Its been great

With the semester coming to an end, I think its only right that I reflect on my blogging experience. It wasn't the easiest thing to do, but I can defiantly say that I have learned a lot. Blogging on a weekly basis kept me in check, so procrastination wasn't an option. Although I did procrastinate a couple of times. But hey, what college kid doesnt?

Coming into this assignment, I was slightly nervous. Simply because I had never actually blogged before. Also, as my professor listed everything we had to do, it seemed as if the class would be a heavy workload that I wouldn't have been able to handle. The primary motivating factor in me doing the blogs, is the fact that we got to choose our own blog topics. A light bulb went off in my head when I heard this news. Instantly I thought about my love and appreciation for music.

I didn't want to just create a blog doing music reviews, no; that would be too easy. So after thinking about it for a while, I decided to do my blog on music of different genres, and analyze the lyrics and tone to the songs. This way I wouldn't just be saying if the music was good or not. I'd be taking it in depth and actually defining lyrics. There is already a lot of blogs out there doing music reviews. I wanted to be somewhat different.

As the posts went on, they got somewhat easier to do. I was getting extremely comfortable with blogging. Its almost as if it was coming natural to me. And the fact that I was getting research practice at the same time as blogging was just a plus.

I can definetly say that this was a great experience. Blogging about your favorite songs, and practicing research skills. What could possibly be greater than that? Sadly, I know for a fact that this blog will not continue. Being a working college student, my schedule is always hectic so I most likely wont be able to post. But if I do find time and a song that urges me to post about it, I will possibly consider it.

As a farewell, I'm going to leave you with a music video of one of my favorite artists out now; Casey Veggies. The song is called "Faces", and its off of his newest mixtape called "Life Changes".  Vibe to it.

Drake ft James Fauntleroy - Girls Love Beyonce

Drake is at it once again with another well thought out and put together song. In this track he completely exposes the double standards of love. He uses singer Beyonce as a perfect example. In the majority of her songs she bashes men and says how they're players and sneaky. Pretty much giving men a bad rep. She may not be doing it intentionally; because everyone goes through their own personal problems. As an artist she has a right to share those problems through her songs and videos. But being the superstar she is, almost every female looks up to her. So her problems become theirs.

Drake decided to take heed to this double standard. He used the song "Say my name" by Destiny's Child as a sample. Its sort of a spin off song. Or more like the male version to the song. The lyrics aren't confusing or mind boggling. But they are certainly powerful and hit home. Simply because so many can relate to the problems displayed in the song. This is why Drake has gained so much stardom. In a lot of his songs, he speaks about the daily problems of many. Everyday situations for many such as relationships, family, and trying to make it in life.

The idea of love nowadays is certainly tainted. Due to artists like Beyonce. They just scold men. But in reality men and women do the same thing. What men do is just glorified because females aren't afraid to speak about their feelings. But men are, because they don't want to seem soft. This may be the reason why drake is heavily admired. He isn't afraid to speak on his feelings.

"Say my name say my name, when no one is around you say, baby I love you, if you ain’t running games". Drake used the chorus from the original song as his chorus. This is substantial in proving the whole double standard. "You got your fair share of admirers that call your phone. You try to act like it’s just me, but I am not alone". Just like how females are nervous about women on the side calling their loved ones phones, men are nervous about it too. As you can see, there is a clear standard here. Women play the victims, and men are seen as the problem. But in reality its all the same. It just depends on who does what. Drake brings light to this problem

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Rappers Overstepping their Boundaries?

Rapper Jay-z released a track on Thursday called "Open Letter". The title is pretty much self explanatory. In this track Jay-z is basically venting about recent accusations and investigations that are currently swirling around the media. A big buzz has certainly been created due to the boldness of this song. Which leads to one question. Are rappers overstepping their boundaries?

