Jason Aldean’s Rap Warns of Impending Mono-Genre
The parade of new lows coming from Music Row in Nashville just keeps coming folks. The pre-Holiday period of 2010 might go down as the worst ever. The latest low blow comes from Jason Aldean, whose single off his album released today called My Kind of Party is a straight up rap song.
I’ve had a working theory for a while that as the music industry consolidates, popular music is heading toward two “super-genres:” hip-hop and country. And isn’t it interesting that those two art forms are divided straight down the middle by race and geography. Of course something doesn’t actually have to be country for you to call it that. It can be rock or pop, or apparently, rap. Really country is nothing more than a term for music made by white people, while hip-hop is music made by black people. Sure, there are a few exceptions, Darius Rucker and Eminem for examper, but this is like saying “Hey, I have a black friend.”
But before my two super-genre theory has even had time to codify, music has devolved even further to make it irrelevant. It goes to reason, if you have has-been pop and rock stars “going country” to salvage their careers, while country stars play rock and pop and rap to salvage their own, why not just bridge everything into one big ass “mono-genre?” Hell, what makes us different stands in the way of mass appeal marketing schemes. Wouldn’t it be much more cost effective if all music sounded the same, so we wouldn’t have to cater ad campaigns to different demographics?
The offending song from Jason Aldean is called “Dirt Road Anthem,” and let me tell you folks, I’d rather listen to the sounds of my own prison raping than this monstrosity. Nobody is a better poster boy for why we should keep our kids away from country rap than the horrific Colt Ford, whose album Chicken & Biscuits is great background music for when frat boys are vomit into the floorboards of their Mitsubishi Eclipses. It was my plan to offer ol’ Colt up as evidence to my little “mono-genre” theory. Then I found out Aldean’s “Dirt Road Anthem” is actually a Colt Ford cover! Classy.
Colt has drawn the ire of critics across the board, and the idea that someone would actually cover this garbage is top tier evidence that the music Apocalypse is upon us. Colt, whose admitted he’s so bad that he has to rap because he can’t sing, has made a good living off of charming the slow-minded with his low-rent rapping, and apparently Aldean is admittedly one of the duped:
‘Who wouldn’t want to rhyme “biscuits” with “fix it,” right? “If you see Colt, he’s a big boy. He likes biscuits.’
Wow. Deep.
He also admits his new album is monotonous, and says this song is the cure:
‘It breaks up the monotony of the record, and just when people think they know exactly what they’re gettin’, you throw something different at them.’
The problem is when the thing that is ‘different’ is exactly the same as 50% of everything in popular music, there really is no difference at all.
Nothing is groundbreaking with either this Jason Aldean single or Colt Ford, or the new Sugarland album for that matter. These acts want to use their wildly transparent reaches into the pop market as shields by calling them “innovative” or “fresh approaches” to country. Colt and Aldean are not the firsts to bridge country and hip-hop, and certainly they won’t be the last. I am not a rap fan, but I am sure that if you dug deep into that genre, you would find the same disgruntled sentiment that exists in country, with true core fans of hop-hop wondering what is happening to the music they love. As offended as I am by Colt Ford and this Jason Aldean song, I would be even more offended if I was a rapper or a rap/hip-hop fan.
There are some artists doing interesting stuff meshing dance/techno/hip-hop beats with traditional roots music, but Jason Aldean is not one of them. He is not melding two art forms in the name of innovation, he is taking the worst of both worlds to try to create mass appeal. “Dirt Road Anthem” is an anthem for the death of contrast.
Two guns down.
November 2, 2010 @ 11:30 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHC1K22uA74
had the pleasure of interviewing Jayke in my minivan while this was going on inside the venue in Michigan. My poor friend, John, had to endure it.
L M A O!
November 2, 2010 @ 11:46 am
oh what the hell is this?? this happened in Michigan?? what venue, cos when I get home, I’m gonna start slappin someone..
November 2, 2010 @ 11:55 am
Man I hope those dudes were just trying to be funny. The blinking glasses make me think this was the case.
November 2, 2010 @ 2:22 pm
Sweetheart, be thankful you were out in the van and not inside enduring the horrific “Red Neck Rap.” On the other hand, it’s not every day (or every year, for that matter) that you experience something that awful so maybe you missed out. Everything the author states in this article about the desperate gimmick of melding rap and country applied to that song. Just an all around bad idea.
