|
Crunk CDs
Kings of Crunk /
Trillville & Lil Scrappy /
By Choice or By Force /
Mississippi: The Screwed and Chopped Album
Ev'rybody Knows Me /
Ghetto Dream /
Dirty South /
Money Is Still A Major Issue /
Crime
Mob /
Attenchun /
Block Music
* * *
* *
Kings of Crunk
By Vince Rogers
The
phenomenon of getting “Crunk” is currently a worldwide
phenomenon. It is being transferred around the world via
"Crunk" music. The whole world is “Walkin’ it out”,
“Leanin’ wit’ it” and “Rockin’ wit’ it”, inspired by our
“A-Town” flavor. In the eyes of the world, “Hotlanta” is
on fire right now.
The
reality though, is that all significant roads of our
journey in this nation, started in Georgia and have all
passed through Atlanta. From Slavery's first port stops
in Savannah, to the inspirational images of affluent
Blacks rollin' in Southernplayalistic Cadillacs down
"Sweet" Auburn Avenue, no other place in “Black America”
is more important. I believe the next great leader or
significant movement in our journey will have its roots
here in Atlanta also. So let’s get it “Crunk”.
“Crunk”
is much more than music though, and the “A” has
always and forever been "Crunk". Hank Aaron got "Crunk"
when he cranked out 715 to surpass the New York
"Babe" and batted in our Black pride. Then there
was the King—no not Elvis, but the original "King of the
South" who would crank up the bells that let freedom
ring for Black people from Valdosta, GA to Vallejo, CA.
Spike Lee first cranked out his vision of filmmaking in
the "SWAT" and redefined how the world would see us for
years to come. Hosea Williams got "Crunk", even when he
was drunk and spent his whole life "Unbought and
Unbossed” in the “Dirty South."
Northern
“Niggas” laugh when they see Li’l Jon, Li’l Scrappy and
Pastor Troy jump around and act like clowns. They don’t
realize that’s the same spirit that made us fight for
their rights. We made it possible for Black
Manhattanites to crank up their Bentleys and ball out to
Bach. The reason "Niggas" can wear colors in "Cali" is 'cus
we fought for their rights on Peachtree Street and in
back alleys. They tried to take the "Crunk" out to the
"Westside" but found out it wasn't necessarily the best
side. They just ended up turning it into some gangster
shit.
When
people hear the "Crunk"—just like the Rock and Roll,
Jazz and Blues the South gave to the world—they can feel
it deep inside. They like to pretend they don't though,
because they went to college. We know they feel it
though, because "Crunk" is what’s deep inside the Black
Man—at least the ones who love themselves and don't give
a fuck what nobody else thinks about them. No matter how
many acts, bills, and laws are passed to protect our
civil rights, down here we know a man isn’t really a man
unless he has something he’s willing to get “Crunk” for.
"Crunk"
is the old Grandmama who put your Mama through college
by sellin' liquor on Sundays, but now her Daughter lives
on Cape Cod and don't visit. "Crunk" is the Daddy
who shot pool to pay the rent after he quit his
supervisor job. He quit 'cus some "Boss" wanted him to
tell who was stealin' on the job and it was a Black
woman stealin' powdered milk for her babies. "Crunk" is
a man who never bothered to get a driver's license, but
made a livin' takin' ladies wit' no car home from the
grocery store. “Crunk” is how we got over.
"Crunk"
is Nat Turner. "Crunk" ain't Condoleeza. "Crunk"
is Denmark Vesey. "Crunk" is not Colin Powell. Funny
enough “Crunk” is Alton Maddox, but maybe not Vernon
Jordan. “Crunk” is James Brown. The “Dirty South” is
where he learned what made him feel like he could say
loud that he was Black and proud.
You say
"Crunk" is stupid and you’re ashamed of it, but getting’
"Crunk" is the only reason we won our freedom. "The only
reason "Niggas" can wear Brooks Brother's suits up North
is because we got "Crunk" down South in our cotton
t-shirts. Yep, in our white tees….Okay!!!!????
WE RAISE
HELL, WE TALK SHIT, WE DO THE DAMN THANG, WE ARE
REBELS!!!!
We
are the descendants of "Niggas" who made their own
liquor and grew their own food. Our Uncles carried
switchblades in their boots for late night run-ins wit'
"Good Ole Boys” and a deck of cards in their back pocket
to pay for their niece's piano lessons. Our Aunties
fried chicken for weary civil rights workers and gave
them a place to rest their battered heads.
We ride
with no tags on our cars and carry no driver's license.
We sat at segregated lunch counters—for you. We smoke
weed in broad daylight on the front porch and sell hot
TVs out of jellybean colored cars with bling spinnin’
wheels. We spent the night in Birmingham jails— for you.
When the
going got rough we fought the good fight and stayed put
down South. We made
it possible to run away and live up North 'cus we ain't
scared to run our mouth.
This red
Georgia clay still runs red with the ancestor’s blood
and African spirits. They continue to call out to you
wherever you are if you open your soul to hear it.
* *
* * *
* The word crunk is supposedly a
combination of crazy and drunk. True to its name, crunk
utilizes a chaotic interpolation of club-oriented beats
and a high-energy chorus.
http://rap.about.com/od/genresstyles/p/Crunk.htm
** Crunk is a type of hip hop music, classified as a
subdivision of Memphis Rap and Dirty South. . . .
***
Some of the Dirty South music is characterized by its
bouncy, club-friendly beats and lyrics generally
concerning flashy jewelry, luxury automobiles, women,
and occasionally gangster lyrics. An offshoot of Dirty
South music is Crunk, featuring beats with loud,
pounding bass. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crunk
* * *
* * Vince Rogers
was raised in Atlanta's Bowen Homes housing projects and
went on to attend Morehouse College as an academic
scholar. Although he is a widely published writer of
essays, poetry, short fiction, and scholarly papers, he
is most proud of being Editor of his high school
newspaper, the Frederick Douglass North Star.
His works were
among the Official Inaugural Selections of "I've Known
Rivers" The Museum of the African Diaspora Story
Project: Reproduction of the New Breed Leaders & Black
Mecca for the Sold Brother. He was the TimBookTu
Featured Writer for December of 2006. His scholarly
paper The Evolution of Shawntae Harris was
presented at the Hip Hop's Defiant Divas Conference at
Vanderbilt University.
His monthly fiction
column Pulp Fiction appears in
Pulp Magazine and his film Reviews are featured
in the
Southern Screen Report.
He contributes to
Clean Sheets Magazine; TimBookTu; Taj
Mahal Review: An International Journal; Chicken
Bones: A Journal; Thereby Hangs a Tale;
Catalyst Magazine; Southern Screen Report;
Pulp Magazine; Nghosi Books Anthology: Longing
Lust and Love ; 3 Lights Gallery (UK) The
Launch Exhibition; Black Arts Quarterly
(Stanford University).
You can read selected works at his
Blogs:
vincevision.blogspot.com,
waxvainglorious.blogspot.com and visit his Website:
www.vincevision.com. /
vincevision@yahoo.com or
vince@vincevision.com
* * * *
*
posted 30 June 2007 |
