I was watching the Video Music Awards a few moments ago with my 13-year old who inexplicably *loves* hip hop music. Anytime she’s in the car with me, it’s a battle over the radio. She likes to hear the sometimes shrill, barely understandable lyrics of bump and grind, finger on the trigger, sexist, thug-related, shorty noise. Me? I much prefer listening to how the Mississippi moon keeps on shining on me or to Dream on, dream on, Dream until your dream come true. Or I like having the radio off so I can instead have a conversation with my daughter.
While I find sound of hip-hop music unpleasant, the look of hip-hoppers is something else entirely. That young men wear baggy pants and grills seems goofy, but grabbing at their privates is just yuckity yuck yuck. I’d lay the blame on their parents for not beating the living daylights out of them, but I can’t stop my own daughter from being all ga-ga over it all, so I’m no better.
This genre of hip-hop music is the first time I have firmly felt the true chasm of the generation gap. My parents didn’t particularly like my choices in music which was surprising since THEY were the first generation of rock ‘n’ roll (once upon a time my Mom liked Elvis and they danced to Chantilly Lace and Harbor Lights). Although my Dad enjoyed some ELO, both my parents should’ve liked Elton John, Kansas, Styx, and yes even Led Zeppelin.
Bottom line, the music of my generation was darn good. It had a melody, we could understand what they were singing (except for Bismillah! in Bohemian Rhapsody which I now understand means "In the name of God, most Gracious, most Compassionate" or "By means of the very essence of God"). The music I liked wasn’t about degrading women and killing each other. It was about fighting evil and social injustices.
I guess it all goes to the fact that we all want to be different from our parents. My kid has to find another way to express her rebellion and since me and my peers have already cornered the market on the COOLEST generation of music ever, her choices are limited.
Add to:
In hindsight, my parents tried to limit the music I listened to in my growing up years (80s and 90s) to ones without sexual reference. But what was funny was, at 13, I didn't get the sexual references like my parents did! I just liked the groove and what friends thought of it. Case in point: George Michael 'Faith' which nearly made my mama explode!
Posted by: Ariana | September 8th, 2008 7:53 am |