Social Relevance

Where Is The Love- Black Eyed Peas ft. Justin Timberlake

“Where Is the Love” by the Black Eyed Peas is an R&B song that relates to all of the hate and discrimination that occurs all over the world. It talks about how people these days are living they don’t have any rules and can do whatever they want. The song is also advocating the need for war to stop and the only way to find love is to unify the whole world and stop the violence. I have to agree with the song in saying that too many innocent people are dying these days for no reason. Countries are degrading from bombs being dropped and nations going into the countries and killing innocent lives. There needs to be common ground around the world. However, our troops that want to go into the Army, Navy, etc. should have that option and we can try to eliminate the threats, but leave the innocent people alone. They were dragged into the enemy without choice and are forced to take the blame. Peace and agreements should be tried to resolved by peace more often than they are currently. This is what the song is saying to the listener.

Eminem- Beautiful

“Beautiful” by Eminem is a song every one can relate to in some way. Eminem talks about how he has been through so any tough situations and continues to go through these struggles daily. In the chorus, it says that people should switch shoes with another person to really see how people live and to say the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. The chorus also says even through everything that is happening; do not let anyone say you can’t do something or that you aren’t beautiful. Eminem also says he wishes he could just blend in with everyone and live life normally, which could be what someone being singled out in school is thinking. I really like this song by Eminem because it explains the mind set of someone in a struggle or someone who is a little different and says to just keep being you. No one can tell you that you aren’t beautiful. This is one of Eminem’s serious songs and it is nice to hear how great of a lyrical genius Eminem truly is.

Empire State of Mind- Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys

Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys is a song many people, specifically the people from or in New York. Jay-Z does a great job of talking about how life was when he was just starting his career and the kind of people there. He talks about some of the best parts of New York and all of the great things that have come out of New York. Alicia Keys comes in strong with the chorus and talks about the more ambitious side of New York and the passion people have from there. The lines “New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of there's nothin' you can't do, Now you're in New York, These streets will make you feel brand new, Big lights will inspire you” explain how New York is such a great city and has so much beauty. The whole song is dedicated to New York and many of the people of New York have made it their anthem. I like this song a lot because it is my genre of music, but also with a mix of other types in the chorus. I also like the song because I am a Yankees fan.

4-28-10 OWN LYRICS

I Love High School (To the beat of I Love College)

Chorus:
High school can be fun, friends and teachers, sports and dances
If you want good grades and do all you’re work, you’ll have good chances
Every Monday through Friday, then the summer is on its way
Wake up at 6, have school ‘till 2, talk to some chicks, and then it’s re-do
Man I love high school

Verse 1:

I wanna go to high school and get good grades,
Set me up for college and then I’ll get paid.
Stanford, Harvard, maybe USC
Any of those schools could be the one for me

But back to high school, where the seniors rules,
Pretty soon I’ll be one of them too.
I am champion of multiplication, long division, they just make me yawn

Can’t stand all the drama, about Obama,
I’d just rather relax, chill and eat some Tic Tacs

Class isn’t that bad when you’re in the Mac Lab,
Can’t wait for the summer, then I’m out of here ASAP

Chorus

Verse 2:

I’m not sure what I learned this year, but I could tell you something you wanna hear
You should pass in all of your work, and don’t miss too many days of school
And make sure you do the homework, and make sure everything’s done first
When it comes to tests, you might do you worst
And the next day, you might just burst
But just relax, and try harder next time
Even if you think your teachers are partners in crime

Class isn’t that bad when you’re in the Mac Lab,
Can’t wait for the summer, then I’m out of here ASAP

Chorus


Bridge:

Now every senior please, if you have a cap, could you please put it in the air,
As high as you can, as high as you can
And repeat after me
Grad! (x8)
College! (x4)
Do something crazy! (x4)
All night! (x4)

Chorus

2 Songs with Analysis: Friendship

Nas- Dance


This song by Nas showing love he has for his mother and the great friendship they had when she was alive. He knows that he will never forget her and misses her grateful.

