JDub Rapper

by Clam 15 Replies latest social humour

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  Clam

  Interesting interview that M.J. - Thanks.

  Poor little fellah being a cool dud at school and then being seen by his friends in a suit pushing Watchtowers. Ha.
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  MsMcDucket

  Here's a story about the Notorious BIG's mother. It mentions Jay Z:

  http://ca.music.yahoo.com/read/news/12040312

  Biggie's Mom Praises Jehovah10/13/1999 4:00 PM, LAUNCH
  Craig Rosen (10/13/99, 1 p.m. PDT) - While a major rollout is on for Born Again, the posthumous collection from slain rap icon the Notorious B.I.G. due Dec. 7, his mother Voletta Wallace has been keeping busy promoting her non-profit organization.

  Wallace, a former schoolteacher, is also a devout member of the Jehovah's Witnesses. Although Biggie's notorious tales of lurid sex and gritty criminal activity have become legendary in hip-hop circles, his mother's faith remains a stark contrast to the life he led.

  During a recent interview with LAUNCH, Wallace discussed her devotion and religious pride. "I am a Jehovah's Witness and proud to be one. I believe in life, I believe in Jehovah. I believe in his son, Jesus Christ. And I believe that someday in the near future, if we believe and we do what he asks us to do, we'll inherit this Earth, because this Earth is going to be a paradise for all of us to live in. And all we need to do is share that love among us and do what he asks us to do."

  Wallace says that although she's not a congregation member who totes pamphlets on the New York City subway, she does participate in what is known as fieldwork. She feels that Jehovah's Witnesses across the country have gotten a bad rap for trying to do something good. "All I'm doing is something good with everybody. Everyone sees Jehovah's Witnesses with something in their hand, and they're so paranoid, like, 'Wow, they're trying to sell me something.' Stay for one second and listen to a message. All we are trying to do is to share something with you--if you don't want to listen, [say] 'I'm sorry, another time,' [or] 'I'm sorry, come back another day,' or 'I'm sorry, I'm not interested.' But we're not going to kill you," she says. "We're trying to share something from the Bible with you."

  Recently, hip-hop culture and its superstars were brought under harsh criticism for praising the Lord on awards-show podiums, as well as for denigrating women, promoting genocide, and endorsing other unsavory activities in their songs. Grammy-winning rap star Jay-Z upped the ante on his multiplatinum album, Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life. In some of the songs on the album, Jay-Z is referred to as J-Hovah, a hip-hop God. Wallace discusses the subject of Jay-Z, who was one of Biggie's best friends. "He's not J-Hovah. Jay-Z is Sean Carter or Jay-Z, J-A-Y- and Z. He is not Jehovah. I don't think Jay-Z 's saying he's Jehovah-God. There are lots of gods out there. Lots of gods, but only one Jehovah. Jay-Z doesn't think he's Jehovah-God...He's not that stupid. He's famous, but not stupid."
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  MsMcDucket

  Gerald Levert raised a Jehovah's Witness:
  

  http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/2005-01-13/vibes_feature2.html

  | FEATURE
  01.13.05

  Gettin' grown
  
  
  R&B's Gerald Levert mixes love with politics
  

  BY EDWARD M. GARNES JR With his gruff soulful tone, Gerald Levert has sounded like a grown ass man for most of his two-decade-long career, but his latest album, Do I Speak For the World, might be his most mature effort to date. His ability to woo lovers into submission remains unquestioned. Yet there's something new on this album, more of a concern with what's going on in Bush's post-9/11 America: political deception, terrorism, airport security, and modern ghetto life. In advance of his Atlanta concert with his pops, the O'Jays' lead singer Eddie Levert, Creative Loafing caught up with Gerald by phone to talk about an album that may well land him on the government's no-fly list.
  
  

  Creative Loafing: Explain why you decided to go political on the new album?

  Mother is very religious and raised me as a Jehovah's Witness when I was younger. When you look at it, big corporations in love with money, the tsunami and God taking all of these lives -- it's just like what the Bible and Revelations said. I am not trying to be a preacher, but every great artist like Prince, the O'Jays, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder all spoke on issues of the world. This is a coming-of-age album for me. I have to show some growth and leave a body of work for my kids to say that their dad helped changed the minds of people. If I get backlash for speaking from my heart, whatever.

  How have you remained a viable artist in a musical landscape where R&B often takes a backseat to hip-hop?

  It is funny because I was an advocate for merging hip-hop and R&B when me and [the trio] LeVert did the song "Just Coolin'" [with Heavy D. in 1988]. But I never thought it would turn into hip-hop versus R&B. Still, I have always stayed true to my roots in R&B and maintained a base like Patti LaBelle. [But it's hard.] Luther Vandross has one of the most flawless voices in the world, but because he is a black man, folks discriminate on where his music can be played. Great as he is, there was not a huge interest in him until after his stroke. Ray Charles has his highest-selling record when he is dead.

  Why do you think mediocre artists often outsell artists with substance?

  There are times when I see Usher and others selling 8 million albums, and I feel that my music is just as good. [The scene] has become so materialistic and is no longer about the music and who is writing songs of substance. It pisses me off when people call music "beats."

  The song "So What (If You Got a Baby)" is a beautiful love letter to single mothers. What motivated it?

  I was done with the album and this brother, Gerald Issac, followed me all around New York and in the studio and encouraged me to do this special song for women. After he played it, I went right in and recorded it. When you enter a relationship with a woman, you should be part of her kids' lives. If you truly love that woman, you have to love everything that comes with her.

  A lot of folks don't have a father figure at home, but you have your dad on stage with you every night on tour. What is that like?

  Sometimes I get emotional and cry. A lot of times I look hard into his eyes and regret a lot of things I've said in the past. We often hug and kiss, and it is surprising for everyone to see two black men express love because there are so many people who hate their dads. There are a lot things we've both done that we don't like, but once we respect each other as men, we see our own humanity.

  
  [email protected]
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  Chimene

  ROFL!!!!!
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  stillAwitness

  Its been said he originally spelled his name JAH rule but the elders told him to take the "H" out or else!

  "Its Hovah baby!"

  HMMM...is she doing street witnessing in this pic?

  LOL!
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  Mastodon

  AAAAAA jajajaja