November 2, 2010 @ 11:51 am
I like country, I like rap, I like rock, I like soul(don’t really get off on folk or metal though)—but, come on, lets stop blurring the lines here.
Good article man—the problem with pro-tools and all those other toys for the studio—they can provide a thin veil for the less talented people who are involved in this awful industry.
That being the reality, you could make a strong case for hoping the world would have to go back to reel to reel 4 tracks…then, we might fine a return of quality to an industry that has eaten itself and can’t figure out that their half-asses are the ones that caused their jobs to disappear instead of blaming it on the economy.
November 2, 2010 @ 12:00 pm
Totally agree. As much as technology has helped independent bands get their music out there without the help of evil empire labels, it has also opened the flood gates for people who would probably be better served pushing paper in a cubicle farm.
I think you’re going to see a return to more crude recording technology soon, just like the return to tube amps and upright basses, etc. to keep the music more pure.
BTW, I poked my head into The Continental Club last night, but had a bunch of crap come up so couldn’t stay long.
November 2, 2010 @ 12:07 pm
that’s cool man…we’re at Saxon tonight, if’n you’re interested…last show in Texas for this trip..
As for technology, I’m all for it–there’s great things with it–but, yeah, you can now buy it and record at home—which is fine, if its the kinda person that should be doing it(rare indeed.)
I went into a guitar center the other day, amp took a crap…the people working there had no clue, and options were so limited. It was truly awful. Line 6 from top to bottom—I can’t stand it.
As Whitey always says when someone compliments his tone and asks how he got it…”Fender into a Fender”…..it ain’t rocket science.
November 2, 2010 @ 12:48 pm
Saxon? Hmm. Whose leg I gotta hump to get on a guest list? No promises, but I’ll try to get there.
November 2, 2010 @ 1:03 pm
I’ll guest ya, no problem…we’re the last band…midnightish I believe
November 2, 2010 @ 3:39 pm
Any used cd store worth a browse will have Paul’s Boutique. That dropped when I was in high school and we would blast it in empty parking lots. Just chillin like Bob Dylan. Then the Bob Dylan generation fans told us rap music is shit and to be dismissed.
I love hip-hop. I love our country. (as well as pop, metal, punk, classical, jazz…) This monstrosity you speak of does offend me. Just like most of the bands I read about here aren’t on the radio, most of the hip-hop I listen to isn’t on the radio.
The country rap on youtube in the comment above just confirms the new breed of nincompoops that I have to deal with at shows. These brats with no self esteem somehow find comedy or improv classes. I agree with Trigg, that’s just too put on to be serious. And if they are serious, I can only sigh. Apparently, it’s now en vogue to be a hillbilly. Oh joy. Let’s find a few stereotypes and goof on them. It’s so original, I can hardly stand it.
November 2, 2010 @ 7:50 pm
Paul’s Boutique is one of my most favorite of all times. I grew up listening to hardcore and punk in NJ and then moved into NYC. My roots are not “roots” with the exception of my parent’s Cash and Patsy Cline records.
I like a lot of music genres and love to learn about new stuff every day. I think I agree with Gillian that it’s the crap that bothers me. Everyone’s definition of crap differs but the whole blurring of the lines of country and rap seems misguided. If you want to pull from black musical traditions, why not do what Biram and others do by pulling from Blues? Rap is an urban thing really, and its only connection to roots may be in the form of the “Toast” as illustrated in The Land Where Blues Began.
November 2, 2010 @ 12:52 pm
you know my family (not me) listens to some of the mainstream “country shit” so i hear it now and then…i always though some of Aldean’s songs weren’t THAT bad …like he was an ok dude…but rapping now? hell no…i am so pissed at music man..its pathetic the way things are…Hank III should be the dude getting awards and millions of dollars…not the bs thats popular out there
November 2, 2010 @ 1:31 pm
Can’t say I was ever a Jason Aldean fan, but I know at the beginning of his career he was much more authentic. Now it seems he is looking for the big pay day. Same story with Sugarland, and so many others. They can’t drive the car they want doing it their way, so they sell their soul for popularity.
