the burden of creativity

Jay Electronica (i know, his name's kinda lame), new comer from New Orleans, must feel pretty good right now. Erykah Badu heard his shit and liked it so much, she started her Control FreaQ Records just to put him on.

Bitches & Drugs, a tight little joint laced by Dilla first got my attention 'cause this guy doesn't sound like he's from the south. i thought he was from the mid-west or NYC when i heard him 'cause he actually has a bit of substance. But Jay's true creativity comes out on Act 1: Eternal Sunshine (the pledge). dude flips samples from Jon Brion's score to the movie, audio clips from the movie, interviews with Erykah and Just Blaze, and some samples from the original Willy Wondka movie. Act 1 is supposedly the first of 3 installments - the last of which is gonna be his debut album.

i have a feeling though, that as much as i like him and as talented as he is, dude's not gonna blow. pause. he definitely deserves too, but with the fucked up state of hip hop right now, i just don't see it happening. everyone's been saying "we need hip hop thats creative and challenging like this to change this," but i just don't see it happening. the only changes i can see in the near future is an increase in violent lyrics in a spiteful response to Oprah and her campaign to clean-up hip hop, an increase in lyrical abilities with the rise of Lil Wayne, and other mix tape stars like Serius Jones and Joell Ortiz, and maybe a bit of a return to the heavier, more raw production style of the early/mid 90's when everyone gets diabetic-type-sick of these candy-coated tracks. But really, i just don't see some one like Jay Electronica catching on with the general public. I think he's just a bit too creative to come out now in a time when producer's are hailed as geniuses for switching the snare drum with a clap sample, and then again with a snap sample. He'll definitely get a bit of underground buzz from back packers, college radio and the white kids who listen to Ninja Tune, but I think he's just too much in the other direction to really really catch on - at least right now. But hey, go out, support him and prove me wrong...

(or maybe i'm just too jaded).

anyway, here's some more Jay Electronica for your enjoyment...