Someone posted on Facebook the other day that they had just heard the song Niggas In Paris by Jay-Z and Kanye West and did not understand it. The person posted an open question asking how people felt about the song and what the two artists were talking about. I wanted to give my two cents, but looking at her 30+ responses, I had a feeling my phone would be buzzing all night long. Plus, after posting a response about Common having the artistic freedom to use whatever language he wants on his latest album, I can kind of anticipate how her 'friends' will react.
Let me not mince words here. I love the song! I don't just love it, because the beat is cold. I love it because I love what they are saying in the song. If the people who don't like it (which is very few) just opened up and listened to the song's lyrics, they would understand. Basically it's two brothas who look up and realize, 'damn, we're in fucking Paris!'. Not just 'we're in Paris', but we made it to Paris. We moved out of our hoods, and now we are vacationing and kickin' it in muthafuckin' Paris! I get it.
I personally know that feeling of looking up and realizing, 'this was a goal of mine'. Or 'this was a dream I had', now it's my reality. I remember climbing the cobble-stone streets of Cannes, France and thinking, 'Oh my God! I'm in France! I am a single woman, no kids and I am in freakin' France on a Mediterranean cruise!' It blew my mind and I was ecstatic! I felt the same way the merely five times I've flown 1st class. Or when I'm in New York, hitting the streets and 'working' New York and people treat me like I live there. No longer do I have that tourist smell. When I'm in an executive suite watching a Bulls, Bears or Blackhawks game, I think, 'how the hell did I get here?'. I don't take it for granted.
So when I was at the Jay-Z and Kanye West, Watch the Throne concert on December 1st, I was more than excited about them doing an 8-10 song encore of Niggas in Paris. There were people around me who could not believe that they would play the song, yet again. They could not take another encore. I just bounced to the beat and got lost in the music. It's a ballsy song to say the least, but isn't that what hip hop and rap is about? Having fun, boasting and hyping yourself up. I know that song. I live that song. I am that song.
I'm glad you explained it, cuz I never quite understand 'Ye and Jay's songs. Likely because I can't understand what they are saying over the beat. The lyrics make a little more sense in that context. I've never been about their style of rap, but that beat is hawt!
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