Monday, April 21, 2014
Radical Revisions and Adaptions
Like many other forms of musical and artistic expression, hip-hop is a culture that is devoted to the re-mix. Songs and other productions are often re-worked Whether it's as simple as a few artists rapping over the beat of a song that was already released, like "YG's My Nigga (Remix)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l7J1i1OkKs or as genre-bending as nu-jazz group BADBADNOTGOOD reworking Kanye West's "Flashing Lights" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl6EomECg2Q re-mixing and re-imgaining is near to heart of hip-hop, the genre itself having been created when DJ's began mixing old funk and R&B records in new and exciting ways. But how closely related are these remixes and re-imaginings related to the original work? The most widely heard version of Dr. Dre and Tupac's hit California Love is the following one with the accompanying video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWbXQQG9B6c but the remix version features a drastically different beat with the same lyrics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWbXQQG9B6c Why would Tupac and Dr. Dre choose to change much of the original song's vibe while let the lyrics remain intact? And how do the two versions relate? Is there a California Love for a different mood now or do Dre and Pac want us to especially focus on the lyrics? And what does the word remix mean? Here it means that the instrumental has been changed but more recently in hip-hop remix is taken to mean there will be new words over a beat you've heard before. And what does that make a cypher? And how original is the original? Beats for hip-hop songs are often made from samples of other songs, does this mean they are not entirely original? What is original? Must a producer create every single sound heard on a record for it to be truly original? I don't have any answers man who knows just listen to the music maybe ask Sway I heard he got the answers ~
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I thought the urls would turn into thumbnails my blog ain't pretty :(
ReplyDeleteIt's okay man, the blog composer should have came with a tutorial, it was a bit confusing for me as well.
DeleteAnyways, great blog. You pose a lot of questions that makes us readers think of hip-hop's context in another light. I like the aspects of remixing and believe that it is a successor of hip-hop.
By the way, the last picture with Sway and Kanye is hilarious!!!! I thought I was the only one who seen that interview.
You had great points and I love that you brought up the aspect of what defines being original. I know I'm so of topic but in my old enc class my teacher debated that nothing is original that everything is comprised of prepaid yet it can be new. Remixes are a great way to add an element to something.
ReplyDeleteGood post regardless. I watched all of that Kanye and Sway interview and believe it was very interesting. "Aint no hold on" and "you don't have the answers Sway" ended up being popular phrases among my friends the next couple of weeks. YG's "My Nigga Remix" is of my favorite songs so I like how you pointed it out in your post.
ReplyDeleteDont judge a blog by it's cover. Even though the pictures/videos didn't show, i still think its good. I like how you ended it, thought that was pretty funny. I feel like remixes are original though, because taking someone's work and making it your own isn't an exact copy. And if it's not a copy, then it's and original. or maybe there's an in between.
ReplyDeleteEven though the urls did not show up as videos, we can look past it and see what a good post you had. I agree with that fact that remixing and covers are very original. They cover or new artist is allowed to put their own creativity and personality in to the new song that is being created. Just because the song has already been released does not mean a different artist can't put a new twist on it.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting how remixing is such a strong factor in the creation of hip hop. I too wonder sometimes about if sampling makes an artist's work unoriginal. I think that it really depends on how much of a song one takes. I think the video we watched in class with Young Guru gives a better understanding of sampling. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnIPWgzXvyA
ReplyDeleteI think this is a very interesting topic as sell as a big area of the genre. Remixes are certainly gaining popularity by the year. It is a great way for some artists to expand and rap on beats that have become extremely popular, as well as the chance for other rappers who may not be as big to get there names out there as well.
ReplyDeleteI liked your blog post. Most of my favorite songs in today's hip-hop are some type of remix or remake of an original. At this point in the industry, I believe it is difficult to come up with new sounds and ideas, so the best way to be successful is to take old ideas, alter them, and make them their own.
ReplyDelete"WHAT'S THE NAME OF YOUR CLOTHING LINE SWAY??? WE DON'T KNOOOWW"
I really liked this post because it covers an aspect of hip-hop that makes the genre very unique. I think that the fact that a lot of hip-hop songs include samples and that artist make remixes of other songs is great. I think that it brings revives good music and it leads to new songs that others can enjoy. I can say that at times I enjoy remixes of songs more than the originals but thats just me. Some might not like this because they think that it promotes a lack of creativity but I think that if done well something like a remix can really improve a song.
ReplyDeletePeople make a big deal about songs being revised in hip hop saying it takes away creativy. I beg to differ because it's like how isn't it creative if the artist remade with a different style. I think remixes just shows talent. Rappers put other rappers on their songs to remix to see how that artist can murder the beat, sound or content. The sway comment was pretty funny.
ReplyDelete