Roots of Country Music and Hip-Hop

I’ve often contended that the thematic similarities between country music and hip hop (as well as punk) – poverty, faith, community, rebellion, redemption, love, an insanely loyal fan-base – have always been there bubbling just under the superficial stylistic surface. Juli Thanki over at PopMatters.com does  a great job of fleshing out this concept in her story Who Says Country Can’t Hip-Hop?

Though I’m less impressed with the use of Kid Rock, Cowboy Troy and the Big and Rich creation, the “Muzik Mafia” as well as her “Screwed-Up Genius Who Died Before His Time” theory to tie the two genres -represented here by Tupac Shakur and Hank Williams – to be dubious, and the oversight of excellent artists that represent an appealing mix of the two cultures in their work like Ridley Bent and Buck 65 – I do applaud the article’s direction overall and the focus on House of Pain’s Everlast, the Gourds cover of Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice” and Snoop’s own work with Willie Nelson and his expressed respect for the Man in Black,  Johnny Cash.

With full knowledge of the level of loyalty of both genre’s fans, Thanki anticipates much hate mail from her article. If the email assailing does come to be it will just prove that no one hates quite as hotly as close brothers.

Buck 65 – Wicked and Weird

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oFVlcXEHkI[/youtube]

Ridley Bent – The Devil And Coltrane Henry

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw0K0GviZg4[/youtube]

I Missed the CMAs. Money says they STILL Blow.

So this year I spared myself the agonizing spectacle of the Country Music Awards. Aside from my Texas home girl Miranda Lambert there was nothing, NOTHING, about the Nash-Vegas that would compel me to watch what amounts to a fate more painful then sitting through 5 Hanna Montana concerts….sequentially…with her dad opening the show. Seriously, Kid Rock? Even the rappers don’t want him anymore. Shania Twain?! Mutt Lang dumps here and she leaves Canada starved for the spot light? I still contened the CMAs make the Grammys seem edgy.

Stagecoach Announces Festival Lineup

The lineup for Stagecoach, California’s Country Music Festival has been announced. Along with the garden variety Nashville pop faire – Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire and Brad Paisley – the festival will feature more harder edged and rootsier artists – Miranda Lambert, Earl Scruggs,  Jerry Jeff Walker, Ricky Skaggs, Ralph Stanley, Dale Watson, The Duhks, some pleasant surprises, Dallas’ own Reverend Horton Heat, and a few wanna-bes – Kid Rock, Darius Rucker.

Stagecoach will take place on April 26, 2009 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA. Tickets for go on sale Friday, November 14 at 10:00 AM (PT) at all Ticketmaster locations.

Kid Rock Y’all!

When did Kid Rock, the wanna-be rapper, cowboy and on-again-off-again Mr Pamela Anderson, become the new face of the National Guard and NASCAR? For crissakes the man is a YANKEE! Didn’t he do enough damage by ruining Sweet Home Alabama? Birthright aside this song blows.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2j6j-vf6Ks[/youtube]

For sheer ass-kicking patriotism I’ll take Hag’s “The Fightin’ Side Of Me.”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHAFmFsb9XM[/youtube]