Brand Nubian 1998

Brand Nubian's 1998 Album

Quotes
"We salivate from hunger, placed in fucked-up situations, and wonder when retaliation will occur. . . . Nubian brand steadily influencing fans. . . . they promised me 40 acres and a mule, and all I got was a project and a subway. . . . I'm God; walk through North America like Master Farad, me and my squad. . . . fuck around and roll a tank through your yard";
"Straight Outta Now Rule"; Brand Nubian, Foundation, 1998, Arista Records, BMG Entertainment, Bertelsmann AG.

"When will we make our exodus; when will the guns bust the other way instead of at the brother next to us; that's all they expect from us. . . . I'll watch out for my babies and I'll kill for them";
"Love Vs Hate"; Brand Nubian, Foundation, 1998, Arista Records, BMG Entertainment, Bertelsmann AG.

"We arrived on slave ships, tortured, chained, and whipped; 400 years of being slaves in the land of the brave; have we forgotten our ancestors forced to pick cotton, women raped and tortured; murdered if they caught you; niggas swung from trees. . . . millions of people died. . . . nowadays it's in new ways; '60's, it was smack; 80's, it was the crack; '90's, it be the gat. . . . get wise and unify and not fall victim to the plot. . . . when will we make our exodus; when will the guns bust the other way instead of at the brother next to us; that's all they expect from us. . . . I'll watch out for my babies and I'll kill for them";
"Love Vs Hate"; Brand Nubians, Foundation, 1998, Arista Records, BMG Entertainment, BMG.

Article
      Grand Puba put a solo album out in 1995, and Sadat X put one out in 1996. With their 1998 album, Brand Nubian continues blaming whites for problems blacks face, and they call on blacks to direct all crimes at whites. The Brand Nubian rappers describe themselves as "pro-black," as "Africans," and as "preparing to fight to the death." ("The Return.") On the third track, Mobb Deep and Prodigy are praised. The "all my people" whom Brand Nubian speaks to includes "blacks to light tans," and, on the entire album, no other colors are included as being among their "peop[le]s." The following is an example of Brand Nubian lifting some fundamental responsibility off of black men: "they got us willing to be killing off our population." Rather than giving unconditional "love" to fellow blacks, Lord Jamar says that he will "show love to all of [his] people who show love to [him.]" He says that "Gods [are] working hard on the streets for the love of the peop[le]s." ("Shinin Star.") The following quote is an example of Biblical Revelations, white conspiracies, and black revolution being connected: "like black steel in the hour of chaos, we come back to reveal the Seventh Seal, the drum tracks, the sound tracks for war. . . . they wanna make a felon out of every black youth. . . . we got big plans to make loot, waiting for the seeds we plant to take root." The rappers call themselves "hardcore righteous." ("Brand Nubian.")

      Typical of violently racist "gangsta" rappers, there are glimmers of self-help messages which are undermined by passing fundamental blame onto whites, and which are undermined by calling for the killing of whites. The following stream of phrases demonstrates how rapidly the rappers can switch from passing blame to issuing threats: "we gonna realize and make the change; take the blame; erase the shame; the new millennium is knocking at your door; the new world order is what they got in store. . . . you got to go through a whole lot of shit just for you to get a little bit; born into existence where your existence is non-existent; but your persistence overcomes their resistance. . . . we linger on into the darkness, poisoned by society. . . . revolution is like good pussy; I'm trying to stay up in it; in our music is a message, though some is afraid to send it. . . . devilish ways and actions poison us. . . . I roll with squads called the Gods. . . . a search . . . for better homes; it ain't gonna happen until the devil is gone with the breeze and niggas get off their knees." Brand Nubian rappers say that it is their "duty" to save blacks from "all of this shit." ("Maybe One Day.")

      Mixed messages are given often by rap groups. For example, a Brand Nubian rapper says that he is through with sleeping around and smoking "dust," and that he will "strive to stay pristine and free from lust." ("Let's Dance.") On the other hand, rappers indicate that they will sleep around and smoke marijuana. ("Back Up Off the Wall.") When a "little smoke" resulted in a rapper spending three days in jail, he resents the police rather than the illegal drug. ("Probable Cause.") Brand Nubian rappers offer confused messages about child support that lift fundamental responsibility off of black men, and it is done as follows: the rappers resent the government and law enforcement for forcing black men to pay for child support because the rappers say that it causes black men to have heart attacks ("Probable Cause"), and the rappers blame poverty for the choices made by a black man not to support the offspring and not to marry a woman he impregnates ("Love Vs Hate").

