For the lovers of hip hop music, there are certain elements of the music that attract many to the genre. A great beat, great lyrics, and an underlying relationship between the artist and the song itself. Though many may believe the days of hip hop have been numbered for some time, it is refreshing and comforting to know that hip hop is alive and well in the song “For The Love of Da Game” by the legendary icon DJ Jazzy Jeff (off Magnificient) featuring Pauly Yamz & Baby Blak. Ingredients for this song are as follows… A smooth, jazzy beat provided Jeff, touching and genuine lyrics by Pauly Yamz and Baby Blak, and from a retrospective view, the connection between song, emcee, and DJ Embracing hip hop culture, “For The Love of Da Game” is a throwback to the days of yore while putting a modern twist on a genre desperately in need of revitalization.
To set the stage, the beat consists of a mix of drums, synth, and guitar, giving the song a breezy, laid back feel with subtle scratching provided by Jeff. Most beautifully, within the beginning seconds of the song, the words “Represent for hip hop not for rap,” and that is exactly what this song is about. It represents hip hop culture beyond the rapping. How does this song represent for hip hop? One only need listen to the lyrics to feel the love and pride for hip hop. Pauly Yamz and Baby Blak do an excellent job of separating between hip hop and mere rapping. Anyone can “rap” (i.e. Gus, the second most famous groundhog in Pennsylvania x-mas commercial), not every one can tell a story, and that is what separates hip hop from rap. Hip hop represents the struggles, emotions, and storytelling aspect of the emcee. In a sense, hip hop (in terms of music) is a lifestyle, and Pauly Yamz and Baby Blak both express hip hop to the fullest.
First up is Pauly Yamz, pouring his heart out for the one he loves: music. His verse describes in clever detail how hip hop music is intertwined with his life. With words of the common man, Paul builds complexity behind simplicity and professes his love for emceeing. Paul describes the rush he feels when making a track by saying, “There’s nothing like when you on a mic tearing a track//Then you come from out the booth and start hearing it back//Everybody there love the sound//That’s why they give you hugs and pounds//Now you know you was spittin’ it…” As a lyricist/poet, he describes how writing helps him express his emotions constructively by writing, “Recognized by my art that I spill in my game//Pour my heart on the track and have you feeling my pain//Seen a lot of hard times on the way to success//When I’m mad, writing a rhyme is my way to express…” In true the words of a true lover of hip hop, he writes, “You ain’t doing this for watches or chains//You got love for the game…”
Baby Blak continues the ode to hip hop with his tightly composed verse. It is interesting to see how he compares with Pauly Yamz. They are both speaking roughly about the same situations, but in two different ways. Pauly describes his dire circumstances, and is able to convey emotions of sympathy for the man when he writes, “Got a place to stay//But a place to lay?//That’s what I deal with on a day to day…Feel my pain, on a cloudy day feel my rain//No food no drink just hunger pains//Thinkin’ everyday who this chrom ‘gone kill//Smile in women face for a home cooked meal…” What Baby Blak does different is use his writing ability to dive deeper into his heart and MAKE the listener feel where he is coming from. To be able to tranfer one’s emotions to another person does not necessarily take skill, but rather takes personal reflection, and Baby Blak accomplishes this with style and ease.
To make this an even more beautiful song, both Pauly and Baby give props to the architect himself - DJ Jazzy Jeff. If there was ever a sense of nostalgia, it comes from the emcees shouting out to the DJ of the song. Pauly spits, “I feel the bass in my chest give power to song,” comparing the bass in the song to his own powerful heartbeat while Baby spits, “With snares and kicks prepared to mix//In the booth ’til I’m dead…” shouting out to Jeff for the snares and kicks he uses.
“For The Love of Da Game” is a beautifully mixed song that encompasses all that is good in hip hop music. The rhymes, the beat, and the relationship between DJ and emcee are all present within the song. This song is not about money and fame. As the chorus so elegantly puts it “Love what you do, and do what you love.”
To borrow a page from the Book of Thursday…
H eart
I n
P lace
H ead
O n
P oint
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April 3rd, 2006 at 9:04 am
Your writing is tasting like Crispex lately whats good though, looking, smelling feeling good ryan. Good coverage, essentially hiphop material here, no question , I’m happy you covered this song.
April 5th, 2006 at 5:51 pm
Nice piece! Theres a remix (it uses the same beat) for this song featured on the 12″ (I beleive) and on one of Raheim Devaughn’s mixtapes that features a couple other indie artists who add a great verses to the song that expound on the tracks theme nicely. You may be able to hear a snippet at www.bbemusic.com or at www.urbanave31.com, sorry for no link.