Showing posts with label dave chappelle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dave chappelle. Show all posts
Friday, August 17, 2012
Thursday, February 3, 2011
The reason so many people loved Rick Ross's verse on "Devil in a New Dress"
Honestly, this is a simple answer, it's the production. But in my opinion, there's more.
First off, the Bink! produced track (Mike Dean is also listed as a co-producer) is definitely one of the top 3 songs on the album (I'd throw "Power" and "All of the Lights" or "Gorgerous" in there as well). Secondly, Bink! did an excellent job of taking the sample from Smokey Robinson's "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" and interspersing the low guitar chords in the beginning of the song and then bringing in the serious guitar chords later. Part of me wants to think that Kanye may have gotten the original beat from Bink! and then made some tweaks to it with Bink!. Nevertheless, I'm sure Kanye could hear this track being played in a stadium ("stadium status", anyone?) and with that heavy guitar in there for the second half of the song, it would definitely appeal to the pop/rock crowds. Like Dave Chappelle (not me!) once said, white people love some electric guitar.
Back to the topic (no J. Cole)...
Let's take the beat as the foundation for the song and then consider how the beat and verses are arranged. First off, the song is 5 minutes and 52 seconds long! Not cut for radio and long enough for the average listener to surmise that there's some sort of skit, interlude, orsection where the beat just plays (I'm not sure of the proper musical/technical term for this) bridge. Kanye raps for the first 2 minutes and 50 seconds after which we hit the bridge.
From what I can tell and based in my very rudimentary knowledge of music composition, the bridge in this song serves two purposes. The first is to give the listener a better appreciation for the beat up to this point. And I don't mean appreciation in the sense that we should be impressed but an appreciation in the sense of what instruments are being used and those that have now been taken away during the bridge. The second purpose is to get the listener ready for the beat to come back but this time, with some serious guitar chords incorporated into it. The chords are actually brought in during the bridge (at about the 3 minute 12 second mark). The chords are brought back in and slowly drums are brought back into the beat and then the next thing you know...
This leads me to the point of this post. Ross's verse is nothing special lyrically. I've definitely heard better from Mr. Rozay and for those of you that still don't respect Ross's lyrical ability I submit to you Exhibit A, "Solemnly Swear" and Exhibit B, "Valley of Death". The latter of which I think may be Ross's most lyrical song ever, inspired by Curtis Jackson no less. As for his verse on this song, honestly the only gem in there is "when it comes to tools n*gga I'm a Pep Boy". And that is by no means an overwhelming piece of lyricism. Granted, maybe the "double-headed monster with a mind of his own" and "making love to the angel of death" lines are deeper than I can see. Yet-and-still, I don't think this is a stand-out Ross verse by any means and I'm a Ross fan. In the end, I think that the bridge helps Ross out tremendously and his delivery is what makes his verse memorable. Not to mention, Ross's verse also brings in that other fanbase/target market Kanye's trying to capture, the "streets". Whether you want to accept it or not, Ross's appearance on the song gives the song some "street credibility".
Overall, Bink!'s production, Kanye's verse, the bridge and Ricky Rozay's voice, delivery, and ad-libs (ughh!) combined with the beat and arrangement of the song makes the song special. It's definitely one of my favorites from the album.
BONUS COVERAGE: If you'd like to check out various samples used on the My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album, check the video out below:
First off, the Bink! produced track (Mike Dean is also listed as a co-producer) is definitely one of the top 3 songs on the album (I'd throw "Power" and "All of the Lights" or "Gorgerous" in there as well). Secondly, Bink! did an excellent job of taking the sample from Smokey Robinson's "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" and interspersing the low guitar chords in the beginning of the song and then bringing in the serious guitar chords later. Part of me wants to think that Kanye may have gotten the original beat from Bink! and then made some tweaks to it with Bink!. Nevertheless, I'm sure Kanye could hear this track being played in a stadium ("stadium status", anyone?) and with that heavy guitar in there for the second half of the song, it would definitely appeal to the pop/rock crowds. Like Dave Chappelle (not me!) once said, white people love some electric guitar.| Chappelles Show | ||||
| Electric Guitar, Drums or Electric Piano Pt. 1 | ||||
| ||||
Back to the topic (no J. Cole)...
