[Real Hip-Hop & Rap]
Erykah Badu – Trill Friends (Kanye West Real Friends Remix)
Homeboys, and some of them we wish we never knew at all…
Homegirls, and some of them we wish we never knew at all…
R&B goddess and hip-hop‘s ephemeral, ‘realest b*tch in the game’s’ take on Kanye West’s “Real Friends” puts a sweet, touching spin on the calming head-banger. With an instrumental beat characteristic of Kanye himself, as a producer; Badu raps and sings over a prominent 4-bar loop of the song to make a point about friends. The repeating hook (and even elements of the original song) have a very J Dilla or No I.D. feel in being different and unique, but still clearly hip-hop.
According to Badu, these days we use the word “friends” far too loosely and ambiguously which results in most of us having homeboys and homegirls that we wish we never knew at all. “Real Friends” are a problem that have plagued humans since existence. Who are our real friends? How do we feel when our so-called homeboys and homegirls turn out not to be our friends? In this Internet age, it’s common for us not to have any friends, except online or through social media, or to think we have friends then catch them slighting us on social media, or not having our back online.
Who do you consider your “friends”, your “real friends”, your “homeboys/girls”? A psychologist once told me that he thought we should do away with the word “friends” altogether. He claimed the increased rates of “falling out” with friends is due to our own high expectations we set for people who are our “friends”. When they don’t live up to these expectations we feel disappointed (if a friend doesn’t like and comment on ALL your posts, or is usually in tug with you everywhere but in one instance you can’t find them/count on them).
We have to remember that friends are simply that, friends. Of course some of us have certain friends we can count on more than others, but in general when we start placing them on pedestals or expect them to always have our back we being searching for and expecting someone who goes beyond a “friend”. Think about that as you go about your day.
Kanye West’s Original Song:
LUMiNOUS Musings 