All For You?

Before I begin.

WEEZY WEEZY WEEZY WEEZY. 50. WEEZY. WEEZY. WEEZY. WEEZY.

Ok. Now we can begin.

I, just like you, probably suffered through listening to the worst 12 or so minutes of music in recent memory yesterday.

During my late-morning routine of checking emails and blogs, I stumbled across Blood Raw's new video "Louie Bag." After that I saw link for the new Lil' Wayne & T-Pain song (it got emailed to me on Sunday but I was out with the fam showing Moms a good time). Then I see a link for Gorilla Zoe's newest song.

GOT DAMN GOT DAMN GOT DAMN GOT DAMN!

I'm glad I peeped each of those joints at different parts of the day. Because if I would have started my day off listening to all three of those tracks you probably would have seen me on the news.

The fuck are niggas doing dawg? And when I say niggas, I ain't just talking about these three in particular, I'm talking about niggas in general.

First, we got dudes rapping about accessories. Now, rapping about accessories ain't really nothing new. Cats been talking about rocking Kangols, Adidas, etc for years. I guess the Bling-Bling era can be considered Accessory Rap too. Some songs were pretty dope and even clever, but that shit got worn out after while.

But even though niggas was rapping about clothes and jewelry, I never thought I'd see the day that niggas was rapping about Murses. Yeah, its an obvious "Duffle Bag Boy" knock off. But, got damn, "Duffle" just sounded better. And even though Tity Boi was bragging about living in the Gucci store, niggas that only carried around Jansports could still relate. But, maybe I'm tripping. I know and know of some cool ass niggas (i guess) that carry their work in a Louie napsack, but guess what else though? All of them are rappers or have some phantom job in the music industry. You know, them "I'm busy makin' it happen" ass niggas.

Which brings me to my point. Am I the only one that feels like rappers are rapping for other rappers?

When I hear shit like "Louie Bag" I don't feel like dude is talking to me, or any real listener for that matter. I'll go on record and say that I don't possess the "swag" or cash to go shopping at the same places that Magic City stippers rappers go to cop their Louie and Gucci. Odds are, most mutha fuckas that listen to Blood Raw (besides his D-boy fanbase) can't afford that shit either.

So who is the song for? Is it for the strippers waiting behind him in line at the register at the Louie store? Is it for other rappers, like his boss, who can actually buy that type of shit without worrying about gas and milk later that week? It sure as hell ain't for the fans. But what do I know? Somebody must like the song, or else they would not have spent money making a video for it.

Now, onto the vocoder abuse.

I'm not gonna sit here and go on about what I'll do the next time I hear someone rapping on autotune. I don't plan on being around to hear it. I plan on unplugging from the Hip Hop Matrix for while to maintain my sanity and get my peace of mind back.

But, while I'm still in it, I'll say this. I hear alot of folks saying that the influx of rap songs with the vocoder sounds is a testament to the lack of creativity. Some will even say its proof that rappers are no longer leaders, but followers just like their fickle fans. I just think its that niggas are pre-occupied with other rappers. Its almost as if they have a misguided spirit of competition or something.

When I interview some of these artists, I notice a couple constants in the studio. Weed, alcohol and BET....and nigga, that is deeeeaaaaadly combination.

Seven times out of ten, when I walk into a studio to interview someone or preview some music, BET is playing on the television. The other three times cats might be watching the news, whatever game is on or there is no television on period. Ten times out ten, its the three cats not watching BET that make the best shit and they know who they are.

Sometimes I just sit back and watch as these professional rappers ogre at BET, hoping to get inspired by something. What they're looking for? I have no fucking clue. But whatever it is, they find it and go in the booth and display it. And almost everytime they make music as if their telling their peers "I SHOW YOU HOW TO DO THIS SON!"

Its like they go in there and say, "Ima show these niggas how to use autotune. Ima show these niggas how to rap about swag. Ima show these niggas how to..."

I hardly ever see them recording as if they're saying "The people need to hear this. People seem to like this, so Ima give them what they want (and need), but in my own special way. Ima give people an option."

I swear, these niggas are out making songs for other rappers to hear. It aint for the fans. Maybe thats why people aren't buying records no more, because the shit aint being made with them in mind. Am I the only one that feels this way? What do you think?

Oh yeah, I almost for got. WEEZY WEEZY WEEZY WEEZY WEEZY WEEZY. 50. WEEZY WEEZY WEEZY.