βGet familiar go check my resume/ I hope it resonates/ B Dot the God, we bout to Elevateβ
Welcome readers,
π
This written series will focus on 3 essential elements of film breakdown:
Bar
- written material, performance reach, & entendre layers.
Aesthetics
- the beauty mark of the Arts. A philo study of the details.
Thesis
- the symbiotic correlative synopsis between intent & bar impact.
Got it? Cool!
Run the tape! βΆοΈ
Artist:
B Dot
Performance:
v. Ave (2021)
Dialectic:
Enraged passion tends to ember hails of truth. Duly noted.
The setting for this tenor is a minefieldβ¦
Film Review=
Rd.3
Thesis: B Dot often engages conversations within this sport you can only hope are being had enough any and everywhere Us and HipHopβs influence can be found co-existing. Must be quite frustrating for him to be deemed characterizations of anything but a rebel with a cause. The frustration in B Dots speech & demonstration to me embody the oratory visceral of shunned intellect often in favor of paltry alternative(s). And who wants to be the βculturesβ proverbial βDap from School Dazeβ pigeonholed into a meager perception due in part to an edifying commitment to growth and collaborative evolution that can be mitigated at any turn by a well-delivered gun bar or current event scheme? The plight of B Dot to be called βconsciousβ. Even when self-prescribed the label diminishes the man. But in this sport, the thread-tying quality of rapping oneβs way out of a sandwich bag of lazy analysis is exactly the blade thrown into the middle of the gladiator war zone. Theoretically in Volume settings, may the best pen win. The blade in this context is having everyones attentive ear. B Dot did just that on this nite. He talked directly thru the conduit muse of Ave to the larger intended pool. Elevation= Accomplished!
Letβs assess!
Bar: βHey Ave we donβt look at life tha same/and thatβs okayβ
+
βim here ta give you tha lens, so you can see how they live/they been impairing ya visuals/β
Aesthetics:
Above you see a cult classic late 80s film starring Rowdy Roddy Piper which seemingly depicts the two sides of a social perception coin that shows on one side the vantage of society as-is through the patronizing lying eyes of compliant acquiescence and the other through the lenses of a specially crafted pair of dark tint glasses where society can be seen for its more distasteful realities. (the Matrix film series will later borrow from this concept via the red pill/blue pill aesthetic.). B Dot begins here to lyrically demonstrate the parallels between himself and Rod Piper as those who see life through the prism of what its realities truly entail as opposed to Ave whom suggestively sees what most do absent of its harsher intent. The scope given from Dot being the 3rd round body of work designed to utilize Ave as the human placeholder to accentuate a fine tuned dissertation with an ultimate point of emphasis meant for a wider audience than a party of 1. Hence, the assurance to Ave that his current standing is okay and will ultimately serve as a teachable moment with a greater cause as outcome. Of which he begins.
Bar: βim tryna take you on a walk-man/so you can inner-stand/how, being radio silent when it comes to these issues is critical/β
+
βthe shxt you been trans-mitting, pitiful/low-frequency programming, tha playlist ainβt that original/i mean you fat, black, unhealthy promoting guns and drugs/ everything coming out this speaker is stereotypical/β
Aesthetics:
Remember these? My brief adolescence experience with this technological fossil takes me back! I digressβ¦ With the original definition of radio silence in tow, going silent over a transmitting signal would assume to be for the safety of others. Or in relationships, a sign of willfully ignoring the opposing other likely with a desire to illustrate a vehement point of which words had previously shown to be ineffective in doing so. Ironically, B Dot appears to suggest Ave operates quite opposite in his lyrical disposition electing instead to spew into the airwaves of Rap culture more typecast promotions of harmful enticement emitting a typical cog for a usual result in larger volume as opposed to a more critically urgent form of speech that may warn of the distorting qualities that come with the sounds of an internally conflicted speaker both literally or figuratively as a public speaker even, which an MC could be equated to. His descriptive jab serves dual purpose here as the visual aid subconsciously leads one to several examples of the imagery without much concentrated thought and also foreshadows a later fixation around the core appeal of Dotβs subject matter throughout the round.
