- The Royal Drummers of Burundi. "Gishora Village". 2011.
- Wu-Tang Clan. "C.R.E.A.M.". Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Loud, 1993, MP3.
- Erlewine, Stephen Thomas; Prato, Greg (2007). "Wu-Tang Clan – Biography".Allmusic. Retrived April 13, 2013.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Bibliography
Conclusion
In conclusion, after examining both pieces in their musical elements, musical links can be heard through vocal use, rhythmic form, and common percussive instruments. African drumming and American hip-hop may seem completely different, but after close examination it can be concluded that they linked in many musical ways.
Rhythmic Accompaniment in both C.R.E.A.M. and the Gishora Vilage Performance
Another strong connection between the Royal Burundi Drummers and the Wu-Tang Clan is the use of rhythmic accompaniment. More specifically, rhythm provided by the drums or any percussive insturment.
In the Royal Drummers of Burundi Gishora Village performance the structure of the rhymic changes can essentially be broken down into three different parts. The beginning segment uses the voice as a rhythmic component with occasional clapping. The second segment is the introduction to the drums with a fast eighth note pattern for a few bars on the sides of the drums to make a rim click tone. The third section is the majority of the piece and contains mostly playing on the drum head and occasional rim clicks. About every eight bars the drum pattern changes slightly as new soloists come on and off.
Similarly to the Burundi drumming, the beat in the Wu-Tang Clan's song C.R.E.A.M. can be broken down into three sections. The first section begins with vocals alone by Raekwon and Method Man followed by the second section to the introduction of the main beat. The second section is composed of jazz instrumentation - trumpets and saxophones- playing a repeated four note melody with parts of a drum set and bass also playing. After the introduction the primary beat comes in and plays throughout the entire song. The beat is composed of bass drum, cymbals, piano, snare, and bass. The piano provides the repeated melody.
The instrumentation of drums and vocals as well as a three part form of rhythm provide evidence of a strong musical link between the Royal Burundi Drummers and the Wu-Tang Clan.
In the Royal Drummers of Burundi Gishora Village performance the structure of the rhymic changes can essentially be broken down into three different parts. The beginning segment uses the voice as a rhythmic component with occasional clapping. The second segment is the introduction to the drums with a fast eighth note pattern for a few bars on the sides of the drums to make a rim click tone. The third section is the majority of the piece and contains mostly playing on the drum head and occasional rim clicks. About every eight bars the drum pattern changes slightly as new soloists come on and off.
Similarly to the Burundi drumming, the beat in the Wu-Tang Clan's song C.R.E.A.M. can be broken down into three sections. The first section begins with vocals alone by Raekwon and Method Man followed by the second section to the introduction of the main beat. The second section is composed of jazz instrumentation - trumpets and saxophones- playing a repeated four note melody with parts of a drum set and bass also playing. After the introduction the primary beat comes in and plays throughout the entire song. The beat is composed of bass drum, cymbals, piano, snare, and bass. The piano provides the repeated melody.
The instrumentation of drums and vocals as well as a three part form of rhythm provide evidence of a strong musical link between the Royal Burundi Drummers and the Wu-Tang Clan.
Vocals in both the Royal Burundi Drummer and the Wu-Tang Clan
For this investigation I will first be analyzing the vocal links between the Royal Burundi Drummers in the Gishora Village in October of 2011 and the Wu-Tang Clans C.R.E.A.M.
Dance is commonly used among the Burundi drummers while performing, and can be seen in this video representation of the performance. The jumping used in this performance is also a way in which the Burundi people keep time.
Rhythmic base is an important part of the Burundi performance. Not only do the Royal Burundi Drummers use the Inkiranya drums to keep rhythm, but they use their vocals to establish a pulse.
0:00-0:12
Vocals from all members of the group lead by the elder of the group and his grandson, the youngest member. Occasional clapping.
0:12-0:13
Fast unison eighth note drumming on the sides of the drums.
0:13-0:51
Unison chanting while drumming occurs. This chanting is somewhat difficult to hear, but appears to be heard when the dancers jump and then continues into a more melodic and continuous line.
