Ranking Glasses wrote:I first started listening to Ninjaman when he had popular hits like "Cover Me" with Tinga Stewart:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltfUPFS4cMw
I could be missing something but I really don't understand this thread? Ninja is undoubtedly talented but over the years I've heard him utter some of the most vile and violent lyrics on record, dubplate and live of almost any JA artist. I don't understand why some of the other contributors who obviously know "conscious" music are bigging him up? I think that lyrics which promote violence have added to the culture and attitude of violence in JA and in the wider diaspora which results in people being injured and killed often for no real reason.
Can no one else see this?
It's hard to explain, but bear with me for a second;
1. I dont like guns, drugs, booze and dont use any of those
2. I tolerate other lifestyles which are not similar to my rather conservative and bourgeois
3. I dont like the gang mentality, the ghetto mentality and the rude boy attitude
Having said that, I love Ninjaman, even his songs promoting guns, murder, drugs, bigotry and ghetto thuggery.
I love his delivery, voice, look
Listening to his lyrics is like doing a forbidden activity, there is some thrill to it.
Even though in real life, he has seriously fcked up, (and I am aware what I'm going to say is not righteous), I disregard this and mentally separate the artist from the person behind the artist (and again I am aware that in this particular case, this approach does not work): in a way, I separate the actor from the actor's role.
there is also a dash of voyeurism, just like some other people follow celebrities rise and fall...