November 2, 2010 @ 1:11 pm
The way to do this right was Steve Earle’s Washington Square Serenade which was produced by John King of the Dust Brothers. When I saw him touring for this album, I remember him saying, “Paul’s Boutique isn’t one of the best rap albums of all-time, it is one of the best albums of all time.” Earle blended these genres for art. Pop country blended these genres for money. Even a fool can hear the difference.
November 2, 2010 @ 1:34 pm
I’ve heard about that album but never heard it. I need to get a copy. Paul’s Boutique is one of the most important albums of our generation
November 2, 2010 @ 1:41 pm
I can’t honestly say that Washington Square Serenade is one of my favorite Steve Earle albums. While not “great,” to me even merely a “good” Steve Earle album beats 99.99% of the other stuff out there.
It’s worth a listen if only because he took a risk to try something different. Say what you will about Steve Earle, but he’s never been afraid to let one fly.
November 2, 2010 @ 4:06 pm
Just wished he wouldn’t be so damn political. Even when I agree with it, I don’t like politics in my music. I use music to escape from all that crap.
November 2, 2010 @ 1:35 pm
I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.
November 2, 2010 @ 3:06 pm
Use some Scope…I could rap about that for ya but I’m not blessed with da rhymes…
November 2, 2010 @ 2:25 pm
holy shit. Between this and Sugarland… Honkytonk Badonkadonk is looking like an old country classic! At least that song was made tongue and cheek.
Christ this Aldean cover is trying to be serious!
November 2, 2010 @ 2:47 pm
Boooo! Hissssssss!
November 2, 2010 @ 2:48 pm
These “new lows” are killin’ me. I’m gonna get myself back to some new highs!
November 2, 2010 @ 3:40 pm
I played this for my 3-month-old boy and he vomited on me. Smart boy.
November 2, 2010 @ 4:24 pm
i didn’t know those guys before, but i just listened to a few of their songs on their websites and it really hurts to hear the names of the real good old country artists in these outrageous songs.
November 2, 2010 @ 5:09 pm
I actually don’t have alot against Colt Ford actually. Yeah he’s not country music but in my opinion he isn’t trying to convince people that he is and isn’t hiding it or concealing it as country. He knows he’s just a southern man who grew up in Georgia who enjoys country and rap and fused the two genres together. Now Cowboy Troy was different in my opinion, they just threw on a cowboy hat and a big belt buckle and passed him off as country. At least Colt Ford admits he can’t sing so he has other great singers join him such as Jamey Johnson even though Jamey Johnson was very hesitant to join him. I have no problem with country having it’s different subgenres such as traditional country, bluegrass, country rock, hellbilly, hick hop. My problem is that only pop country, country rock, and hick hop get the promotion and money behind it to get to the masses.
November 2, 2010 @ 6:14 pm
Looks like he’s trying to be country to me:
And if he’s not trying to be country, what is he doing hanging out with Jamey Johnson? Why is his music classified in the country music charts?
I will give you that Colt Ford gets very little if any radio play or support from country infrastructure. It hasn’t hurt his sales one bit though. And that is the reason that Jason Aldean’s single will be a Colt Ford cover, because even though its been out for a while, nobody who listens to country radio has heard it.
I personally don’t like Colt Ford or Jason Aldean. But put a gun to my head and make me choose, I’d have to choose the teacher over the student/copycat.
November 3, 2010 @ 6:53 am
What I meant was in my opinion he’s not trying to be a country singer. Hell anybody can be “country” as in lifestyle. I know plenty of “country” farm kids and rednecks who don’t listen to country music but rather listen to rap or metal. You don’t have to sing country to be friends with someone who does. Hell Buddy Holly, Ray Charles and Elvis wasn’t country but they all hung out with Waylon and Johnny. I believe he’s on the country music charts because he fits more with that crowd than an mtv crowd. Since I mentioned Buddy Holly, Ray Charles, and Elvis, If they were alive they would be on the country charts because they don’t fit on any other platform either. This generation of country kids connect with him after growing up listening to all genres of music. Now I don’t mean to praise him and put him on a pedestal for country music at all. He’s Definately not country music! I just think he puts himself out there as he is and isn’t hiding it. I don’t listen to rap AT AL except maybe the old stuff like Beastie Boys and Run DMC. I actually don’t mind a few songs of Colt’s. I will admit that there are way better “real” country bands that don’t get near the recognition though.