Bar: βbut itβs yall individuals/who sit at home giving props/applauding tha rituals/see itβs a exercise on ya mind itβs all designed ta condition you/β
+
βlook at tha food that they giving you/massa gave you scraps that you turned into dinner too/and then you turn on tha TV ta see a live feed of a nxgga bleeding/receiving tha signals they sending you/yea you watching death, eating death/all in ya living room/and you living proof/β
Aesthetics:
Boom. A lyrically explosive descriptive scenery here from B Dot as he perfectly aligns the portrayal of the visual cinematography of what it looks like to consume dead flesh while watching an action-packed depiction of Hollywood blood thirst (pick a flick) all while sitting comfortably from the comforts of oneβs βliving roomβ. This effect then associates his demonstration to the Battle Rap viewership being taken to task for itβs particular participation in this cyclical practice of entertainment consumption as a human prop lent to the ritualistic approach of compartmentalizing information from several sources at one time. As we know, the brain and body alike store what we give it through process and as we do so with images of death as the brain attempts to properly store this vivid image while the body attempts to store decomposed cooked flesh one could conclude their is a holistic conditioning occurring simultaneously to keep all things in prospective. The burden of the task we induce ourselves with to be entertained seems to be the accountability piece of B Dotβs emphasis here. Which I personally find to be very responsible of him as the viewership of anything should seek to be challenged and held liable for itβs role in the rise of problematic social tendencies. (if certain things are indeed so potentially damaging to the collective, we could all effectively end it by simply deeming such futile from lack of success or interest.)
Bar: βdamn Ave look what they did ta you/got you going ta war wit ya soul/it, donβt even know that the food and medicine is in cahoots/see tha food industry got you sick/they twisted you/β
+
βall so tha pharmaceutical company could say ayy/now in order ta unwind you gotta take our medicinals/this is difficult/they got you in a bind/between two plates they pickled you/β
Aesthetics: Examining the relationship between the FDA and Medicine=
is what we will not do here. Though for any interested, an afternoon of public information inquiries into the matter will prove quite revealing. Anyhow, a pickle set between two plates on a dinner table setting is quite the tie-in imagery to the subject discourse. Nice penmanship here from B Dot. The point- whether in a bind or a pickle, to vastly alter oneβs bodily functions through the controversial aid of commercially subscribed medication is a tale long in the tooth with varying perspectives and outlooks. Thus the level of information made available for compare and contrast is apparent with no need to divulge here. Though consider, Dot mirrors the example given with an inwardly waged war between self & soulβ¦
Also, what winds with a twist and then unwinds?- things to be toyed withβ¦
Bar: βhereβs what them [redacted] do/fast food and liquor stores on every corner for tha animals in tha trapped in zoo/you looking around at shxt in ya hood tryna figure out- why itβs attracting you/β
+
βgolden arches/thatβs symbolic language, thatβs how they chat wit you/oh dots just tryna communicate/if you think about it some more, itβs code (morse code) what they got us tapped into/this is actual truth/β
Aesthetics: Below is a real advertisement campaign conducted by pictured Corp.
Excerpt- from Karen Haller, author of: βThe Little Book of Colourβ
βWhen you think of red & yellow do any brands come to mind?β¦ Iβm guessing you thought of a fast food brand. That is because they predominantly used red and yellow? This isnβt by accident.Β The feelings, the mood this combination of colours emits is perfect for their target market.
Looking at the positive psychology qualities of red & yellow in relation to the fast food industry, red triggers stimulation, appetite, hunger, it attracts attention.Β Yellow triggers the feelings of happiness and friendliness.
When you combine red and yellow itβs about speed, quickness.Β In, eat and out again.
Yellow is also the most visible colour in daylight, which is why the McDonaldβs M can be seen from a far distance.
The language of colour is communicated quicker to the brain than words or shapes as they work directly on our feelings and emotions.β
Bar: βoh you getting money in tha streets/ta tha [redacted] thats just scraps fa tha rats ta chew/oh you getting ta tha cheese/til you get snapped behind bars/they literally setting tha same trap fa you/β
+
βitβs like that acronym that you gladly use/f**k assumptions check tha stats/we did they proved/that propaganda got Blacks confused/theyβll throw you a rope/telling you ta hang ya self/and you believe tha reporters as you catch tha noose (news)/β
Aesthetics: Context- applicable to all working class individuals of any profession.
