Wednesday, May 11, 2011

That ain't Walt Whitman!




"This is street radio, for unsung heroes
Riding in they regal, trying to stay legal
My daughter found Nemo, I found the new primo
Yeah you know how we do, we do it for the people
And the struggles of the brothers and the folks
With lovers under dope, experiment to discover hopes
Scuffle for notes, the rougher I wrote, times were harder
Went from rocky starter to a voice of a martyr
Why white folks focus on dogs and yoga
While people on the low end trying to ball and get over
Lyrics are like liquor for the fallen soldiers
From the bounce to the ounce, its all our culture"

I thought I would start this post with a classic rhyme from my man Common, who is, no doubt, a great lyricist.

The winguts, of course, do not share my affection for Common. They are up in arms because the First Lady invited him to the White House for a poetry reading, tonight.

They think that it's an outrage that this White House would invite a man who has written lyrics about cop killing in the past and who has made less than flattering references to George Bush in some of his past songs.

I have to give it to the wingnuts, though, no one can work the three card monte like they can. While the governor of Indiana is declaring war on the women of this country, they choose to focus on an artist going to the White House for a damn poetry reading. Watch one hand while we f*&^ you with the other. That's the wingnut way.

Poor wingnuts, I guess they have to do something; O's job approval is at 60% and they still can't find a viable candidate to run against him 2012. (Where is governor Krispy Kreme when you need him?)

But don't worry Michelle, go ahead and invite your home boy to the White House, his flow qualifies as poetry in my book.

"Jay Carney, the White House spokesman, said Mr Obama has "spoken out very forcefully against violent and misogynist lyrics", but also thinks some of Common's views are being distorted. ...Mr Obama respected Common's work with children in Chicago, seeking to turn them to poetry rather than "the negative aspects of life on the street".

Yes, but what I like most about Common are flows like this:

"Burn a Bush cos' for peace he no push no button, Killing over oil and grease, no weapons of destruction".

Now that's downright Shakespearean.







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