0:51-2:40
Various different solo dancers play on the drum in the middle of the circle as well as chant their own lines. The soloist is accompanied by the chanting of the other drummers.
The vocal techniques in the Royal Burundi group can be linked to the vocal techniques in the Wu-Tang Clan. The Wu-Tang Clan uses solo voices that follows a specific rhythm set by the main beat and is passed around from vocalist to vocalist. The solo vocalists are commonly accompanied by other members in the group on specific words or choruses.
N***as gots to do what they gotta do, to get a bill
YaknowhatI'msayin?
Cuz we can't just get by no more
Word up, we gotta get over, straight up and down
Cash Rules Everything Around Me
C.R.E.A.M.
get the money
Dolla dolla bill y'aauhhhaaaauhhhhahhhauhhhhll, YEAH
Dance is commonly used among the Burundi drummers while performing, and can be seen in this video representation of the performance. The jumping used in this performance is also a way in which the Burundi people keep time.
Rhythmic base is an important part of the Burundi performance. Not only do the Royal Burundi Drummers use the Inkiranya drums to keep rhythm, but they use their vocals to establish a pulse.
0:00-0:12
Vocals from all members of the group lead by the elder of the group and his grandson, the youngest member. Occasional clapping.
0:12-0:13
Fast unison eighth note drumming on the sides of the drums.
0:13-0:51
Unison chanting while drumming occurs. This chanting is somewhat difficult to hear, but appears to be heard when the dancers jump and then continues into a more melodic and continuous line.
0:51-2:40
Various different solo dancers play on the drum in the middle of the circle as well as chant their own lines. The soloist is accompanied by the chanting of the other drummers.
The vocal techniques in the Royal Burundi group can be linked to the vocal techniques in the Wu-Tang Clan. The Wu-Tang Clan uses solo voices that follows a specific rhythm set by the main beat and is passed around from vocalist to vocalist. The solo vocalists are commonly accompanied by other members in the group on specific words or choruses.
The primary beat the sustains throughout the song is created by the member RZA and is sampled from The Charmels' 1967 song As Long As I've Got You. The beat contains piano, voice, and drum set.
0:00-0:26
Intro between vocal soloists Raekwon and Method Man. The beat comes in seven seconds into the vocalization.
What that n***a want God?
Word up, look out for the cops [Wu-Tang five finger shit]
(Cash Rules) Word up, two for fives over here baby
Word up, two for fives them n***az got garbage down the way, word up
KnowhatI'msayin?
(Cash Rules Everything Around Me
C.R.E.A.M. get...)
Yeah, check this ol fly s**t out
Word up
(Cash Rules Everything Around Me) Take you on a natural joint
(C.R.E.A.M. get the money) Here we here we go
(dolla dolla bill y'all) Check this s**t, yo!
Word up, look out for the cops [Wu-Tang five finger shit]
(Cash Rules) Word up, two for fives over here baby
Word up, two for fives them n***az got garbage down the way, word up
KnowhatI'msayin?
(Cash Rules Everything Around Me
C.R.E.A.M. get...)
Yeah, check this ol fly s**t out
Word up
(Cash Rules Everything Around Me) Take you on a natural joint
(C.R.E.A.M. get the money) Here we here we go
(dolla dolla bill y'all) Check this s**t, yo!
0:26-1:30
Vocal soloist Raekwon begins with his own verse accompanied by the main beat.
