Comeback #8: So Like a Pip, I'm Glad it's Night

Even though 1/3 of them didn't rap on it, 2007 brought about a song combining three of the biggest southern hip hop groups ever. Too bad they didn't throw the Geto Boys on there somehow. Without even the slightest hint that Pimp C was on the last limb of life, UGK had the only charting hit of their career in "International Players Anthem (I Choose You)", which was produced by Three 6 Mafia and featured OutKast. Bun B x Pimp C x Andre 3000 x Big Boi x Juicy J x DJ Paul. Texas, Georgia, and Tennesse stand up.

In going the reverse order of UGK and OutKast's previous collaboration, Dre started things off before the drums even kicked it ...

UGK - International Players Anthem (I Choose You feat. OutKast)

So, I typed a text to a girl I used to see
Sayin' that I chose this cutie pie with whom I wanna be
And, I apologize if this message gets you down
Then I CC'd every girl that I'd see see round town and
Hate to see y'all frown but I'd rather see her smilin'
Wetness all around me, true, but I'm no island
Peninsula maybe, makes no sense. I know, crazy
Give up all this pussycat that's in my lap, no lookin back. Spaceships
Don't come equipped with rearview mirrors, they dip
As quick as they can. The atmosphere is now ripped
I'm so like a Pip, Im glad its night (Gladys Knight)
So the light from the sun would not burn me on my bum
When I'd shoot the moon high, jump the broom
Like a premie out the womb, my partner yellin' "Too soon!
Dont do it! Reconsider!
Read some litera - ture on the subject."
You sure? F*** it
You know we got your back like chiroprac-
-tic. If that b***h do you dirty
We'll wipe her a** out as in detergent
Now hurry hurry, go on to the altar
I know you aint a pimp but pimp remember what I taught ya
Keep your heart 3 Stacks, keep your heart
Aye, keep your heart 3 Stacks, keep your heart
Man, these girls is smart, 3 Stacks, these girls is smart
Play your part, play your part



Only Dre can rub in the fact that he's leaving all these other girls dry and still sound like a gentleman. It's the same ole pimp-turned-husband story but 3000 articulates it better than anyone else ever could. The wetness/island/peninsula/makes-no-sense lines are ridiculous, the spaceships/rearview mirrors/atmosphere lines are monstrous, the premie/too soon lines are sick, and the sounding-out of Gladys Knight just takes the cake. It completely went over my head on first listen, which makes the replay value that much more enjoyable. And even though Big Boi pulls out the big guns with some chopped-n-screwed bars to close out the song, no one was able to steal the spotlight from Dre. It was his fake wedding, so it's only appropriate.

... and Free Enes.

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Wah-Lay!

I'm always ... intrigued (careful word choice) to hear the sound when a new music scene is on the come-up from a city on the map not previously represented. While it was a little before my prime, in the mid '90s, Atlanta hip hop came out hard with a sound only capable of being described as Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik with groups such as OutKast, Goodie Mobb, and Parental Advisory in the early years defining their specific genre. Unfortunately, crunk became an offshoot of that as newer Atlanta acts became prominent in the mainstream. But it was something we hadn't heard before. And that's important, no matter what form it takes.

Houston is a more recent example. Children got to see before their very eyes the insanely huge, though temporary, celebration of the Chopped-N-Screwed and candy-painted movement of Texas with the inexplicable rise to fame of Slim Thug, Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Lil' KeKe, and others around 2005-ish. While I personally prefer to look at H-Town's richer history of the Geto Boys, Devin the Dude, and more recently Chamillionaire, no one can doubt the epic nature that distinctive sound took on the rap game for a little while.

Now the Washington, D.C. area is hoping to carve its niche in the hip hop universe on the shoulders of one man. Wale. Not "whale" as I ignorantly thought initially. But the magician/matador-like "Wah-lay"! I quote Phonte (pioneer of the NC sound!) way too much in my explanation of enjoyable and important rap music, but it applies here, too.

"Dope beats, dope rhymes. What more could y'all want?" (c) Phonte

It's a Calculus II-worthy formula that should be taught in kindergarden classes the world over. Wale prevails in his adherence to this formula. And if you're ever going to be formulaic, wouldn't this be the one you'd like to be classified under?

Wale - The Mixtape About Nothing

Before listening to the above tape I would never have believed anyone could pull off an ode to Seinfeld, regardless of genre. But Wale sets up each track as a Seinfeld episode experience in that they're methodically yet simply labeled "The [insert reason why it's relevant] Song". It's a beautiful concept that's beautifully utilized to poke fun at himself. Take for instance "The Cliche Lil' Wayne Feature" that was previously known as "Nike Boots (Remix feat. Lil' Wayne)" to earlier fans. That takes guts and humility to call yourself out as such. My personal favorite title is "The Roots Song Wale Is On" as he isn't even afraid to bill his song cementing his underground cred as thoughtfully funny on elaboration, either.

Wale takes chances in crafting his soundscape, but it's so second nature to him that the end product is consistently dope. He incorporated blatant go-go sounds as an ode to his hometown as well as live band orchestration, real drums, and heavy pop remixes, all while approaching his lyricism differently and successfully depending on the track he's adding to. His lyrics are constantly double-take worthy but never do you feel overloaded. If you're not in a thinking mode, he makes the flow just sound good so you can nod out to it.

Get up on Wale before that first official album drops. If not, you'll already be behind. And you'll have to be tutored in the fact that a single man is making rap relevant locally in America's capital. And his name ain't Barack Obama.

... and so concludes another masterpiece

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