To the bang bang boogie

My formative musical years, 1982-90, age 13-21 were an interesting time in music. I was entering high school with a giant white man afro, likely a velour shirt for some reason and Levi red tab jeans. I was six foot 3 and 204lbs, statistics I know from my football weigh in where I was quickly nicknamed Baby Huey.

I went to one of three high schools in my area that also attracted kids from a more urban setting, including some kids from Canada’s oldest and largest social housing project, Regent Park. The other high schools did not have same urban influence and remained largely in duck boots and Lacoste t-shirts. I know this because I eventually ended up at this other high school as we moved across the street in grade 11.

I offer this as background because I grew up listening to rap music. From the Sugarhill Gang to Grandmaster Flash to UTFO (Roxanne, Roxanne!), to Whodini and Curtis Blow to when it exploded onto the mainstream with Run DMC and the white answer, the Beastie Boys. Sure there was classic rock and whatever music of the moment rippling through our hot knifed brains, but for the most part, the crew I chilled with knew all the lyrics to all the rap songs of the day and even would lay cardboard down on corners and try to break dance. We were North Toronto’s answer to the Rock Steady Crew except we were so white we were see through and could barely pop and/or lock.

This appreciation for rap music never died but it waned as grunge rock fit my angry early 20’s mold better, even if I woke up to more of the curly fro on the pillow than on my head. But I followed along as the hip hop culture gained steam (and smoke, holla Nate and Snoop!) and when Eminem exploded onto the scene in the late 90’s, I turned 30 and began listening to REO Speedwagon and Leo Sayer again.

I am partially kidding and taking it full circle because as we all know, the hip hop culture, and rap music in particular, are almost dominant in the current top 40 music scene. Jay-Z, Kanye West, Drake, Nicki Manaj and the wonderfully tattoed Lil’ Wayne are on the radio as much as any other current artist including the wholesome and sometimes bloody Lady Gaga. And not just the radio, these rap stars are icons, fully ingrained in the popular culture and idolized by many, including many of our children.

I mostly don’t have a problem with it. Since Bill Haley made the ladies swoon and the boys hips gyrate back in the 50’s, kids will always be drawn to rebellious-type music. Explaining the racial slurs and occasionally misogynous phrases dappled throughout the lyrics is a tough one though, especially with them so readily available online. I also can’t handle any gangster type references where worshiping thuggery and violence come into play. If this makes me old and longing for the days of La Di Da Di, We Like to Party, than so be it.

What are the musical choices of your children? Are there rules of what they can and cannot listen to?