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October 23, 2009
Friday PM
Things to read:
1. Das Racist see SFJ, raise him. Excerpt:
SFJ is savvy enough to know that before pulling a "white man speaks authoritatively on black culture" move, he needs to first establish an acceptable precedent for his argument by locating it in the ideology of a credible black artist (in this case Nas's 2006 album Hip Hop is Dead). But notice how SFJ then immediately undermines that credibility: while he could just say "Nas called it three years ago," he instead claims that while Nas's sentiment was correct, the proclamation was three years premature, as if to say "Nice try, Nas, but leave it to the professional (white, college-educated) music journalist to make sweeping statements about (black, ghetto-originated) music."
Before a handful of (white) internet commenters wild on me saying "Sasha Frere-Jones is not a racist," let me clarify that I'm not saying he's consciously and intentionally trying to assert his superiority. I'm just trying to point out that his language is typical of that (white) journalistic voice which presupposes the (white) journalist's authority.
2. Das Racist bonus beat: Hima of DR interviews hero of el stence and close personal friend, DR. Jul. ESCOBEDO SHEPHERD. Excerpt:
Who's the most interesting person you've ever interviewed? (Interpret interesting in any way you please). Any crazy stories?
This is obvious, but any member of Wu-Tang - I've interviewed Ghost, RZA, Rae, Meth and Red - and they all have their own utterly unique crazy styles, the last of a dying breed. Most recently I talked to RZA about The Tao of Wu which was amazing. He's is so focused and responds to every life experience like a lesson, from poor and hustling to being incredibly famous and well off. Most rappers, when they talk about spirituality, are corny as fuck, but anybody'd would be privileged to listen to RZA discuss wisdom, chess, Sun Tzu, five percenters, whatever.
My stories aren't that crazy, mostly just anecdotal. I was having a really bad interview with Cam'ron and I asked him something totally random like "DO YOU TAKE YOUR GIRL OUT DANCING" and he was like "This interview is over, B." He's said those exact words to like three separate people I know. It felt like some sort of milestone, getting shut down by Cam'ron. Like a battle scar or a music journalist bat mitzvah.
Posted by caps at October 23, 2009 06:15 PM