I've said it here before, but it bears repeating: Rap music's biggest problem is too many damn rappers and not enough fans. In the age of FruityLoops and MySpace, any lazy bama living in his mother's basement can get some VistaPrint bidness cards and suddenly be a "Rapper/CEO" overnight. I know this, because believe it or not (brace yourselves), AverageBro has actually laid some tracks himself.
Sure, my flow is jive weak (I'm still trapped in that late 80's Kool G. Rap/Big Daddy Kane style), and I sample like a mug, but it's just for fun, and I'm not exactly staking my family's well being on it. It's just a hobby. Drop me a line and I'll send you a sample track.
So I guess I can understand why old dudes like Cornell West and Michael Eric Dyson have delved into making rap albums, even though they're 30 years older than the typical Soulja Boy demographic. That said, I still don't quite follow what Bill Cosby is trying to accomplish.
Bill Cosby - a staunch critic of some rap music - is set to release a Hip-Hop album called State of Emergency, which will be a sanitized, issue-oriented CD. Sources told AllHipHop.com that the actor, comedian and philanthropist will address issues like proper parenting, teen pregnancy, drug abuse, Black-on-Black crime and the dropout rate in America's high schools.Laugh all you want at the prospect of the Coz as a recording artist, but reality is, dude's already done jazz albums before, and some of what he made wasn't half bad. He composed the theme song to AverageToddler's current favorite show, Little Bill. And peep Ursalina, a song you've probably heard a million times before, but probably didn't know was made by Mr. Puddin' Pops himself.
In 2004, Cosby said in a speech, "Your dirty laundry gets out of school at 2:30 every day, it's cursing and calling each other [the N-word] as they're walking up and down the street. They think they're hip. They can't read. They can't write. They're laughing and giggling, and they're going nowhere."
Cosby's album will not contain any profane language, nor will it offer any denigrating comments towards women. State of Emergency would be the 35th album for the legendary comedian, actor, who released his first album Bill Cosby is a Very Funny Fellow in 1963. Whether or not Cosby will work with rappers on his lyrical flow or his musical selection was not known at press time.
Jazzy Coz? Not so bad. Rappin' Coz? Uhhh, not so much. I just can't see this one ending well.
The whole concept of a "positive" rap album that doesn't denigrate women or talk about materialistic BS always sounds good on paper, but in reality, this is something difficult for real, accomplished, legitimate rappers to pull off.
Seriously, have you even listened to an entire Taalib Kweli album? If so, how long did it take you to wake up afterward, cause that last jawn he put out was booooringgg!!! Common? I Used To Love H.I.M., [||] but listening to this dude's albums nowadays make me wanna jump in front of a speeding Metrobus. He went from the ultimate B-Boy on his first couple of albums to a walking Gap ad on his latest efforts. Lupe Fiasco? Corn. Ball. And don't even get me started on Mos Def. The New Danger? Nah, The New Sleep Aid, son.
The only way this whole project could pop is if Coz flipped the script and had some ill guest appearances to liven things up. He could go toe-to-toe and bitch-for-hoe with Snoop Dogg. Lil' Wayne could spit some of his subtle drug references. T-Pain's vocoder would be in full effect. T.I. could extoll the virtues of gun registration. And MC Leonard Part 6 could clap back at each of them with his own lyrical swords. It would almost be like a point/counterpoint Black People vs Niggaz debate played out on wax.
I mean seriously, imagine this track listing. (click to read)
While the idea of Cliff Huxtable rockin' the mic sounds vaguely interesting on paper, reality is it will probably just be 45 minutes of a bitter old man talking greasy. And surely you guys have better uses of 45 minutes than that.
Claire Huxtable is crying inside.
[Question: Why does "positive" rap suck so badly?]
Looks like Bill's first single and video just got "leaked". Check it.
Bill Cosby Working On Rap Album [All Hip Hop]
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11 AverageComments™:
First time poster, long time lurker.
First and foremost, I am a longtime reader of your blog and I thoroughly enjoy your musings on just about everything. With that I hate that this is a correction post. In your Editor's Note you mentioned the Tony! Toni! Tone! song that sampled "And you could New Jack Swing on my n*ts!" was All You Ever Give Me Is The Blues. The song that actually was If I Had No Loot from the Sons Of Soul album (Yes, I am a music nerd).
