Following the recent furore over Tupac Shakur being “resurrected” as a 3D hologram at Coachella 2012, I thought it was about time I got my two pence worth in. Personally, I don’t feel that this was improper or offensive. Tupac is a legend and those people who were at Coachella were incredibly lucky to see him perform, albeit as a hologram. His Mother said she was delighted at the result and personally, having watched the performance on YouTube, I thought it was executed tastefully and skilfully.
It is nice to depart from one’s standard taste in music from time to time. Being as I like my guitars screaming, my drums thumping and my lead singers preferably in leather trousers and make up (and that’s just the men) it is a little odd that I really love rap music. By this, I mean the golden age of rap and R’n’B, the legends of music such as Tupac, Snoop Dogg, Dr Dre, NWA, Nas and Warren G.
It is true that some rappers have more than a passing familiarity with narcotics and violence- in some cases. But if a country music singer can sing about driving in a pick up truck and a soul singer can sing about heartbreak, it only makes sense for rappers to rap about their lives, their childhoods and their families. It is a life I could never relate to, being a nice middle class girl from the suburbs, but it doesn’t matter- its damn good music.
NWA were one of the first rap groups I was a real fan of- the group that combined the unbelievable talents of Dr Dre, Eazy-E, DJ Yella, MC Ren and Ice Cube. Hailing from Compton, California, they rapped about their lives without restraint. Dr Dre is an outstanding producer and a world class heavyweight in music. A personal favourite of mine is “Express Yourself” which samples Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Bands song of the same name. NWA were active from 1986 to 1995, after which the group parted on negative terms. Ice Cube (his songs “How to survive in South Central” and “It was a Good Day” are personal favourites) is still going musically and as an actor- with a sterling performance in “Boyz in the Hood” under his belt, as is Dr Dre. Eazy-E sadly died in 1995 following complications with AIDS, DJ Yella is releasing a new album and MC Ren is no longer active in music.
Snoop Dogg, from Long Beach, California really knows music. His effortless laid back cool makes him a superb performer. His songs “Aint nothing but a G Thing” and “What’s my name?” sound as amazing today as they did when they were released. Snoop began recording in 1992 and still makes successful music today, collaborating with giants such as Dr Dre, Pharrell and B-Real from Cypress Hill. He shows no signs of stopping and personally, I hope he never does.
An absolute classic of West Coast G Funk, Warren G and Nate Dogg’s “Regulate” is amazing- I am so in love with Nate Dogg’s soulful voice- instantly recognisable on any track he was featured on. Nate Dogg sadly passed away in 2011 following complications with strokes, and is sadly missed.
Dr Dre is still performing, producing and rapping, and is responsible for some of my favourite tracks- “Keep their heads ringing”, featuring the outrageously funny lyric “In a party I go for your neck, so call me Blackula”, “The Next Episode” (also featuring Nate Dogg and Snoop Dogg) “Forgot about Dre” and “Still D.R.E”. His talent is literally endless, and if he features on or produces a track it’s a guaranteed success.
Nas is an unusual departure from the West Coast rap I adore. Nas hails from Brooklyn, New York, and brings the attitude that area is infamous for. Nas is a lyrical genius in his rapping, and “Represent” is a fantastic song. Nas began his career in 1989 and still continues drawing in crowds today.
Biggie Smalls, also known as The Notorious B.I.G, also hailed from New York and his sound was loose, easy and laid back. His song “Hypnotize” is fantastic and has been used in films and television shows many a time. He was sadly murdered in 1997, at the tender age of 24.
There are so many rappers capable of such greatness, I can only really mention them in passing or I’d be here all day. I’d highly recommend anything by Method Man, Red Man, early work by Jay-Z and the Wu-Tang Clan.
Some R’n’B groups produce amazing music- Blackstreets “No Diggity” and “Don’t Leave Me” are fabulous, and as any Scrubs fan I completely love Bell Biv DeVoe’s “Poison”. Cypress Hill have a funkier sound, with “How I Could Just Kill a Man” being a massive success, and collaborating with the grunge kings of the time such as Pearl Jam and Sonic Youth. De La Soul and Outkast make some top quality songs- Outkast both as a group and separately as Big Boi and Andre 3000. Quite frankly, if you don’t know every single lyric to The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rappers Delight”, you need a word with yourself.
Coming back to the beginning, I wouldn’t even dare to not mention Tupac. An absolute legend of music, he showed a duality of classic rap- with “I Get Around” and “All About U”, and an awareness and compassion with his peers in “Changes” and “I Ain’t Mad at Cha”. He was a voracious reader and his intelligence is evident- he called upon his friends and fans via his music to change their lives for the better. Tupac Shakur was shot in Las Vegas in 1996, at the shockingly young age of 25, and sadly died 6 days later.
There is so much of this music out there waiting for a listen. I tried a little bit of everything and I have always found something I love. I may not relate to a tough life on the streets, a violent upbringing and an absent father, but I love the music all the same.
