Published: Friday - February 8, 2008
Words by Donny Goines
Blog by Donny Goines (Photo: Don Hankins)
I remember my when I lived with my grandmother and she would feed my cousin Nicky (she has mental disabilities). After dinner she would usually bring her a bowl of apple sauce. What Nicky didn't know was that there was crushed up pills in it (she had to take medicine daily). She would NEVER take the medicine by itself and would fuss and fight, but once it was in the apple sauce, she would eat it with a smile on her face. It's funny how this same method can be applied to the music.
I'm from the hood and I'm far from an angel. I've probably done more negative shit than the average person out there, but that doesn't mean I need to talk about it all day. I understand and am aware of ignorance and the truth is when you send the negative energy out it always comes back to you in one way or the other. So in my music, I really try to talk about positive things or at least make you understand why I wouldn't really do certain things. I ain't no saint or no preacher though, and I ain't trying to save your soul (haha), but I really do try my best to point some in the right direction.
Now if I were to tell you "Go to school" or "Don't do drugs" blah, blah, blah, your gonna look at me like I'm retarded and chances are I won't reach you. I dropped out of high school, I did drugs, so what makes me any different from you? Nothing. I remember the old heads telling me all that shit and I was like "whatever, where the weed at?" See you can't come at the average person like that, you need to be coy with it. If you tell some people the stove is hot, they won't touch it. Others you got to show them they can get burned. What I do personally is drop knowledge in my bars, but in a very subtle ways. I've come to realize that when you are very strong with it, most people just tune you out. That's why most religious rap and things of that nature don't hit. It's too "preachy." No one wants to hear that. Learn to tone down your messages. At the end of the day, this is entertainment and you need to understand that people want to be entertained, not lectured. If you are going to pass on knowledge though, make sure you do in a way where it doesn't go over peoples head.
I applaud those out there who at least try to make a difference. It's hard to try to convey positive messages, just remember that when you do its best to hide it in something good.
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