Didn't find the “G thing” very appealing

 Rap is still a pretty small world for me. I've branch beyond just liking one or two songs but my favorite artists focus on more alternative genres that add rap and hip hop elements into their mix. Hoping to expand my knowledge and hopefully my appreciation of rap I decided to listen to Dr. Dre's 1992 release”The Chronic. This album has often been called a “game changer” and an “essential” for Dre's introduction of the G funk style. It was also said to glorify the gangster life style. My memories of this album come from hearing it boom out of low riders as they cruised up and down my street it the mid 90's.

My reaction was not “man it feels good to be a gangsta”. I admit that songs like “Let me ride” and “Nothin' but a G thing” are fun, catchy songs but, most of the album is in the vain of “Rat-tat-tat-tat's” “never afraid to put a n@#$%^ on his back”. Most telling is the second verse to “Lil ghetto boy” where he talks about getting out on parole and getting shot. The humorous skits were more childish then funny. Over all the album hard a harsh, mean tone that I didn't find to be much fun. I guess gangster rap is just outside of my tastes.

 

“The poetry is so pure when we are on the floor together” Gnarls Barkley

Last week in honor of Valentine’s day I have posted a play list of my favorite love songs on face book. The list consisted of: Gnarls Barkley's “Last time”, Alanis Morsette's “Head over feet” and Jim Croce's “I'll have to say I love you in a song”. It had got me thinking as to what made these songs my favorite.

Mainly, the common tread is the conversational tone that each song is written in. Each is like a poetic excerpt from an actual talk between a couple. The second person pronouns like “I”, “you” and “we” conveys a very personal feel. There's also an appeal to each songs simple, genuine phrases like “what I've got to say can't wait, I know you'd understand” or “you're so much braver then I give you credit for”. They make the story sound real even if the context my be sensationalized.

For a love song to work, it has to be personal and intimate. If it's gonna tug on your heart strings, it has to feel real. That's the word that sums up my favorite love songs; real.  

Imagine me Emu

"Imagine me Emu, Emu and me, so happy together" Happy together(slightly altered) from the Turtles

 Taking off work early to go to the zoo in the middle of winter is a unique experience. It's mainly that there is nobody else there. An empty park has the draw back of having no one to talk to about what you seeing and none of the side attractions, like snack shacks and tour guides, that your use to seeing. What it offers, however, is some of the animals paying as much attention to you as you are to them.

 The Emu's were the most active as I approached their enclosure. A pair of the world's second largest birds fallowing me around is an odd type of fun. Sadly, my poor photography skills lead to pictures of fence posts, not birds. All the problems I had with the camera I borrowed  lead to me missing the best photo opp I day all day in the giraffe house.

 The high light of my day was walking into the giraffe enclosure and meeting Billy whom happens to be the tallest living creature in north america. He approached the window I was at and began rubbing his head against the plexiglass. Seeing an animal with a head the size of my upper body mere inches away was a humbling and awesome moment.

 I'd like to think of myself as Tarzan or the Jungle Book's Mowgli living and playing with these animals. It doesn't happen much on a day to day basis so these zoo moments are special.