I grew up on the crime side, the New York Times side
Staying alive was no jive
At second hands, moms bounced on old men
So then we moved to Shaolin land
A young youth, yo rockin the gold tooth, 'Lo goose
Only way, I begin to gee off was drug loot
And let's start it like this son, rollin with this one
And that one, pullin out gats for fun
But it was just a dream for the teen, who was a fiend
Started smokin woolies at sixteen
And running up in gates, and doing hits for high stakes
Making my way on fire escapes
No question I would speed, for cracks and weed
The combination made my eyes bleed
No question I would flow off, and try to get the dough all
Sticking up white boys in ball courts
My life got no better, same damn 'Lo sweater
Times is ruff and tuff like leather
Figured out I went the wrong route
So I got with a sick ass click and went all out
Catchin keys from across seas
Rollin in MPV's, every week we made forty G's
Yo n***a respect mine, or anger the tech nine
Ch-chick-POW! Move from the gate now
Staying alive was no jive
At second hands, moms bounced on old men
So then we moved to Shaolin land
A young youth, yo rockin the gold tooth, 'Lo goose
Only way, I begin to gee off was drug loot
And let's start it like this son, rollin with this one
And that one, pullin out gats for fun
But it was just a dream for the teen, who was a fiend
Started smokin woolies at sixteen
And running up in gates, and doing hits for high stakes
Making my way on fire escapes
No question I would speed, for cracks and weed
The combination made my eyes bleed
No question I would flow off, and try to get the dough all
Sticking up white boys in ball courts
My life got no better, same damn 'Lo sweater
Times is ruff and tuff like leather
Figured out I went the wrong route
So I got with a sick ass click and went all out
Catchin keys from across seas
Rollin in MPV's, every week we made forty G's
Yo n***a respect mine, or anger the tech nine
Ch-chick-POW! Move from the gate now
1:30-1:40
The chorus is rapped by the solo vocalist Method Man accompanied by the same beat.
Cash, Rules, Everything, Around, Me
C.R.E.A.M.
Get the money
Dollar, dollar bill y'all
C.R.E.A.M.
Get the money
Dollar, dollar bill y'all
1:40-3:00
The second verse is rapped by another solo vocalist, Inspectah Deck accompanied by the continuous beat.
It's been twenty-two long hard years of still strugglin
Survival got me buggin, but I'm alive on arrival
I peep at the shape of the streets
And stay awake to the ways of the world cause s**t is deep
A man with a dream with plans to make C.R.E.A.M.
Which failed; I went to jail at the age of 15
A young buck sellin drugs and such who never had much
Trying to get a clutch at what I could not... could not...
The court played me short, now I face incarceration
Pacin -- going up state's my destination
Handcuffed in back of a bus, forty of us
Life as a shorty shouldn't be so ruff
But as the world turns I learned life is hell
Living in the world no different from a cell
Everyday I escape from Jakes givin chase, sellin base
Smokin bones in the staircase
Though I don't know why I chose to smoke sess
I guess that's the time when I'm not depressed
But I'm still depressed, and I ask what's it worth?
Ready to give up so I seek the Old Earth
Who explained working hard may help you maintain
to learn to overcome the heartaches and pain
We got stickup kids, corrupt cops, and crack rocks
and stray shots, all on the block that stays hot
Leave it up to me while I be living proof
To kick the truth to the young black youth
But shorty's running wild smokin sess drinkin beer
And ain't trying to hear what I'm kickin in his ear
Neglected, but now, but yo, it gots to be accepted
That what? That life is hectic
Survival got me buggin, but I'm alive on arrival
I peep at the shape of the streets
And stay awake to the ways of the world cause s**t is deep
A man with a dream with plans to make C.R.E.A.M.
Which failed; I went to jail at the age of 15
A young buck sellin drugs and such who never had much
Trying to get a clutch at what I could not... could not...
The court played me short, now I face incarceration
Pacin -- going up state's my destination
Handcuffed in back of a bus, forty of us
Life as a shorty shouldn't be so ruff
But as the world turns I learned life is hell
Living in the world no different from a cell
Everyday I escape from Jakes givin chase, sellin base
Smokin bones in the staircase
Though I don't know why I chose to smoke sess
I guess that's the time when I'm not depressed
But I'm still depressed, and I ask what's it worth?
Ready to give up so I seek the Old Earth
Who explained working hard may help you maintain
to learn to overcome the heartaches and pain
We got stickup kids, corrupt cops, and crack rocks
and stray shots, all on the block that stays hot
Leave it up to me while I be living proof
To kick the truth to the young black youth
But shorty's running wild smokin sess drinkin beer
And ain't trying to hear what I'm kickin in his ear
Neglected, but now, but yo, it gots to be accepted
That what? That life is hectic
3:00-3:21
Outro chorus is rapped by Method Man and repeated four time. Accompanied by talking at the same time while also being accompanied by the main beat.
