He says a rhyme/ But, see, compared to me it's weak compared to mine

August 31, 2018 11:15 AM

Lyrical Ladies, Writing Women, and the Legend of Lauryn Hill: Joan Morgan’s “She Begat This” looks back at how Lauryn Hill crashed through hip-hop’s glass ceiling, while our critic looks at how the author and a cadre of black women writers did the same for hip-hop music journalism.

Previously: Miseducation is overrated

In defense of Ms. Hill

posted by praemunire (6 comments total)

I clicked out of curiosity, expecting to read a couple of paragraphs and hit the back button, and wound up spending much of the last hour reading the piece (by Michael Gonzales) and listening to the music. I hadn't been familiar with either Lauryn Hill or Joan Morgan except as names, but now I'm nuts about them both. I love Morgan’s AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted review ("But why? . . . Why do you think he's good?" It took me a while to realize that the look he was giving me was the same look Andy Kirk, the legendary swing bandleader, gave this young guy in my elevator when he asked him what made those old jazz greats so great.... Because they could play, son. They could play. Home boy mouths the words again for me, slowly. "Because . . . he . . . can . . . rap"); she reminds me of the late lamented Ellen Willis. And Hill's music is mesmerizing—what a shame her career imploded the way it did! Thanks for a fine post.
posted by languagehat at 5:41 PM on August 31, 2018

Check out Morgan’s ‘When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost.’

Then check out J. Period’s double Lauryn Hill mixtape set, Fire and Water.
posted by box at 6:06 PM on August 31, 2018 [1 favorite]

I recently watched the interview with jazz pianist Robert Glasper and was saddened by his comments about Ms Hill. I kept wondering if he would have made the same comments if she had been male? Her response was interesting

Her response to the criticism of the little work she has done:

"And let’s not forget that I am a mother of 6…"

About wanting to be referred to as Ms Hill:

"And yes, Ms. Hill was absolutely a requirement. I was young, Black and female. Not everyone can work for and give the appropriate respect to a person in that package and in charge. It was important, especially then, for that to be revealed early."

I guess it is easy to judge someone else's behaviour without knowing what they are going through.
posted by greenhornet at 6:15 PM on August 31, 2018

I clicked out of curiosity, expecting to read a couple of paragraphs and hit the back button, and wound up spending much of the last hour reading the piece (by Michael Gonzales) and listening to the music.

It was a surprisingly meaty piece, which is why I linked it.
posted by praemunire at 8:35 PM on August 31, 2018

Forgot to mention that I was hooked immediately by the reference to Roxanne Shante; how well I remember the “Roxanne Roxanne”/“Roxanne’s Revenge” foofaraw from my early years in NYC and my consequent immersion in rap!
posted by languagehat at 7:14 AM on September 1, 2018

One of my earliest non-classical/church musical memories, actually.
posted by praemunire at 4:15 PM on September 1, 2018