Quote by John Steinbeck, East of Eden. Photo courtesy of MaggieCakes
Every so often I check out some of the programming on WPFW (89.3 FM), a local listener supported radio station (that can also be heard on the web). Last night I listened to Ill Street Grooves, an hour-long program that divulges and indulges listeners with underground and classic hip hop music. Despite the fact that the show is only an hour, it’s truly a hip hop lovers dream where you are guaranteed to hear Pete Rock & CL Smooth, MF Doom, Nikki D, Harmony (remember her?) and all others of the like in the same hour.
Last night’s show was themed around the lost or perhaps rare art of storytelling. The hosts 2-Tone Jones and DJ RBI presented their listeners with a series called The Answer, which is a nod to old school radio that featured mini series programming dating back to pre and post-world wars. The Answer tells the story of two fellas in a group that experience tension and eventually a split between the two occurs. In between the aired scenes, DJ RBI played a set that kept in time with the theme by spinning hip hop music that told a story.
Growing up this was one of the things that I loved and appreciated about the genre. I could sit here and be just like the “old heads” of hip hop music and spit the origins, trace the legacy lines of how this group meshed or spit and went into this or became that. I could even ramble on about the fusion of jazz and hip hop and how the mixing of both fused with some dub or electronic house and some funk created this whole new genre of trip hop or acid jazz that fueled my own creativity. However, I figure there’s enough information out here to research; blogs, articles and a few documentaries (If you didn’t check out Michael Rapaport’s documentary on A Tribe Called Quest and got to see Q-Tip’s massive vinyl collection you lost big time!).
What I will say – just like any other hip hop historian or commentary from a hip hop documentary – the music told a story. It was rare that you came across a song that didn’t really tell its listeners much of anything. Nowadays, it feels as if it is the other way around. It’s rare to come across a song that tells a story. In post-modern times they are out there, but I’m sad to say it’s like finding a needle in a haystack among all the mainstream stuff. What’s sad but also understood as business is the fact that some mainstream folks actually have some good substance in their music, but that part isn’t marketed. It’s the party song that boast of the party life that gets played out to no end. I’ll admit.. I’ll subscribe to that from time to time. We all need an escape (peeking over at my Trina Diamond Princess cd – actually some of that is a story too… like the song You and Me ) and perhaps need a taste of that superficial moment, that’s all it is. A moment. A hot minute. Then it’s back to reality, where quality counts.
This can spill into literature too. There are people who are quick to jump out there and call themselves writers, but neglect to take heed or lessons on perfecting the craft of storytelling. Instead they offer readers botched up plots with fragmented lines that leave rough edges and are happy about it! *cringes* They name drop the character’s finer wares as if their work is a catalog of free shout out ads for their favorite designers;
“As she slipped on her on her Gucci pumps, she teased her yaki Kanekalon hair, then proceeded to put on her cream Valentino suit and sprayed on Chanel No5 on the nape of her neck. Then she walked into her bathroom where she stood over her porcelain Kohler and began applying her Bobbi Brown foundation and finished it off with MAC and Smashbox eyeshadows and lipglosses. She took one last look and threw on her Tiffany and Co. shades and strutted to her Ashton Martin, which was just returned to her after it was repo’d.”
You get the picture…..
What’s interesting is one of the guests from yesterday’s program seemed optimistic about the art of storytelling, especially in regards to hip hop music. He believes there will be another renaissance where storytelling will be more prevalent again. I hope so. It does feel as if the “bling bling” era has finally ran its course.
Below is video of one of my favorites from the hardcore storytelling era. Daddy’s Little Girl by Nikki D came out during a relevant time as the song talks about teen pregnancy; in which it was pretty much considered a crises at the time (the late 80s/early 90s). As the song samples Suzanne Vega’s Tom’s Diner (another great storytelling song), Nikki D narrates a point in time when the subject was the apple of her dad’s eye. She had a normal childhood, but still felt this strong independent nature within her. She answered to it at young age, and in the end she ends up pregnant.
I remember once as one of my girlfriends and I were listening to it, she bobbed her head to the beat and without warning she turned to me and said,
“Isn’t this a sad song?”
Indeed it was…..
Indeed it was good storytelling.
Song: Daddy’s Little Girl
By Nikki D
[Suzanne Vega] (Da-da-da-da-da-da)
He-he-he-ha-ha-ha…
[VERSE 1]
Daddy’s little girl, but not the girl that daddy knew
Daddy never had a clue of what his little girl would do
A drifter, swift to open up and get with ya
A pocket full of dreams, as for my love – forget ya
I never concentrated on the fact that I’m loved, scheme for scheme
And things that would lead me to a pipe dream
Picture it, yes, I’m daddy’s little girl
I never asked for nothin, now it’s a string of pearls
My chances are thin, could I win with a substance?
A princess with a smile, but my sweetness was sort of grim
I never fought the feelin that I had to be wild
Cause in my mind I was a mature child
But I could’t hurt daddy, I played the role
But on the sneak tip, I was massagin his soul
Nikki had to be free, you see, I had to be me
Or life just wouldn’t flow through correctly
Being daddy’s little girl
(What daddy don’t know won’t hurt him)
But I’m daddy’s little girl
[VERSE 2]
Daddy’d always tuck me in bed and kiss me goodnight
Said, “Nikki, sleep tight,” then turn off the light
And when he goes away on a business trip
I flip, lose my grip – party time – ah shit!
Tell the girls, split the duty, one go pick up the booze
My other half, move your ass and go spread the news
The party went on, lasted all night long
Song after song (to the break of dawn)
Then watch some nasty porns in the morn’
My body got warm, hmm – from gettin freaky with Vaughn
Sexin like crazy, my body amazed me
By takin a chance with a man that didn’t faze me
A night so hectic, a bit unexpected
Before I made love, I shoulda been protected
Cause now I’m in a jam with this careless punk
And in about 3 months my stomach will be plump
Trouble, yes, I’m in the hot seat now
Tell my pops? No way, no how
It’ll break his heart, wreck his whole world
To have to grow up quick – daddy’s little girl
(What daddy don’t know won’t hurt him)
But I’m daddy’s little girl
[VERSE 3]
Neighbors asked could he trust me, yeah, daddy loves me
Cause I can feel it in his arms strong when he hugs me
But there comes a time when his angel must spread her wings
So I bow my head and get deep into the swing of things
Sort of raunchy I must be, cause mama knew
Every time I skipped school mama sat home and sang the blues
Now I regret the day that daddy let me out to play
But I’m a woman now, so let’s keep it this way
Daddy’s little girl
(What daddy don’t know won’t hurt him)
But I’m daddy’s little girl
Mahoganie: Musings East of the Anacostia River 
Posted on November 29, 2011
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