Skal jeg være helt ærlig, så synes jeg, at der er langt mellem snapsene, når det gælder lytteværdige rap-numre. Jeg var ret vild med Dark Poets, da Jan Ewens præsenterede dem i radioen tilbage i tresserne. Acapella-street-corner-rap med socialt bevidste numre med vokal og rytmisk finesse.

Siden blev rap en del af underholdningsindustrien, og som det gælder for poppen og soulen, så lider meget af det under, at man kan dække mangel på musikalitet ind under teknologiske påfund og cool performance.

Men der er heldigvis også undtagelser, der gør en gammel mands ord til skamme. En af dem er den tidligere backingsangerinde og foldeudpige Blu Cantrell, der debuterede med det lytteværdige album So Blue i 2001 med den lille genistreg “Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops!)”. Og, mand, så kan hun synge hende Blu-damen! Béonce gå hjem og vug!

While he was scheming
I was beamin in the Beamer just beamin
Can’t believe that I caught my man cheatin’
So I found another way to make him pay for it all

So I went
To Neiman-Marcus on a shopping spree
And on the way I grabbed Soley and Mia
And as the cash box rang I thought everything away

(Oops)
There goes the dreams we used to say
(oops)
There goes the time we spent away
(oops)
There goes the love I had but you cheated on me
And thats for that now
(oops)
There goes the house we made a home
(oops)
There goes you’ll never leave me alone
For all the lies you told
This is what you owe

Hey Ladies
When your man ganna get buckwild
Just go back and Hit ‘Em Up Style
Get your hands on his cash
And spend it to the last dime
For all the hard times
Oh
When you go then everything goes
From the crib to the ride and the clothes
So you better let him know that
If he messed up you gotta hit em up

While he was braggin
I was coming down the hill and just draggin
All his pictures and his clothes in the bag and
Sold everything else till there was just nothin left

And I paid
All the bills about a month too late
It’s a shame we have to play these games
The love we had just fades away, away

(Oops)
There goes the dreams we used to say
(oops)
There goes the time we spent away
(oops)
There goes the love I had but you cheated on me
And thats for that now
(oops)
There goes the house we made a home
(oops)
There goes you’ll never leave me alone
For all the lies you told
This is what you owe

Hey Ladies
When your man gonna get buckwild
Just go back and Hit ‘Em Up Style
Get your hands on his cash
And spend it to the last dime
For all the hard times
Oh
When you go then everything goes
From the crib to the ride and the clothes
So you better let him know that
If he messed up you gotta hit em up

[Repeat 1x]

All of the dreams you sold
Left me out in the cold
What happened to the days when we used to trust each other
And all of the things I sold
Will take you until you get old
To get ’em back without me
Cuz a marriage is better than money you see

Hey Ladies
When your man wanna get buckwild
Just go back and Hit ‘Em Up Style
Put your hands on his cash
And spend it to the last dime
For all the hard times
Oh
When you go then everything goes
From the crib to the ride and the clothes
So you better let him know that
If he messed up you gotta hit em up

hey lady’s,hey lady’s,hey lady’s

Og så er der sikkert dem, der vil sige : Det her er da ikke rap! Og det kan da godt være, at Blu Cantrells rap glider over i ordrig, moderne soul. Men i mine ører er det stadigvæk – rap.