Respect Authority

Fuck the catchy songs.

Getting a song stuck in one’s head is an interesting phenomenon, as it does not necessarily depend on the song being technically good. I mean, remember Bubba Sparxxx? Yeesh. Or better yet, “Hollaback Girl” — that shit was auditory terrorism.

That said, having a predilection for hip hop, you find yourself often at the mercy of a pretty retarded song with a savagely infectious beat. Specifically, I have most recently been bitten by UGK’s newest release, UGK 4 Life. I mean… the title kind of says it all already. Like, I seriously think this shit might be stuck in my head for the rest of my life.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I ain’t beefin’ with nobody. Pimp C and Bun B are talented as hell and UGK very well could be the best Southern rap has to offer. The beats are a veritable bouquet of organs, guitars, bass and other live instruments, pleasantly reminiscent of a time when hip hop’s heavy use of funk samples gave it a little more soul than Kanye’s GarageBand experiments. Nonetheless, the lyrics are… well, they’re typical of the Dirty.

The most sinisterly catchy song on the album features, of course, Akon on the hook. Despite the fact that the song’s instrumentation is fantastic, and Pimp C and Bun B’s verses are hot fire, I’m really beginning to remember why “The Sweet Escape” was so god damned annoying. It’s really hard to concede to the dark power of a chorus like this:

That girl she got me, the way she movin’ in place
Bendin’ over, spreadin’ eagle, all that ass in my face
She got me hard as hell
Got me pokin’ like a nail
She got me hard as hell
I can’t control it, can’t you tell baby?

In fact, why not just listen to it? You know I be havin’ that hook up.

Yeah, just try singing that to the delight of a packed Brooklyn train car. I can’t wait. But by all means, get the album. I love it, and I’m pretty sure it’s turning me into a misogynist — but after all, misery loves company.

Ron Isley’s on a track, does that help?