Disapointments
First off, I stayed up WAY too late watching the Pistons blow it in overtime last night… that was on beyond annoying. They should NEVER leave Horry open for a three… I don’t care if he’s taking jump shots in his driveway; I want Prince or Wallace putting a hand in his face.
Secondly… When I first saw the ad for Kanye West’s new single, “Diamonds from Sierra Leone”, the first thing I thought was Finally! Finally someone will address the brutality and exploitation of the diamond trade and the hypocrisy that is an iced-out MC. I really think Kanye would have been the perfect spokesperson against child labor diamonds as he is visible enough to get a message on the radio (it took guts to release “Jesus Walks” as a single), and yet I thought he was talented enough to get the message across with one of his trademark hooks… but not so much. I first heard the single about three weeks ago and I seriously didn’t think this was the song that I had been waiting for, even though it was obvious from the chorus (“Diamonds are forever, forever…). The lyrics about the atrocities were not there... it was the typical, "everybody doubted me, but I made it, bet they feel bad, I won a Grammy, now put your diamonds in the sky". I was shocked, and disappointed. He had a chance to really say something important and instead he copped out with your typical "I'm great, look at me" masturbatory track.
It all came together this morning when I saw the video… yep… this was the song… and he copped out again in the video. Instead of actually addressing the atrocities associated with the diamond trade, he glosses over it with a half hearted allusion to child labor before going into his own James Bond fantasy. Very disappointing… where is Chuck D when you need him? I commend him for at least bringing some attention to the subject through the title of the song, but when you don't mention the issues lyrically, it is a waste.
“I wouldn’t have to go on this tirade/if MC's would start rockin’ the Fair Trade” -- DJ JAYded
Something Old, Something New Playlist
“This Way” – Dilated Peoples feat Kanye West
“Oh My God” – Kaiser Chiefs
“Galang” – M.I.A.
“Daft Punk is Playing at My House” – LCD Soundsystem
“Banquet” – Bloc Party
“Teach Me How to Fight” – Junior Boys
“Los Angeles” – Frank Black (I can’t get it out of my head this morning)
Secondly… When I first saw the ad for Kanye West’s new single, “Diamonds from Sierra Leone”, the first thing I thought was Finally! Finally someone will address the brutality and exploitation of the diamond trade and the hypocrisy that is an iced-out MC. I really think Kanye would have been the perfect spokesperson against child labor diamonds as he is visible enough to get a message on the radio (it took guts to release “Jesus Walks” as a single), and yet I thought he was talented enough to get the message across with one of his trademark hooks… but not so much. I first heard the single about three weeks ago and I seriously didn’t think this was the song that I had been waiting for, even though it was obvious from the chorus (“Diamonds are forever, forever…). The lyrics about the atrocities were not there... it was the typical, "everybody doubted me, but I made it, bet they feel bad, I won a Grammy, now put your diamonds in the sky". I was shocked, and disappointed. He had a chance to really say something important and instead he copped out with your typical "I'm great, look at me" masturbatory track.
It all came together this morning when I saw the video… yep… this was the song… and he copped out again in the video. Instead of actually addressing the atrocities associated with the diamond trade, he glosses over it with a half hearted allusion to child labor before going into his own James Bond fantasy. Very disappointing… where is Chuck D when you need him? I commend him for at least bringing some attention to the subject through the title of the song, but when you don't mention the issues lyrically, it is a waste.
“I wouldn’t have to go on this tirade/if MC's would start rockin’ the Fair Trade” -- DJ JAYded
Something Old, Something New Playlist
“This Way” – Dilated Peoples feat Kanye West
“Oh My God” – Kaiser Chiefs
“Galang” – M.I.A.
“Daft Punk is Playing at My House” – LCD Soundsystem
“Banquet” – Bloc Party
“Teach Me How to Fight” – Junior Boys
“Los Angeles” – Frank Black (I can’t get it out of my head this morning)
posted by Jay at 8:42 AM
4 Comments:
Never saw the video but I agree with you about the song. Yikes. AND, ha ha! It turned you into me! Nice diamond tirade.
Yeah... I need to stop spending so much time with you :)
I just saw heard the song and saw the Kanye West video for the first time. I'd heard that it was about blood diamonds and I got really excited thinking that Kanye had really come into his own and moved to a new plateau of hip-hop where REAL issues can be addressed by commercial artists and not just underground and low key folks. I'm grossly disappointed. He really messed up. He had a prime opportunity to bring an important issue to light and fumbled the ball. I like Kanye as an artist, but I'm really disappointed this time. So so sad.
Hope you don't mind - I posted a link on my blog about your blog - cause I had similar thoughts on the Kanye issue.
http://dancewithme.myblogsite.com/blog
-One
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