The "diss" track takes shots at politicians criticizing Jay-z and his wife's trip to Cuba as well as many other accusations presented their way."Politicians never did shit for me except lie to me, distort history". Since Cuba and the United States are currently not on good terms, the government probably felt the need to investigate why they went there. Could they have went there to partake in illegal activities? Nonetheless, Jay-z is ticked off with the accusations. "They wanna give me jail time and a fine, fine, let me commit a real crime". Jay-z toys with the accusations by saying that he'd actually commit a real crime if they push him too far. Jay-z even takes it as far as mentioning President Barrack Obama. "Obama said, chill you're going to get me impeached, you don't need this shit anyway, chill with me on the beach."

Taking shots at politicians is one thing, but when you get the President involved its a whole new story. This could potentially lead into a serious problem because Jay-z apparently put words in the Presidents mouth. This is proved when Jay Carney, a White House Official, discusses the lyrics in "Open Letter". Jay Carney says, " I am absolutely saying that the White House and the President had nothing to do with anybody's travel to Cuba". "Its a song, the President did not speak to Jay-z over this trip".

One doesn't need a crystal ball to see that this will stir up trouble in the media for weeks. Is this a good thing or bad thing? In one hand, you could look at it as freedom of speech and self defense. And in the other hand, you could look at it as being a trouble maker and using instances like these to boost relevance as well as popularity in the entertainment  and music scene. Isn't that why people release "diss tracks"? Either because they actually have beef with the opposite person, or just to flat out stay relevant.

Capital STEEZ - Free The Robots

The passing of rapper Capital STEEZ of the collective rap group, "ProEra" was such a tragedy. A young mc on the bubble of being one of the top lyricists today. Speculation went around various social media websites stating that he had committed suicide, but no one was certain. Joey Bada$$, a friend and fellow member of ProEra later confirmed that his death was "self inflicted". Meaning that he did commit suicide. Joey Bada$$ confirms Capital STEEZ's death

Capital STEEZ & Joey Bada$$

This was definitely shocking to Joey and the rest of the ProEra simply because everything was going right for them. ProEra was on their way to stardom. There has got to be more to this death. Could there possibly conspiracy going on here?

Anyone that actually listens to STEEZ's lyrics in depth can easily notice that he is no stranger in taking shots at the government in search to expose them. In fact the whole "ProEra" movement is about enlightenment per say. The young men in this group are extremely intelligent and use their lyrics and youth as tools to reach out to young individuals and enlighten them on what is really going on in our country. This is exactly what Capital STEEZ did in this track called "Free the Robots".

The video starts off with him on a couch watching flipping through TV channels. This immediately represents culture in the United States now days. Television has had a major part in the brainwashing of minds. "Illuminati tryin' to read my mind with a eagle eye, and the haze got me thinkin' why? We killed Osama and plenty innocent people died, we should see the signs, but we Stevie blind". This is probably the strongest and most thought provoking way to start a song, with lyrics like these. Capital STEEZ is stating how the Illuminati, the new world order, is trying to take control of him. He also takes a pick at the Osama Bin Laden situation. Basically saying that we used all of our effort  for one man, when we lost so many in the process. We should all realize this, but the government is blinding us with patriotism. Could this have been done purposely?

Is it possible that the Illuminati could have taken his life because he spoke out about it? It is said that if you attempt to expose the Illuminati to the public, you will be taken out. Many artists or public figures died shortly after speaking out about it. Illuminati assassination list

Throughout the video, Capital STEEZ seems uneasy. Unsatisfied and disgusted by what is going on in the world. "It's a shame that flippin' crack will be the best alternative if you don't make it rappin'. These crack houses and trap houses are trappin' us in and in the end we're gonna remain stagnant, I ain't havin' it". Lyrics This lyric is directed towards the black community. STEEZ is fed up how blacks under poverty circumstances and living in the hood really only have two options to make money. Rapping and drug dealing.

Towards the end of the video you finally see how stressed he is. Capital STEEZ is reaching his limit. He moves towards the TV, and at this point he wants to escape the life he is in now; too much stress. A close up on his eyes are shown which probably represents death. Then video of him walking up stairs and opening a door of illuminating light is shown. Now hes appearing on the TV, and we are now watching him. Maybe this symbolizes him finally escaping the stress and mess that is the world today? Nonetheless, the video and song has a strong message. You will certainly be missed STEELO!

