"What happened to the type of spit that used to help a fellow out?" -Lupe Fiasco

Lupe Fiasco
Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free)  
Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1

"....Manifested
Say that we should protest just to get arrested
That goes against all my hustling ethics
A bunch of jail niggas say its highly ineffective
Depart from Martin, connect on Malcolm X tip
Insert Baldwin the similar the separate..."

According to Mr Fiasco he sits squarely in between Civil Rights and Black Power. James Baldwin movement.

"What happened to the type of spit that used to help a fellow out?" -Willie The Kid

Willie The KidxToken Black

Understanding

"...I said um....I'd rather read to my son

Than write another song about my gun

I'd rather not sit, what I could say 

Cuz the lord, has a way, of protecting, the truth that's coming out, anyway..."

 I have been sitting on a Willie The Kid post for a while now. I was hoping to have it be my first but I haven't been able to pull it together. This will be the first now. West Michigan's finest.

What happened to the type of spit that used to help a fellow out? - Homeboy Sandman

Homeboy Sandman
Rain
First of a Living Breed
 







"Don't run with a dame cause a dame's fetching
We run with a dame cause her pro-fession is playing her po-sition
Not talking about hoes or staying home in the kitchen
I'm talking about queens, homey those different, they roll for the whole mission
...My Mrs ain't sub-missive
A leader
I don't need her to do my dishes I need her to do my stitches"

Mr Sandman on healthy relationships, selecting the right life partner, and rattling the cage of gender roles.

What happened to the type of spit that used to help a fellow out - Ka

 ....a simple right or left...

 Deciscions - Ka

 My latest TV obsession is First 48. It is hella depressing but I just cant stop watching it. It conjures up a bunch of stuff for me. One of the things l think about is decision making. So many of these kids just make the wrong decision and it ends up changing the lives of lots of people. Sometimes those decisions seem innocuous, routine, and in some cases, relatively innocent. When we were younger man Gil used to say "Life is all about decisions man" and those words are definitely applicable to what goes down for the suspects on that show.

Which brings me to Ka. I first heard this minimalist spitter on one of the Gza's albums. He was impressive, but did not stand out to me. His song, Decisions, from the dope Grief Pedigree album is a deeply simple rhyme that mainly consists of him juxtaposing different alternatives.  He even keeps it going through the chorus.

"What happened to the type of spit that used to help a fellow out?"

I plan on doing a series of posts on simple, straightforward songs. Narratives that aim to raise awareness, educate or teach a lesson. I am determined to name these series of posts after an old DOOM line but I can't remember it for the life of me! Something like, "What happened to the spit that help a brother out?"edit: my buddy found the line for me. It was from Vaudeville Villain.

Anyway, just listend to K- Solo's Your Mom is in my Business. Not his best work, Fugitive and Drums of Death were better overall songs, but this song has an important place.

This well crafted narrative is focused, clean and to the point. Cutesy world play would almost get in the way of the authors message. I love these old songs where rappers feel compelled to wrap it up with a moral or lesson.

"See, I know you girls, I know you girls, I know you girls, I know you girls
Mothers love you, and they're concerned
But if you don't solve your own problems, then how can you learn?
And guys, if you're in a relationship like this
Don't be afraid to tell your girlfriend tell your moms to mind her business"

There was always time space for songs like this years ago. Part of what made the era golden...diversity.