Masculine vs Intelligent Music

Several months ago, I was listening to one of Matt Forney's earlier podcasts. He mentioned that most of today's popular music is either masculine or intelligent. Nothing in-between, those are your only two choices. I'd have to agree with Matt. This would give me the explanation of why I listed to so much trap music in college.

A week ago, I was driving with my friend David and we were talking about this topic. Both of us aren't the target demographic for hip hop but we love it for the following reason.

Rap music is full of energy. It makes you feel manly.

Stereotypical, rap (today's rap)  isn't really known for intelligent and thought provoking lyrics. Most people would describe the rap music as going to clubs, making money selling drugs, spending money irresponsibly, and getting all the women. One of my favorite songs by Lil Jon, What U Gon' Do, encapsulates this perfectly. Actually, never mind, that song is all about rolling up to a club and insulting all the other crews there.

10 out of 10 times, if I had to choose between manly or intelligent music, I'll choose manly music. This is why Young Jeezy is my favorite rapper and why I really enjoy his song I Luv It.

At its face value, it sounds like a song about Jeezy celebrating his success, how great he is, and how he sells bricks. However, every time I listen to the song, I hear a story about the American dream.

Before even mentioning the lyrics, I want to mention the music. I think it is either synthesizers or auto tune but go ahead and listen to the song while paying attention to just the music and ignoring the lyrics. It kind of sounds like success. Not only success but grand style. It makes your feel like you are accomplished. It makes you feel like you already went out and made a million dollars.

The lyrics themselves portray a day in the life of Young Jeezy. Obviously he has both his legitimate and illegitimate business endeavors. In the song, Jeezy is just talking about how much of a success he is. But that is the point, he is successful.

Each time I listen to this song, I am reminded that this is still America and if a man works really hard, he can make something of himself. The fact that Young Jeezy accumulated his success by selling bricks and entering the rap game doesn't make the point any less valid. And, I wouldn't recommend or condone those two career paths.

The song has this message for me. Work hard and become a success then enjoy your life. There is nothing more American than that. I would be amused to hear if Young Jeezy encouraged the kids of my generation to go out and become doctors, engineers, accountants, entrepreneurs, and computer networkers. However I am convinced it is more likely he inspired kids to become drug dealers and aspiring rap stars.

Enough about masculine music and Young Jeezy.


David then mentioned that his brothers like to listen to music like Modest Mouse.

I've listened to Modest Mouse before. I'm not sure if it is all that intelligent as I've only listened to a few songs but it never seemed all that manly to me.

When Modest Mouse comes to mind, the first song that comes up is Float On. The song itself sounds very trance like. It almost makes you feel like you are sleeping or dreaming. After looking at the lyrics, it is a song all about experiencing bad things but knowing that it will be okay in the end. Other songs by Modest Mouse seem very somber or melancholic. They never really inspired me to go out and do something with myself or make something of myself. But I don't think they were aiming for that.

While nowadays, I don't really listen to music that much, it is fun every now and then to listen to some of the music I listend to back in college.