A special shout goes out to the legendary hip hop scholar and all around solid cat, Dave “Davey D” Cook, for bringing this incredible flip on the recent collaboration by Kanye West and Jay-Z called ‘Otis’ to our attention. In their version, ‘Ye and Jigga flow effortlessly over an agitated classic soul Otis Redding “Try a Little Tenderness” sample. They definitely go in with super excess and chronic brand drops (e.g. Rolex, Mercedes, G450, etc) and current day ‘swag’ appeal. Yes, we know guys, you’re super rich, ballin, kickin it with models and yes “Jay is chillin’ and ‘Ye is chilling”, but what more could you say?….. A LOT MORE….
Public Enemy leader, Chuck D on the other hand uses the ‘Otis‘ backdrop (see above) to bring light to the current reality based condition impacting the country like high unemployment, education, health care, etc. Bravo Chuck! Bravo! In ‘Know This‘, which, when rapped, sounds very similar to NOTIS or NO OTIS (nudge to Jay-Z and Kanye West), our hood CNN anchorman brings the heat. This makes me remember the days when conscious hip-hop ruled and we looked forward to complementing our book knowledge with some street knowledge. We love and support most of what these two titans have been able to accomplish, but we would welcome a broad-based return to some of the positive themes that hip-hop used to embrace.
While we all know what sells and gets played currently, we also know that these brothers wield significant power and influence and if we all share in the motive to improve our collective condition, then change can (and we hope will) come. The irony to me is that the sample, ‘Try a Little Tenderness‘, is actually what a lot of modern rappers need to do at this time. People out here are hurting and now is not the time to be throwing your wealth up in the collective country’s faces at a time of high unemployment and near economic collapse. Many of the kids who listen to this display of excess go back to small apartments in the projects or the streets, wish of better days, and may even go to bed hungry. How about something to inspire them guys? How about you trying some tenderness?!
Again, thanks Davey D and Chuck!
Chuck D. – Know This
Compare for yourself. Here is the Kanye West/Jay-Z song ‘Otis’:
Otis Redding – Try a Little Tenderness (THE ORIGINAL)
We sure hope this new ‘Watch the Throne’ album has the balance, quality, and variety we so sorely need.
6 comments
With the 24 hour news cycle constantly diverting the conversation away from real issues, it is incredibly comforting to know there are artists out there reminding us of what is important. The way things are going, we need it now more than ever.
Plus, this track totally bumps. Much love.
We totally agree. Chuck did his thing with this song. Timely and well done. Love the low budget video production as well.
the world has be fuck up sorry i mean.. the world has been messed up a very very very long time now, from our communities looking like war zones, to jobs laying off 5000 workers before xmas, if you wanna change things run for office or YOU start in your community and do something “jay z ” worked hard “kanye” work hard.. they should be able to SPEND THERE $$ and express there self in anyway they want too.. why we do this to our people??. why no one is at bill gates front door telling him what to do for the world and tell him what to do with HIS $$ .. Otis is only one song off there up and coming album. they might have some powerful songs on there that inspire people to start business or clean there lives up who knows ?? Clap for them if anything.
We totally applaud when applause is appropriate. Not everyone is perfect and I can imagine when you are living the big life, it can be tough to think outside that bubble. We are not saying they have never said anything positive but we do also feel that this unnecessary flaunting of wealth is out of place in the current economic climate. Just enough already. writer dream hampton agrees http://smokingsection.uproxx.com/TSS/2011/07/rich-nigga-rhetoric-jay-z-and-kanyes-otis-may-be-too-rich-for-you
Gr8 stuff, Soulhead!
It’s amazing to think of how diverse the hip-hop scene was in the late 80s and early 90s. One of the reasons for that was that hip-hop music was not yet big business. It’s amazing that the art form got its rep when artists like Chuck D, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim,Queen Latifah, and others were expanding listener consciousness with their music, but that the money didn’t start flowing until there was a formula (e.g. materialism, violence, misogyny, etc.).
I’m not at all mad at Jay-Z or Kanye West, both of whom occasionally represent with social commentary. But it is disappointing to see them accumulating generational wealth without any real social agenda. I’m just glad Chuck D is still ready to put it down for the people when he’s needed.
Exactly my friend. Exactly. We all know that success brings material wealth, but we just think it is important to have a sense of timing and class about it. Now would be the time for them to be making contributions to the causes that are going without in this economic crisis. How about taking some of that money that is being given to them and give it back in the form of scholarships (to make up for the cuts in federal funding) for deserving youth. I am sure they are making contributions, but why not up those amounts, especially given the fact that the debt compromise wont increase their taxes. Or how about building and funding a school? putting songs out about how to make it legally. Instead of the 10 crack commandments, how about the 10 success criteria? They have the talent to make success cool. not just making the spoils of success cool. Just saying. Thanks so much for your comment.