TH1ST©,

Thx for the comment and the follow on Twitter.

Alyse

First off, thanks for reading and commenting!

If you look at the summary of each of the artists mentioned above, there is a common THEME running throughout them all. That common theme is that the article is a descriptive piece on ACADEMIA’s REACTION to the rappers in the form of COURSEWORK. (I use all caps in the absence of an italics feature 😉 )

I understand that hip hop is a genre where authenticity is heralded above all else. And that being the person who wrote and performed the lyrics is of utmost importance. However, in music as a whole, the brilliance of the writer (whomever they may be) does not detract from the performance of the artist. I could take the same demo’s that Biggie gave Kim and perform them over the same productions. My “rapping” would likely be trashed as sub-par because I do not have outstanding talent in this arena. On the other hand, Lil’ Kim took the same records and performed (delivered) the songs so well that you can instantly pinpoint where the original came from, Biggie. While you may feel that this is something to look down on her for, I see it differently. I say that she accomplished her goal of performing the songs as presented to her. And therefore, she experienced artistic success in this regard. In the same manner, Mack Wilds performance of the Ne-Yo penned “Own It” is a success. Did Mack deserve his Grammy nomination for his PERFORMANCE of a record he paid for and credited the writer on? The answer is a resounding YES.

Now on to Biggie, he’s one of the greatest. This FACT is not to be disputed. If you, Phillip, would like to create a college-level course on his life and rhymes, please let me know where and when it will be offered. I would be happy to update this list once it has been approved at the university of your choice!

Alyse

Thanks for reading and commenting! I agree with you that Lil’ Kim’s ghostwriter gets the credit for her rhymes. But her persona, boldness (attire, anyone?) and presence were all her own. We can also admit that her delivery put the icing on the cake of her male-penned lines.

Without Bad Boy as a whole she would probably not have had the same type of impact. Their movement (and Biggie’s talent) put her on the forefront, and you have to admit, she ran with it. The article outlines the artists’ presence in academia, in whatever capacity they rose to prominence.