of deceased artists that I failed to mention that may get mentioned in the comments. Blame my forgetfulness on my mind, not my pen.

You know what, maybe that's it. Maybe DJs just forget to include some guys in their R.I.P. sets. I'm hoping they aren't flipping through their crates scrolling through Serato saying "nah nigga, you ain't dead enough."