As far as the subject of your post, you are correct. The Cos rapping is not a good look. He should have learned from his first foray into rapping, a song called Ben from his album Bill Cosby Is Not Himself These Days (I did say I was a music nerd, right?). If you're interested in a listen let me know.
I don't think that the Cos making a rap album is that big of a deal. I have a feeling that it will be a quality production. As you said, he has had musical forays before and they were not bad. This is a man who has won numerous grammy's, emmy's and other awards of note. So I don't think that he is going to be half stepping on this. I know the musical production will be good at the very least.
Oh check out a song that the Cos made with Quincy Jones in 1969 called Hikky Burr which was the theme song from the Bill Cosby Show. Funky and soulful. I believe you can find it on Quincy Jones's album Smackwater Jack.
Oh I just found out that Dr. Cosby will be making an appearnce at Eso Won Bookstore next Wednesday evening in the Leimert Park area down here in Los Angeles. I'm going to try to make it down there and hear what he has to say.
The minute i read this my mind just went to boondocks where Grandpa raps and disses thugnificent. Bill Cosby just made me think of that.
Hey, don't knock it 'till you try it. I wouldn't want to bet against ol' Bill.
The tragedy is: Bill is rappin' to the choir.
How many of the Gansta Rappers gonna lay down any dead presidents to hear Bill's latest?
Bill Cosby:
i make ya pop like my pudding/
i'll make ya drop like britney's baby
i run from blacks like cuba gooding/
and tell ya momma that's she's lazy
Well, only his rap would be spell-checked, using capital letters, and performed before the Senate.
Great post. Controversy ensues at my page as I discuss THE NEW Talented Tenth- ball players, rappers, and thugs.
Words fail me.
Honestly, this dude ain't been the same since Ennis was murdered. That's the real shame.
EG
LOL at Lil' Wayne and T-Pain being all over the track listing.
I'll check out the album. I wonder what his breath control's like. Dude's pretty up there in age.
Love the track list. It ain't an official banger without Teddy or Weezy.. ;-) I am speechless about Mr. Cosby's rap album. I too am crying inside.
What I also found funny was your mention of several of my favorite artists when you discussed positive rap being boring. Mos Def, Lupe, and Common are all in heavy rotation in my iPod. Eardrum (Talib's latest) is one of my favorite albums of '07. I do think that too much of anything can be boring... Which is why Biggie, Pac, 50, Snoop, T.I., and many other [not-so-positive] artists are also included in my shuffle. Lol
@ Leon
You're absolutely correct. I had that song title all wrong, so I went ahead and removed this editor's note. You're definitely a musical geek, but who says that's a bad thing? BTW, can you explain the Ice Cube sample anyway?
@ MrShadow
Let me know how that bookstore appearance goes if you happen to attend. Ask him about this album idea.
@ Ruvarashe
Yup, this is just like that episode where Pops did the youtube diss video.
@ Anonymiss/D&S
I was hoping SOMEBODY would notice the obligatory Teddy Pain and Lil' Weezy tracks. That was pure satire, but then again, if you listen to your typical Hot/Power/Jammin/Kiss station, it ain't too far from the truth.
@ D&S
I thought Eardrum was coma-inducing, sorry. Little Brother is the closest thing the "underground" has to edutainment. These other cats are just plain boring. But I do agree on one thing, you have to have balance. I support all these artists, as well as your 50's, TI's, Jeezys, and Plies myself.
My poorly-thought-out theory on why positive rap sounds so boring (hehe):
Although many of us don't subscribe to the violence, ignorance, and basic thuggery of the hip-hop culture, we know, live, and even understand some of the frustration that fuels the music.
The angry hard-hitting beats speak to something in us. I've been a down-and-out-single-welfare mom. I relate to the feelings, but not the route that others have taken to remedy the circumstance.
And that's the element of "negative" rap that appeals to us. Raw. Hard-hitting. Rhythmic. Getting lost in the stress-relieving release of energy.
Positive rap often sounds almost dishonest - like trying to turn Sly Stallone into a ballerina -- or a violent serial killer helping an old woman across the street.
And if that thought stream didn't make any sense, consider that I'm exhausted and didn't have my caffeine this morning. hehe
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