November 3, 2010 @ 8:08 am
Yeah, I can see what you mean. He’s not trying to sugar coat who he is or be anybody’s puppet. He might be buying into his own image a little too much, but it’s hard to say he’s selling out to the pop country mode when Music Row would probably like it if he would just go away.
And yeah, Elvis and Buddy Holly would be considered country these days. Because they play music, and are white.
November 3, 2010 @ 8:26 am
You are probably right about him buying into his own image and “amen” to your comment about those legends that actually “played” music. I would stand up for any artist that sings and writes their own music. That is what I clarify as a real country “artist”. Someone who sings and writes from their own heart and soul. That’s why I’m a big fan of all these artists we talk about on this website. That’s also why I love listening to other “red dirt” country artists like Chris Knight, Hayes Carll, Ryan Bingham, etc.
November 5, 2010 @ 6:43 pm
Buddy Holly did play country and Elvis was just as influenced by Bill Monroe and Hank. The racist view keeps comin up. Just as in the Roundtable, fingers were pointed at certain people (southern implied) to be racist … some people down here know a hell of a lot more about the blues, delta and pine-belt blues and black folk culture than they are given credit for (especially since there are more blacks in this particular region and Blues and Rock N Roll was born down here). That music in the article is for white musically challenged dumbasses and not the entire race.
November 3, 2010 @ 7:50 am
“Cold Beer” w/ Jamey is a better shot a Colt mixing some rap and country.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WywthlYYaS8
November 2, 2010 @ 5:58 pm
Rap & Country are closer than you think. Many country artist have done songs that can be considerd rap.
Hank Jr. – Born to Boogie
Charlie Daniels – Devil went down to Georgia
Neal McCoy – Beverly Hillbillys Rap.
The biggest complaint about rap is the violance but country has been just as violant.
Banks of the Ohio
Knoxville girl
That’s what I see wrong with country artist today. They say they want to shock everyone by being different but New Kids On The Block tryed to rap to make them self look different. Nobody bought it then I don’t understand why they’re buying it now. Raping dosen’t make you different, Rock dosen’t make you different & someone please tell these fakes that saying your different dosn’t make you different.
November 2, 2010 @ 6:23 pm
That’s a good point but I think there is a HUGE difference between “Devil Went Down to Georgia” and this crap. People have always talked lyrics in country, I don’t know if you want to call that rapping. There are very similar themes in SOME rap and country, but there are similar themes in all of music. Music is passion: love, heartbreak, killing, etc.
One of the largest consumers of hip-hop music is suburban kids who want to live vicariously through the lyrics of songs. They listen to stuff like Jay-Z because they have no real-life context for intercity violence, etc. I think this Colt Ford nonsense comes from the same well: suburban kids who want to pretend their from the country. It exploits people’s lack of identity and wanting to be different like you said. It’s all based on stereotypes.
November 2, 2010 @ 10:33 pm
Hey, GaOutlaw…that’s kinda like saying “The Pill” by Loretta Lynn was rap back in 1975. If you want to put a date on shock factors for public radio I would say that song was it. She recorded it in ’72 but her label didn’t grow their balls til’ ’75 when they released it. Made it to #5 on Billboards Charts. Might be a little more melody to her “rappin” but I’m sure She would be proud to know she started the crossover…?
November 3, 2010 @ 2:22 am
I love Loretta Lynn. I think she dosen’t get enough credit for what she has done for music. If anyone ever deserved the title outlaw it would be her. She has had eleven #1 hits that country radio refused to play including The Pill & her last Portland, Or. with Jack White. Her last album was awsome.
November 3, 2010 @ 7:36 am
Suburban kids aren’t listening to Colt Ford to pass themselves off as “country”, they listen to Johnny Cash to do that.
How many “artists” and younger generation grabbed onto to Cash when “Walk The Line” came out. It was trendy, it was two young actors were hot at the time…not saying Cash didn’t have his following, but all of a sudden you got everyone and their friend Bono saying “I love country, not that radio stuff, but Cash.” and they never even heard Cash sing except for the actors singing in the movie.
Ask 7 out of 10 people that say they are Cash fans to name a song beside Folsom, Ring of Fire, or Boy Named Sue.
