The Rhymes, They Are A-Changin'

Nick Gillespie | February 20, 2005

If rock 'n' roll, the sounds of Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane and Creedence Clearwater Revival, was the music of American service members in Vietnam, rap may become the defining pulse for the war in Iraq. It has emerged as a rare realm where soldiers and marines, hardly known for talking about their feelings, are voicing the full range of their emotions and reactions to war. They rap about their resentment of the military hierarchy. But they also rap about their pride, their invincibility, their fallen brothers, their disdain for the enemy and their determination to succeed.

That's from a NY Times story about how rap has emerged as the soundtrack of Gulf War 2, in terms of what soldiers listen to and what they perform themselves. Perhaps the most interesting aside in the story is this:

As for the soldiers, some say the war has helped break down whatever barriers of race or taste there may have been before among the troops on questions of music. Rap, country, metal - it's all Iraq.

"I guess I don't even see the difference between rap and country anymore, except the beat," said Specialist Richmond Shaw, 21, who grew up in Pontiac, Mich., and wrote jarring raps in Iraq. "We're talking about the same things. We're all out here in the middle of this oven. There's nothing going on. It's desolate. We're basically stuck. Dirty, dusty, windy, blowing, miserable."

Whole thing here (reg. req.).

Comments

Franklin Harris|2.20.05 @ 10:23AM|#

In other words, when they finally make movies about this war, I won't be buying any soundtracks.

Warren|2.20.05 @ 10:34AM|#

They rap about their resentment of the military hierarchy. But they also rap about their pride, their invincibility, their fallen brothers, their disdain for the enemy and their determination to succeed.

Horseshit. 90% of the time they're rapping about sex. Because I'm over 40, that disgusts me. But the truth is, these horny instruments of death and destruction are no different from the poor bastards that fought and died for the ambitions of any other generation's political leaders.

|2.20.05 @ 11:27AM|#

Because I'm over 40, that disgusts me.

Are you offended by the rapping or the sex?

|2.20.05 @ 12:33PM|#

Great, now we're going to get another round of Bring Back The Draft Because It Will Unite The Country Through Pointless Common Suffering.

|2.20.05 @ 12:34PM|#

Horseshit. 90% of the time they're rapping about sex.

I avoided the "pinups." Best out of mind what is out of reach.

Because I'm over 40, that disgusts me. But the truth is, these horny instruments of death and destruction are no different from the poor bastards that fought and died for the ambitions of any other generation's political leaders.

A bitching GI is a happy GI. Nothing new other than the civilians now on the earhorn.

Well, one thing "new" is that these are volunteers.

Warren|2.20.05 @ 1:20PM|#

Are you offended by the rapping or the sex?

Heh, both I guess. It's a geezer thing (These kids today, dagnabbit!).

I've never been able to embrace rap because it eschews melody. Even when (and it's rare) I can be persuaded the word play is crafted, it's still just a nice frame with no picture. I don't buy any of the 'powerful and relevant' accolades either. I don't find anything praise worthy in unabashed narcissism, vulgarity and generally exhausting the basest of human propensities.

As for the sex, at this point I'm just tired of having it constantly thrown in my face. The young always think they are shocking their elders by flaunting sexuality (I know I did). But what they never seem to grasp is that we were young once too. We are no so much shocked, as we cringe over how poorly they understand the fire they are playing with. One wants to say "There is so much more to life than sex, don't squander so much time and effort on it. You are yet young and the opportunities now available to you will soon pass. Explore your sexuality with small steps and in private. Your mastery in the bedroom isn't nearly what you think it is. There is so much you don't understand, your approach is unsophisitcated." and so on. Of course, one can remember what they themselves thought when the fogies said similar things to us back in the day, so you know there's no point. All you can do is cringe and shake your head.

|2.20.05 @ 1:32PM|#

Here's part of Slim Shady's take on the war in Iraq:

Let the president answer a higher anarchy
Strap him with an Ak-47, let him go, fight his own war
Let him impress daddy that way
No more blood for oil, we got our own battles to fight on our own soil
No more psychological warfare, to trick us to thinking that we ain't loyal
If we don't serve our own country, we're patronizing a hero
Look in his eyes its all lies
The stars and stripes, they've been swiped, washed out and wiped
And replaced with his own face, Mosh now or die

|2.20.05 @ 1:35PM|#

Warren,

I am so old. I know exactly what you're saying. I try to make allowances for what works for the next generation. I had to wear stupid clothes and listen to shitty music to weasel my into the promised land.

|2.20.05 @ 1:38PM|#

To weasel my way into the promised land.

|2.20.05 @ 1:50PM|#

The young always think they are shocking their elders by flaunting sexuality (I know I did).

You forget, Warren, that it's your geezer peers that run MTV and shove sex in your face, because they've realized what brings in the cash.

Speaking as someone who still flips through Maxim with more hope than regret, I've noticed a near complete convergence between Boomer philosophy and mainstream rap, which I would sum up thusly:

Keep your mind on your money and your money on your mind, cause bitches ain't shit, especially when you're old.

|2.20.05 @ 2:12PM|#

thoreau (and MM) --

Heavy, man.

Jeff|2.20.05 @ 2:27PM|#

Somewhere in Iraq there's a soldier listening to polka on his iPod...

|2.20.05 @ 3:17PM|#

I'm looking forward to the Johnny Cash/Korn/Outkast mashup.

Mark Draughn|2.20.05 @ 5:33PM|#

I don't find anything praise worthy in unabashed narcissism, vulgarity and generally exhausting the basest of human propensities.

Speaking as a 40-something white guy, there's a more to rap than that. Kanye West has some genuinely uplifting stuff, and Will Smith's rap is pretty clean and non-violent. Black Eyed Peas have a nice sound and their lyrics are amusing. Some of these rappers won't get you a lot of respect from the gangsta rap fans, but I'm not listening to it just to be cool like the kids these days. Rap has grown and spread out into lots of different types of sound, from mournful dirges to peppy tunes that sound like they're from some hip Broadway musical.

|2.20.05 @ 8:41PM|#

"As for the soldiers, some say the war has helped break down whatever barriers of race or taste there may have been before among the troops on questions of music." [emphasis added]

An antiwar argument I hadn't considered: War spreads rap!

|2.21.05 @ 12:40AM|#

I prefer positive Christian rap.

|2.21.05 @ 4:55PM|#

I like Eminem's CD "The Eminem Show" and the "8 Mile," soundtrack. A couple of the tracks make me cringe, but for the most part it hasn't affected me negatively in any way, you punk bitches.