Homework for 12/5
1. Print and read this
Be prepared to discuss this article in class.
2. As mentioned in class, you will choose one of these songs, look up the lyrics, and using academic language, prepare a one paragraph response stating what the "author" is trying to persuade you to believe. Post your paragraph as a comment to this post. You must also keep a hard copy of your paragraph for class. Remember, please only pick one song.
50 Cent - Smile
Kanye West - Can't Tell Me Nothin
BRING EVERYTHING (THE ARTICLE, THE LYRICS, YOUR RESPONSES) TO CLASS!
Have fun,
Asoluka
posted by CA @ 9:46 PM
22 Comments:
"Can't Tell Me Nothing" a song written by Kanye West explains the privaleges and downfalls that come with wealth. He speaks about what money buys lierally, things like cars with suicide doors, and necklaces, and he also hints that people with wealth such as Magic, are better off as far as health goes. The downsfalls he mentions, include drama and problems, people talking about him yet in summation all they really don't matter, because he has his money. "Excuse Me, is you saying something? Uh, uh, you can't tell me nothing."
Kanye West's "Can't Tell Me Nothing," expresses his thoughts on how people tend to change when they have a lot of money. This includes the way they act and the decisions they make. It tends to cause them to stop listening to other people because they feel they are on top and they do not have to listen to anyone else. When people have a lot of money, no one can tell them what they can do with it either. It is their life. Along with the luxury of money though, comes problems and drama. Nonetheless, people should enjoy it. Life is what one make of it so they should make the best of it.
50 cents' Smile (I'm Leavin') touches many points. 50 expresses his view of similarities with Eminem. He explains how everyone is against him and now wants to give the people a reason to be against him. 50 includes that if the people want him to leave, he will. He got what he came for; his money. He's not hurting from them hating him, in reality he's better off than all the people who are against him.
Kanye's "Can't Tell Me Nothing" is a look at what he has done with his fame to date. He talks about how the money he made turned him into a person who could not be reasoned with. He talks about how not even his mother could get through to him and how he just wasted his money on material things. He also hints that because he has money that these things were expected of him, and even hints that with more money he will make the same mistakes.
Kanye West uses a provocation tone in “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” to amalgamate the fact that he has money with the fact that he is the best. His narcissistic attitude comes across in the song as the chorus tease, aha you can’t tell me anything. Proving that once again Kanye uses his music to show how he is better than everyone, while showing how his money gives him that edge. Kanye uses this song to express the trials and tribulations that come with having money as well as the rewards. In the end Kanye uses this song to prove to everyone that he made it and his money is proof of his success.
In the song, "Can't Tell Me Nothing", Kanye West is attempting to find the common space between success, wealth, and life. In attempting to find success, West feels the stresses of the success he seeks, "To whom much is given, much is tested." Despite all his fortune, he still has many problems. Of these problems, many come from his own reckless actions, "I had a dream I could buy my way to heaven, When I awoke I spent that on a necklace." His fans and the media have put him under a microscope causing his actions to become more reckless and outrageous. Although seeming to have found the key to happiness, he has squandered it all away on trivialities. These reckless actions, combined with the thrill that money and success has brought West have made him "act more stupidly", so much so that even his mother's words and actions have no effect on him. Although Kanye complains that money has brought him these problems, others without fame and fortune have no power and thusly no say in anything, "Uh uh you can't tell me nothing." Success and money makes people invincible, so much so that people, for instance Magic, can even survive HIV.
In 50 Cents Smile" Im Leavin" he expresses how he has gotten what he came to get. MONEY. The way people feel about him doesnt matter because they still take the time out to listine to what he has to say. People can say what they want but kids still love him and follow his every move.He states that he isnt a violent person he will just fight back if provoked. The overall point of 50's song is to show he doesnt care if no one loves him when he leaves because he got what he want and people will still follow his style.
Matt
Kanye West's "Cant Tell me Noting" shows the gap betweeen the wealthy and the poor. Kanye expresses money as a disease. When people are to wealthy they tend to get conceided and feel supiority over others. He states that with money comes drama. HE expresses that moeny had no affect to his attidude. He states, "So if the devil wear Prada,
Adam Eve wear Nada,I'm in between, but way more fresher." Adam and Eve would be the poor, the devil would represent the wealthy and he(kanye west) would be neutral.
Kanye West’s song “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” is a song about the affects of money. In the song he says that money gives him this sense of power, as if he could do anything, such as buying unnecessary materials and acting reckless. He has become arrogant because of his money. In the chorus, he is waiting for his money. Once he receives it, he won’t have another care in the world.
Craig
Kanye West's song "Cant Tell Me Nothing" describes the after life of his massive success and the drama which surrounds it. Kanye West rhymes about how his wealth has affected his personality. Material things such as diamond necklaces and exotic cars are now more important to him. Based upon the chorus, Kanye believes that he has so much money that everyone else does not matter. The public say many things about Kanye, but he believes his money makes him practically invincible.
In “Cant Tell Me Nothing” Kanye West expresses his ideas towards money and the effects it has (kind of like Pink Floyd’s “Money” from Dark Side of the Moon). Money seems to be the root of all evil, so to speak. It is what drives his reckless behavior. “To whom much is given much is tested”. Seems like the more you have the more problems arise. West mentions the weight that is put on by those watching. Money drives him to speak his mind and say what he wants and how he pleases. “I’m on T.V. talking like it’s just you and me.” The taunting chorus only points towards his arrogance that money has given the freedom to be. Nothing that anyone says can change what is going on in his mind because the money is talking louder: “My momma couldn’t get through to me”. Money is so powerful it even buys you your life. “And you can live through anything if Magic made it.”