      They will "attack any man" who tries to stop their messages from getting out, and listeners' hands "should be up . . . in a land that the black man needs to free up." ("Let's Dance.") The rappers use violent imagery to make claims about their influence, and to direct violence at rappers who are not in favor the cause. ("Back Up Off the Wall" and "Brand Nubian.") The rappers proudly have "touched every flavor but vanilla." ("Back Up Off the Wall.") The rappers say that they still get mad about "Rosewood," and they refer to reparations and to racial interpretations of the Bible. "Can I get a little land for me and mine," they ask. Blacks were the "first to walk to the earth," we are told, and while "afflicted with the curse of the slave, [they are] predicted to inherit the earth in the Last Days." The rappers identify themselves with Eastern Africa through the choice of the word "Nubian" for their group's name, and they identify with symbols from Ancient Egypt, in particular with pyramids and the Nile. America is called "the land of the lost." ("I'm Black and I'm Proud.") While praising "black woman" and the "chocolate skin," the rappers offer black women love, protection, "proper education, [and] Allah's correction." ("Sincerely.")

      The rappers are upset about being pulled over for probable cause, and about subsequent arrests for possession of marijuana. White law enforcement officers are referred to as Jake, cracker State Troopers, Dick, po-po, and Robo cops. It is because blacks are arrested that blacks are "violent in this wilderness land." The following date in October is referred to proudly: "on October 22 we wore black for all my peoples. The system is made for blacks "to fail." "New York State of mind doesn't mind murdering my kind," the rappers say, and so the rappers wish that "they'd all go to hell." The rappers pronounce a threat toward officers and the system as follows: "I can't wait until we bag the hog." Black officers will "burn" because they went "across the line." ("Probable Cause.")

      Blacks must love one another, and it is "time for [the rapper's] people to eliminate the hate." The rappers "hate the black-on-black" crime. The song is begins with the statement that slavery has not ended, that the modern form is fallout from drugs, and then the second stanza begins with a call for black gangbangers to direct all criminal activity at whites. In a series of phrases that show how it is said, one may notice how the use of the words "we" and "you" makes it seem as if today's blacks personally suffered historical slavery: "we arrived on slave ships, tortured, chained, and whipped; 400 years of being slaves in the land of the brave; have we forgotten our ancestors forced to pick cotton, women raped and tortured; murdered if they caught you; niggas swung from trees. . . . millions of people died. . . . nowadays it's in new ways; '60's, it was smack; 80's, it was the crack; '90's, it be the gat. . . . get wise and unify and not fall victim to the plot. . . . when will we make our exodus; when will the guns bust the other way instead of at the brother next to us; that's all they expect from us. . . . I'll watch out for my babies and I'll kill for them." It is because there is "no support" from the outside that ghettos get out of control. ("Love Vs Hate.")

      The rappers use the numbers "5" and "85" subtly to show allegiance with 5 Percent Nation, and at one point they plainly say that "a lot of y'all niggas is 85th." Listeners are told that blacks "salivate from hunger, placed in fucked-up situations, and wonder when retaliation will occur." "Nubian brand steadily influencing fans," the rappers claim, and they will "ruin [the] plans" of others who are not supportive. The following complaint is made: "they promised me 40 acres and a mule, and all I got was a project and a subway." They give allegiance to Nation of Islam as follows: "I'm God; walk through North America like Master Farad, me and my squad. . . . fuck around and roll a tank through your yard." Rappers who do not toe the line are called "dick-in-the-butt rappers [who] could get shot in the face." ("Straight Outta Now Rule.")

      They describe their rap as a "new millennium style," and they see themselves as black crusaders, persuaders, educators, and "knowledge" detonators. They say that they use the microphone to "save the nation" and to do "more damage than rolling boulders." They want to prevent "black-on-black" crime, and they want to leave behind "haters," being persons who do not march in lock step. ("Foundation.") The rappers describe themselves as "the apostle" and as "the slave that always misbehave." "Whitey is on my trail," Brand Nubian says, and so the rappers are "riding on the underground rail, hiding from the face that is pale." "Let freedom ring," they say, for they "engage the enemy." Their rapping style is made special for the years 1999 and 2000, they say. ("U for Me.")

      One of the members has a name styled after Nation of Islam's practice, namely Sadat X. Rapper Busta Rhymes and Rebbie Jackson were featured on the "Let's Dance" track. Samples were allowed by companies who handle licensing for the following artists who have been awarded many GRAMMY's over the years: the Isley Brothers' "Here We Go Again," Al Green's "Have a Good Time," Lionel Richie's "All Night Long," James Brown's "Say It Loud--I'm Black and I'm Proud," Grover Washington, Jr.'s "Knucklehead," and Miles Davis' "IFE."

Reference
Foundation, Brand Nubian, 1998, Arista Records, BMG Entertainment, BMG.

Posted at http://home.att.net/~phosphor on June 30, 1999.

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