N***as gots to do what they gotta do, to get a bill
YaknowhatI'msayin?
Cuz we can't just get by no more
Word up, we gotta get over, straight up and down
3:21-3:32
Beat is played alone without vocals.
3:32-4:12
Chorus is repeated again with ending hook by Method Man.
Cash Rules Everything Around Me
C.R.E.A.M.
get the money
Dolla dolla bill y'aauhhhaaaauhhhhahhhauhhhhll, YEAH
The use of solo vocals accompanied by a sustaining beat is used in both the Wu-Tang Clan's C.R.E.A.M and the Royal Burundi Drummers Performance and thus links these two distinct cultures together.
Background of the African Burundi Drummers and the Wu-Tang Clan
The Royal Drummers of Burundi is primarily a percussion ensemble from Burundi which play traditional African percussive music to continue the African traditions. The performance of traditional African drumming are part of ceremonies such as births, funerals, and coronations of mwami (Kings). The drums that the Burundi people use are called karyenda and are seen as sacred as they represent the mwami, fertility, and regeneration. The karyenda are drums made from hollowed tree trunks that are covered with animal skins. Drums called Inkiranya and Amashako are used to provide a continuous beat throughout the song. The Ibishikiso drums are used to follow the rhythm established by the Inkiranya.
The traditions of the Royal Drummers of Burundi have been passed down from father to son. Each performance is composed of dancing and playing the drums. Vocal use is also common as it signifies what the piece is intending to mean.
The Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group steaming from the East Coast - Staten Island, New York- founded in 1992. The group consists of rappers RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and Ol' Dirty Bastard. The song I will be analyzing, C.R.E.A.M., by the Wu-Tang Clan is from their 1993 studio album, Enter the Wu-tang (36 Chambers). The Wu-Tang Clan has been apart of launching the careers of affiliated artists and groups and has influenced popular modern day hip hop artists (i.e. RZA's use of sampling influenced Kanye West).
Not only has the Wu-Tang Clan been influential to other artists, but in 2008 About.com ranked them as the No. 1 greatest hip hop group of all time and were called "The best rap group of all time" by Rolling Stone. The Wu-Tang Clan uses rhythm as a primary source in both their vocalization and beats which help link them to African culture.
The traditions of the Royal Drummers of Burundi have been passed down from father to son. Each performance is composed of dancing and playing the drums. Vocal use is also common as it signifies what the piece is intending to mean.
The Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group steaming from the East Coast - Staten Island, New York- founded in 1992. The group consists of rappers RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and Ol' Dirty Bastard. The song I will be analyzing, C.R.E.A.M., by the Wu-Tang Clan is from their 1993 studio album, Enter the Wu-tang (36 Chambers). The Wu-Tang Clan has been apart of launching the careers of affiliated artists and groups and has influenced popular modern day hip hop artists (i.e. RZA's use of sampling influenced Kanye West).
Not only has the Wu-Tang Clan been influential to other artists, but in 2008 About.com ranked them as the No. 1 greatest hip hop group of all time and were called "The best rap group of all time" by Rolling Stone. The Wu-Tang Clan uses rhythm as a primary source in both their vocalization and beats which help link them to African culture.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
How is American Hip-Hop related to traditional African music?
Two cultures - Hip-hop and African - seemingly on the opposite sides of music surprisingly have many striking similarities. The musical links that both Hip-Hop (Rap) and African music are defining features in both musical genres. One of the most significant links between these two genres is the specific rhythms which provide the root of the music. The Burundi Warriors of African use a song composed of drum rhythms as a war song. Rhythm is also heavily used in Hip-Hop music and can be observed in the Wu-Tang Clan's song C.R.E.A.M. Rhythm is not the only defining feature in both of these genres, but music relating to special occasions or emotions is another trait which links these cultures together.
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