The song 50 Cent's Smile (I'm Leavin') expresses 50's feelings positively about his success. Most people would put him down as to how he got to his stardom, stereotyping as is theme is too "violent". Oprah, for example, would not have him on her show for his theme but when Al Gore's wife met him, she didn't like rap until she actually met 50. People who would think negatively about 50 has no effect on him anyway because of one thing he always wanted and has: money
Kanye West's "Cant Tell Me Nothing" is a song that describes how money effects ordinary people's lives.The chorus depicts an ignorant statement, by stating that the wealthy (including Kanye) can't be corrected because of their social status. He talks about how celebrities and rich people act recklessly with money and forget their past. He implies that he is indifferent of other's opinions. The heart of the song is that if money is considered a "treasure", it will consume the victim and lead to a bitter end.
In Kanye West's "Can't Tell Me Nothing", Kanye talks about all the problems that come with being rich. He states in his song, "To what much is given, much is tested." He talks about how he has all these people telling him how to live his life. However Kanye says he is going to live his life and he is not going to change. Kanye says, "I'm just saying how i feel man, I ain't one of the Cosbys, I ain't going Hill man." Kanye is not going to let money change him, and he is not going to forget where he came from. Kanye is going to be himself and live life his way.
"Can't Tell Me Nothing" by Kanye West is a song about his life as a celebrity. In the first verse West references many things about his life. One thing he talks about is how he is able to buy items such as jewelry and Louis Vuitton products with his wealth. Second he acknowledges how much of a controversial figure he is by referencing the lawsuit by Robert Knievel. West then references how he has not graduated from college but it still a very successful individual. However, he also points out that he has not let the money prevent him from forgetting his roots. The rest of the song more or less reaffirms his statements in the first verse. Overall, West's tone in "Can't Tell Me Nothing" is harsher and more aggressive than his other two singles. However, the aggressive vanity he presents himself to have is somewhat toned down in the line "This is my life homey, you decide yours" (West 2007). It is his life and he is allowed to live it the way he wants.
Kanye West's "Can't Tell Me Nothing" is a song open to many interpretations. The common interpretation, however, is that the song deals with the trials and tribulations Kanye went through after becoming famous. This idea is mainly focused in the first verse. He speaks about his award show tantrums ("I feel the pressure under more scrutiny/And what I do?/Act more stupidly."), his legal issues with a certain daredevil ("People suing me."), and his unscripted remark on live-TV ("I'm on TV talking like it's just you and me."), among other things. Despite his success giving him a bigger ego, Kanye feels he hasn't changed much. In the lines, "I guess the money should've changed him/I guess I should've forgot where I came from," Kanye speaks about how money usually changes people and how he believes maybe he may have been more accepted, had he followed that idea. The two bars are more like Kanye spitting in the face of those who disapprove of him. The rest of the song, especially the chorus, is Kanye's way of saying that he is successful and proud of that fact.
In the song "Can't Tell Me Nothing" by Kayne West it explains how every aspect of a person's life is dictated by society. Secondly, Kayne further states that not a single person, no matter who they are will be able to change alter anyone's style. Kayne uses examples in his own life to emphasize his point. For example, he proceeds to state that evryone has expectations of him but he is not another stereotype. He is his own person and he will do whatever he feels will create satisfaction.
In his song “Smile (I’m Leaving)”, 50 cent asserts his opinion about the fame and fortune he has gained through making music. He assumes that people, except for the women and the teenagers, dislike him. However, he says that he does not care since he has got all the influence and money he wanted. Curtis James Jackson III, also known as 50 Cent, names important figures such as Oprah Winfrey and Spike Lee as some of the people who criticize or attack his image. Jackson goes on to describe how he will stay non violent until he is attacked, then he will turn just as violent if not more. He reminds his opponents that their children listens to what he says in his music and how he can make them do his bidding. He ends “Smile” sarcastically saying that he will leave the music industry to make his enemies happy. When in fact, he does not care what they think.
Kanye West's "Can't Tell Me Nothing" suggests that rich people, especially celebrity rappers like himself,can do as they please. With all the money Kanye West possesses he feels like he can buy his way to heaven, buy as much jewelry as he pleases, or spend it on name brand clothing. His status in society allows him to "act more stupidly" than others without any consequence.Kanye can go on televison and speak freely about anything no matter who it offends. Kanye can admit that the price of fame has its downfalls but no one "can tell him nothing" if he/she is not an equivalent to his super star status. Money changes people and not always in a positive way. However his lyrics suggest that if a person earns thier way to fame and fortune, the person should live life freely and remember that others can't tell you nothing.
In Kanye West's song "Can't Tell Me Nothing," he raps about how money and showbiz have changed him. He spends money on whatever he wants and likes just because he's Kanye and he can. He expresses how he's the best and not even his mother could get through to him. The fame and money went to his head, and he feels as if the world can't touch him. He is an image of what our society has become. Those with money spend it as if money grows on tress.
They say people often lose themselves when they become wrapped in the world of fame and fortune. That the success blinds them. "Can't Tell Me Nothing," by Kanye West is a song that express Kanye's reaction and thoughts towards his life as an artist. He express how though he did not go to college like others and got so much envy and let down from others he still made himself. He became an artist and made his money doing what he knows best. He talks about the variety of things famous people get into in the famous life. He talks about a man staying faithful in a room full of hoes, famous artists being tested by the people, and how "its so had not to act wreckless," being famous. He talks about how he faces these challenges and how no one "can't tell him nothing," because its his life and no one else. He explains how he telling us how he feels.
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