How I Became the Most Unlikeliest of Jason Mraz Fans
October 7, 2007 | Filed Under A Day in the Life, Favourite Songs, Music Discussion | Leave a Comment
initially i only wanted to post lyrics to a Jason Mraz song that i liked, but then i remembered how i came across his music by chance in the first place, and i thought it’d be an interesting story to share – so here it is:
i first learned of Jason Mraz after hearing his almost-annoyingly-catchy carefree single “I’m Yours” in a friends car a couple summers back.. i had heard the song on the radio a couple times prior to the said occasion when i was at the mall, but the first time i actually heard his name was when i was crammed into the back of a compact sedan with 5 sorority girls & 2 frat guys packed in the car with me.. (yes, i know that that wasn’t a very safe idea, but we didn’t have a choice – and this isn’t the point.)
the point is that out of the other 7 passengers, 5 or 6 of them started SINGING ALONG in UNISON with the song.. to be polite, i kept my mouth shut but in my head i kept thinking “whaaaat the f*ck…” as they happily sung along, completely oblivious to the fact that my friend’s back was starting to spasm as she sat half-bent over on my lap, also painfully putting my leg to sleep despite her own discomfort.. the song went on forever it seemed, and when it finally ended, our karaoke superstars wasted no time before simultaneously cutting each other off in their collective excitement – professing their appreciation for Jason Mraz and citing their own reasons as to why Jason Mraz was the greatest of all time.. a quick note here: if memory serves me correctly, even some of the guys (males, mind you) were involved in the shebang of a discussion.. so naturally, i was thinking “WHAAAAAAAAAAAT the F*******CK” and “WHO!?! Who could this nerdy-sounding guy be?!” in my head at the same time.. the ordeal ended shortly after, when we arrived at our destination (‘thank god/buddha/____,’ says my appreciative right leg)
anyways, i’m talking to my friend (the same poor friend who was squished sitting on my lap) on MSN a couple days later and surely enough, she tells me she loves Jason Mraz also.. we’re accustomed to sharing/trading music with each other, as we had diversely differing tastes and libraries – and as sheltered as i was within the realms of urban music at the time, i appreciated listening to “different” (ie. alternative, pop, rock, punk, jazz, anything not rap/soul/r&b) genres of music.. we start talking about our favourite songs of the moment, and one of the songs she quickly sends over is the same “I’m Yours” song by the now-infamous Jason Mraz.
i decide to give it a chance, seeing as i didn’t entirely hate the song when i heard it in the car – it just wasn’t the time or venue for an overly-happy karaoke session by five people that generally couldn’t sing.. (note: and its never ok for 8 people to be riding in a tiny car.)
i remember thinking the song was actually pretty decent at first, then i thought it was pretty satisfying in its own strange way, and i understood why it would appeal to a certain demographic, even from a first full listen. if anything, i thought, this whiny, folksy singer had his own style at least.
as months pass, i hear the song from time to time in the random shuffle, and most times i don’t even skip it.. then one time it came on and really hit me.. i had just gone through an emotional breakup, and i was tired of both sappy love songs as well as overly moody alternative pieces.. when “I’m Yours” came on this time, it stirred something in me and i found myself wanting (‘a tiny bit only’, says the Alpha-Dog side of me) to sing along..
after that experience, i actually found myself including the track in my day-to-day custom playlists – usually when i was in a good mood.. thats when the first part of my story ends, and thats also when my appreciation for Jason Mraz as an artist started to develop.
i quickly came to notice the subtle intricacies in his quirky, but unique and captivating style of singing.. he didn’t have the strongest voice, but he had just enough swagger to pull it all off anyways.
more recently, my friend passed along a copy of his earlier (“Waiting for my Rocket to Come,” 2002) and i’ve been listening it randomly ever since.. what now jumps out at me first and foremost with Jason Mraz is that he is indeed a truly gifted songwriter.. aside from having his own charming style of singing, he writes with enough wit and wordplay to put most rap artists to shame.. you might not like how his folk-music background slips into the album’s sound-scape at times (like me), but you can’t help but appreciate his talents as a singer/songwriter – he takes on a wide range of challenges as an artist in performing songs of vastly different songs on this album, but he comes out on top on just about every track.. he might not have the voice of a traditional solo male vocalist, but he more than makes it up with the melodic progressions he incorporates into just about every song – i imagine even a huge corporation/label would be pretty hard-pressed to come up with another artist to try and imitate Mraz’s style over an entire album..
