The club is not my scene; for me it has always been a spectacle or people comfortable with themselves and people trying to posit an image to fit in with everyone else. No matter how much I dislike the superficial nature, from time-to-time I venture out, mostly at the behest of my friends, for some extracurricular fun. This past Saturday, after the usual pre-game activities, I found myself shaking hands with the right people before finding a comfortable booth on the side of the club. The ambiance has always been the selling point for me; good people, club music and ice in my muddy water. As the evening carried on I noticed something that had come completely out of nowhere, something I’d heard previously, but had never seen the impact first hand.
I seldom listen to the radio anymore due to the fact a hot song will be played at least twice an hour, every hour of the day. The bias and recycling of chart topping songs get boring, so I stay on the blogs, most notably IMFmag.com (Shamless ploy) to stay current and informed on what’s new in Hip-Hop.
Although a decent variety of songs were played throughout the evening from a diverse array of artists, it was an infectious ad-lib that reigned supreme above all others.
As soon as the beat dropped everyone knew it was coming as he crooned out, “2 Chainz,” before every verse. From “No lie” to “Mercy” 2 Chainz owned the speakers of that club Saturday night, with permission granted by everyone in attendance. I had heard about his “takeover” of sorts, but refused to believe it, until with my own two eyes I saw an entire club go nuts, reciting his lyrics effortlessly.
Talk about riding a wave, 2 Chainz formerly known as Tity Boi, has truly restarted a career that began in Atlanta in 1997. After finding short success as a member of the group, Playaz Circle, 2 Chainz’ decided to leave the Ludacis imprint, Disturbing Tha Peace, in an effort to advance his career. He took a risk, a major one.
Great move.
Since then he has taken over urban radio with clever punch lines and a gravity-like aura that seemingly compels other artists to sign him up for features. There can be no denying Chainz’ ability to seize the moment, although Hip-Hop purists may disagree.
Sure, he started off his new single, “Birthday Song” with the line, “She got a big booty so I call her booty” and people have spent more than enough using his rhyming pattern on twitter, but with the release of his new album, Based on a T.R.U. Story, I’m sure the criticism wont have any affect on him.
As bloggers, readers and listeners we may have a certain lean to what we like, what we deem as a Hip-Hop, but the entire culture developed from a variety of different styles. I come from the lyrical, picture-painting camp, led by the likes of Rakim, Nas and Notorious B.I.G, but I can appreciate the hard work and dedication of other artists; which is also one of the cannons of Hip-Hop. I may not play 2 Chainz on a daily basis, but from an aspect of Hip-Hop culture, I refuse to knock his hustle. 2 Chainz could have simply fell by the wayside as many artists do, after a hot single, but he stayed the course, waited his turn and is currently featured by some of the most known artists in the game.