RIP Capital STEEZ

2Pac - Changes

This was a very instrumental and important track to Tupac Shakur's career.  He went through phases, his music reflected those phases as well. Most of the time Tupac's lyrics were crude and promoted "Thug" activity as well as violence. After being released from his first prison sentence he took a more enlightened path with the messages he conveyed through his music.

This song touches on issues within society that hit close to home for people within the black community, those who are impoverishment, and those who are unjustly treated by the government or law enforcement.
"I see no changes all I see is racist faces misplaced hate makes disgrace to races," Tupac says. ("2Pac – Changes Lyrics | Rap Genius.") There are inequalities that he addresses, deliberating on them and trying to understand why things have not changed the artist targets racism.

"I'm tired of bein' poor & even worse I'm black my stomach hurts so I'm lookin' for a purse to snatch, cops give a damn about a negro pull the trigger kill a nigga he's a hero" are harsh lyrics that he uses to paint a picture of what people similar to himself have to go through on a daily basis. ("2Pac – Changes Lyrics | Rap Genius.") I think Tupac also used this song not only to shed light on what was wrong with society but to also bring about change by showing the listener the negative in hopes they would want the opposite for their futures.

The content of this song can forever remain relevant, which is what makes Tupac such a great artist and this song that much more of a reference for anyone going through the tribulations he spoke about.

Tupac has been a true inspiration throughout my entire life with everything he speaks, he calls it like he sees it and this is the product of it. We all are one together in this thing called "Life" and this new generation has to learn from the past in order to strive forward.

Take A listen and try to diversify your thinking in order to take yourself away from any form of bias or opinion. This way you will be able to get the true understanding of what change is, and why Tupac believed in it so firmly that he decided to dedicate a whole song to it. I believe this is one of his most influential songs in his catalog and it humanizes the influential rap star.

Works Cited

"2Pac – Changes Lyrics | Rap Genius." Discover the Meaning of Rap Lyrics | Rap Genius. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2013.

Nas - Daughters

Nothing can ever get in the way of the love a father has for his daughter. From the early days that she is born to her late teens, she will be known as "daddy's little girl". Its evident that Nas feels the same way about his own daughter, Destiny Jones, who was born in 1994. The song "Daughters", is off of his newest album "Life is Good", and is basically a shout out to all of the fathers with daughters. Telling the common story of raising a daughter, and how extremely hard it is to do so.

Nonetheless, its not easy to raise child in general but its the psychological aspect that makes it different to raise a girl. In the mind of males, females are thought of as vulnerable. Which is why fathers are so protective of them. They don't want anything bad to happen to them. "When he date, he straight, chip off his own papa; When she date, we wait behind the door with a sawed off." ("NAS LYRICS - Daughters.") There is a clear double standard here. Fathers are in constant worry about their daughters because they know what its like out there. They know how young men act, because they were once that young man. And they've seen women that have been victimized. They don't want that for their daughters.

The fact that Nas is a world renown rapper makes it even tougher. "Never tried to hide who I was, she was taught and raised like a princess, but while I'm on stage I can't leave her defenseless, plus she's seen me switching women, pops was on some pimp shit, she heard stories of her daddy thugging" ("NAS LYRICS - Daughters.") Nas has gained a bevy of wisdom through his rap career and experiences growing up in Queens bridge New York. But the thug part of his persona is whats distancing him from his daughter. He cant find the time to spend with her like he should. Nas simply feels that he isn't setting a good example. Which in result leads to a girl making decisions on her own without the strict but with more of the lenient father. "Although you real, plus a honest kid, don't think I'm slow I know you probably had that chronic lit" ("NAS LYRICS - Daughters.") Nas trusts his her, but doesn't want to be taken as a fool. He knows that she has smoked weed before, because alot of kids her age have. With the social networking era in full swing, it can be a dangerous outlet for people her age. As Nas has had an incident with his daughter destiny posting something on the internet that she probably shouldn't have. "She planted a box of condoms on her dresser then she Instagrammed it"

Towards the end of the song Nas even points to religion. "They say the coolest playas and foulest heart breakers in the world, god gets us back, he makes us have precious little girls" ("NAS LYRICS - Daughters.") Indirectly saying that its almost payback. All you do as a young man is brought back to by gods will you in your older days, as you have to deal with all of the stress and worrying of raising a daughter.

