Is it better to invent a product,or to get paid for improving on someone else's previous idea?
Is seminal knowledge better than derivative knowledge?
I asked one of my young cousins, "Who is smarter - An African tribesman who invented a hollowed out log to use as a boat to get across a river? Or an American who invented a more fuel efficient cruise liner to cross the oceans?".
He said "Both... you don't need a big ship to cross a small river.".
I'd say that he was right.
People are only as smart (or as good) as they are required to be.
But if we use money as the tool for measuring intelligence, skill or success - the waters become muddied.
Is Elvis a better singer than those he emulated?
Is LaDainian Thomlison better than Jim Brown?
Is Lil Wayne better than L.L.?
Is Bill Gates smarter than the original OS designers upon whose platform his system sits?
Maybe the key to true financial success is found in inventing a better mousetrap - not in the invention of the original mousetrap.
So to the O.G.s - my list of the best Rap/Hip-Hop songs of all time;
- Public Enemy - (Almost anything)
-Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - They Reminisce Over You
-Slick Rick - A Children's Story
-L.L. Cool J. - Mama Said Knock You Out
-Wu Tang Clan - Bring The Pain
-Boogie Down Productions - My Philosophy
-Nas - If I Ruled The World
-Malcolm McLaren - Buffalo Gals
-Dr. Dre - Nothing But A G Thang
-Eric B & Rakim - Follow The Leader
-Various - (This last slot varies based on my mood)
As you can tell, I go with the originals (to me). I prefer seminal to derivative.
I also notice a Nation/FOI influence. Maybe because they were talking about more than big booty hos and buckets on 20's.
I think the reason that so many people hate rap is that these entertainers are seen as having somehow cheated the system.
We're always told to dress, act, speak and be a certain way.
But these "uneducated street thugs' somehow have more of the thing (fortune/fame) than do those who'd intend to subjugate them.
The modern rappers can make more money from one album/tour/product line than his predecessors made in a career.
So the question isn't really - "Who's smarter; Jay Z or Bill Gates?". (The answer is; "Both")
But the question is; "Who is smarter Kanye West or Method Man?".
So the question isn't really - "Who's smarter; Jay Z or Bill Gates?".
ReplyDeleteI liked your question about the log and the ship better.
Bill Gates is not only smarter than Jay Z, but he's contributed more: not only too charity, but also to our capability to communicate and work more effectively.
Now, while I'm no fan of NOI inspired acts like Public Enemy, at least they were interested in expanding the minds of their own people in some sense. Jay Z has shown none of that in his own work.
I think when it comes to money the waters do indeed get muddied. That is because the business side to anything requires another kind of intelligence (if that is even the correct word for this quality) in addition to the smarts/talents one may have in his/her particular field. It’s about knowing what the people want and giving it to them, pure and simple (whether the people know they want it or not).
ReplyDeleteElvis made more money than the black folks he copied, because his audience would only accept black music from a white performer. The difference between Gates and the designers of the OS is that Gates knew how to sell it to the masses (for money…lots of it). Lil’ Wayne makes the thug-pop that the kids want to hear these days, while LL has that 80’s-90’s romantic-rap feel to him that the youth just can’t get with. Elvis is regarded as the king, Bill Gates is once again the richest man in the world, and Lil’ Wayne is hailed as the best rapper alive (falsely IMHO).
It’s not about inventing the mouse trap or through innovation creating a better one; it’s about convincing the masses that your mouse trap is the best one ever. If you are able to do that, yours is the mousetrap that will sell (whether it is the original or the derivative).
So, when money is involved marketability becomes more important than actual product (be it original or derivative). This is why you have rappers like Souljah Boy who are severely lacking in talent (IMHO) but appear to be extremely marketable, while we have more skilled MC's that have been underground for years and still haven't blown up yet.
The same phenomena is also found in politics, where just because politician A has better ideas than politician B, Politician B wins because he has more points in electability. This doesn't mean that Politician B is smarter than politician A, just more marketable (and if B incorporates A's ideas into his/her platform...well..fuhgetaboutit).
So, shouldn't the question be: who is more marketable, Kanye or Methodman?
My problem with rap is that I don't think the original was improved on, just the opposite in fact. I think they took it to its more basic (not in a good way) levels. I was listening to my itunes one day this week and "Self Destruction" started playing. It took me way back (hence MC Lyte's invite tuesday) and all i could think of was how far rap had fallen. Newer is not always better sometimes it's just shinier.
ReplyDelete@ classical one - Hip-hop is an even more universal language than Windows Vista.
ReplyDeleteBut that wasn't really the point.
Jay Z isn't required to improve Unix or Linix. His job is just to further expand his medium.
He is only as "smart" as he is required to be.
But I fully agree with the state of current hip-hop culture.
@ Mr. Noface - marketability is an easy question to answer. (Just go by sales in the chosen market/medium.)
But, if we're judging by money earned - Is Jay Z "smarter" for making music similar to Lil Wayne or would he be "smarter" to make music similar to Talib Kweli?
@ D.J. - Yep.
But, if we're judging by money earned - Is Jay Z "smarter" for making music similar to Lil Wayne or would he be "smarter" to make music similar to Talib Kweli?
ReplyDeleteThat would depend on what he wanted (just the money or something more inportant?).
Don't get all old and talk about how today's rap is all bad... well maybe most of "today's" rap is, but all the good stuff isn't old school...
ReplyDeleteLupe Fiasco's "Gotcha"
Goodie M.O.B.'s "Sesame Street"
Outkast's "Liberation"
Fugee's "How Many Mic's"
Q-Tip's "You"
Common's "G.O.D."
OK most of that stuff is kinda old, except the Q-Tip that just came out... but HE is old.
there is tons of good stuff, we just never get to hear it unless we turn over rocks and sift through all the crap.
Diddy is plenty smart but that doesnt make him an artist. There are artists, performers, and businessmen/women. Most are the two latter, but this is also the case for most other genres as well.
@ Mr Noface - Yep.
ReplyDelete@ brohammas - Look at yo' bad sef'!
But I agree, there IS a lot of good stuff out - it's just not what's being played on the radio.
You do realize it took every ounce of self control I have to not list the Beastie Boys on there.
ReplyDelete"had a little horsey named Paul Revere, me, my horsey, and a quart of......."
@ brohammas - I forgot about the Beasties.
ReplyDeleteI'd put them on my seminal list.