Comments on: Jay-Z-Can I Get A….. http://passionweiss.com/2008/08/17/jay-z-can-i-get-a/ Even when I was wrong, I got my point across. Thu, 24 May 2012 14:11:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: S. Potter http://passionweiss.com/2008/08/17/jay-z-can-i-get-a/#comment-27976 S. Potter Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:36:52 +0000 http://passionweiss.com/2008/08/17/jay-z-can-i-get-a/#comment-27976 Better, older and even more fantastic was "Time to Build," a track from Mic Geronimo, which featured not only an early Jay-Z but also early cuts from Ja Rule and DMX. Better, older and even more fantastic was “Time to Build,” a track from Mic Geronimo, which featured not only an early Jay-Z but also early cuts from Ja Rule and DMX.

]]> By: Tray http://passionweiss.com/2008/08/17/jay-z-can-i-get-a/#comment-27919 Tray Wed, 20 Aug 2008 23:11:23 +0000 http://passionweiss.com/2008/08/17/jay-z-can-i-get-a/#comment-27919 Yeah, it was incredibly avant-garde in the context of the genre, but that doesn't mean that it wasn't a pander, or play if you prefer, for a larger pop audience that didn't care, or even know, what the conventions of hardcore rap were. It's the sort of thing you could play for your white middle-aged parents - who of course weren't thinking, "gee, hardcore rapper over kiddie musical, this is kind of pushing the envelope,' but rather were thinking, "now this is rap even I can like." The same's true of Kanye. Very avant-garde for a rapper in 2003 to run around wearing all this preppy stuff and bitching about the time he fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a truck, but to this whole larger audience that doesn't give a shit about rap conventions - in fact, doesn't listen to much rap precisely because of the conventions - it was like, "hey, a preppy emo rapper!" Yeah, it was incredibly avant-garde in the context of the genre, but that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t a pander, or play if you prefer, for a larger pop audience that didn’t care, or even know, what the conventions of hardcore rap were. It’s the sort of thing you could play for your white middle-aged parents – who of course weren’t thinking, “gee, hardcore rapper over kiddie musical, this is kind of pushing the envelope,’ but rather were thinking, “now this is rap even I can like.” The same’s true of Kanye. Very avant-garde for a rapper in 2003 to run around wearing all this preppy stuff and bitching about the time he fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a truck, but to this whole larger audience that doesn’t give a shit about rap conventions – in fact, doesn’t listen to much rap precisely because of the conventions – it was like, “hey, a preppy emo rapper!”

]]> By: douglas martin http://passionweiss.com/2008/08/17/jay-z-can-i-get-a/#comment-27838 douglas martin Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:36:56 +0000 http://passionweiss.com/2008/08/17/jay-z-can-i-get-a/#comment-27838 zeus, you're 100% OTM. "hard knock life" really <i>was</i> avant garde in '98. drew, mad props on comparing it to "springtime for hitler." although it wasn't designed to fail, it's one of those singles that really COULD have failed spectacularly, and the greatest rapper alive could have been just a footnote as "the guy who rapped over that song that sampled orphan annie." this is why "hard knock life" is jay's finest commercial single. zeus, you’re 100% OTM. “hard knock life” really was avant garde in ’98.

drew, mad props on comparing it to “springtime for hitler.” although it wasn’t designed to fail, it’s one of those singles that really COULD have failed spectacularly, and the greatest rapper alive could have been just a footnote as “the guy who rapped over that song that sampled orphan annie.”

this is why “hard knock life” is jay’s finest commercial single.

]]> By: Drewski http://passionweiss.com/2008/08/17/jay-z-can-i-get-a/#comment-27807 Drewski Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:26:13 +0000 http://passionweiss.com/2008/08/17/jay-z-can-i-get-a/#comment-27807 "We look at the song now and we are like that such’s an obvious pop move but back then that was borderline insane to release... 'Hard Knock Life' was avant-garde in ‘98." Absolutely -- I couldn't have said it better. And it's a testament to how weirdly successful it was that the song doesn't strike us as at all strange when we hear it now. I mean, he's dropping lyrics about murdering people right next to a cheery Broadway children's choir. It seems like a joke -- who in their right mind would do something like that? It should have been commercial suicide, and yet it was just the opposite. "Hard Knock Life" is basically Jigga's "Springtime for Hitler." And "Can I Get a..." is definitely an above average pop song, but I have a sort of Pavlovian response to the sound of Ja Rule's voice that instantly puts me in a bad mood.. He's certainly not the worst MC in history or anything, but I just HATE the guy. “We look at the song now and we are like that such’s an obvious pop move but back then that was borderline insane to release… ‘Hard Knock Life’ was avant-garde in ‘98.”

Absolutely — I couldn’t have said it better. And it’s a testament to how weirdly successful it was that the song doesn’t strike us as at all strange when we hear it now. I mean, he’s dropping lyrics about murdering people right next to a cheery Broadway children’s choir. It seems like a joke — who in their right mind would do something like that?

It should have been commercial suicide, and yet it was just the opposite. “Hard Knock Life” is basically Jigga’s “Springtime for Hitler.”

And “Can I Get a…” is definitely an above average pop song, but I have a sort of Pavlovian response to the sound of Ja Rule’s voice that instantly puts me in a bad mood.. He’s certainly not the worst MC in history or anything, but I just HATE the guy.