Works Cited

"NAS LYRICS - Daughters." A-Z Lyrics Universe. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2013. Website

Outkast - Elavators

This weeks post analyzes a historic track from the great hip hop duo, "Outkast". Outkast consists of rappers Andre 3000 and Big Boi. The track is called elevators and it comes from their sophomore album called "A TLiens". A TLiens was such a groundbreaking album for Outkast. The album ventured you to outerspace with the sounds as well as the duo embracing their abnormality.("20 Photos of "ATLiens" Era Outkast | Complex.") It proved that southern rap was much more than the flashy stuff. There was also an intellectual side to them. Outkast has always seen themselves as being different. Which is why I think they chose the name "A TLiens". Showing that yes they are from Atlanta, but they are completely different like nothing you've seen before. Which is what an alien is.

Lil Wayne

Andre 3000

The song itself sounds extremely futuristic. And now when we look back on it and listen to some of their older songs, we realize how much Outkast was ahead of their time. In terms of lyrics, production and even their sense of style and fashion. You can easily say that Outkast has had a huge influence on hip hop.

Within the first couple of seconds of the song, the instrumental puts you in a state of relaxation, almost bringing you into a trance. Then boom, the sophisticated/simple lyricism of the duo hits you in rapid form. Which is whats fascinates me the most about them. They can say the most simple words, but tie them together so you really have to think to find the meaning. "Now everyday we look up at the ceiling" says Andre 3000.("Outkast – Elevators (Me & You) Lyrics | Rap Genius.") This lyric could mean actually looking up at the ceiling or you could take it a little deeper. Which is exactly what I did. When I hear that lyric, I think of Andre praying to god. Because heaven is known as being above us. So when he looks up at the ceiling, hes having a spiritual moment with god. "Watching ceiling fans go round, trying to catch that feeling off instrumentals".("Outkast – Elevators (Me & You) Lyrics | Rap Genius.") By "that feeling" Andre 3000 means a high. A natural high that occurs when he listens to beats and starts his music making process and creates his lyrics. You dont always have to use a physical drug to get high. For Andre 3000, music is his drug.

To me, this whole song is about how far they've come as artists and how much more they have to go to become superstars. "We moving up in the world like elavators" lyric spoken by Big Boi.("Outkast – Elevators (Me & You) Lyrics | Rap Genius.") That lyric simply sums up the entire song. A simple rags to almost riches story. Two young men trying to make it in the game, brainstorming what they could possibly do to push themselves to the next level.

Works Cited

"Outkast – Elevators (Me & You) Lyrics | Rap Genius." Discover the Meaning of Rap Lyrics | Rap Genius. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2013.

"20 Photos of "ATLiens" Era Outkast | Complex." Complex | Style, Music, Sneakers, Entertainment, Girls, Technology. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2013.

Michael Jackson - Billie Jean

With it being almost 4 years since the death of Michael Jackson, its only right that I dedicate at least one post to him! Michael Jackson has never seemed to disappoint with any of his songs, albums, videos, or short films as he would call them.  The song "Billie Jean" is no exception.  The second single off of his first solo album could possibly be his trademark song.  One of his hit songs that sprung him to super-stardom, and certainly helped him claim the title as the "king of pop".

  Michael even debuted his signature dance move called "the moonwalk" while performing this song at the Motown 25 special in 1983.("Michael Jackson Does The Moonwalk During Motown 25th Anniversary Concert | The Urban Daily.")  This was just the beginning of Michael Jackson's am

The King of  Pop displaying the "Moonwalk" for the first time at the Motown 25 Anniversary

azing career as a solo artist.
The song is essentially about Michael's groupie situations.

