A quick note on my favorite song(s) from J Cole and Kendrick Lamar
I've been on a hip-hop kick for a few months now, and since it doesn't seem to be abating I might as well discuss two songs from my two favorite rappers:
1. "Tale of Two Citiez": J Cole
There's been plenty of chatter about our favorite curmudgeon J Cole's identity as a rapper rooted in boredom, tedious seriousness, and "eh-ness". That's why we like him. Whether he's rapping about folding laundry, enjoying almond milk, or braggin' on his success and fame only to later chastise himself for doing so, J Cole is a relatable, reliable MC who makes his own beats, and yes, went platinum with no features. He's on a solo journey. Cruising the rap-sphere all alone, Cole often spins introspective tunes like "Tale of Two Citiez"- simple documents that chart his easily traceable, and relatable internal thoughts about growing up without much money and then having it. In typical Cole style, in the end, he asserts that what goes up must come down. The narrative of the song goes something like this: wanted to have some money, got some money, can't blame people for trying to get money, eventually might not have this money. Yup. Plus, there's the church bell beats and the big bass. . .
2. "Duckworth": Kendrick Lamar
"Duckworth" fits in the tradition of storytellin' rap. That's where the comparisons to any other hip-hop song end. The beat- the flow- the story- the moral framing- I can't do this song justice with words. It starts out swaggering and soulful, but switches to frantic as the story gets more intense- listen as Kendrick lays down the tale of his father (named Ducky), a worker at KFC, and his unexpected kindness to a potential robber (named Anthony). Anthony's penchant for violence and Ducky's desire for peace collide at KFC, in what Kendrick labels the "chicken incident". Needless to say, the moral choices the characters make here have long lasting effects. As a bonus, just listen to Lamar rap, here. His cadence, when, for example, rapping that "the object was to process and and digest poverty's dialect" (its fun to say those lines out loud) will blow you away. He switches flows, emphasizes words, dismisses others: he's a dynamic voice, like Bob Dylan, twisting phrases around and mangling meaning from the cosmos.
1. "Tale of Two Citiez": J Cole
There's been plenty of chatter about our favorite curmudgeon J Cole's identity as a rapper rooted in boredom, tedious seriousness, and "eh-ness". That's why we like him. Whether he's rapping about folding laundry, enjoying almond milk, or braggin' on his success and fame only to later chastise himself for doing so, J Cole is a relatable, reliable MC who makes his own beats, and yes, went platinum with no features. He's on a solo journey. Cruising the rap-sphere all alone, Cole often spins introspective tunes like "Tale of Two Citiez"- simple documents that chart his easily traceable, and relatable internal thoughts about growing up without much money and then having it. In typical Cole style, in the end, he asserts that what goes up must come down. The narrative of the song goes something like this: wanted to have some money, got some money, can't blame people for trying to get money, eventually might not have this money. Yup. Plus, there's the church bell beats and the big bass. . .
2. "Duckworth": Kendrick Lamar
"Duckworth" fits in the tradition of storytellin' rap. That's where the comparisons to any other hip-hop song end. The beat- the flow- the story- the moral framing- I can't do this song justice with words. It starts out swaggering and soulful, but switches to frantic as the story gets more intense- listen as Kendrick lays down the tale of his father (named Ducky), a worker at KFC, and his unexpected kindness to a potential robber (named Anthony). Anthony's penchant for violence and Ducky's desire for peace collide at KFC, in what Kendrick labels the "chicken incident". Needless to say, the moral choices the characters make here have long lasting effects. As a bonus, just listen to Lamar rap, here. His cadence, when, for example, rapping that "the object was to process and and digest poverty's dialect" (its fun to say those lines out loud) will blow you away. He switches flows, emphasizes words, dismisses others: he's a dynamic voice, like Bob Dylan, twisting phrases around and mangling meaning from the cosmos.
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| Kendrick bought his sister a Camry. Reliable and fuel efficient. |
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