the final icing on the cake? as is the case with any truly with any good musician, within a couple listens of the entire album, you as a listener will be sure that you are listening to a genuine Jason Mraz instead of your usual bubble-gum mass-produced/promoted “hit” artist..
if you haven’t heard of Jason Mraz to date, you should definitely try to remedy that soon – the following is the first track on his 2002 (debut?) album, “You and I Both,” a song that i particularly like:
Was it you who spoke the words that things would happen but not to me?
All things are gonna happen naturally
Oh, taking your advice and I’m looking on the bright side
And balancing the whole thing.
Oh, but at often times those words get tangled up in lines
And the bright light turns to night
Oh, until the dawn it brings
Another day to sing about the magic that was you and me
Cause you and I both loved
What you and I spoke of
And others just read of
Others only read of, of the love
Of the love that I loved
See I’m all about them words
Over numbers, unencumbered numbered words;
Hundreds of pages, pages, pages for words.
More words than I had ever heard, and I feel so alive.
Cause you and I both loved
What you and I spoke of (of, of)
And others just read of
And if you could see me now
Oh, you and I, you and I
Not so little you and I anymore
And with this silence brings a moral story
More importantly evolving is the glory of a boy
Cause you and I both loved
What you and I spoke of (of, of)
And others just read of
And if you could see me now
Well, then I’m almost finally out of
I’m finally out of
I’m finally deedeedeedeedeedee
Well I’m almost finally, finally
Well I am free
Oh, I’m free
And it’s okay if you had to go away
Oh, just remember the telephones
well, they work in both ways
But if I never ever hear them ring
If nothing else I’ll think the bells inside
Have finally found you someone else and that’s okay
Cause I’ll remember everything you sang
Cause you and I both loved
What you and I spoke of (of, of)
And others just read of
and if you could see me now
Well, then I’m almost finally out of
I’m finally out of
I’m finally deedeedeedeedeede
Well I’m almost finally, finally
Out of words
Fabolous ft Young Jeezy – “Do the Damn Thang” Lyrics
October 4, 2007 | Filed Under Favourite Songs, Music Discussion | Leave a Comment
i think a lotta mainstream rap artists (aka. pop artists) are wack, but here’s one who actually made really impressive progression to become highly respectable in his own right.. you knew the beats would be good, and the content’s still at the same level of depth, but on this album Fabolous really held his own in terms of rhymes compared to his debut album & early mixtape appearances.. i like the hook Jeezy provided but i took out his 2nd verse coz its gahbage. (“f*ck, you tryna kick knowledge?!” i might even quote.) but back to the main point – mister F-A B-O L-O U-S holds it down on both verses, one stretch in the 3rd verse is riiiiiidiculous. and delicious. to a diehard rap fan at least.