Billy Jean is a fictional character who claims to be the mother of Michael's son, which isn't even proven to be true.  Billy Jean pretty much defines all of the problems Michael has had with females claiming to have children by him. Many of them motivated by the money they could get out of him.(Billy Jean)

Michael describes Billy Jean as a beautiful girl."She was more like a beauty queen from a movie scene"("Michael Jackson Lyrics - Billie Jean.")  Often times women like that gravitate to men with the credentials of someone like Michael Jackson to get something out of it. Majority of the time, it turns out like a situation like this one.  So the only thing Michael could possibly do, is deny the accusation.  He goes on to say, " Billie Jean is not my lover, shes just a girl who claims that I am the one. But the kid is not my son".("Michael Jackson Lyrics - Billie Jean.")

There is a lot of lyric representation throughout this song. For example when Michael says " Her schemes and her plans, cause we danced on the floor in the round".("Michael Jackson Lyrics - Billie Jean.")  I think this represents the casual sex they possibly had.  Which is why she is claiming the child is his.  Of course Michael used different lyrics to paint that picture for the listener because most of his music and lyrics are clean, and I don't think he really planned to change that at all.  Hes also been warned by witnessing this same thing happen to many famous men.  He even received advice from his own mother about situations like these.  "And mother always told me be careful who you love and be careful what you do because the lies become the truth".("Michael Jackson Lyrics - Billie Jean.") That last lyric has always stuck to me because lies can sometimes become true.  Not true as in factual, but true as in you don't have the evidence or anything to prove it wrong. So it essentially becomes true by default.

Probably one of my favorite videos and songs by Michael Jackson. The video is posted above, so you can check out his crazy dance moves!

Works Cited 

"MICHAEL JACKSON LYRICS - Billie Jean." A-Z Lyrics Universe. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2013 "‘Billie Jean’: Michael Jackson’s landmark single turns 30 | theGrio." theGrio | African American Breaking News and Opinion. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2013 "Michael Jackson Does The Moonwalk During Motown 25th Anniversary Concert | The Urban Daily." The Urban Daily | Black Music, Movies, Urban News, Celebrity & Hip-Hop. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.

NaS x Damian Marley - Patience

           As far as hip hop lyrics and messages within music goes, this track has to be one of the deepest to date. This song serves as a form of enlightenment for the listener. Early in the track you can hear Damian Marley using sarcastic lyrics in order to paint a picture of people posing as all knowing beings but not truly understanding the depths of what needs to be understood. "Some of the smartest dummies, cant read the language of the Egyptian mummies. Wanna fly go a moon and can't find food for the starving tummies." says Marley. "Pay no mind to the youth, cuz it's not like the future depends on it," he continues.(Nas) He uses witty wordplay to allow you to focus on the issues at hand that he feels aren't being paid attention to and also stating the things that should be of less importance relative to other obligations.

          This particular song comes off of Nas and Damian Marley's collaborative project entitled "Distant Relatives" which was an album that went against the grain and had the purpose of bringing light to Africa, its cultures, and affects on people around the world. It also  brought about understanding of the ancestral history that has recently been placed in the background by the youth. They attempted to use this project to also share a theme of togetherness and knowledge seeking through their highbrow lyrics and topics throughout each song on the album.(Distant)

          The verse contributed by Nas on this track poses questions throughout. "Who wrote the Bible, Who wrote the Koran, and was it a lightning storm that gave birth to the Earth and then dinosaurs were born," he poses. "Who made up words, who made up numbers, and what kind of spell is mankind under," Nas continues.(Nas) Allowing you to think about this high end questions while listening and vibing to the music. They implement a little more than just beats and rhymes, they provide an informal open forum

          Throughout the chorus of the song you can hear a chant of "Sabali" which in Swahili speaks to wisdom and patience.(Nas) There are many different aspects to this song that you would not expect of an ordinary hip hop record. This is definitely a cut that can stand the test of time just for the simple fact that its content can be used to broaden anyone's understanding or want to learn.

