Andre Benjamin, please stop rapping.

Aint nobody bout to wear them clothes nigga.

Words I thought I’d never say as an Atlanta native. Hip-hop bloggers, tastemakers, purists and even fair weather rap fans all consider dre a.k.a. Andre 3000 one of the best rappers of our generation if not the best rapper of the past 15 years. As ½ of the greatest group of all time dre dropped some of the most introspective, soulful, smart, funny and real verses in the history of hip-hop. Even the most biased east coast critic couldn’t deny his lyricism and wit, and most if not all Outkast albums are regarded as classics. His latest work on various collaborations leave much to be desired.

Exhibit A…..Beyonce’s “Party”. I cringed  last year when I first heard about the collab between dre and the pop diva but beyond that I didn’t care that much. Once I finally heard the song and the 5 million + spins it got on top 40 radio I came to the conclusion that his verse is forgettable at best.  Of course if any current rapper wrote that verse it would more than likely be their crowning achievement, but for Dre? Pedestrian. It sounds like something he probably penned on a napkin while in the first class cabin on his way to a Gillette endorsement meeting. This is what most in the hip-hop community  have accused Dre of lately, phoning it in, and it sounds like he phoned it in between checking movie listings on fandango. Most would agree, a Beyonce check is probably a substantial check, but the verse does nothing for the whole of hip-hop, it does nothing to add to his already cemented legacy, and it’s actually pretty annoying. An uninspired pop-rap is really not something I want to hear from a living legend which brings me to

Exhibit B……Young  Jeezy’s “I Do”. I was admittedly hype when I first saw the tracklisting for TM:103 for this song alone. I thought that maybe, just maybe this would be the song that dre get his chops back and murders two of hip-hops most enduring acts. I couldn’t be more wrong. While his verse on this song is a lot better than the aforementioned “Party” (I’m not posting links, you’ve heard these songs, if you haven’t, go outside and get some fresh air) his love letter to a chick in a club falls pretty flat. All Jeezy and Jay do is litter the song with drug references, something they do best and Dre really doesn’t stand out. His trademark playful cadence is there but the lyrics are weak, by his standards of course, and those are the only standards I hold him to. Another hit song, another disappointment.

Exhibit C……..Drake’s The Rea……wait you thought I was about to sit through a drake song?

2007 saw the release of DJ Unk’s walk it out remix which had a fun, smart dope verse from dre, also in that same year he was featured on Devin the Dude’s “What a Job” also a very very dope verse on a underrated classic “Waitin to Inhale”. And who could forget the Big Boi and Raekwon assisted “Royal Flush”. After 2007 my man said “Fuck it”.

Ironically I’m kinda sour cause my favorite group (member) aint comin with it but I’m witcha cuz you probably goin through it anyway. Unremarkable verses have no place coming out of Dre’s mouth, so I say act, sing, , shit sell some razors, but please stop rapping. I mean at least for a lil bit. We need you.

these are the words and thoughts of @fultoncofinest