Maybe Colt Ford is a guy that grew up on both Cash and Snoop. So he is influenced by both. Is it “country music” not really, is Colt a country backwoods guy, sure seems like it.
I have no idea what Aldean is? I think he put a hat on and cocked it low and decided he would sing country.
I am not a fan of this song at all, but if you take away the music, and some idiot trying to rap it, and listen solely to the lyrics, it isn’t all that horrid. I mean, it aint gold, but…Colt is just seeing what he thinks is real. I think we can all agree some record exec. didn’t force this on Colt. It is Colt being real. Is it shitty, maybe, but just as shitty as some “real” Bob Wayne stuff.
If you don’t like rap melding with country that is fine. Some don’t like death metal melding with it either (i.e. Hank III) but the words in songs when you get down to them, are decent sometimes.
But Aldean looks like a fucking fool doing this….leave it to Colt.
November 3, 2010 @ 8:12 am
Yeah, I do agree Colt himself is probably not some product, but his music is still a novelty. And I do thing the lyrics are terrible. It’s the same laundry list, name a bunch of things off that are related to the country formulaic garbage. Only difference is he raps them instead of singing them. And you’re right about how its hip to like Johnny Cash, but I’m not gonna complain about that. If it’s hip to like good music for once, amen.
November 2, 2010 @ 9:10 pm
OH .. my… god. I’m hoping this is some SNL spoof?
November 2, 2010 @ 9:29 pm
Unfortunately it is not. I recently had the displeasure of sitting in the work truck while two of co-workers discussed whose version was better. At first I was just confused that Cow-hop(?) was even a genre, and that someone was already doing cover versions. Then to top it off they tried to defend this new genre by naming the other artist that have worked with Colt. Well, long story short I never left my ipod at home again.
November 2, 2010 @ 10:55 pm
Hats off to ya 307! I sure hope you were the “Foreman” in the truck when you laughed your ass off! I was told about Colt by the head maintainence man at work and when I came back to work the next day laughing about him being a funny addition to comedy country acts,…well lets just say…kinda tough to get a broken machine fixed on our line…oops!
November 3, 2010 @ 7:40 am
Ok I had to listen again..
If anything I got a damn good laugh.and It was fun to heckle all the way through.
Yes.. that will learn’ ya! Never leave home with out that Ipod! 😉
November 2, 2010 @ 11:15 pm
Hahahahaaaa! Bad news Triggerman the “Impending Mono-Genre” has been around for a few years now under the worldwide WSM Radio tag of K.R.A.P….yeah, we’ve been listening to it for years!
November 3, 2010 @ 12:40 am
All that shit ( Jason Aldean, the wigger. Country kids,etc.) are all stereotypes similar to the. Urban northern ‘country’ bands or whatever.. It’s just absence of culture or identity like you said or whatever. All that shit is way abundant down here. … Paul’s Boutique one of the greatest albums.. Goddamn. Yall should be big Colty Ford fans . That was Jewish kids experimenting with rap music skillfully but with nothing really to say . Don’t know about the super genres bullshit.. I’ll just leave the fresh and energetic music makin to Hank III
for now.
November 3, 2010 @ 8:19 am
Just to clarify, I said Paul’s Boutique was one one of the most important albums of our generation, I didn’t say it was the greatest, or that I love it. Looking at all of music, there may not be a more influential album, but as for my enjoyment listening to it, i would say it is the least favorite of the Beastie Boys albums. I’d say the same thing about Willie Nelson’s Red Headed Stranger, an extremely infuential album, but kind of a dud of a listen in my opinion.
November 3, 2010 @ 9:26 am
Just to clarify further, this whole thing got started because Steve Earle said that Paul’s Boutique was one of the greatest albums. He liked is so much that he had John King of the Dust Brothers produce his album.
I think the reason the album is so acclaimed doesn’t have anything to do with the three “Jewish kids with nothing to say,” but rather the production of the album at the time. The samples were so involved and diverse and the tracks were so layered that it sounded futuristic. That is why today, the beats still hold up in spite of the lyrics.
November 3, 2010 @ 5:52 pm
yeah I know all that ..I listened to the beasties and had that album, I just don’t give a fuck. I was sayn I don’t think Paul’s Boutique was one of the most important albums of our generation. I’ve just heard it brought up repeatedly on this site. Yeah, I don’t like Red Headed Stranger … sounds like a movie concept album … I prefer Stages and Phases or the other old ones.
