Hip-Hop Confessions: An Aesop Flop?
This week, I come clean on one of Jay-Z’s beloved tracks. Sorry YN, but fronting will get me nowhere.
Last Week: Hip-Hop Confessions: J Dilla Who?
Here’s a confession, within a confession. This wasn’t supposed to be this week’s testimonial. But because of my neighbors love for Kanye’s big brother, I called an audible.
You see, the tenants in apt. 4B were blasting “Meet The Parents” off Jigga’s, The Blueprint 2. I know the cut is popular amongst fans, but truthfully, I never dug it. In fact, I thought his storytelling was a bit murky.
Yes Stanley’s, I listen to music and not skim through it too. I liked the concept behind the record, (I rewound it multiple times just to get the kicker) but I often felt it was cloyed with verbiage. Somewhere after “Mike” said he didn’t father a darkie, I found myself lost in translation.
But hey, I’m not here to throw Hov under the bus. After all, he’s made succinct and eidetic tales like, “You Must Love Me” and “A Week Ago.” But stacked against those and other fabulist cuts from Nas, BIG, or Ricky D “Meet The Parents” falls short. Disagree? Well, drop your 2 Cents in the deposit box below.
“Meet The Parents”
{mp3} meet the parents{/mp3}
that is all
As a Jay-z fan since payday days, there are only 2 songs that I never really liked or got into and I might get assassinated for this one but it was “Lucky Me” and “Meet the parents”. I’m glad to know that others feel the same way that I do. I understand the concept of MTP and also the irony, but the art of storytelling was a bit murky to your point. Nas and BIG were one of the few that could tell a story so vividly and hit right at home. I believe Jay really wanted to show his diversity but did fall short.
Just my thoughts
MT
It’s one of Jay’s worst songs, but nothing can match the awfulness of “I Know What Girl’s Like” The problem with “Meet The Parents” is that’s trying to be too grand, too coincidental. He tries too hard and ends up creating a false sense of irony. Terrible song off a terrible album.
lol this shit is going to get out of hand.
Check out the Joe Negatives comming out the woods for this one.
I think the song is one of Jays all time greatest. The storytelling is perfect, the irony is perfect, the twist at the end is magnificent.
Jay may not tell stories the same way Big did, but IMO he knocked MTP out the park.
This article sounds to me like ur being a little cynical.It seems to me that you’re just looking for fault in one of Jay-z’s tracks. Meet The Parents is an amazing track. ‘Nuff Said.
what is he even talking about?
Jayz is foolish, all he ever talks about is jewels
I remember when this album came out and hearing this song. It seemed like he was trying to establish his greatness over all aspects of hip-hop, especially in the strength of the only 2 people mentioned in the same sentence as him – B.I.G. and Nas (The 2 most gifted storytellers ever). It was a decent try, but not his strong point. After Nas won the Ether battle, I think he felt he had something to prove lyrically. This song was indicative of that whole album – all over the place!
i agree, with you R.E.D. Inc., i guess we can give Jay an E for Effort
I will also give him an E for Effort. I think it was koo, but not up to par for what he could have written. That said, if pretty much any other rapper had come out with the same song they would have been lauded for it. Just my opinion.
On a different note, this pic of Jay looks like a stylistic fusion of Kanye and Raphael Saadiq.
Lucky Me is one of Jays best songs ever!
Song is great
This is a very lame end effortless writing.
Just feels like u trying to generate traffic by going at Jay.
Step ur game up u better journalist then that.
But if u must dwell in this banality at least hire Bol.
He’s pretty good on that.
Yeah. This song wasn’t great at all. Hov is a GOAT. But his story telling was suspect comapred to Nas, BIG, Slick Rick and Scarface.