Grumpy

What can I say but that this new era sucks. Thinking about ATLiens in light of the Jay-Z review got me really in the mood for that album so I’ve been bumping it for a few days. It occured to me what an ode to car culture that album that album is. From “Two Dope Boys in a Cadillac” to the “strip on vogues, slamming Cadillac doorz” hook of “Elevators” and the automobile centric first verse of “Decatur Psalm,” these boys know and love their autos. Yet, at no point is this Caddy love gratuitous. “Two Dope Boys” is totally descriptive of the people Outkast are at the time; herb smoking, girl pulling Big Boi and rhyme slanging, hater schooling Andre. The “Elevators” hook acts as mood setter and metaphor for Outkast’s come up story as rappers breaking into the industry. And if you ain’t heard the storytelling wizardy of Kast and their affiliates on “Decatur Psalm,” don’t you dare call yourself a fan. I can’t cut any part of Cool Breeze’s first verse out so just check out the lyrics here.

Now take all that and compare it with Rich Boy’s “Throw Some D’s.” I actually kind like this track. The tinking piano, propelling strings production is hot and Rich Boy has some facility with words, dropping them fast, clipped and short. The hook suggests something like Outkast’s come up anthem and sounds grandiose and ambitious enough. But check this section of the first verse:

new money motha fucka don’t you see da tail
light don’t you see da big chain don’t
you da big rims wonda who dey hatin’ on lately
baby its him Candy paint, gator skin
seats call me Dun Dee,up in yo ‘hood im da fucka
dat you wanna be niggas wish
dey could feel da wood in my H3 ridin’ wit no tint

Who the hell made it acceptable to waste so much of your verse describing shit you ain’t got and I know you ain’t got that doesn’t do anything to tell a story, make any real point or move the listener in any way. Thing is, this song is the hotness in the streets now, getting spins and interviews for the kid from Alabama with the ridiculous screwface. This is what an up and comer looks like in 2006 and it ain’t pretty.

Rich Boy – Throw Some D’s

Outkast – Decatur Psalm

Outkast – Elevators