November 4, 2010 @ 2:05 am
…actually the RED HEADED STRANGER did turn into a movie…I think Robert Redford was in that…oh, wait a minute…you were just being sarcastic, huh?
November 3, 2010 @ 6:49 am
Just so you know… it does work sometimes. Here’s a country version of Gin & Juice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4hGSR5njZE
November 3, 2010 @ 7:04 am
Now that’s interesting…
Here’s some more rap for y’all
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD0AHkRf2FA
November 3, 2010 @ 5:50 pm
The Gourds are a regular up here in Montana, and they put on a great show!
November 3, 2010 @ 8:31 am
Since we are talking about Rap and Country. Does anybody remember the band Smokin’ Armadillos from the early 90’s. I thought they were the first to mix rap and country together.
Listen to track 5
http://www.amazon.com/Out-Burrow-Smokin-Armadillos/dp/B000000DCU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1288798075&sr=1-3
November 3, 2010 @ 10:42 am
They’ve already blended hip-hop with bluegrass and call it gangstagrass. Stylistically, the two music forms work well together. Bluegrass and hip-hop both deal with lives originating in poverty and, quite often, violence. The big difference in the two styles, to me, is how they deal with these origins. Bluegrass often turns inward to less material things, like family or spirituality. Rap focuses on the material things and usually remains superficial. I get tired of hearing about drinking Hennessy or Cristal while rappers throw around the n-word and brag about their lives of violence. The chest thumping gets so old. Like Bill Maher said, I’m waiting for the modest rapper “DJ So-and-So” with his new hit single “No Betta than You.” Chances are, I’ll be waiting a long time. IMO, rap had so much potential and most of it has been squandered.
Gangstagrass also has a lot of potential, but (except for a few songs) it hasn’t quite lived up to it yet.
November 3, 2010 @ 2:27 pm
EVERY style of music talks about poverty and violence. Blues, punk, heavy metal, rock, reggae, country. Bluegrass and hip hop, country and rap are no closer stylistically than any other two genres of music because they ALL speak on those issues.
If you really want to talk about stylistic similarities, here are some good ones that actually work from a fundamental or historical standpoint:
punk and reggae
bluegrass and irish folk
western swing and jazz
I’m all for mixing music, but it still has to work.
November 4, 2010 @ 2:18 am
lemme see…I don’t know a lot of these catagories but I know some WESTERN SWING & JAZZ : Bob Wills, Asleep At The Wheel, Wayne Hancock to name too few…but gawd damn! RAP & COUNTRY are for comedy albums not national fukin’ airplay !
November 5, 2010 @ 6:39 am
As bluegrass derived primarily from Scots-Irish music, I would expect it to be stylistically similar. However, bluegrass was also heavily influenced by African-American music of the Piedmont. For this reason, hip-hop works well with bluegrass. Too many folks don’t remember the influence that African music had on both old time and bluegrass.
I see more stylistic similarities between hip-hop and bluegrass than between punk and reggae.
November 5, 2010 @ 12:00 pm
I hear what you’re saying, but I think most of the similarities between Bluegrass and African music are only skin deep (no pun intended). The banjo was an African instrument first and got infused into bluegrass and mountain music before that. But punk and reggae have the same fundamental chord progression, so they are much more primed for fusing.
You can take bluegrass instruments and play hip-hop, but that doesn’t make it bluegrass. That is just hip-hop played with bluegrass instruments. The basic way songs work still has to be considered over aesthetics.
November 5, 2010 @ 12:20 pm
Understand what you’re saying about reggae and punk, but still don’t agree that hip-hop and bluegrass can’t blend well. I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree on that one.
The banjo was indeed an instrument of African origin, but that instrument bears little similarity to the modern banjo (both open back and resonator versions). The modern banjo is a mix of African and European influences. That’s what makes it America’s instrument.
The Banjo Project
http://www.thebanjoproject.org/
November 3, 2010 @ 1:38 pm
Did somebody say Gangstagrass? myspace.com/serialkiller2
November 5, 2010 @ 6:56 am
I was thinking more along the lines of this:
http://www.gangstagrass.com/
Right now, it’s riding a wave of popularity, due to the use of the song “Long Hard Times to Come” on the FX series ‘Justified.’
