lols. Aside from the superbowl I don't think I've heard much BEP since they picked her up.

I wasn't trying to be derogatory by saying costumes. I didn't mean to infer that it's all crazy clown shit or something--hope it wasn't taken that way. But, the Afrocentric dress is unusual and exotic to the average american viewer/listener. Another musician who has a perfectly normal and tradition style of dress but is equally foreign to the general public is Matisyahu. I think, again, back to my theory (and I've heard people basically say this) that his orthodox appearance is what draws people to him. I listen to a good amount of reggae and he's not bad but I would say just a little above average. But he has a good fan base--and a lot of fans that don't even listen to reggae... why? Cause people like the "wild and cool" image of an orthodox Jew doing music. I'm not gonna say it's a gimmick, but it has the same result.

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Ahh so many quoteables above, where to begin LOL.

Oh yeah, right here.

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djdiggla
...had an old guy for no apparent reason...

LMAO. I always thought that too.

I'll say this. All the groups mentioned had songs that creeped on to the radio top 40 hits. All of em had chicks, except for BEP initially. All of em were liked by chicks. But other then those similarities they were all different beasts. Luckily, the public grew tired of Arrested Development sooner then they hopefully will with Black Eyed Peas.

BEP didn't always suck. The second album and first were ayite. They made a conscious choice to become pop at the expense of rap so I got no love for them.

Arrested Development had Tennessee, their one great song. If I ever see that 12" I'll cop it for sure cuz it has a cool ass beat. But Mr Wendall and all their other tracks were pretty damn obnoxious in hind sight.

Fugees are real Hip Hop combined with a few R&B tunes that the public embraced and eventually killed. It's not the Fugees fault that Killing Me Softly was driven into the ground. It was better then Flack's original version so the Pop listeners took notice. That was only one of a lot of great songs on that album by the way, and I listened to it all the way through with a lot of cool chicks. I don't have that album on Wax I'm looking for it cuz it's pretty dope if you listen to it now. Too bad Lauren Hill fell off the deep end because I felt they ended their run prematurely.

I see your point about the "pop factor" diggla, but I'm gonna have to agree that BEP and Fugees aren't in the same boat. BEP and AD are moreso, but I'd take AD over Fergie any day. The lesser of 2 evils I guess.

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“Lesser artists borrow... great artists steal.” - Igor Stravinsky
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djdiggla

I wasn't trying to be derogatory by saying costumes. I didn't mean to infer that it's all crazy clown shit or something--hope it wasn't taken that way.

not at all...no worries - wasn't taken that way. I understood what you meant.

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djdiggla

But, the Afrocentric dress is unusual and exotic to the average american viewer/listener.

probably for white america...i'd agree. But - not for black america (unusual and exotic)....especially at the time, when Arrrested Development came out (in the early 90's)....when the afrocentricism was already in huge swing, particularly in rap music (since about 1987/88)...africa medallions, red, balck and green, hats, shirts and sweaters....kufi's, etc.


the original hip-hop "costume" wearers = Africa Bambatta and the Soul Sonic Force.


costume atrocities = Insane Clown Posse...and all those Juggalo fools.




peace.

Very true, but mainstream, pop culture america is white america. Less now than then, but on some level you have to court white america to become a pop superstar.

I'd agree that Fugees were much better than both those groups combined. I did/do like Everyday People tho. BEP is so strange... I thought they broke up then they reappear as a totally different monster. I seriously thought it was a different group with the same name. One funny thing... So whenever it was they did the superbowl, I was mildly impressed that they didn't lip sync their show. Next day I go into work and a female coworker is ranting about how they sounded like shit. I said they didn't sound perfect b/c they were not lip-syncing. She replies "well I wish they woulda!" lol. Fucking idiot.

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djdiggla
Very true, but mainstream, pop culture america is white america. Less now than then, but on some level you have to court white america to become a pop superstar.

I hear what you are saying but I'd add that white teen females are the ones that spend the most money on music. BEP knows that, so does Justin Bieber.

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