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OCR01125 - Astérix (NES) "Niggaz 4 Life"


djpretzel
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If you focus on the profanity, then yeah, you're gonna hear too much of it in the song. It's there, but there's not as much as you may think there may be. Any time you focus in on something, it becomes more obvious; it's how things like that go.

So, focus on the profanity if you must, but have you even looked at the rest of the lyrics? Holy shit, the swearing can't degrade rhyme and flow of that caliber, beeytch. Example:

yea, you a hypochondriac, you wish you are what i is

a severe genetic birthonset defect called ILLNESS

its fitting that i leave my essence in a bloody effervescence

while i infest nests of self-replicating worms in your chest

asterix, BANG, packin heat for hours

world powers crumble when i double mumble, leaders cower

fresh out of the gate, i'm irate rattin out yo whole team

sleep-deprived. your dreams bust out through yo seams

Hard.core. I'm a slam poet myself, and while I tend to stay away from the profanity... wow, wait, it doesn't seem there is any in this verse! Anyway, what I was going to say is I have a huge amount of respect for anyone who can flow like this. Kudos, Zyko, much kudos indeed.

As for the song, it's definitely one of my favorite things to come from OCR, and I don't even like hip-hop. The rhyme is infectious, the beat is kickarse, and Zyko's mastery of the english language is amazing. Easily a 10/10 in my book.

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I'm glad to see that there are a few people who felt like me about this song. The composition is good, and the lyrics are okay, but the delivery sounded rediculous to me, and I thought the use of "nigga" was rediculous. It's not that I'm offended by it or anything; I listen to a lot of rap. It just seemed really stupid in the way that they used it here. It's as if they thought it would be really funny or something.

I can't beleive so many people liked this so much. The more I hear it, the dumber the vocals sound, and the lyrics are starting to sound more rediculous too. This is a mockery or parody more than anything, and if that was really its intention, then it's a very dumb parody. If that wasn't its intention, then it's just dumb.

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I'm glad to see that there are a few people who felt like me about this song. The composition is good, and the lyrics are okay, but the delivery sounded rediculous to me, and I thought the use of "nigga" was rediculous. It's not that I'm offended by it or anything; I listen to a lot of rap. It just seemed really stupid in the way that they used it here. It's as if they thought it would be really funny or something.

I can't beleive so many people liked this so much. The more I hear it, the dumber the vocals sound, and the lyrics are starting to sound more rediculous too. This is a mockery or parody more than anything, and if that was really its intention, then it's a very dumb parody. If that wasn't its intention, then it's just dumb.

try spelling ridiculous again.

~weed

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I'm glad to see that there are a few people who felt like me about this song. The composition is good, and the lyrics are okay, but the delivery sounded rediculous to me, and I thought the use of "nigga" was rediculous. It's not that I'm offended by it or anything; I listen to a lot of rap. It just seemed really stupid in the way that they used it here. It's as if they thought it would be really funny or something.

I can't beleive so many people liked this so much. The more I hear it, the dumber the vocals sound, and the lyrics are starting to sound more rediculous too. This is a mockery or parody more than anything, and if that was really its intention, then it's a very dumb parody. If that wasn't its intention, then it's just dumb.

try spelling ridiculous again.

~weed

Good thing that we're getting down to the crux of the issue.

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It's a great mix but just not my cup of tea. As far as profanity, I'm sorry man but you hear it so often now in music that's it's almost refreshing to have a clean track. Not exactly something to be proud of having or raving about. Whoopie-do, it has profanity. Now here's the problem. Like mentioned before some of us have family or kids and don't want them listening to such lyrics and it's harder to enjoy due to little windows of opportunity. Some people are uptight and/or get annoyed with vulgar language.

