‘I’m a Grown Ass man’… man
OK, I’m a nearly 50 year-old white dude, so you won’t catch me trying to be “all that” with the kid’s Rap music. In fact, I hate the stuff (I was listening to Beethoven, Glen Miller, U2 and the Police today, if that helps pinpoint me?). HOWEVER… and this is a big one, too… I am compelled to pass on the latest tune from Mr. Bomani D. Armah, the self-proclaimed “not a rapper” rapper.
You may recall the last time Mr. Armah appeared in my work? He wrote a tune that appeared on BET TV called “Read a Mo F***ing Book”. It was a tune that featured Mr. Armah seeming to attack the thug lifestyle and telling black kids to read a “Mo F’ing” book, brush their teeth, wear deodorant and to raise their own children, etc. It raised quite a stir last year.
Since I wasn’t familiar with Mr. Armah’s work at the time, I was a bit puzzled by it all. I couldn’t be sure if he was denigrating the thug lifestyle and urging black Americans to better habits or what. I am now convinced that he was and he was doing so in the gutter language that he felt the kids would respond to. I cannot condone the language, but the sentiment is at least a good one. Personally, I can think of more upstanding ways to pass along a message of responsibility… but that’s just little old, un-hip me.
Well Mr. Armah is back with a new tune called “I’m A Grown Ass Man.”
Now, one thing is for sure. You can bet that the MSM will ignore this tune. They won’t want to be caught dead playing a tune that urges kids to grow up and act like a responsible men! It just ain’t the with it thing! (um… do they even say “with it” anymore?)
Anyway, I love the jazzy tune under the rap, too. I can’t help thinking of the work of Chick Corea when I hear it. There’s some good stuff there. All I can say is hear, hear. Good work Bomani D. Armah.
Email This
Posted by Warner Todd Huston on February 2, 2008 11:48 pm
Trackback URL:
