I was quite enthusiastically inspired by the permission to leave my comfort zone provided by the Alien Genre Challenge. So - also a bit bored in lockdown -I got on with it right away. Of the two genres I was allocated - Reggae and Hip Hop- the latter seemed a complete mystery to me. Plus I could never imagine rapping for one minute.
But I did choose Hip Hop for perverse and masochistic reasons
- and then went to work finding some Hip Hop drum loops that sat well together, which at least would give me the foundation of the genre. Together with a verse bass line that follows the bass drum, lots of rhyming rap and some (daft) effects I thought I'd given the song a nod in Hip Hop's direction.
But I've added some bluesey/jazzy/trippy musical embellishments that completely muddle the melting pot. Fun though! For me anyway
To get round the problem of a guy of my generation, and cultural upbringing, convincingly doing rap I invented a new persona. So in this song I take on the acting role of a Grandad who would be - believe it or not - even slightly older than me! And I have dug out the soft Lancashire dialect of my old home town to complete the act and add to the incongruity of it all.
I'm slightly nervous of putting this in the public domain
Gulp, but here goes! There's a delete button on Soundcloud after all!
https://soundcloud.com/michael-a-duffy/grandads-turned-hip-hop LyricsTeeth like sharks my wife's remarks
When out shopping in Marks & Sparks
A tidy flat cap for this cool chap
She said fancy dress? You deserve a clap
So I chose in haste, again not her taste
Nice trousers with elasticated waist
Let's pay, let's go, I've still got it y'know
She cried no, no
But I'm no sad clown, so off with the frown
Grandson was in town so I tracked him down
And I made him stop at his fave fashion shop
I said what's this music? He said Hip Hop
I goes Chuck I'd like to get your look
He said I'm sixteen Grandad what the fluck
I says Sprout don't doubt me mojo's out
He cried no, no!
Lad said Gran
Make it stop
Grandad's turned Hip Hop
But I was glad that I had
Though the lad took it bad, more than a tad mad
Proper sadSo I went underground with this Hip Hop sound
Wore my baseball cap the wrong way round
Me gangsta hoodie thing and all that bling
Tattoos smacked large on everything
I said lad don't be mad, Chuck ain't I bossed it?
He said OMG Grandad you've lost it
Then on the patio, break-dance cameo
He cried no, no
So I said let's stroll to my watering hole
For a pint with my homies and crown green bowls
Keepin' MC time rappin' out in rhyme
It ain't no crime Big G digs Grime
He's like Grandad you ain't no Eminem
No Snoop Dog, Stormzy, none of them
But my mates yelled Yo, go Grandad-io
He cried no, no
RPT Chorus But from Big Granny Chief there was no relief
I says what's up Your Majesty, why all the grief?
She goes who’s s this chubby Mr Hip Hop hubby
With your kecks down your arse and your gangsta hoody
You're a fashion mishap, where's that nice old chap
With his afternoon nap and his dapper flat cap
I says don't agitate, babe it's just too late
I is Big G of Hip Hop and fame awaits
Lad said Gran
Make it stop
Grandad's turned Hip Hop
But I was glad that I had
Though the lad took it bad, more than a tad madAnd me wife