Works Cited

"Nas – Patience (Sabali) Lyrics | Rap Genius." Discover the Meaning of Rap Lyrics | Rap Genius. Web. "Distant Relatives - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Web.

Coldplay - Charlie Brown

This is a great feel good song.  Probably one of my favorite from Coldplay.  It was released as their third single off of the album "Mylo Xyloto".  But there may be a deeper meaning to this song that one might not be able to recognize on the first listen.  The video posted above certainly will help in understanding the lyrics.  The song is almost like a story.  A story about being young, wild and free. The video completely illustrates this.  This is my interpretation of the song.

"We'll run wild, we'll be glowing in the dark".("COLDPLAY - CHARLIE BROWN LYRICS.") This represents everything about being young. Teens or young people are generally described as free spirited people. Which isn't always true, but in the right environment or surroundings, it is.  The second part of that lyric talking about glowing in the dark is associated with a rave or party that young people attend. Which is clearly shown in the video.  Raves are usually embodied with people wearing items that glow in the dark, or holding accessories that do the same. Raves are events where one can unwind and just have tons of fun.  

The majority of the video takes place at a rave.  The band Coldplay, stands in the middle partying with the young kids.  The members of Coldplay arent that old, but I think them being in the middle of the rave symbolizes the contrast of young and old.  They are almost encouraging them to just let loose and have fun. In essence, that is what Coldplay is all about, living life, learning, and making the best out of any situation; positive outlooks.

Works Cited

"COLDPLAY - CHARLIE BROWN LYRICS." Song Lyrics - MetroLyrics. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Feb. 2013.

Kanye West - Through The Wire

 Tragedy and struggle can truly motivate one to be the best they can be. Its evident that this is what happened for artist Kanye West. On October 23 2002, Kanye's life changed for the worst. He was in LA at a music studio working on up and coming tracks for certain artists. It was about 3 am when Kanye decided to leave. Being extremely tired, he crashed head on into another vehicle. Luckily Kanye didn't die. He did have some serious injuries though. His face was completely damaged and unrecognizable. Kanye West was soon rushed to the hospital where they had to insert a metal plate into his chin, and his jaw wired shut. His jaw remained wired for two months. (Shmoop Editorial Team)

His jaw was even wired shut while recording the song "Through The Wire". A song inspired by the accident and the trials and tribulations of his life. The title itself even has a meaning of its own because he had to speak his lyrics through the wire, if that makes sense. The whole idea for the song sort of came to him while he was in the hospital. He was lying in the hospital bed, as he heard Chaka Khans "Through The Fire" on the radio. He sampled the lyrics from the original song to use for his chorus.  (Shmoop Editorial Team) Though he slightly changed the lyric from "through the fire" to "through the wire". Both have the same similar meanings of beating hard times, and triumphing.

This song has a bevy of memorable lyrics. But one that sticks out to me the most is this one. "If you could feel how my face felt, you would know how mase felt. Thank god I aint too cool for the safe belt". Kanye is basically describing how much pain he was in from the accident. When he says " you would know how mase felt", he is refferring to how rappers mase and ghostface killa got into a fight, and resulted in mase's broken jaw. He is also saying that if it wasnt for the seat belt, he wouldve been dead.

The song was a hit, and sprung Kanye West from the backgrounds of being a producer, to being a household name. It was a single off College Dropout, which went on to sell 3 million copies in the US. (Shmoop Editorial Team)

Works cited

Shmoop Editorial Team. "Through the Wire Meaning" Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 1 Feb. 2013.

Foo Fighters - The Pretender

I decided to switch it up a bit in this post. As most of you probably expected me to do another post on hip hop or rap. I listen to most types of music, and i'm sure this post will confirm that. The song is called "The Pretender", and it was the first single off of the Foo Fighters 2007 Album. The name of the album is called "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace". This song is definitely up there in my list of favorite songs. Not only for its upbeat tempo and amazing instrumentation, but also for its deep lyrical content. There is a deeper meaning to this song, that the average person might not recognize by just listening to it.

