Hip Hop vs. Johnny Cash
“I’d like to wear a rainbow every day, and tell the world that everything is o.k. But I’ll try to carry off a little darkness on my back. Until things are brighter, I’m the Man in Black.”
Johnny Cash quote
Johnny Cash was the man. Think about it. Not only did he sell, give a good performance and speak to the people. He went from what was considered Rock n’ Roll and when everybody changed their style and started using electric guitars he stayed the same and despite being considered country he kept his appeal. Johnny Cash was the working man’s singer. Hell, he was the working-man’s-locked-up-brothers-singer. This man sold around 50 million albums and despite all of his money he stayed in touch with the poorest segment of the population. What does he have in common with Hip Hop (or what did they share once)? Three things Hardcore, compassion and remorse. Johnny kept all three until he died. Hip-Hop started to die when it lost the latter two. I remember a time when people talked about big cars and nice clothes. The thing was they didn’t have any of it. They wanted it to be sure, however, they acknowledged that they weren’t there. That’s what made them a part of us. Not because they were black, because they were where we were. Now they don’t live like us…hell, alot of them don’t live like they say. The ones that don’t don’t relate anymore and have a whole section of “us” fronting like we live in a manner that we don’t. People have always tried to jump status. Now the difference is I see alot more nice cars in the wrong neighborhoods. They may draw a second look, but a Hummer will not raise your property value. I like nice things, but I also don’t want to live beyond my means. Rather, I don’t want to drive my dope ass car to my beat down house. I like to dress nice, but realistically I’ll buy $20 Old Navy jeans until I die to keep some money in my pocket. Johnny Cash once said “Success is having to worry about every damn thing in the world except money.” For some reason alot of people who came up on the same music as me seem to think that the amounts of money they have made exempt them from worrying about anything. Perhaps they’re just really that shallow that they think money is the only thing to worry about…honestly that makes Hip-Hop sort of vapid. Without having any real money I used to party at least three nights a week and alot of the time more than that. What happened? It got boring. I wanted more, I wanted something new. Eventually I stopped partying with strangers and only wanted to be around folks I knew. I kept thinking, “Isn’t there something else”. Party and Bullshit is an accurate phrase. That’s why I can’t listen to most of this Hip-Hop. It doesn’t give me anything else. Just for the sake of clarity there are always groups and emcees who give me something, the thing is we don’t get to hear them every hour on the hour. I’m sure that the same people that want this to continue are the Nixons who wanted Johnny Cash to sing “Welfare Cadillac“. The difference is Johnny sang “What is Truth” instead. Some of us are driving those welfare cadillacs. I can’t totally blame Emcees, it’s the people too and they just come from the people. The problem is when the people were like this the music wasn’t. The music changed quicker. The music amped up the purchases and gave them new things to spend money on. Kimora Lee-Simmons washed her feet in something I would waste (a large chunk) of my money on. I’ll roll with Johnny for now though. I get the feeling he would probably order a beer over a bottle of expensive alcoholic soda. As it stands Hip Hop no longer represents for the “poor and beaten down, living on the hopless, hungry side of town”. So until the day Hip-Hop gets it’s act together I guess I’ll be the Man in Black.
Another lovely post.
I grew up with Johnny Cash - my dad was a fan, and my dad ruled our little corner of the world. Nice to see him on a weblog that’s not dedicated to country music.
You make wonderful points in your article. Hip hop went Hollyweird and changed from “our” music to the bling bullshit everyone’s leaning wit’ and rocking wit’(although I must say I like that particular song). Lil’ Kim is a very talented young lady who destroyed her face complexion and body. East Coast/West Coast took a promotional event (a beef to move more units - let’s be real about it - we had marketing geniuses running the show for a time) and turned it into cold blooded murder of dudes who believed their marketing department’s hype about themselves and died for their images.
Alright - I’ll give up the floor, cause if I don’t stop now, I’ll keep going on and on.
Again, really good food for thought.
Comment by jali — October 10, 2006 @ 3:35 pm
I vote this post for best-of. Great details on Cash that I could read in about 2 minutes. And nicely written too.
BTW, what does Kimora Lee-Simmons wash her feet in, out of curiosity?
There was a pic out with her bathing her feet in a tub of Cristal
A
Comment by God's Child — October 10, 2006 @ 5:00 pm
I have a newfound respect for Johnny Cash. Not that I didn’t give him respect before, but I was also oblivious to the fact that he was strung out on drugs and rose from that to become a great world renowned musician. Plus I was watching parts of Walk The Line recently and I couldn’t watch it all, so I set up my TiVo to tape it. It seemed very good and Joaquin Phoenix gives a great perfomance and portrayal of the man in black. As for Hip Hop, well, not much to add after you summed up pretty much what I feel daily. I respectfully listen to my old sounds and keep hoping that the next best sound is that of an artist who really and artistically respects the artform. Peace my friend..
Comment by Luke Cage — October 11, 2006 @ 3:21 pm
that couldn’t have been real Cristal? Just for a photo shoot? The company must have provided it for publicity. I have just had enough.
That’s something kids need to understand, that lots of the expensive things they see celebrities with are gifts from companies and designers for publicity’s sake.
Comment by God's Child — October 11, 2006 @ 4:26 pm
this was awesome, dude. i don’t have anything to add, but you’ve said it well.
Comment by nikki — October 11, 2006 @ 4:49 pm
I like hip hop, but whenever I hear the words I have to turn that shit off. I like this post and I hear you about name brands. Old Navy shopper unite. Lol.
Comment by MizJJ — October 11, 2006 @ 6:35 pm
another great post. i saw that picture of kimora. i thought she looked so stupid. i know some folk who have killed to be in her place.
Comment by aquababie — October 12, 2006 @ 8:16 pm
I cant give up on hip hop. I try but its fighting me and fighting me and fighting the lines …..
evrytime i want to give up i hear something that gives me hope. i’ve given up on radio/bet/mtv hip hip but there are still real mcs out there who speak the truth and tell you like it is without becoming walking product placement. when i hear those guys its like being down with the resistance and fighting the powers that be
Comment by jdid — October 13, 2006 @ 2:58 am
preach Amadeo, you are taking control right now. I will stand with you.
Comment by Billy X. Sunday — October 18, 2006 @ 12:52 am
Your post is definitely on point. But in my humble opinion the Johnny Cash analogy in Hip Hop is Devin the Dude! Minus the darkness the Man in Black carried around perhaps.But If you listen to songs like doobie ashtray or anythang … you feel the blues and struggle of real people, of real life.
Comment by Thorsten — November 17, 2006 @ 11:39 am