burningbush

Tony Soprano, Michael Corleone, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre - Not real Gangstas Ben Bernake, Bill Gates, Henry Paulson, Tim Geithner - Real Gangstas Jasiri X and George Carlin speak truth to power. What I referred to in an earlier post as " raptivism " is perhaps better described as " Cognitive Hip-Hop " Here's a dose of reality for you. It's called " Organized Crime " for a reason. They are well organized. " It's called the American Dream because you'd have to be asleep to believe it " George Carlin

I'm an old white rocker from the 'burbs of NJ. Tony Soprano country. My Mom and siblings are Brooklynites, Dad's side from Long Island. Me, the baby was raised in suburbia. The phrase "Keep it real" comes to mind. I have never lived in the city. I love most music but Hip-Hop has for the most part eluded me. I don't want to read the Jay-Z dictionary. I am what I am and I don't want to sound like Michael Steele. MC's I have liked are generally East Coasters from Queens or Brooklyn. I could understand them. I like Snoop even though I've never been to Cali let alone Compton. But I could understand him and he used to sample Funkadelic and Parliament who I love. But I couldn't relate. There was no message for me . Raps about guns, pimping, and gangsterism, (despite my being Sicilian), had no meaning for me. I was not raised on the mean streets. Rock & Roll during the Vietnam era was full of political awareness that few contemporary bands ...