Article Contributed on: 1/22/2007 7:31:06 PM
Months ago, I was talking to some eighth graders at the school I substitute teach at. Eventually the conversation turned to music, then eventually to the late rapper,
Tupac Shakur. I have to admit, I have very little patience when people start talking about Tupac, saying what an amazing agent of change he was, that he was a hero, a role model. The list goes on.
Being the person that I am, I had to make my own comments about the man. I believe that he was not only a singer, but a criminal; that he lived a thug life. In the end, the kind of life he lived got him killed. I voiced my disapproval of him in a firm way, as did the kids. Not only did they talk about what an outstanding individual he was, they mentioned the depth and meaning of his songs. I listened with skepticism and pretty much forgot about the conversation. Until this week.
Recently I joined an online music download service, MP3 Rocket, that allows unlimited downloads for a low yearly fee. Since I have a new video IPOD and have grown weary of paying .99 per song, I have been downloading like an addict for the past week or so. Since I have nothing to lose, I have been downloading some songs that I would not normally listen to.
Last night I decided to download some Tupac songs. I figured I owed the kids at school that much, since I was making statements about the man without ever having listened to any of his music. I try to be fair; I try to be reasonable. And when dealing with 8th graders, I need all the help I can get, if the truth be told. So today I had the joy and honor of listening to my first Tupac song ever, entitled "Hit 'Em Up."
I guess I am not as hip as I thought. If I didn't know any better, I would think I was blushing while listening to the song. And no one else was around; only me and my elliptical machine. I can tell you this: I wish I had a dollar for every time he says the 'f' word, 'n' word, and b word in the song. And another dollar for every time he threatens to kill someone. There was simply no evidence of anything redemptive in this song.
At dinner tonight I told my very own teenager that I had listened to my first Tupac song today. He laughed and asked what I thought. I said that I had to turn it off before the end, which I honestly had to do. I could not stand to listen to another word. He laughed again and told me I needed to listen to more than one song. I agreed.
I promise to listen to at least six Tupac songs before I make my final judgment. God, how I hope the next one is about love or flowers or summer. If not, I just don't know what I will do.