[Verse 1-Fabolous]
It’s no love for the other side, f*ck all the tricks
Pop the glove on the other side, buck through the bricks
Birds love how a brother ride, truckin it sick
I’m heard of on the southern side, i pluck through it quick
I been one of them boys since way back when
This is way before a n*gga brought grey plaques in
So if i spray mac-10s, Bet you n*ggas lay back then
Like you sittin in a Maybach Benz
Yea I made crack grins but ain’t a damn thing funny
I keep a pocket fulla do the damn thang money
I keep it comin with bottles of champagne dunny
So keep it bouncin till you pull a hamstring honey
These pimps just better have a gothic for me
I got them hoes starin like they got a problem with me
I got them boys slingin rocks in the lobby for me
I’m rich b*tch, ballin just a hobby for me
[Chorus-Young Jeezy]
I got a pocket full of money and my wrist all froze
So f*ck what you heard we don’t love them hoes, heeyyy
Do the damn thang, do the damn thang
A n*gga might grin but it ain’t still funny
Got a pocket fulla that, do the damn thang money, heeyy
Do the damn thang, do the damn thang
[Verse 3-Fabolous]
You hatin instead of participatin with them boys
You skatin on them 22 datins like them boys
I’m hatin that they communicatin with them boys
I’m waitin just to send them to Satan for that sh*t
They see a n*gga stones look sick
And I gotta stack of singles in my hand thats phone booth thick
Cuz I’m so hood rich
That I’m no good b*tch
And even if she gotta pimp then a hoe should switch
And get ridda that sh*t spitta, get wit her, sh*t gitter
sit wit her, hit spitter, that don’t b*tch chitter
My style fit wit her
I tell her you don went left now you need to go right like a switch hitta
I know them tricks bitter
When im in the six with her
So im in a mix with her
Fourty four six with her
And I’m higher than a motherf*cker
But a n*gga try then he gon die in this motherf*cker
Kanye West – “Graduation” Album Review
October 2, 2007 | Filed Under Favourite Songs, Music Discussion | Leave a Comment
As one of the more enigmatic figures to appear in recent rap history, Kanye West has created an impressive and highly controversial legacy for himself in a relatively short period of time.. As such, after I heard his “Stronger” super-single (I regard it as one of the top-5 club/radio singles of the year) I was pretty stoked/curious to check out how his latest full-length album would stack up with his past work.
After hearing the hype through media outlets and finally listening to it a few times, I wasn’t huge on the disc at all, but when others told me that this album had grown on them over time, I figured I’d give it a few more spins before writing this review. So, about a dozen listens and a week later, I can say I’ve been as objective as I can but I still can’t say I feel any differently about “Graduation.”
I can easily say it is Kanye’s worst album to date, but its not a horrible album by any stretch of the imagination – his first two were just significantly better. It is interesting to note here how my opinion of the Chicago-bred emcee/producer has changed over the years. When I first heard of him as a top-notch new producer, working with the likes of Jay-Z and Talib Kweli before he gained notoriety as a solo act, I thought he was easily one of the most talented producers in the game and well on his way towards immortality in the industry.
Then I read a few of his interviews in hiphop magazines and the like, and I thought to myself: “Damn, this dude’s got a pretty big ego for a producer.” Right on cue, he soon released a mixtape and then a full-length album (“College Dropout,” 2004) to debut as a rap artist and I honestly was blown away with the beats on both of those releases. Years later, I still stand by my statement that he single-handedly changed the face of the rap game with his soul beats that year – as a producer, he stole the collective imagination of fellow artists and hiphop fans everywhere, being responsible for the best tracks on just about everyone’s album at the time. As a rapper, I liked what he was trying to say and found his direction refreshing though he wasn’t very polished technically back then with both his flow and his delivery. Then I read more interviews with him, and noticed that his ego was starting to get out of hand.
With his 2nd album (“Late Registration,” 2005), the beats fell off a tiny bit but he stepped up his rapping ability quite a bit. The only problem was that this time around the lyrics felt forced, and it felt like he didn’t really have anything new to say. In other words, it felt like the coming out party of Kanye West as a lyricist who hadn’t really grown into his newfound identity as a conscious rapper torn between sharing his soul and flaunting his newfound fame and fortune. Most of the songs on the album were good, and some were really good making it a more complete album than his debut, even if I was partial to the depth and raw passion of that release. An interesting note to add here though: I heard the initial radio release version for “Diamonds” over the same heart-stopping instrumental that eventually made the album – only, it was a 5 minute rendition of how he was great and should be cherished as the best thing to happen to rap since.. well, you get the point. Then, after an independent rapper made a dubplate over the same instrumental, choosing to highlight the problems blood diamonds posed to the people/children of Sierra Leone, Kanye “magically” reappeared with a “new” version of the song on his album (the version you probably know), and then acted like he came up with the idea to speak about the social issues in Sierra Leone allll along on that track. Pretty shameless stuff, even if 95% of the general public that follows “popular” mass media outlets like MTV, MuchMusic or BET probably had no idea that this travesty even took place. Nonetheless, my respect for him went down a couple notches after this.
