Hip-Hop & Country: More Alike Than You Might Think

Yesterday, I saw a country music video on youtube about formidable "honkey-tonk badonkadonks."

Yeah, I'll be honest. I found it quite entertaining, most assuredly due to my Y-chromosome.

But afterwards, I found myself contemplating the video, and the whole country music scene.

First off, however, I am NOT a fan of country music. It doesn't really speak to me, despite of the fact that my late dad, and a plethora of those who claim the surname "Van Cleave" eat, drink, and breath it.

But, I am a fan of honkey-tonk badonkadonks (sorry, just being honest).


As you may recall, nearly 20 years ago, Sir Mixalot explored a similar subject in his hip-hop/ rap hit, "Baby Got Back."

Backs are nice too... but I digress.

So I got to thinking, and watched the SNL hip-hop party spoof, "I'm On A Boat". And then I thought, "How would making fun of hip-hop party videos, be any different than making fun of 'Honkey-Tonk Badonkadonk', a video in which all these hot white country music patrons are having a wild party in a bar?"

Seriously.

I risk offending any self-righteous country music fans who look down their noses at the predominantly black genres of hip-hop and rap.

Don't get me wrong. I cannot abide hip-hop or rap any more than I do country.

But here I go:

It's safe to say that patrons of hip-hop and country generally claim a wide chasm exists between them. They call each other racist. They claim their own versions of "virtue" and proclaim the others' lack of virtue.

Seriously?

Look. I'm just sayin': when I see videos with hot ladies in 'em, prancing around and fawning over an athletically-built male singer/ rapper (or males fawning over a female), it tells me all I need to know.

Both have the same train of thought: sex, sex, and MORE sex.

Neither have left behind the high school mentality. BOTH roll out beautiful women and men (debatable when you see the likes of one Lil' Wayne, I know) and sing/ rap about sex, parties, and chest-thumping.

Chances are pretty good, says I, that most of these "musicians" weren't ever really musicians to begin with.

Jocks? Yes.

Cheerleaders? Yes.

Popular kids? Most likely.

Band geeks? NOPE.

Band geeks are the ones who actually go on to make real music that speaks to our souls, write meaningful poetry, and very RARELY sing of sex parties and possessions.

Bands like Muse, The Killers, The Beatles, and many (admittedly, not all) of the bands that I actually listen to, were most likely band geeks who know a thing or two about music, and what it means.

Isn't it funny how high school carries over into adulthood. The jocks and popular kids are now dominating the crap we hear on the airwaves, just like they used to on the playground.

And I have to call out country music to step down off its high-horse and realize, that as far a subject matter goes, they're no better than the rap/hip-hop they so disdain.

And I'm not bitter.

... Really.