Panty-Free Addict In Need of Feedback on Immigration
There hasn't been much to speak on from my end lately. What has been on my mind lately is music. For the past week or so, I've been doing my usual, immersing myself in a musical abyss. However, I think I've dove a little deeper than the usual.
So a few entries back I wrote about how Jay-Z knows my addiction with his song "I know." The song and video has captivated me in such a way I can't explain. Okay, yes Jay is talking as if he were a drug enticing the addict. Okay, maybe it does help that Zoe Kravitz (daughter of Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz) is the amazingly beautiful young lady featured in the video helping to convey a message that she tried to live her life, but was addicted to heroin. No, I'm not a drug addict, never have and never will be. Yet, I took a different spin on the song; more like Jay talking as addiction (yes) but in a lust/love human, spiritual connection form. Knowing what I know about me and my past ( in regards to sex and relationships) I can say.. I can relate to this song on some level.
So yes, Jay has been on repeat for a while.
Since I've been in a repeat-and-listen-to-the-lyrics-closely-mood, I've been hypnotized by Janet Jackson again.
I've been excited about the release of Janet's Discipline album. Though I don't have the album in my collection just yet, I'm itching to get it. I understand that this go around she didn't write any of the songs. Yet, as one critic put it, these songs seemed to be written and tailored just for her. It's the old Janet with the funky make you get outta your seat dance beats.
So far, the only single that has caught on with me (until I get a hold of others) has been "Feedback," which was written by music producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins and three other writers (Dernst Emilie, Tasleema Yasin and LaShawn).
The song is hot! Anytime I hear it I crank up the volumn. However, yanno how Janet can do with her singing sometimes... a slight mumble (I'm thinking about If I Was Your Girl from the JANET album - thank God the CD came with Lyrics.) So yeah.. there were parts of Feedback I couldn't fully make out and maybe I was just in a bit shock and awe about what was said. Such was the couple of lines fom her bridge(?) verse.
"..my swag is something serious. something like first day period"
Hilariously bold right?
And then the actual chorus.
"Strum me like a guitar. Blow out my amplifier. When you hear some feedback keep going take it higher."
I couldn't do nothing but laugh and be a little jealous that I didn't write such lines. Nevertheless, no matter who wrote it, Janet delivers it in hardcore Janet style and I appreciate that.
Moving on from Janet to Erykah Badu. I've been giddy ever since the release of her latest album New Amerykah. I've been down with Badu since she's been on the scene. I'm still savoring my Badu concert experience from a few years back. I'm even more giddy that Papi is working on getting tickets for us to see her live with The Roots (another awesome group) soon.
Until I see her, I've been biding my time listening to her "Annie," which is the break out song from the Honey video.
"Annie. Don't wear no panties."
I caught her live performance of the song for VH1's sound stage today. I must say it's pure Erkyah and I love it!
You can view the full performance here -----------> Erykah performing Annie.
Now the biggie of all biggies.
I'll admit, I'm a little late in hearing and catching onto an artist by the name of M.I.A and her controversial song "Paper Planes."
I just recently heard the song as it is currently the featured song on Natalie Dee's My Space page. I'm not sure why, but immediately I really liked the song. I wasn't paying much attention to the lyrics at first, but for some reason I just associated it with one of my "imaginary" crazy moods - the mood where I just wanna smack some "ignant" fool for disrespecting and disrupting me. Admit it, we all have a mood that isn't really real.. more like a fake persona. However, after doing some investigation on the song I realized what M.I.A. was talking about it and I liked even more.
Her message in the song deals with immirgrants and how a society (probably American) may view them. The controversy comes in because of the whole gunshot sound effect in her chorus, which in essence does present some kind of blunt hardcore statement.
Here's a snippet of a write up on Wikipedia (oye!)
M.I.A. explains the gun sounds as a joke, an answer to having problems entering the U.S. She thought that the worst thing for someone to say would be, "What I wanna do is come and take your money", and hence said it in the song with sound effects. She went on to state that "people don’t really feel like immigrants or refugees contribute to culture in any way. That they’re just leeches that suck from whatever".
My personal view on immigrantion; well I'm all for anyone who wants to come here (to the US) LEGALLY and contribute. If you happen to come as a "refugee" or illegally and you want to stay.. what's wrong with going to an advocacy group to help you with the process of becoming a citizen? I wonder what would happen if I were to go and claim permanent residence in Germany, Bangladesh, London, Brazil, China, Denmark, South Africa, Vancouver....
They would "naturalize" my ass in a heartbeat!
That's just my two cents.
Yet, I still like this crazy whacked out song! Because for real.... I can't help but picture the vendor stands I see downtown with my Africans and Asians brothers/sisters selling knockoff purses, sunglasses and dead batteries and my Latinos and Latinas selling (half dead) roses and carnations in the middle of rush hour traffic - mainly along the ramp from 395 to the Sousa Bridge into Southeast, DC.
I fly like paper, get high like planes
If you catch me at the border I got visas in my name
If you come around here, I make them all day
I get one down in a second if you wait
I fly like paper, get high like planes
If you catch me at the border I got visas in my name
If you come around here, I make them all day
I get one down in a second if you wait
Sometimes I feel sitting on trains
Every stop I get to I'm clocking that game
Everyone's a winner now we're making that fame
Bona fide hustler, making my name
Sometimes I feel sitting on trains
Every stop I get to I'm clocking that game
Everyone's a winner now we're making that fame
Bona fide hustler, making my name
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
Pirate skulls and bones
Sticks and stones and weed and bombs
Running when we hit them
Lethal poison through their system
Pirate skulls and bones
Sticks and stones and weed and bombs
Running when we hit them
Lethal poison through their system
No one on the corner has swagger like us
Hit me on my banner, prepaid wireless
We pack and deliver like UPS trucks
Already going to hell just pumping that gas
No one on the corner has swagger like us
Hit me on my banner, prepaid wireless
We pack and deliver like UPS trucks
Already going to hell just pumping that gas
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
M.I.A.
Third world democracy
Yeah, I got more records than the K.G.B.
So, uh, no funny business
Some, some, some, I some I murder
Some, I some I let go
Some, some, some, I some I murder
Some, I some I let go
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