]]> By: DocZeus http://passionweiss.com/2008/08/17/jay-z-can-i-get-a/#comment-27780 DocZeus Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:48:21 +0000 http://passionweiss.com/2008/08/17/jay-z-can-i-get-a/#comment-27780 "Puff-level pandering… I think it’s sort of a draw between sampling the Police and 70s children’s musicals, but that aside, I honestly prefer No Way Out." What your failing to see is that sampling a Broadway musical like "Annie" was such a left field move for a hardcore rapper in '98 there was a MORE than a decent chance that it would spectacularly fail. There was a 90% chance that record would flop and end his career and a 10% chance it would make him the biggest star on the planet. We look at the song now and we are like that such's an obvious pop move but back then that was borderline insane to release. That's why that song was genius and Jay's best single to date. "Hard Knock Life" was avant-garde in '98. “Puff-level pandering… I think it’s sort of a draw between sampling the Police and 70s children’s musicals, but that aside, I honestly prefer No Way Out.”

What your failing to see is that sampling a Broadway musical like “Annie” was such a left field move for a hardcore rapper in ’98 there was a MORE than a decent chance that it would spectacularly fail. There was a 90% chance that record would flop and end his career and a 10% chance it would make him the biggest star on the planet. We look at the song now and we are like that such’s an obvious pop move but back then that was borderline insane to release. That’s why that song was genius and Jay’s best single to date.

“Hard Knock Life” was avant-garde in ’98.

]]> By: douglas martin http://passionweiss.com/2008/08/17/jay-z-can-i-get-a/#comment-27773 douglas martin Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:54:52 +0000 http://passionweiss.com/2008/08/17/jay-z-can-i-get-a/#comment-27773 yeah, he sampled 70's musicals, but he also sampled the talking heads (again, "it's alright"). "hard knock life," whether people like it or not, is when hov started having MTV on lock. i do think it's one of his finest singles, as well. although my favorite jay single is "streets is watching," it was a little dark for radio. "hard knock life" was a perfect crossover single. <i>volume 2</i>, behind the early (<i>reasonable doubt</i>, of course), mid (<i>blueprint</i>) and late (<i>the black album</i>)-period classics, is my favorite jay record. it's cluttered with guest appearances, but that doesn't diminish the quality of the album. "reservoir dogs" is one of the best posse cuts of the 90's. yeah, he sampled 70′s musicals, but he also sampled the talking heads (again, “it’s alright”). “hard knock life,” whether people like it or not, is when hov started having MTV on lock. i do think it’s one of his finest singles, as well. although my favorite jay single is “streets is watching,” it was a little dark for radio. “hard knock life” was a perfect crossover single.

volume 2, behind the early (reasonable doubt, of course), mid (blueprint) and late (the black album)-period classics, is my favorite jay record. it’s cluttered with guest appearances, but that doesn’t diminish the quality of the album. “reservoir dogs” is one of the best posse cuts of the 90′s.

]]> By: Disco Vietnam http://passionweiss.com/2008/08/17/jay-z-can-i-get-a/#comment-27751 Disco Vietnam Tue, 19 Aug 2008 02:41:41 +0000 http://passionweiss.com/2008/08/17/jay-z-can-i-get-a/#comment-27751 A Week Ago remains his greatest achievement I'm convinced. A Week Ago remains his greatest achievement I’m convinced.

]]> By: Tray http://passionweiss.com/2008/08/17/jay-z-can-i-get-a/#comment-27747 Tray Tue, 19 Aug 2008 02:26:14 +0000 http://passionweiss.com/2008/08/17/jay-z-can-i-get-a/#comment-27747 Puff-level pandering... I think it's sort of a draw between sampling the Police and 70s children's musicals, but that aside, I honestly prefer No Way Out. Better beats, better singles, better guest appearances... and a way worse leading rapper, but I'm not a huge fan of Jay's '98 flow. Puff-level pandering… I think it’s sort of a draw between sampling the Police and 70s children’s musicals, but that aside, I honestly prefer No Way Out. Better beats, better singles, better guest appearances… and a way worse leading rapper, but I’m not a huge fan of Jay’s ’98 flow.

]]> By: DocZeus http://passionweiss.com/2008/08/17/jay-z-can-i-get-a/#comment-27746 DocZeus Tue, 19 Aug 2008 02:21:09 +0000 http://passionweiss.com/2008/08/17/jay-z-can-i-get-a/#comment-27746 "What songs are people skipping on Vol. 2? The first 11 songs (up to “Reservoir Dogs,” I think, which is the shit) are pretty solid." Basically everything that weren't the singles, Resevoir Dogs, and the Intro. "Hand It Down" is the best thing Bleek has ever been involved in...except of course, Garnier Fructis Shampoo. Siiiilky smooth, motherfuckers. “What songs are people skipping on Vol. 2? The first 11 songs (up to “Reservoir Dogs,” I think, which is the shit) are pretty solid.”

Basically everything that weren’t the singles, Resevoir Dogs, and the Intro.

“Hand It Down” is the best thing Bleek has ever been involved in…except of course, Garnier Fructis Shampoo. Siiiilky smooth, motherfuckers.

]]> By: Daniel http://passionweiss.com/2008/08/17/jay-z-can-i-get-a/#comment-27738 Daniel Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:07:33 +0000 http://passionweiss.com/2008/08/17/jay-z-can-i-get-a/#comment-27738 Speaking of "Can I Get A...," there is still like 15-20% of the population that still thinks the song's chorus goes "Can I get a uh-uh" because they've never heard the album version of the song. That always blows me away. What songs are people skipping on Vol. 2? The first 11 songs (up to "Reservoir Dogs," I think, which is the shit) are pretty solid. Speaking of “Can I Get A…,” there is still like 15-20% of the population that still thinks the song’s chorus goes “Can I get a uh-uh” because they’ve never heard the album version of the song. That always blows me away.

What songs are people skipping on Vol. 2? The first 11 songs (up to “Reservoir Dogs,” I think, which is the shit) are pretty solid.

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