Tuesday, September 3, 2002

Can Long Island Girls Rap? In the 1960s and 1970s, hip music critics apparently wondered "can white boys play the blues?" Such articles generally led to the otherwise unusual meeting of the ponderous and the racist. In the 1980s, with the advent of the Beastie Boys and 3rd Bass (and later, the unfortunate Vanilla Ice), the question became "can white boys rap?" I don't think that led to any real improvement in the quality of the discussion. Now, with Northern State poised to burst upon the scene, there will be any number of New York Times Arts & Leisure-style think pieces about white women in rap. Still, you've got to love any group whose members are named Hesta Prynn, Guinea Love, and DJ Sprout, or as they introduce themselves in "The Man's Dollar": Put other MCs in contempt of court Cause like Derek Jeter I'mma make you stop short Sprout on the prowl down center court Hesta Prynn on the roof with a chocolate torte Guinea Love just chillin' wearin my skort Yo, I wrote about the Bell Jar for my book report But what's a "skort"? 8:36:33 PM     What do you think? ()

Where Is the Beginning? Today I woke up as if from a long vacation. The weather is better. The hot, indolent days of summer seem to be behind us. Rather than playing raucously under our windows until late in the night, the neighborhood kids are yelling to each other in the morning on the way to school. Rather than looking forward to an aimless day at work where not much happens and few people are around, I'm looking forward to a crowded subway ride to a productive work day. And after a month, I resume therapy tonight. I think that the Jewish notion of starting the year now makes much more sense than starting it in January. 8:18:36 AM     What do you think? ()

Is The World Hell? If, as David Foster Wallace describes in his essay "A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again," "luxury Caribbean cruises are a nightmare if you have either brains or taste," then would The World, a floating condominium where "life's an endless cruise," be Dante's Inferno here on Earth for any thinking person? 8:05:39 AM     What do you think? ()

© Copyright 2003 Morgan N. Sandquist. Last update: 11/2/03; 10:27:14 AM.

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