Girls Dreams

<p><b>Day 48: "Politician" feat. Curren$y </b><span>–</span><b> <i> Young Money the Mixtape Vol. 1</i></b><b> , 2006</b></p><p> <b> Kyle: </b>The other day, as we've discussed here, <a href="http://ift.tt/2frEOmn said some dumb shit</a> about Black Lives Matter on TV. He since has <a href="http://ift.tt/2fuinx1;, been criticised by Vic Mensa, and reportedly fired his publicist. It's not a good moment for Wayne, and, although he said the words, he didn't ask for any of this. As he said at the end of that interview, "I'm not a politician."</p><p> I offered some <a href="http://ift.tt/2frA5AY perspective on this stance</a> and Wayne's general unwillingness to say much outside his music the day after the interview aired, but, as my friend and <a href="http://ift.tt/2femwBW contributor</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/thequeenbri?lang=en" target="_blank">Briana Younger</a> pointed out on Twitter, there's a Young Money song called "Politician" where Wayne has some more thoughts on politicians (he is not too complimentary of them). So I asked Briana to join today and talk about "Politician" in this little election season of ours. Briana, what's on your mind?</p><p> <b> Briana: </b>Of all of the ways Wayne's relationship with social issues and general sense of moral responsibility have been inconsistent, this song reflects an attitude that has remained steady throughout his career. He used rap as a tool to create distance between himself and everyone else. In almost all cases, he positions himself above others which makes his comments on <i>Nightline </i>far less surprising or disappointing. It's slightly ironic he stormed out of the interview with the declaration that he isn't a politician considering that's essentially the hook of this song. "Y'all niggas just talking, y'all politicians" reflects a general distrust of political institutions and their effectiveness but also a commitment to self-accountability. Self is the only person he's ever made himself accountable to, for better and worse. (The lyric also feels eerily relevant considering the lack of faith people have in our current party leaders.) </p><p>Wayne's rhymes have always been ego-driven—as most rap is—but his impossible arrogance coupled with unapologetic nonchalance is what his fans loved most about him. By this era of his career, the only thing that could humble him was the destruction of his home in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, but that pain seems too far in his rearview now. The unfortunate truth is he's not just talking; the hubris isn't just for show, and by his measure, that makes him legit. People who know him best have repeatedly said he exists in a world unto himself, and the evidence lines up. In retrospect, "Politician" is everything people came to love and some now hate about Wayne: his allegiance to "keeping it real," his disregard for political correctness. I guess the lack of tact just felt so much more eloquent a decade ago.</p><div class="article__embed article__embed--youtube"><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/bonDyTePpwQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><p>​<i>Follow Briana Younger on <a href="https://twitter.com/thequeenbri" target="_blank">Twitter</a>​.<br></i></p><p><i>Follow Kyle Kramer on <a href="http://twitter.com/kylekramer" target="_blank">Twitter</a>​.</i></p>

from noisey http://ift.tt/2fgamZE

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