she makes a reference to not liking mainstream rappers in 'l.e.s. artistes'. could this song possibly be directed toward the same group of people? my other thought is maybe it's directed to people she experienced throughtout her life in philadelphia.
No, i think she's talking to her white audience -- after all, she's a hipster rapper -- and saying that she and her thugs gotta live gangsta just to get by.
No, i think she's talking to her white audience -- after all, she's a hipster rapper -- and saying that she and her thugs gotta live gangsta just to get by.
"So if you know another way you can't look the other way" saying that her white audience is concerned for Santogold and the hoodlums she is hanging out with
"So if you know another way you can't look the other way" saying that her white audience is concerned for Santogold and the hoodlums she is hanging out with
"if you know another way, tell them so right to their face." If you know another (better) way for us to live, tell us straight-up. But you won't cuz you're white and scared shitless of us. And plus there is no other way, obviously.
Then she tells her white audience that she and her crew think they're "a joke" and that their hope is naive. This is echoed by spank rock's "you counting poor folks on the train with your hands out".
Basically, I don't really think Santogold is hood at all, cuz this is as coldly and esthetically perfect executed pop-album as I have ever seen. And really everything about her makes me think she is making her material from the point of view of someone who just KNOWS what will become popular. And secondly I really doubt that thugs and gangstas take such great offense at white people who actually have HIGHER expectations for them. Maybe a little offense, but nothing worth writing home about. After all, for many people, it is just a temporary thing.
"I hear them all say
that I got heart
but not everything that it takes"
This part's really funny cuz, guess what Santi White? Looks like you've been pretty successful since like... (looks up on wikipedia)... at least 1999. And often as a producer, no less. And now your talking like you're some young upstart, because everyone knows that young upstarts MADE hip-hop. (im not sayin that young upstarts actually CREATED hip-hop (likely they did, but maybe they didn't); im saying everyone KNOWS young upstarts made hip-hop)
(Reading further through the wikipedia article) And when Santogold complains about how critics are labeling her as hip-hop & R&B just because she's black, she has a very good point (fuck you, racist critics!), but at the same time, she is half rapping in this song and she's utilizing hip-hop cliches regularly in her lyrics so stupid hack critics just writing to make a living, without a clue about music, are liable to get confused.
All that said it's a good beat but I perfer Say Aha... but I may have a weakness for upbeat, summery tunes
best beat on the album.
she makes a reference to not liking mainstream rappers in 'l.e.s. artistes'. could this song possibly be directed toward the same group of people? my other thought is maybe it's directed to people she experienced throughtout her life in philadelphia.
No, i think she's talking to her white audience -- after all, she's a hipster rapper -- and saying that she and her thugs gotta live gangsta just to get by.
No, i think she's talking to her white audience -- after all, she's a hipster rapper -- and saying that she and her thugs gotta live gangsta just to get by.
"So if you know another way you can't look the other way" saying that her white audience is concerned for Santogold and the hoodlums she is hanging out with
"So if you know another way you can't look the other way" saying that her white audience is concerned for Santogold and the hoodlums she is hanging out with
"if you know another way, tell them so right to their face." If you know another (better) way for us to live, tell us straight-up. But you won't cuz you're white and scared shitless of us. And plus there is no other way, obviously.
Then she tells her white audience that she and her crew think they're "a joke" and that their hope is naive. This is echoed by spank rock's "you counting poor folks on the train with your hands out".
Basically, I don't really think Santogold is hood at all, cuz this is as coldly and esthetically perfect executed pop-album as I have ever seen. And really everything about her makes me think she is making her material from the point of view of someone who just KNOWS what will become popular. And secondly I really doubt that thugs and gangstas take such great offense at white people who actually have HIGHER expectations for them. Maybe a little offense, but nothing worth writing home about. After all, for many people, it is just a temporary thing.
"I hear them all say that I got heart but not everything that it takes" This part's really funny cuz, guess what Santi White? Looks like you've been pretty successful since like... (looks up on wikipedia)... at least 1999. And often as a producer, no less. And now your talking like you're some young upstart, because everyone knows that young upstarts MADE hip-hop. (im not sayin that young upstarts actually CREATED hip-hop (likely they did, but maybe they didn't); im saying everyone KNOWS young upstarts made hip-hop)
(Reading further through the wikipedia article) And when Santogold complains about how critics are labeling her as hip-hop & R&B just because she's black, she has a very good point (fuck you, racist critics!), but at the same time, she is half rapping in this song and she's utilizing hip-hop cliches regularly in her lyrics so stupid hack critics just writing to make a living, without a clue about music, are liable to get confused.
All that said it's a good beat but I perfer Say Aha... but I may have a weakness for upbeat, summery tunes