"Hip-hop is a God inspired art form
Correction's my delivery, giving proper credit with no edit to the chivalry" from "Ima Showem", Grammatical revolution, GRitS
I'm working from an office* in the Lusaka Show grounds and a something that takes is getting used to is the human traffic that occasionally uses the Show grounds facilities for their various events.
Last week, for example, we had droves school kids in and out of the place because a Career Expo was in session. During this week I had a "wake-up" moment that I hope to address in future blog but anyway ... Most of the activity doesn't bother me since the office I operate from is not on any of the main roads of the show grounds campus. I also tend to sit at my desk almost all day (when I am not visiting a client) with my headphones on.
I don't know what event is going on this week but I've seen some school kids around again ... It's just hit me that the Lusaka Show Grounds could be a cool hang out for kids playing truant ... I think it could be a sporting a event of since kind as I could hear some sort of rally crying and fan fare. However one of the choruses that came streaming through the open window made me stop whatever I was doing for a moment.
I can't vouch for the exact words the kids were singing (they were definitely kids) but I know the song quite well.
"Move b.... get out the way, get out the way, get out the way,
Move b.... get out the way, get out the way, get out the way"
Some of you may recognise the chorus from "Move B...." by Ludacris. The B... word censored for obvious reasons.
While I have notion that they could be singing 'teacher-friendly' version of the song, the incident has got me thinking ... Why aren't songs with wholesome lyrics popular enough to be chanted or sang with appeal by kids when they are having fun?
I'm not questioning the art of rap music! I love rap music. I just want to know why I don't hear kids screaming the chorus of an African rap song or even better something not as offensive as "Move B...." I know it has been done before. For example, one of my favourite rap songs "Ima Showem" by GRitS was once a stadium anthem for the American Football team Tennesse Titans (then known as the Nashville Titans).
The questions remains "Are clean mouthed artists boring?" What do you think?
*[A shout out to Trio Consult for accommodating a noisy, anti-social hack like me :) ].
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