It just so happens that some words annoy the living hell out of me and "nigga/nigger" just happens to be one of them. I hate both uses of the word. You know when you see sterotype teens and whatnot you'll notice every thing they'll say or do and either have some reaction. I laugh when I hear a heavy southern accent but it also annoys the bejesus out of me. Like it or not you learn to live with it. Now as you mentioned before:

its alot like how white boys go around sayin "duuude... broooo" and sound ridiculously retarded.

I feel the same way when I hear the word "nigga" because it's used so damn much. I hear kids walking home from elementry school in a wealthy white community say it. The word has no shock value other than trying to explain it. Not to mention that most white people are afriad to use it -- it's pretty funny to watch.

Now picture a song with the words "dude" and "bro" being repeated in fashion you don't like it. Then read notable reviews proclaiming how great it is. Bittersweet don't you think so?

Ah, now to the main reason I even wanted to register and to put on my big boy pants.

try spelling ridiculous again.

~weed

I honestly don't even know where to begin with this. You were doing so well up until this point. A forum no matter how renown is not the place for a grammer nazi more or less one who doesn't know how to use the shift key. That's no way to respond to someone's opinion, valid or not, unless you're a teen who just started learning how to flame (or an attention whore for that matter). It's not even acceptable in terms of correcting someone. His post wasn't screaming typos nor was it incohesive. That was a stupid move. Who knows, maybe more people like Ubik will kiss your ass out of this hole you dug. Just maybe.

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wow.

first of all, let me clarify that i'm not defending the track or its message. i didn't really expect anybody to like the track, i had fun doing it and i feel it was an honest and genuine endeavour.

there is plenty of reason for somebody with family and children to be concerned about a track with profanity used in it... hence why David wrote the disclaimer on the front page of the track. anybody who did not want to hear the track after knowing that "nigga" was used (its in the title, einstein) should not have pressed download right then and there. there are plenty of people who do not like the word "nigga" - you can feel free to dislike it. i am not here to convince you that you should like the usage of the word. that is perfectly fine and "every man to himself" applies here

as far as the "ridiculous" comment... kram, you are getting a little too worked up about it. you need to chill out.

i did not mock olanmills out of malice. i thought it was a little odd that somebody who was questioning the intelligence of my word choice would in fact consistently mispell a word throughout his post. i still feel that my statement, though clearly mocking, was not done distastefully nor disrespectfully and i did so without resorting to curse.

also if olanmills is offended by my statement, i'm sure he can defend himself (note how he responded and how you did)... it was a little joking jab that i am sure he and i can resolve (i strayed a bit from the crux of the issue as he pointed out - so, olanmills... my bad)

but kram, thank you for being the forum samaritan that you are - i am sure he appreciates it.

there are no holes here dug aside from the one you are quickly digging for yourself. the fact is, there are more intelligent, tolerant people in the world than there are bitter, narrowminded ones... its borderline entertaining how you refer to me as a "grammar nazi" when you and a small handful of others are questioning my ability to use the english language which, so far, has been superior. the shift key is not the defining element of an individual's eloquence and if you think so then you are grossly misguided and need to give your pinky a rest.

again, i am not debating the use of "nigga" any further. you need to get in touch with modern times and the reality that censorship and art don't go hand in hand ... and also that nigga no longer means nigger and no longer refers to a subserviant african american

if you still have a problem with me and feel that you'd like to be thoroughly humiliated then feel free to privately email me or start a general discussion thread to continue this conversation but don't litter the review section of this track with your narrowminded flame. there are people who enjoy this song and are not offended by the use of a single word.

thank you for your feedback and expression of your opinion.

~weed

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I would think that the disclaimer made at the very beginning of this track's review would be enough to deter those who might be offended or have small children. It's not the site's responsibility to filter out material that might offend people - that's up to those who download the music. Considering that the video game industry itself has nearly been the victim of crippling censorship, I would dislike it if a site such as OCR set itself up as censors.