When it works, it works well. Check out the tune “I Go Hard.”
The problem is that the lyrics are often too limited to the typical, mainstream hip-hop subject matter. Musically, I’m lovin’ it. Lyrically, I’m not so satisfied.
November 3, 2010 @ 4:06 pm
Debbie – you said “Rap focuses on the material things and usually remains superficial.” I agree that’s what the radio plays and the big label morons push, but true hip-hop began in gospel music. Some of the rappers I gravitate toward are more into family and spirituality. I think one of the most difficult things about talking about the music I like is people think of what they’ve heard and the country and hip-hop that they hear on the radio mostly makes me want to throw my arms in the air and scream.
November 5, 2010 @ 6:49 am
Agreed Gillian. There is good rap out there – it’s just not played much on the radio or pushed by the media. Most of the stuff I hear deals with misogynism and violence. As far as the origins of rap, you can go back to sea shanties and hear something similar. Most early sea shanties were meant to have no musical accompaniment other than foot stamping, clapping or shouts. These were times to the the cadence of the job at hand (walking the capstan for instance). Not all were rhymed, but many were. I’m sure that’s just one example of many types of early music that were similar to rap.
Regarding rappers (into family and spirituality), who do you recommend?
November 5, 2010 @ 8:31 am
I love Mos Def. He’s been in it since the beginning and now he’s a man and a father and his music has matured with him. His last two albums, The Ecstatic and True Magic are really good. Mary J. Blige has been my guardian angel since I was a teenager.
A great introduction is the documentary “Dave Chappelle’s Block Party”. The soundtrack is awesome as well.
It’s kinda tough to put out a do good, love God and treat each other well album for any artist so the more established ones slip them in:
Where is the Love? by Black Eyed Peas
Long Life (Remix) by DeLa & Talib Kweli
All Good by Lil’ Kim
Priority by Mos Def
Changes by Tupac Shakur
The Light by Common
Jesus Walks by Kanye West
Not Hip-Hop but foundations:
Oh Happy Day by the Edwin Hawkins Singers
Ooh Child by The Five Stairsteps
Walk in Jerusalem by Mahalia Jackson
I could go on and on 🙂
November 7, 2010 @ 6:42 am
What the F is this? This is not a country-song, it’s not hiphop, it’s just a complete lack of creativity. I never heard of Colt Ford or Jason Aldean, and I am glad this shit is not on my radio. This is not real music, and I’m pretty sure the Aldean-audience in the clip is shouting just for the posterboy, they don’t give a damn about him rapping, if that’s what he calls it. It reminds me of rapping as a parody, but this “song” is not meant to be funny.
Even before gangsta-rap there was discussion among hiphop-fans about real hiphop and fake (Ice-T and Vanilla Ice). And while I agree that hiphop is basically urban black music, you don’t need to be black to rap. In Holland the hiphop-scene is multi-coloured, and a big part of it is about being creative with your language, which can make it interesting, but I really don’t listen to it very much.
If there’s anybody in hiphop I like, it’s Snoop Dogg. He did a pretty cool Johnny Cash-tribute, and of course he’s a good friend of Willie Nelson. They share an interest that goes way beyond music. A while ago in Amsterdam Snoop introduced Willie Nelson to his audience, and the next day, maybe even on the same stage, Willie brought on Snoop. I like that.
And let’s not forget Rick Rubin. When he started on DEF American, he tried to connect rap and metal. It can work. I mean Paul’s Boutique was not the first Beastie Boys-album, and I did like No Sleep Till Brooklyn. Even went to their first ever gig in Amsterdam, back in 1987.
Anyway, I don’t visit this site to talk about the Beastie Boys, or to listen to undefinable crap like this lame excuse for a song. It’s good to spill your guts every once in a while, but like Dale Watson sings it: Play me a real country-song.
November 7, 2010 @ 5:48 pm
There are countless problems, not the least of which is the fact that “country” “music” today is being performed, produced, promoted, played, and purchased by people who absolutely LOATHE country music. These are the people who claim to LOVE country music but cringe when that VW commercial featuring the great Wynn Stewart song “Another Day, Another Dollar” comes on. Another problem is the video factor: people have to look good in their video, to the point of whether they can actually sing or not is inconsequential. Shania Twain and now Taylor Swift have proven that no one really need possess vocal qualities.
