2Pac Tribute
I never listened to rap until moving in with Martene from Ohio in 1997. The first message she ever left for me was her singing The Beastie Boys' Rootdown start to finish. From there it was Snoop Dogg, Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre, Wu Tang Clan, Insane Clown Posse, George Clinton and the P. Funk Allstars, Cypress Hill, and Tribe Called Quest.
Our sophomore year - still in the dorms - we used to have 2Pac Tribute night every Tuesday. "I wanna la di da."
It all began as a way to get attention and make waves at our tiny southern university. It ended up as a need.
In 2001, when emofaerie moved in with me she was resolute that Bring Tha Motha Fuckin Ruckus was not the music for chilling on the front porch. By the time I moved out a year later she was entering rooms saying,
"I walk up in this muthafucka just a swingin my hair."
Nathaniel only listens to rap and hip hop. Nas is his favorite. I would never be so single-genred (neologism). He asked me what album I would have if I could only have one.
I said there's no way to tell. My music represents every part of me. Every person I know. Every person I hate. Every person I love. Every place that I've lived. Every style of life. Every job I've had.
Then he told me it was just a bullshit question and he didn't really expect me to answer.
Oh.
So, was I supposed to be glad that he didn't expect me to have an answer?
Or pissed that I couldn't distinguish when he was just bullshitting?
Or pissed that he would even bullshit?
I ain't mad atcha. I got nuthin but love fo' ya.