B Dot paints the lyrical side-by-side of the proverbial βRat Raceβ confounded upon society as the entrapment of pitting human endowment and advancement against time & effort with monetary solicitation as the βcheeseβ so to speak. Adjacent in Dotβs speech is the carefully assumed admission that the propensity of urban cultural demographics at large proportions often is to 1. engage in purposely made available illicit criminal activity as a means of gainful employment despite the fact the distributor of both the product and opportunity would ideally be far less concerned with the trifles of itβs hierarchy than the sustainability of its growth margins in and of itself. So while the corporate rat race could theoretically land one in prison for poor ethical behavior Dot is directly referencing 2. the prison industrial complex directly associated with the unlawful yet somehow lawfully legislated and adjudicated (imagine that) act of acquiring funds through transactions considered criminal and how the entrapment of it all often lands many of our peers and loved ones behind bars. And yet, the race keeps on keeping on despite the alarming trends set forth. Leading to the fair question- whoβs the brand spokesman for this salacious industry? Who endorses and commercializes its appeal? Who brand ambassadors this borderline genocidal sanction of underworld activity? What is the news in this context? You know who. You know what. And with time the how has become more blatant than ever. Thus, to βhang oneβs selfβ. Brutal honesty from Dot here.
But necessary.
Bar: βthis is all for views/are you getting tha vision?/[redacted] killing Blacks at higher rates for pre-existing conditions/high blood pressure from all that grease on ya chicken/ya lungs f**ked up from all the blunts that you twisting/yo kidney was f**ked up from all that liquor ya sipping/and youβll turn around and get a shot in tha arm from tha same people that distribute everything i just mentioned/β
+
ainβt no helping you niglets/what for?/i mean it was sickening watching you and Sikh war/oh while you was bench-pressing i was out dodging a bench warrant/so being in tha gym is something you wanna diss for?/thatβs why we gotta have this dis-course/cause being in-shape, for a prison cell, is tha only thing they got you fit for/this a big war/β
Aesthetics: Weβve seen monsters beforeβ¦
Dot in the climatic heat of his 3rd round here begins to drive home the emphatic delivery of his thesis to itβs target audience. Emboldened with the aura of his own noble convictions B Dot demonstrates the first indicator of his enraged passions fuel toward the true intended listener. Ave may very well encompass many of the habitual ailments mentioned to discuss candidly why Dotβs ethnic peer group tends to continuously find ourselves on the wrong end of the health spectrum, but make no mistake the veil behind the lyrics show this fiery disdain in speech was not made with Ave in mind. The frustration is with- everything. And everybody involved. And everybody complicit. And everything allowed. The fundamental lapse in social tolerance and the monetized factions who directly and indirectly benefit from it is Dotβs object of target for lyrical heat-seeking missiles. Is there anything worse than a specific someone at still discouraging proportions still blissfully unaware of the warfield landmine that is their environment on a day to day basis some three decades after Tupac Shakurβs distinct messaging permeated the same populous for dissection and assessment? I would imagine there may be in fact worse things however the sentiments of a fed up Dot did not go unnoticed here. The examination of our procedural logic as a people is required. Charles deserves a major credit for his fearless audacity to use HipHop as his podium.
As he should.
Bar: βyou gotta listen ta tha lesson im teaching/remember you was drunk and belligerent/talking ta Verb, yelling and screaming/and as a man, he was calm cool and collected cause tha Brotherβs a vegan/β
+
βtha shxt that you drinking/got you spiritually unhealthy/you need ta start exercising ya demons/are you finding tha meaning/ya brains drowning in sorrow from tha liquor that ya tops absorbing/this black man done took so many shots you would think tha cops was swarming/covid almost took ya kidneys out without tha Doc performing/im tryna help you find tha keys ta life since you almost lost yo organ/β
Aesthetics: In fairness to Ave, the video in its entirety would be more conducive.
Nonetheless the keys to life being something we are all in pursuit of one way or the other, blunders are bound to occur. Moreso than a public drunken display of battle rap friendly fire is the undertone of the very real person present outside of the kayfabe and/or need to build entertainment equity. Dot explores that deeper understanding lyrically here as tie-in imagery towards his core talking point denoting Ave. A public speaking quality the best use when discussing complex detail-oriented reference points. Something battle rappers are not given enough credit for no matter the style, cadence, content, or personal aspirations. These men comprise of some of the best performing arts talents in the World. And when concentrated a certain way- well, I love what Eric Thomas does. But ET is not B Dot, respectfully. I wonder often if SMACKS roster knows their potential reachβ¦
Bar: βthis is all important/β π‘
+
βfind a new path, this is not tha Ave ta take/look they killing our people/look how they kidnapped Jelani Day/they stole his organs took em away/β
+
βthese [redacted] know that they dying so they study our genetics looking ta stay/i mean they getting active/pocket-tapping/grabbing our genes looking for change/β
Aesthetics: Respect to this man, his family and may his soul find rest peacefully.