Until country music has friends in the industry — you know, people who actually KNOW George Jones songs instead of asking, “Is he related to Grace Jones?” — this isn’t going to change. Sadly, because of the PT Barnum syndrome being fulfilled and the suckers buying this garbage by the millions, it’s not likely to until people wise up and say “no more!”
November 9, 2010 @ 7:37 am
On Sunday I had the displeasure of being at the Tootsies 50th concert where Colt Ford, overweight rapping moron, polluted the air with “Chicken and Biscuits” to the dismay of most of the crowd. Useless is the most charitable word I can offer.
Even Jason Aldean & Rascal Flatts Know CMA’s Are Rigged « Saving Country Music
November 10, 2010 @ 11:57 am
[…] Aldean took some time from rehashing bad rap songs to bitch about getting the razz from the rigged events show to the Associated Press: The average […]
November 17, 2010 @ 3:02 pm
I was once asked about opening a show for Colt Ford. I threw up in my mouth a little and never responded, lol.
November 19, 2010 @ 9:59 am
What is this!!!! Who wrote this dumb article country rap is the new generation, I love colt ford and all the other country rappers, I am glad Jason Aldean did this song so it cant PI$$ all you idiots off.
November 24, 2010 @ 6:37 am
Dear person that wrote this article, I know u, u r one of those people that think that there view actually matters, when in reality it doesn’t. The fact is that millions love these songs and it is proven by the number of people that buy the song. And no country does not mean, ” music made by white people” u idiot. It’s an actual genre and style of music. Darius Rucker??? Not sure if he is white? google him moron. And if ur statement was true then how is he doing so well with the country genre? Hopefully this showed how ignorant u r because that’s what was intended.
Fowler Sells Out for Cold Ford’s “Hip Hop in a Honky Tonk” « Saving Country Music
January 5, 2011 @ 10:40 am
[…] it could get no worse. We also thought that when Sugarland put a reggae break in a song, or when Jason Aldean covered a Colt Ford rap, or when Trace Adkins took a stupid urbanism and turned it into the premise for a whole song, or […]
April 27, 2011 @ 12:09 pm
We’d like savingcountrymusic to take part in this poll:
http://www.nashville.com/music/2011/04/is-there-a-place-for-rap-in-country-music/
Thanks!
Country Rap: It’s Already Happening | The Critical Condition
June 13, 2011 @ 11:50 am
[…] acoustic guitar or CMT puts that Aldean-Ludacris video in high rotation. Some people are suggesting it’s the end of the world, but I think there’s potential for interesting and exciting things. Because at most, I think […]
November 6, 2011 @ 4:14 am
Honestly whoever wrote this article dissing Jason Aldean and Colt Ford is 1) obviously not a country fan 2) a freakin tard who doesn’t know how to spell or use spell check. Its example not examper (Para. 2) and its not hop-hop its hip-hop. (Para. 12) 3) Colt Ford isn’t low-rent rapping. You just have to listen to his music to understand his point. Its actually pretty simple. 4) were not SLOW-MINDED. Were OPEN-MINDED to different views on how music is, and how it sounds to us.
If you don’t like it then don’t listen to it. No one is making you listen to it.
And just because you don’t like something doesn’t mean you have to blog about it. Its kind of pathetic and childish.
February 16, 2014 @ 10:16 am
Mindi,
I don’t have a choice on top 20 videos, I just check it once in awhile hoping to hear some good music. Sadly only 2 songs were worth the listen Garth Brooks and The Band Perry, but all the rest was crap, crap crap, crap. You can listen to it because apparantly you are one of millions who think it is great.
All you 20 somethings think your somehow superior with your twitter accounts, but I have news for you, your music choices suck. It is barely music it sure ain’t country, and any one that like rap and country is talking about the new stuff, cause if you were talking about Merle Haggard, Bill Monroe, Eddie Arnold, and Vince Gill and
Emmy Lou Harris, you couldn’t like this shit called rap, which is not music, it is poetry to percussion at best.
November 3, 2018 @ 12:37 pm
In my family, we call it country rap. The acronym is CRAP.