Let's take the beat as the foundation for the song and then consider how the beat and verses are arranged. First off, the song is 5 minutes and 52 seconds long! Not cut for radio and long enough for the average listener to surmise that there's some sort of skit, interlude, or
From what I can tell and based in my very rudimentary knowledge of music composition, the bridge in this song serves two purposes. The first is to give the listener a better appreciation for the beat up to this point. And I don't mean appreciation in the sense that we should be impressed but an appreciation in the sense of what instruments are being used and those that have now been taken away during the bridge. The second purpose is to get the listener ready for the beat to come back but this time, with some serious guitar chords incorporated into it. The chords are actually brought in during the bridge (at about the 3 minute 12 second mark). The chords are brought back in and slowly drums are brought back into the beat and then the next thing you know...
This leads me to the point of this post. Ross's verse is nothing special lyrically. I've definitely heard better from Mr. Rozay and for those of you that still don't respect Ross's lyrical ability I submit to you Exhibit A, "Solemnly Swear" and Exhibit B, "Valley of Death". The latter of which I think may be Ross's most lyrical song ever, inspired by Curtis Jackson no less. As for his verse on this song, honestly the only gem in there is "when it comes to tools n*gga I'm a Pep Boy". And that is by no means an overwhelming piece of lyricism. Granted, maybe the "double-headed monster with a mind of his own" and "making love to the angel of death" lines are deeper than I can see. Yet-and-still, I don't think this is a stand-out Ross verse by any means and I'm a Ross fan. In the end, I think that the bridge helps Ross out tremendously and his delivery is what makes his verse memorable. Not to mention, Ross's verse also brings in that other fanbase/target market Kanye's trying to capture, the "streets". Whether you want to accept it or not, Ross's appearance on the song gives the song some "street credibility".
Overall, Bink!'s production, Kanye's verse, the bridge and Ricky Rozay's voice, delivery, and ad-libs (ughh!) combined with the beat and arrangement of the song makes the song special. It's definitely one of my favorites from the album.
BONUS COVERAGE: If you'd like to check out various samples used on the My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album, check the video out below:
Monday, August 2, 2010
3 Songs by, and 3 Thoughts on Rick James
Thought: I never really appreciated Rick James's music until after Dave Chappelle made him relevant for my generation. I had heard some of his music, but I didn't really appreciate it. And at the age I was when I used to hear it I probably wasn't prepared to understand it anyway, just understand that my parents got enjoyment out of it. I can vaguely remember the vinyl Rick James record my parent's had back when I was like 6 or 7. The only reason it stood out to me was because I didn't understand why a person that appeared to be a man had such long hair, lol. But after Dave Chappelle brought Rick James back into the spotlight (and in hindsight I'm not so sure the popularity of those Rick James skits really helped Rick's image) I took some time to go back and listen to some of his music. And what I found out is that Rick James made some timeless songs. Not all of his songs but definitely some of them.
Video: Super Freak
We've all heard this one and it's definitely a classic. But think about how popular "Can't Touch This" was/is. It's all because of this.
I am not sure why this bama had all the glitter going on his face and hair but I guess that was "the look" back then. Sort of like kids nowadays wearing jeans that lower your sperm count because they squeeze your nuts too tight and Black girls wanting to be hayajimmymatsuh Barbie dolls of all things. Somehow, I don't think that's what Madame C.J. Walker had in mind when she was on her way to becoming the first Black female billionaire beauty supplier.
Thought: It's a shame that people in my generation will probably remember Rick James more for Dave Chappelle's parodies, his drug habit(s), and his obnoxiousness more so than his music. Anyone that doesn't know more about Rick James and his music other than was was parodied on the Chappelle show should be directed here.
Video: Mary Jane
LMAO at "gimme some ganja" at the beginning.
Thought: Drugged-out musicians have made some of the best music for years. From Bob Marley to Kurt Cobain to Rick James to Jimi Hendrix to whomever else was coked-up, weeded-up, drunkied-up or otherwise high when they made some of their greatest music. And even though I'm not a Lil Wayne stan as much as I'm a Kanye/Drake/Jay-Z stan I have to admit that Wayne's syrup-sippin curmudgeon/martin azz makes some solid music and I'm sure he's high off way more than just life. I'm convinced that no one sober can make a song like "I Feel Like Dying" or half of those auto-tuned joints he made. And speaking of auto-tune I don't Kanye into the "artists that made music high" category because he's high off his opinion of himself and his music, not a true drug, lol.
Video: Give It To Me Baby
This is probably my favorite Rick James song of them all just because all dudes have gone through this at some point or another, lol. Oh yeah, if the line "gimme that stuff that funk that sweet that funky stuff" sounds familiar, it's because Jay-Z "borrowed" it, albeit in a slightly altered version.
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