Now, with his latest album “Graduation,” he truly impresses me with the potency and consistency of his lyrics on most songs – Kanye’s taken leaps and bounds in terms of his writing. BUT, with the exception of a couple of tracks (the 2 radio singles and the next one that will surely follow), the production is pretty poor. Once the poster-boy for soulful rap music, he’s turned around completely – and not in a good way either. Just about all of the features on the album seem contrived (T-Pain?!?), and he even managed to come up with a TERRIBLE (and I mean terrrrrrible) song with one of the most talented writers the rap world has ever seen in Mos Def. When I heard the song I literally stopped the album and half-blurted/half-screamed “Whaaaaaaaaat the FUUUUUUUU**” to my girlfriend who was in the room. “Drunk and Hot Girls?!?!” You have Mos Def in the studio with you and you come up with that sh*t? (I mean it literally. It IS that bad.)
After I got over that individual atrocity of a “musical” piece, I realized that despite his improvement as a writer and rapper over the years, Kanye has actually taken steps backwards as an artist and has truly become delusional in terms of how great he thinks he is. Which is a shame, really and truly, because after his debut album came out I was ready to crown him the next great artist in this uninspired industry – I didn’t think ANYONE could’ve stopped his ascension if he only continued to follow his heart. Now? He’s not only lost his edge but he’s managed to turn off the majority of his listeners simply by “being himself” as he puts it. Most heads still recognize his talent and ability both on the boards as well as on the mic, but most informed music-lovers are unable to find it in them to respect him based on his overblown persona.
Oh yea, and he continues to whine about not garnering the accolades he feels he deserves so I doubt he’s going to change any informed music-listener’s perception of him anytime soon. Too bad – he could’ve been great. With the way he’s chosen to move forward in recent years, it’s probably a safe bet that won’t any of his future albums more than this one either.
The following is one of the tracks from his album I managed to enjoy more than most of the others – his ego was at a minimum here, well.. by his standards at least.
Kanye West – “Everything I Am” Lyrics
Now everything I’m not, made me everything I am.
Damn, here we go again.
People talkin sh*t, but when the sh*t hit the fan
Everything I’m not, made me everything I am.
I never be picture-perfect-Beyonce
Be light as Albi or black as Chauncey
Remember him from Blackstreet
He was as black as the street was
I’ll never be laid back as his beat was
I never could see why people’ll reach a
Fake-ass facade they couldn’t keep up
See how I creeped up?
See how I played a big role in
I never rock a mink coat in the winter time like Killa Cam
Or rock some mink boots in the summertime like will.I.am
Let me know if you feel it man
Cause everything I’m not, made me everything I am
Damn, here we go again.
Everybody sayin’ what’s not for him
But everything I’m not, made me everything I am
Damn, here we go again.
People talkin sh*t, but when the sh*t hit the fan
Everything I’m not, made me everything I am
And I’m back to tear it up
Haters, start your engines
I hear ‘em gearin’ up
People talk so much sh*t about me at barbershops
They forget to get they haircut
Okay fair enough, the streets is flarin’ up
Cause they want gun-talk, or I don’t wear enough
Baggy clothes, Reebok’s, or A-di-dos
Can I add that he do spaz out at his shows
So say goodbye to the NAACP award
Goodbye to the In-di-a Arie award
They’d rather give me the ni-n*gga-please award
But I’ll just take the I-got-alotta-cheese award (ha)
Damn, here we go again.
Everything I’m not, made me everything I am
Damn, here we go again.
People talkin sh*t, but when the sh*t hit the fan
Everything I’m not, made me everything I am
I know that people wouldn’t usually rap this
But I got the facts to back this
Just last year, Chicago had over 600 caskets
Man, killin’s some wack sh*t
Oh, I forgot, ‘cept for when n*gga’s is rappin’
Do you know what it feel like when people is passin’?
He got changed over his chains, a block off Ashland
I need to talk to somebody, pastor
The church want time, so I can’t afford to pay
The slip on the door, cause I can’t afford to stay
My 15 seconds up, but I got more to say
That’s enough Mr. West, please no more today
Damn, here we go again.
Everybody sayin’ what’s not for him
But everything I’m not, made me everything I am
Damn, here we go again.
People talkin sh*t, but when the sh*t hit the fan
Everything I’m not, made me everything I am