Tag Archives: Lil B

Insights from Lil’ B

Thanks to the Fader for the photo of Lil' B.

The Based God, Lil B gave a lecture at NYU a couple of days ago.  Here are a few of my favorite gems:

I tell you, bruh, I was looking at insects. I do my observations when I go out. If I become a neurosurgeon or I’m about to come into some bugs, I’m rocking. With the bugs, man, you just be looking at them. Because I was having these big ant problems in my house. It was crazy. And these are people in their own way, too. As I was studying these ant colonies infesting my house daily, I’m not kidding you, I left food out and 20 minutes later r-r-r-r-r and I’m like, man, they already know! They get it down pat! And real talk, like, seeing these ants and studying them and respecting them, it’s like, man, they’re in their own community too. They’re trying to survive. They love. They fight. They telling themselves something. We can’t understand, but one day we will. I’m trying hard to figure it out. I’m there with them. We’re very smart animals, you know, or whatever we are. Organisms? What are we? What do y’all think we are? Is there like a fact? Does anybody have any proof what we are? Live that life, experience it, travel, and come up with your theories man. Read the books, too, but experience your own. It’s crazy.

via Based Scripture: The Full Transcript of Lil B’s Lecture at NYU « The FADER.

Real talk: Don’t ever deny the voices in your head either. When you’re sitting at home alone, right, we all go through depression, anxiety. You’re by yourself and you hear those voices going wild in your head, in your unconscious, those angels by your side, your mental, your gut feeling, your heart. Listen to them. Let your mind tell you how you feel. Let your body tell you. Be in tune with your rare—this is a very rare thing. I’m like a robot. Hey look, tell your hand to do this. [Raises hand]. It’s like, man, that’s amazing! That’s amazing to me.

via Based Scripture: The Full Transcript of Lil B’s Lecture at NYU « The FADER.

I was a product of the media and my environment. I seen the people I like with gold teeth, and I was like, man, I want gold teeth. He looked like me and I wanted gold teeth. Everybody can get a grill in here. Everybody should embrace that. Get gold teeth! Don’t be thinking so hard, like, “Oh, man, I can’t get gold teeth.” Who is going to say what to you? We got love in our heart. We good people. Can’t nobody tell you nothing if you doing it from the love and you’re embracing people. Try to have fun and try to be as less ignorant as possible and meet people. I’m trying to set a tone for the younger generations.

via Based Scripture: The Full Transcript of Lil B’s Lecture at NYU « The FADER.

My grammar and spelling and how I say things might not be technically what we hear or textbook, but as long as you understand me? You have to work as a human with empathy and love in your heart, staying positive and staying based and staying normal. You have to make an effort to learn about people. You have to make an effort at your job. You have to make an effort to care.

via Based Scripture: The Full Transcript of Lil B’s Lecture at NYU « The FADER.

[Audience member: “Do you like to paint?”] I definitely do, man. My mom was a painter. Ay, bruh, feel me. But you know what I do rock with? My favorite is watercolors. I’m a watercolors type of dude, so definitely collect some of my rare paintings.

via Based Scripture: The Full Transcript of Lil B’s Lecture at NYU « The FADER.

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Filed under academics, Animals, art, capitalism, communication, hip hop, learning, music, nature

Lil B: beat the odds

If you like rap music a little bit, then you are asked to pick favorites.  Part of that is rivalries, where if you are a fan of one group or artist, you stay away from or even deter other people from listening to your favorite musician’s competition.

A more pernicious kind of intellectual trap comes when you feel a rapper wrongs you.  They might release a song or collaboration with someone who you know sucks.  Or they write a verse praising domestic violence or some crap like that.

Lil’ B has crossed his audience’s expectations so many times that they now expect the bizarre (if they’re still around).  You might pick up one of his ‘rap’ albums or mixtapes and discover very little that sounds like rapping.  Stream-of-consciousness un-clever wordplay.  Exceptionally awkward delivery, ideas that trail off.  Songs that make no sense to someone who is trying to listen to it with charitable ears.  It’s not edited to showcase Lil B’s clarity, his music is edited to showcase the mistakes. I’d argue that his performances expose Lil’ B’s vulnerabilities and screw-ups as an invitation to consider similarities.

Part of that is the idea of based — to return the living performative and free-wheeling lyricism.

There is a lot more interesting to talk about the based god.  Consider the political/rhetorical shenanigans of Lil’ B.  Calling his album “I’m gay.” His deeply internet-entwined performance and fanbase.  His discussion with his fans/friends makes an interesting impact on language.  He moves forward with toxic language choices for example ‘based god fucked my bitch.’

There is no positive element to that phrase.  The “my” suggests ownership over a woman.  Objectification and comparison to animals in the word bitch.  The weary trope of a celebrity having sex with someone’s girlfriend or partner.  Disempowerment and pain are really conveyed in this short phrase.

But somehow Lil B uses it to suggest solidarity.  He seems honestly shocked when asked in interviews if he would have sex with someone’s wife or mom — saying he never has.  He simply uses the words to convey something quite differently.

In some ways it sorts out his audience for him.  If you are hip enough to get past the terrible linguistic jump then you can be in the club.  Shouting painfully sexist and disempowering phrase is part of the invitation to something else with Lil B.

In the case of Lil B I just take each release on it’s own.  No reason to love or hate the artist forever.  Sometimes he’ll make a nice tune.  I know, pretty un-hip hop.  Let alone un-feminist.  In this case, we get “beat the odds,” a seemingly sincere, almost saccharine ode to hustling.

Mark my words: from Lil B riding in a sports car with Souljah Boy to riding the bus in this video.  We are going to see the return of working class images and references in hip hop.

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Filed under communication, feminism, hip hop, representation

Killa Mike and Money Makin’ Jam Boys VISUALs

Ah, the joy of quality editing equipment.   Most independent hip hop folks can afford to make their vision happen via the easily available technology.  When I grew up watching videos, I used to long for more access.  Now we have more access than we can handle.

First up, Killa Mike “Burn.”  Hell yeah for the struggling Georgia emcee.  Mike Bigga is a star, with a nice flow, and a presence.  I think the politics are a little vague, but the beat is hot.

And how about Money Making Jam Boys with a video for “tear it down!”   I’m in.

As a bonus, here is Lil B explaining what it is like to be a city.

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