ith the recent legal problems of rappers Snoop Doggy Dogg, Tupoc Shakur and Public Enemy’s Flavor Flay, rap is once again under intense scrutiny. The primary target has been the genre’s most contemptible breed, gangsta rap, the hardest of the hardcore, portraying urban gang life without a trace of compassion. Coincidentally, with the immense sales of Dr. Dre's The Chronic (now being referred to as the Nevermind of gangsta rap) and the current top five positions of new releases from Snoop Doggy Dogg and Ice Cube, gangsta rap is-selling bigger than ever.

Those wishing to simply wipe gangsta rap out of existence can be too easily dismissed as attempting to silence an already oppressed community. Unlike gang-life films such as Menace Il Society and Boyz N the Hood, which are heavily moralistic, gangsta rap displays nary a trace of conscience. Gangsta rap clearly depicts the morally bankrupt minds that keep the community's murderous wheels turning; for that, the form must at least be of anthropological interest. Rap is undoubtedly the freest forum of exchange for this group of people, and, warts and all, I'll defend its existence; however, the more persuasive argument is “who gets to hear this stuff?” As it is now, though some albums now feature parental advisory stickers, there’s nothing stopping your twelve-year-old brother from heading to the nearest department store and picking = Ra

this stuff?’’

Ser oy sou

by +1

monster-selling rappers Snoop Doggy Dogg and Ice Cube, the argument may be well- founded.

| haven't paid much attention to rap since 1990 or so--it seems to be creatively brain-dead to me. Even “fresh” acts like Arrested Development (see De La Soul) seemed old-hat to me. Recent hits like “Whoomp! (There it is),” “Slam” and “Insane in the Brain” (great title) made me wanna smack somebody. | now view it all

2 erguson

-saLvation---

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Injection (1) sounds much the same as Doggystyle, heavily Clinton-influenced, but it’s actually considerably worse, rumbling along without a trace of imagination. The opening scenario, with Ice Cube playing a doctor, sure is a hoot, though: Ice Cube: Yo, what’s up? White Guy [speaking in a voice that makes it very clear he is a white guy]: Hi, how ya doin’? Ice Cube: Let’s see what we got here... Mr White, huh? White Guy: Yes sir, that’s me. Ice Cube: | heard you don’t like shots too much, : White Guy: No, | sure don’t. Ice Cube: Ah, you're a big boy—this won't hurt a bit. Just turn your head... rub some alcohol on there for ya... and, uh, brace yourself. [gunshot] Har, har. Musically, | found both albums a very difficult listen. With both | found myself listening in very small doses, as it would seem sentient beings may have a hard time handling the stuff. I'd rather listen to planes land, actually. Though there are flashes of compassion and even regret on both albums, the flaws render the whole pretty much contemptible. Gangsta rappers’ cries of freedom of artistic expression are really a hoax: gangsta rap is cashing in on the public's ever-increasing appetite for sex and violence; this is pure voyeurism. The difference with gangsta rap is that it’s real, and the concept of a community whose artists can’t even muster a little compassion

is undoubtedly the freest forum of exchange for this group f| people, and, warts and all, I’11 defend its existence; Oowever, the more persuasive argument is ‘ ‘who gets to hear

| Philadelphia Music From the Motion Picture (Sony) Ghostly, mournful and skeletal, the Philadelphia soundtrack (3) is, if nothing else, an aesthetic | success, considering the | subject matter of the film. | But what it has in coherence of mood, it lacks in coherence of | artists. The likes of Bruce | Springsteen, Peter Gabriel | and Neil Young make sense | together, but the rest of | the album is made up of | Oddities: Sade whispers | Sweet nothings in your ear; Spin Doctors contribute a

superficial reading of CCR's

| “Have You Ever Seen the Rain;” Neil Young whines a

pretty tune, but his delivery is as pathetic as a wet cat. Classical and opera tracks also obstruct the album’s generally tense, rhythmic flow.

| Nonetheless, Springsteen and

| Gabriel give resonant

up Snoop Doggy Dogg's Doggystyle. “Cuz she ain’t nuthin’ but a bitch ta me/And ya know the bitches ain’t shit to me” could be rattling around in his empty little skull right beside his high-score on Zelda. The Proposal that albums be classified just as films are is becoming increasingly popular, and judging by the latest releases from

like an old codger: Snoop Doggy Dogg? Just saying it makes me feel ridiculous. Recent gangsta rap is now being referred to as something new and exciting, but it's actually just Parliament; George Clinton seems to have replaced James Brown as rap’s granddaddy. Snoop Doggy Dogg's Doggystyle (1) is heavily Clinton derived: loads of chants, high-pitched synthesizers, tons of bass. The music itself is moderately funky, but Doggystyle’s title is fairly indicative of the kind of wit within. The guy is an astounding misogynist: “When | met you last night, baby/Before you opened your gap/I had respect for ya, baby/But | take it all back/Cuz you gave me all your pussy/And you even licked my balls.” Marvin Gaye he ain't.

Ice Cube’s stupidity is less excusable since he’s been around

for a while, being one of the

Excerpts from the booklet of Snoop | founding members of NWA Doggy Dogg's Doggystyle | (Niggaz With Attitudes). Lethal

| x.press january twenty-fifth 1994 eee 388] At cede

obviously frightens a lot of people. Until gangsta rap eliminates some of its more reprehensible traits, though, (the sexism, the gun craziness, the relentless profanity) it will never be regarded as anything other than exploitative schlock. And while I'll scream from the highest mountaintop for

their right to be idiots--they’re still idiots. . No Aitbsigieine

Various Artists

(BMG)

The third in the Red Hot series (Red Hot and Dance, and Red Hot and Blue) of compilation

| albums recorded to AIDS

| awareness. This one is obviously a

| collection of alternative songs.

| Ranging from the rap rhymes of the

| Beastie Boys remix of “The New

| Style” to the harder sounds of

| Smashing Pumpkins “Glynnis”.

| Other artists include Sarah MacLachan, Buffalo Tom, and Soul

Asylum. (3.5)

—Scott MacDonald

BEEN TCH, TF Yb . T NO KINOK ee YO PURE

pe !

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