Post-Lyricism My Post-Rear End

I should be writing my lab report right now, but I just spent way too much time reading way too long entries about way too much of nothing. If you think you can handle it, read this then this then this then this to wrap it up.

This blogger spends paragraph upon paragraph labeling as many aspects of rap as he can think of within the contextual and ideological confines of whether or not it's "post-lyrical". Now let it be known I got a B in college art and an A in college music by two very impassioned teachers, so I can vaguely parallel the historically defined "pre-" and "post-" era garbage. But what kills me here in reading every single word of these pieces is the author's lack of any point. He stretches the notion of this all-encompassing "Nas formula" that has the wrath of God in the judgement of any given rapper today or yesterday.

Here's my point. We all want to judge it, but the whole purpose of anything deemed "art" in this world is to achieve a level of sacredness in which the product simply is. While any given "industry" can and will destroy every bit of sanctity in the process, intentions can be used as a substitute basis of comparison.

We've come to a point in pop culture where it is stereotypical to try to not be stereotypical. So whether any given artist follows a "Nas formula" because he wants small-circle respect, or uses "nonsense" metaphors because he wants to create a bigger-than-life persona, or glorifies violence because he wants to be known as "real", or whatever any aspect of anything could be deemed a gimmick ... I don't care.

I'm just passably smart enough to realize if the music that I listen to is the product of a loving creator. MF Doom raps different not because he's clichely trying to be different, but because he is different. Kanye does not use auto tune because it's the current industry fad and he's trying to attain some conceived level of higher artistical genius, but because the usage of that technology emotionally and audibly manifests the feelings that have come over him since the death of his mother and his called-off engagement in a way his normal voice can't. Andre 3000 does not utilize any facade of intelligence or message or metaphor. He writes rhymes and what comes out comes out. Why is it impossible for the multitude of self-described intellectual rap listeners to comprehend artistic integrity that's non-intentionally meant to be any sort of way? It just is. And people either like or not. The fans that they may or may not have been "aiming for".

I just got pissed reading all those essays cuz I love to analyze any and every detail of life. Nothing's above questioning to me. But why try to contain the souls of the few well-intentioned lyrical and musical artists who actually have talent by imposing this B.S. notion of any pre-condition? It's like someone just walked up to me and told me my mother doesn't love me. Rather she simply gave birth to me under the condition that that is what was expected of her and she raised me accordingly to the status quo forced upon her and her only satisfaction of the process was that some cliche attainable goal was achieved.

And I don't like the idea of that.

And I know I immersed myself in the whole intellectualist plot to explode everyones' brains by writing out my response to it, but whatever. I hated what I was reading. Hated it. But I'll get over it.

And if that location isn't sacred, what's left that is? (c) Me

... and so concludes another masterpiece