N.O. Hip Hop Post Katrina
(go directly to the last paragraph to skip my boring essay and check out some post-katrina rap tunes)
New Orleans rap is one of my favorite artforms. I’m not joking. Hot 104.5 gets just as much airtime in my car as WTIX. I watch Phat Phat and All That (Cox channel 10, Friday & Saturday nights) religiously and with great enthusiasm. Pre-Katrina there were two great shows on channel 77, The Mixtape Show and All Good in the Hood that took the amateur awesomeness of cable access programming to a new level. These shows were my favorite, as they featured up and coming talent from around the N.O. area, the former featuring live performances exclusively. The set was the standard two ficus trees in front of a black velvet curtain. The performers sang over their own demo tapes into cheap microphones, which were either so loud it was horribly distorted, so quiet that you could barely hear anything, or broken.
Lots of people look at me funny when I admit my love for such unpolished, abrasive rubbish. NOLA rap and bounce music is great to me because it’s very uniquely New Orleans. The music has a distinct sound and very often contains lyrical reference points that would be meaningless to anyone not from the city. This makes the music more personal to me and suggests that it is first and foremost a form of self expression rather than an attempt to make money or break into the mainstream. I like that. Even more important to me is that the local rap scene as a whole is very PUNK ROCK in its approach to recording, distribution, promotion, etc. Local “studios” are generally someone’s garage or living room, as are the headquarters for many a local record label (including Cash Money and No Limit in their beginnings). It is an entirely grass roots, home grown industry which has had some mainstream success, but remains largely underground and independent. I’m a longtime fan of punk rock’s low production values and DIY mentality, so this is equally fascinating to me. Most cities do not have such an active hip hop scene with so many outlets for its artists.
I speak of the N.O. hip hop scene in the present tense, which is a pretty inaccurate assessment. But I do so in hope and faith that one day this music will make a comeback here. It was the only music going on in the city that actually represented the city.
HOWEVER; there are signs of life. Juvenile has an upcoming album and just released an AMAZING music video (watch on YouTube here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=J9kZLKxDJjY). Rarely are rap videos this meaningful and astute. Shot in the Lower 9th Ward, It’s a provocative and beautiful criticism of our post-Katrina lack of leadership. To settle all arguments ahead of time, yes, the song advocates spending FEMA checks on cocaine, then making crack, then selling said crack on the street. I’m not here to judge. B.G. aka B Gizzle has a song out called “Move Around” that’s partially about the evacuee lifestyle (and features the great chorus “I’m from the ghetto homey / I was raised on bread and bologna”). It gets frequent airplay on 104.5 FM. But my favorite Katrina song so far is a five minute expletive laced bounce anthem by Fifth Ward Weebie, entitled “Fuck Katrina.” The lyrics are universally appreciable by New Orleanians, joyfully referring to experiences shared by many of us, such as standing in line for Red Cross assistance, spending FEMA checks on frivolous items, getting on food stamps, and impatiently waiting for that “second check for $2,300.” Listen to it here. Hope you enjoy these, and if you don’t, and wish to leave a comment here reprimanding my lack of morality and wrongness for loving this “ghetto trash,” save your energy, uptight assholes.
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chris, thanks for posting that. the juvenile video is pretty intense. it’ll be interesting to see in the coming months how much more post-katrina-rap (and other post-k music) surfaces…
Chris,
I think it’d be most appropriate for folks to get a hold of some of these tunes and BLAST them on their stereos tomorrow in protest when Mr. Bush comes to New Orleans to “survey the damage” and offer his pitiful condolences. Not only is he partly responsible for the devastation, but he’s all for Dubai “taking over” the New Orleans port. Yet he expects people there to believe that he gives a damn about them and think a visit will prove that?! How insulting.
He’s owes the people of New Orleans a hell of a lot more than a visit and more empty platitutes, and I hope to God that the people there protest the hell out him tomorrow and let him know exactly how they feel about him.
-C
I’ve always shared a love for those cable access shows…
I remember several years ago Fifth Ward Weebie doing his thing on camera with a mic in front of a red curtain - zero production value - just him with a mic in front of a curtain.
The effect is so intimate - like you’re hanging out in the guys bedroom just listening to what he’d he doing if you weren’t there anyway.
He will, indeed, make you shake it like a dog.
Hey, I spotted a review of Juvenile’s new cd in the Washington Post today that was interesting.
The parents didn’t find the video quite as remarkable as I did. Such is the way of the old, I guess… Keep posting about the music and cable access shows, mister.
Hi, I’m a grad student at LSU working on a project about language and culure in Louisiana, including a section about blogs and Post-Katrina life. I would like to use some of the postings to this site, which I would keep anonymous (i.e. change names and not give the web address). If you have strong feelings about this, please let me know 1) if you DO NOT want me to use your postings, or 2) if you DO want me to give your name and full credit in the final published version. In either case, or for further information about my project, feel free to send me an email at khorwi1@lsu.edu.
In any case, I’ve enjoyed reading your postings!
Thanks!
KH
neworleans is the best of both worlds no baby cant touch us cause we is the best
One of the best things about New Orleans is, if life (or our politicians) give us lemons, we laugh about it. Or we sing about it. Or we make a play about it. It doesn’t matter. Whatever it is, it gives rise to a feeling that we can get over the worst, no matter how bad. I am OK with the rap, but would love to hear some more funky Katrina cuts….maybe the Funky Meters will do one..who knows?
F Katrina was created about 2 weeks after astrodome residents started recieving financial help
I just want to say that new orleans will be standing bigger and better and we will be getting down like we use to be .all i know is that when i get there i’m gon’ tear it down ya heard me .they said that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This track is hot…Congrat’s to juve for getting on the #1 spot on billboard (hope he stays there for a while) and to C-murder for getting out of jail…for now….New Orleans rap is going to be doing some really exciting things in the near future. Cheers.
i thinks its good we coming together and the whole katrina thing has more people speaking out then it did before and i’m one to say we will be back bigger and badder than ever N.O. 4-sho and 4-eva thnx!!!!!!
can somebody please send me the katrina song lyrics pimpette79974@yahoo.com please