 Me being the conspiracy enthusiast that I am, I could easily sense the deficiency in this song. Even the title itself, "The Pretender" gives a big hint as to what the subject matter is. When I read the title, I think of someone who is not themselves or is pretending. This is exactly what the song is about. "That's the nice thing with lyrics, you never really want to give away specifics, because its nice for people to have their own idea or interpretation of the song". Says Dave Grohl, the lead singer for the Foo fighters in a 2007 interview. This is my interpretation of the moving song. "What if I say i'm not like the others, what if I say i'm not just another one of your plays, your the pretender, what if I say that I'll never surrender". I immediately think of the whole "illuminati" conspiracy when I hear this chorus.

The Illuminati is a conspiracy that has been erupting all over the internet and media for the past couple of years. Basically saying that most if not all entertainers, such as musicians, actors, and athletes, sell their souls in order to receive success or all that they have now. In this conspiracy, the "illuminati" controls all aspects of the entertainment industry and the government. Its supposed to be a secret society, but I guess its not much of a secret now. Dave Grohl is pretty describing how the Foo Fighters are original and will never fall victim to the puppetry that occurs in mainstream music. When he says hes not just another one of your plays he means that they're not just another one of these random artists that the industry and "illuminati" can control. He calls us the pretender, because we are the ones being brainwashed without even noticing it. We "pretend" nothing is wrong, but deep down inside we know there is something fishy going on here. Why is it that all mainstream music now a days has a simple and materialistic subject matter? Its simply because the higher society realizes that the majority of people that listen to the mainstream music dont really care for meaningful lyrics anymore. Its more about what sounds good and makes you dance.

Finally Dave Grohl ends the chorus by saying "what if I say that ill never surrender". Originality is one of the main catalyst that boosted the Foo Fighters to success. So its evident that they will never give in and become unoriginal. If that makes sense? They want to have control over everything they do. If you watch the video for the song, it puts together all the missing pieces. Everything you heard, is painted in a vivid picture through the video.


Research on The Pretender Lyrics

A$AP Rocky - Suddenly

This has got to be one of my favorite songs off of A$AP Rocky's new album, "LONG.LIVE.A$AP". The track is called "Suddenly", and it describes the rags to riches story that he's been through to get to where he is now. Rocky basically gives the listener insight on what life is like as a young kid growing up in Harlem New York. I guess its safe to say that it wasn't the best life, but he embraces every bit of it. Especially in this one line where he says, "Roaches on the walls, roaches on the dresser. Everybody had roaches but our roaches ain't respect us." A$AP Rocky grew up very poor, and at times was homeless. But when he did have a place to live, it'd be completely covered in roaches. Which correlates to the line about roaches on the walls and dressers. A roach is a slang term used to describe a blunt. Which is why they'd be on his dresser. And he says "everybody had roaches but our roaches ain't respect us" meaning that everybody in his hood had roaches, but not as bad as him.

Not only is this track about the bad times hes had, but it also includes good times. "I had good times, its life! Everybody has ups and downs." Says A$AP Rocky in a recent interview. "On the park bench playing checkers, sipping nectar." This line creates an image of Rocky and his closest friends in the neighborhood park just chillin'. Well it does for me at least. "We had cookouts and dirt bikes and dice games and fist fights" These were the typical activities Rocky would partake in growing up. Generally thought of as fun and just something to do.

A$AP Rocky is not just a rapper or fashion enthusiast. He is also somewhat of an activist. Bringing people together of all races and backgrounds is one of his main goals. " I wanna bring different colors, different races, I do." words from A$AP Rock in a recent interview. Discrimination is one thing he does not stand for, because hes been discriminated on, himself. "You my brother, you my kin, f*** the color of your skin." This line is pretty much confirming Rocky's stand on racism. No matter the color of your skin he considers you his family and will show you love like he would his own brother. Which is one of the reasons why hes pretty much had success so quickly and has a wide and diverse fan base. His music is for the masses and not just a certain group of people. "I just want to promote peace, prosperity, and positivity." 

Source: A$AP Rocky Interview (2013)  

Link to Video: Suddenly