I wonβt go into this topic beyond the surface layer B Dot presented, but it should be noted finding correlation between the three core contentions here should be made our business individually and collectively without B Dot or anyone else having to demand that we do so. THIS IS ALL IMPORTANT. Beyond the lone purposes of mere battle rap enjoyment or miscast solely as B Dotβs topical shtick.
Bar: βbut you know what/this culture is strange/itβs a f**king circus i dont understand you clowns/i mean yall entertained watching two black queens almost fight while black men just stand around/β
+
βi donβt fit in wit yall/itβs nothing you can hand me down/β
+
βoh here B Dot go wit tha preaching i donβt understand this sh*t/S**k my d**k, you understand me now/F**k Battle Rap../β
Aesthetics: The most powerful energy on Earth prolly shouldnβt be provoked.
Hustle & Coffee can put on a show this culture craves without compromising the essence of being women who warrant respect. For themselves and one another. I think it would be fair to say B Dot did not and doesnβt stand alone within the sentiment of finding the optics of two premiere female MC talents headlining a production only to have the plug pulled due to a volatile and contentious environment as unfortunate to say the least. Expounding even further, though a stretch it may be to say, I think moments like the one in reference or even the suggestion or worry of it are what keeps a good portion of the viewership of this sport at arms length with a safe distance at times. Said to say in any environment where fundamentally sound moral ethics which are generally instilled and inherent already in the human-being, are made to feel or be taboo in nature and accountability; I think the drawback has itβs lingering negative connotations on the perception of what people want from that medium and how likely to find need to consume it. For example, I personally canβt attest to witnessing anyone being thoroughly entertained by the emotional plight of disagreement Ms. Hustle and Ms. Coffee Brown had ultimately reached on that night. But then again I wasnβt looking. Though I know it exists. B Dot spotlights this sector of consumership to embrace a larger more important mold of concern being- how are we defining whatβs being handed down? A loaded question with room for interpretation from two separate spectrums: the first- for the artist, how do you take it a step further in your contribution to your craft and offer more than simply a hand me down style to fit into but rather a hand me down blueprint or edict of code, principles, and lessons. Case in point, has anyone ever wondered aloud yet what exactly Lil Slap is going to Rap about? (I know Geechi Gotti has as he alluded to with Adam22 in suggesting the youth may evolve this sport entirely. Credit to him.) What does that young manβs time, energy, investment, and attention morph into as this cultures inheritance? Micro. Macro, has anyone considered there could be a developing futuristic talent pool brewing from Lil Slaps presence alone so how do you responsibly accommodate 100 Lil Slaps? The second: for the viewer- how do you justify your own investment into the commitment of consuming this art form or do you even feel the need to? Whereβs the fine line? Is it similar in part to how wrestlingβs fan base who are for the most part fully aware of kayfabe and feel comfortable bringing their children to the show despite its racy presentation, take it upon themselves to have that talk. Set expectations for the youth that what theyβre seeing is professional entertainment. And so wrestling gets room to be itself in the mind of the viewer both young and old or otherwise. (iβve heard Tsu Surf recently broach this topic specifically to his credit as well.) Does Battle Rap constitute this surface responsibility or is the culture actually a culture? Where two women fighting each other literally is considered intolerable on these terms and probably shouldnβt or wouldnβt be encouraged. Equally frowned upon the instigating element. Fair points often left untouched along with many other valuable vantage points which seems to summate B Dotβs boiling point of his peers and workplace alike, to a simmer with his explicit dismissal of the BRC. For my 2cents he isnβt wrong nor asking too much of the culture. However his firm overtures could be best served as the warrior and crusader than the recruiter of the half-hearted. Either way, B Dotβs lyrical exactness and brilliance on this night (and many others) warranted a further peek into the scope of the topics taken aim.
Thank you for your commitment to this body of work regimen in particular Dot.
Salute,
TwoCent
Pt. 2 is in the books. πΎ
Next up- TBD (2022)
Many well regards to all of the upcoming featured artists of this thesis series.
And many more successes to the Battle Culture of HipHop as a whole.
Looking forward to the cipher cyphers to come. Stay tuned readers.
Peace Luv1
TwoCent
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