A Different Rap...

I enjoy rap music, but lets be honest my taste in rap is probably detestable to a true fan. Who are my favorite rappers? John Reuben and Will Smith. However I don't understand why people get down on Will Smith, he did win THE First Rap Grammy... it kind of does make him more legit than anyone else, but whatever. John Reuben on the other hand is a Jewish-Christian White Guy... he's pretty much the opposite of your basic rapper stereotype. The truth is I like them because they have some lines that resonate with me and I really don't care whether or not anyone else considers them to be good, I like them so I listen to them.

These lines are from the end of Will Smith's song "Why?" a Song about Will trying to explain to his kids not only why planes were flown into the twin towers, but also why we chose to bomb middle eastern countries later:

Can't explain it baby, life is just really crazy
I mean if it's world wars or the life of a little baby
We got more stores than they got rice under Buddha lazy
You live four scores an' still it be driving you crazy
But for me I try to see the bright side
Sometimes it'd be like the goodness be tryin' to hide
Then try to flee, but it can't it's deep inside
Sweetie, you be the light for others, make 'em believe in God

[BRIDGE - Mary J. Blige:]
Mmmmm, souls are captured
Dreams are stolen, hearts are broken
Evil blatantly rewarded
Hate surrenders, Love exalted
Hope elated, negativity is shorted

My favorite John Reuben album is the Boy vs the Cynic and the album is a balance between his boyish playfulness and his cynicism the title track has these lines that have been stuck in my head for a while:
Don't mistake innocence for ignorance
Don't mistake purity for inexperience
Don't mistake humility for weakness
I sincerely mean this
You understand more than you know
There's no goal like peace of mind
So what else are you trying to find
What's left except regret and heartache
And yes your heart will break and go numb lots of times before this life is done
You'll look for answers but there's just one
Patience one day it will make sense
But waiting is a pinch waking you up from the worlds you've made up
The one where you dream and the one where you gave up
Time to create a new atmosphere where the boy and the cynic can both play fair

Another favorite off the album is "What about them?" a song about how as American Christians we get tunnel vision as if we're the only ones here the whole song is worth reading:
(chorus)
Puff the magic Jesus
Floats around the universe
The United States is His favorite place on the whole entire earth
So sing your songs and wave your flag
And thank the Lord for all you have
But what about them?
Did you forget about them?

We came we conquered never speak of this again
Life Must go on let's not think of them
Things are comfortable now the pioneers have settled in
A perfect blend of progress and pale skin
For our sake and those to come
We'll rewrite the text so you can forget where you came from
Tell it in a way that will build your self esteem
Repackage the product and sell the American dream

(chorus)

History is best forgotten and even better rewritten
And since there's no forgetting let's remember it different
Commit to it so strongly till you believe it
The truth is there but you aren't able to receive it
You need to know you're safe here
Hide your face here cuz you found your faith here
But four walls with no windows doesn't mean you're it
Four walls with no windows doesn't mean they don't exist

(chorus)

What a prosperous, wondrous place
Remember to say grace before we scrape our plates
And ignore the crying outside the door sure
You'll pray for their burdens but you don't want to make it yours
Thin lines divide but there's a world of difference
So crawl back into your happy existence and feel the bliss of ignorance keep you warm
Blessed are those who mourn but it's so foreign
The more you have the less you care
The less you care the more you become unaware
And sure life's not fair but it favors us apparently
And how are we to interpret this excess
Is it God's favor, ill-behavior, or simply man's modern progress?
God bless us as we sweep this mess under the rug
Don't want to walk barefoot on the tile and step in the mud
Out of sight out of mind and pushed to the side
Left for someone else to rationalize and justify

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