However, our intent was neither to offend nor cause controversy. We had fun in our own way, and the fact that zyko conveyed his message of camaraderie through such awesome rhymes should be more important than a few blue words. Obscenities don't automatically discount the artistic merit of any particular work; I should think that authors like James Joyce display that clearly enough (Not that either of us are James Joyces or anything). It's your prerogative to dislike something because of its lyrical content, but one cannot say it has no artistic merit because of an obscenity or two. Besides, zyko was writing lyrics both from and in tribute to his particular experiences, and just because one's opinions and experiences differ from his doesn't invalidate them.

In short: we appreciate all the feedback, positive and negative, but this is not somewhere that I'd consider soccer-mom censorship appropriate. Thanks again to everybody.

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Well...I seem to be a bit late in the take..so...eh-hem. I'll give my two cents.

First of all, the content does not offend me. I could understand someone being offended by it, but I personally am not offended by it. At the very least, it's no more offensive than most other rap I've heard.

As per the song itself....the rhymes are pretty good. Not quite up to par with say Nas, Talib Kweli or OutKast, but that's hardly a fair comparison. :wink: Of course, I'm not a rapper so I neither claim to have superior abilities nor be able to help improve them.

And whatever inconsistencies the rhymes may have are made up by the beat itself. It's all funky like. Good drums, and a nice bassline. I'm not sure what all the other stuff they used is, but it's good regardless. Overall, a very solid remix.

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Hmmm...

I have to say, I like the music much more than the vocals. I don't hate rap, but it doesn't appeal to me either, and the language strikes a sour note for this Deep South Bible Belt inmate. I'm not going to get all indignant about it; it's just not going on my playlist.

Props for using a track from the Asterix game. I had the cart back when, and after listening to this I'd get it out and play it again... if my system was still working decently, that is.

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Alright guys, let's keep in mind that this is a review thread, not a discussion topic. If there are any more personally relevant issues, continue through private messages or take it to the appropriate forum.

My mom gave me a lot of foreign comics to read as a kid, European especially, which you'd find at almost any quickstand in Delhi. Some I liked, some I didn't, but the two I came to love were Tintin and Asterix & Obelix. The former a more modern setting, Asterix was a wonderfully ridiculous series featuring a stunted but wily Gaulic warrior and a fat man with striped pants who fell into a cauldron of magic potion as a baby. The episodes were full of history, violence, poetry, slapstick, rebellion, witticisms, hedonism, and most notably, camaraderie. Ubik and zyko's mix brought all that back in a form I'd never have imagined, ultimately tying together the comic, the game's music, and the story's theme - friendship - perfectly.

One of a kind.

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in response to the inquiry over a clean version of the song, i don't think it is beyond question and i'd love to record one for those interested in a cleaner version of the track.

however, just for the record, i really think the distaste over the present profanity is a bit much... endblink recently sent me a message concerning that very subject and made a very good point to me that i suppose this would be an excellent time to share with you:

Ubik & Zyko - Niggaz 4 Life

Use of word "nigga": 34 (including title)

Use of any other profanity: 7

JaY Z f/ BiG Jaz & Amil - Nigga What, Nigga Who

Use of word "nigga": 30 (including title)

Use of any other profanity: 36

Busta Rhymes - Break Ya Neck

Use of word "nigga": 35

Use of any other profanity: 15

Dr. Dre - Nigga witta Gun

Use of word "nigga": 21 (including title)

Use of any other profanity: 26

Snoop Dogg - Nigga 4 Life

Use of word "nigga": 52 (including title)

Use of any other profanity: 24

50 Cent (f/ Eminem & Biggy) - Too All My Niggas

Use of word "nigga": 45 (including title)

Ise of any other profanity: 20

------------------------------------

really, i don't think i swore nearly as much as some of you think i have and i still was able to put out 4 solid verses that did not need the "crutch" of profanity.

and "nigga" was the point of the title and song so its understandable that it was mentioned a lot.

i dunno, just thought you'd be interested in seeing those numbers.

thanks to endblink for the information.

and i will consider a clean version of the track.

thank you for your suggestion

~weed

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