baile funk in the observer music monthly

[gabriel]

I played that compilation "favela booty beats" that came out last year to a Brazilian friend. She translated some of the words to me and I was surprised that it wasn't nearly as violent and vulgar as I imagined. A lot of it is quite innocent. Or at least not as bad as I was led to believe.

well there we go...

Also, calling these people talented is stretching it. I like the music but I have yet to hear something that impresses me with its artistic skill from that genre. In fact I am pretty frustrated by how "retarded" a lot of it is. You could accomplish more with tape splicing.

yeah fair point. i'm not madly into the stuff either. but if lots people are loving this music (which they do seem to be), someone must think there's talent involved somewhere, no? depends on your definition of talent i guess, and also of course talent is in the ear of the beholder

 

[bassnation]

e.g. a common criticism of dancehall (cf the sean paul review in this week's OMM and the revierw of beenie man's last album in the guardian in 2004) are that all the songs are about sex or about the artist's penis. this is quite clearly bollocks. yes, lots of them may be, but if you claim that, and focus on that, then you miss all the other subjects which are covered. i think claiming that funk is all about booty & guns, or hip hop is all about shooting & jail, or dancehall is all about buddy & punaany, inspires many people who don't yet know enough about those musics to subsequently see that whole genre in that way. which, i think, is wrong and objectionable.

word.