Wow it’s been a looooong time! For those who don’t know, I’ve been away from making videos for numerous reasons, but the biggest one is this series of pop music commentaries I did for NPR’s Morning Edition, with the esteemed Maura Johnston and our ace producers Sara Sarasohn and Zoe Chace. I’m back in front of the camera this week, but in the meantime here’s a compilation of all the segments we’ve done, and the big Lauryn Hill feature/interview I was honored to pitch in on:
Deconstructing Justin Bieber Dissecting Nicki Minaj Problematizing Will.I.Am & Usher Unpacking Eminem [insert some other fancy word for "talking about"] Lady Gaga Lauryn Hill, Lauryn Hill, Lauryn Hill
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
The embedded audio for the Nicki Minaj segment isn’t working for some reason. Thank you for all the goodness, Jay!
Just goes to show how there’s no substitute for insight. I’m glad to see you get love from larger (errrr “traditional”) media outlets and exposure to wider (errrrr “other”) audiences.
Way to go, Jay! What a fantastic step in your career. Your contribution on these pieces brings depth and charm. Well done!!!
Jay, these are really excellent pieces: quick and digestible, but have had me thinking all day.
I’m also relieved to hear your speak again. Yours is one of the ‘voices of reason’ that brings me back in check after the anger and ignorance that dominates the corporate media.
Yo, props to you for the NPR gig, I first discovered you when I saw that Mj video of yours. Love your insight and your videos are mad funny. Props props props.
Peace
GB in the 503
Thanks mr smooth big props
Hey — The Justin Bieber clip isn’t working. Do you have another audio file of it? I really want to hear what you have to say about it because there has been so much about Justin Bieber and the craze around him that I just have been too tired / not enough time to unpack.
Thanks,
Yeah, i was a little worried about what was what with you.
Glad you’re gonna be back.
I’ll listen to this post later.
Right now i’m closely listening to WBAI…and trying to catch up with some popular novel readings…John LeCarre’s …A Most Wanted Man… Just started, but he mentions Franz Fanon in passing. Hope it’s gonna be good.
What are you reading these days?
Glad your insight is reaching a broader audience, Jay.
Re: Eminem–I just caught his new track “I Love the way You Lie” (featuring Rihanna) on the radio. It was pretty edgy I thought, haunting really, and sophisticated in a way. (I need to listen to again to give more specific lyrical analysis.) Anyway, I’m sure that I am not alone in being curious as to what your thoughts are on his new album as a whole, now that you have more than his single to work from.
-Joe
I hadn’t heard much from illdoctrine recently so imagine my surprise and utter delight to hear you on NPR while driving home. It made my day to hear your insights on a broadcast that I love and respect so much. Awesome, man.
hey jay – huge fan of your work, so i hope you’ll take this comment for what it is: everything you say in these pieces is smart, funny, and true, but to me you sound strangely dismissive of the music and, well, snarky, like any other blogger. the piece on eminem, for example: granted, “not afraid” has probably the wackest chorus in rap, and i realize that most of what you said was in service of your larger point on post-rebellion hip hop, but the guy’s a serious emcee, no? and you just had nothing good to say about him. i’ve always wrestled with a conflicted and ambivalent respect for eminem, so i was looking forward to seeing how you might reconcile an appreciation of the skills with a confrontation of the hate. it was a little disappointing to hear you brush him off like a bieber. anyway, looking forward to your next video, and maybe your thoughts on shirley sherrod.
Damn you Jay,
That’s the more Justin Bieber I’ve ever listened to, ever…the things I do for you.
eva: I said lots positive about Eminem in the taping for that segment, maybe the edit makes it sound otherwise, if so that’s unfortunate because I think he’s one of the greats..
And in these pieces overall: for Justin Bieber and Micki Minaj I actually think I was much LESS dismissive than most commentary is on them, and that I took Gaga pretty seriously altho in her case that’s not as rare.. the only one i think i was particularly snarky about was will.i.am & usher, and in that case I had no choice!
BTW my man Jon Caramanica’s piece on Gaga in the Times gets at a lot of what I was trying to say: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/25/arts/music/25feminism.html?