Kanye West- Hey Mama


This is another song by a rapper explaining the love he has for his mother and the special frienship they shared when she was alive. Both songs are great examples of friendship.

2 Songs with Analysis: Joy

Kid Cudi- Pursuit of Happiness

This song by Kid Cudi explains the pursuit of happiness and joy from his perspective. He really explains how Kid Cudi lives life, which is care free and even at the end he says if he doesn't get the happiness, he'll be fine.


The Way I Are- Timbaland

This song is about joy because it says that they don't have all the fancy and rich things other people do but it's okay they still love each other.

2 Songs with Analysis: Religion

Religion

Immortal Technique- Crossing The Boundary

The first verse has the most about religion and it is stating his view that people are saying what he does is against the Bible and other moral things. In the third and final verse he mentions Christ on the Cross then says the rap isn't about that which shows he doesn't care much for religion.


Kanye West- Jesus Walks

Kanye sends a very strong message in this repeating over that Jesus is always with people, even those that do terrible things. He also says that people can make songs about drugs and other bad things like that but a record about God won't be played and that's wrong.

6 Types of Songs

1. Friendship- Nas: Dance
2. Joy- Kid Cudi: Pursuit of Happiness
3. Comfort- T.I.: Whatever You Like
4. Knowledge- Eminem: Till I Collapse
5. Religion- Kanye West: Jesus Walks
6. Love- Kanye West: Love Lockdown

Allusion, Ambiguity, Allegory

Allusion- Kanye West- Good Life

"50 told me go 'head switch the style up
And if they hate then let 'em hate
And watch the money pile up"

Kanye refers to another song by 50 Cent where 50 Cent has these lyrics in his song. Kanye uses them in his song to add to it.

Ambiguity- Kanye West- Bad News

"People will talk
Like its old news
I played it off and act like i already knew
Let me ask you
how long have you known too"

These lines leave the listener wondering what Kanye is singing about because "bad news" is not very specific.

Allegory- Immortal Technique- Internally Bleeding

The whole song is about a persons horrific life events that are symbolic for bad things happening nationally

Metaphor

Eminem- Crazy In Love

"You're the ink to my paper
Where my pen is to my pad"

Here he is comparing the relationship he has with a girl like the relationship that a piece of paper has with ink.

Nas- I Gave You Power

"My body is cold steel for real"

He is comparing his cold and rigid body to steel without using like or as

Personification

Best I Ever Had- Drake

"And she a patient in my waiting room
Never pay attention to them rumors and what they assume"

Rumors are not actual things that can assume something.

Kanye West- All Falls Down

"That's why you always see me with at least one of my watches
Rollies and Pasha's done drove me crazy"

Rollies and Pashas in this being inanimate objects, cannot possibly drive him crazy because they are not living. Only something living like a person could intentionally drive him crazy

Paradox

LL Cool J- Around The Way Girl

"I want a girl with extensions in her hair
Bamboo earrings
At least two pair
A Fendi bag and a bad attitude
That's all I need to get me in a good mood"

LL says that a bad attitude from his girlfriend will put him in a good mood which is contradictory.

Similes

You- Lloyd ft. Lil Wayne

"so women come frequent like flight mileage"
"you know i love you like good food"
"you know you give good ***** like
you graduated from a good school"

Beautiful- Akon

"Like the clouds you
Drift me away, far away, yeah
And like the sun you
Brighten the day, you brighten my day, yeah"
"And you livin' in the fast lane, eyes like an angel"
"but more like a Princess"

Point Of View Examples

Love Lockdown- Kanye West: First person

One Wish- Ray J: First Person

Hip Hop Saved My Life- Lupe Fiasco: Third Person

'03 Bonnie and Clyde- Jay Z and Beyonce: Multiple Person

2 Euphemisms

Lollipop- Lil Wayne

This song is obviously more about lust than love but still relates to my theme. The euphemism is strictly sexual and takes after numerous songs from this genre, being about lust.


Doin' It- LL Cool J

This is another euphemism for sex. This is very easy to find in hip hop and rap. Lust is more dominant than love in the lyrics but again, they relate slightly.