I just bought the new Kanye West CD and I've been listening to the song "Lost in the World" a lot. It has what I enjoy in a lot of songs: layers, good rhythms, electronic elements. Most importantly, to me, it has a message of social justice. I like songs that just have good beats, but I love songs that point out problems in our society in a mature way. The song (and album) ends with a repetition of "Who will survive in America?" that makes the question unavoidable for any listener. It stays in that person's head and forces them to consider the fact that American society is constructed in a way that favors certain groups of people over others. If I were to use this song in a classroom, I would use it as an example for any text or unit dealing with postcolonialism, civil rights, critical race theory or social class theory. More than the song, I would use that final question. Who will survive in America? It is a complex question that invites many detailed answers.
MUSIC VIDEO!
Kid Cudi - Day N' Nite
I remembered hearing this song on the radio one day, thinking it was very good and then being disappointed that I never heard it again. I finally found it and was happy with what I saw.
So...why? Well, let's begin with the visuals. First of all, Kid Cudi looks very nice. He's casual, but he has a fashionable edge to him. He's smooth. He doesn't dance like Michael Jackson, but he doesn't jerk and flop around. In other words, he looks approachable, but talented.
What does the video do for the song? Well, the song is built in a binary. My goodness, it's called Day N' Nite - there are two opposite things right there. The video continues this theme by presenting a binary world between real and imagined. The real is video while the imagined is animated.
Does this make me want to buy some music? Absolutely. I like song meanings; the video continues that meaning. Plus, Kid Cudi just looks cool and smooth; he gets all the ladies, but he doesn't have to try hard like Usher does.
I have to admit right off the bat that the only Kanye West song I've ever heard is the one you played in class, w/ the Zach Galifianakis video. All I knew about him was the media squawks about his various public baffooneries (The Katrina Benefit thing, stealing Taylor Swift's mic, etc.). It was interesting to learn that not only does he have some intelligent, well-educated fans (at least one of which is someone whose opinion I've grown to respect), but that some of his work has a deeper social message beyond the usual "bitches and money" themes in a lot of hip-hop.
ReplyDeleteI liked that video by Kid Cudi, too. I hadn't heard of the guy, but I rarely listen to rap. While the music itself didn't do much for me, the visual style of the video was interesting and effective, and I agree with your comments. :)