Rap

There was a sharp contrast between the two headlining performances at this year's Preakness InfieldFest. Frugal rapper Macklemore, an independent artist with two No. 1 hit singles to his name, won the crowd over Saturday with messages that were positive, compassionate and sometimes just silly. Pitbull, the stoic purveyor of Eurodance-inspired rap-meets-pop, bludgeoned the crowd with rib-cage-shaking bass. And though Macklemore performed to a dry crowd while Pitbull fought through the rain, the results were largely the same, with an approving crowd fist-pumping and dancing.

Well, that didn't take long. Just as several genuine scandals cast the Obama administration in an unfavorable light, Republicans in Congress are already overreaching - with hyperbolic comparisons to Watergate, calls for special prosecutors, outrageous claims about President Barack Obama's involvement, possible impeachment and assorted hyper-partisan rhetoric. Just this weekend, there was Sen. Rand Paul on TV claiming there was a "written policy" at the Internal Revenue Service to target people opposed to President Obama.

No one should be satisfied with the censure of Sen. Ulysses Currie ("Disgrace in the Senate," Feb. 19). He is guilty of five ethics violations going on for many years while receiving nearly $250,000 for his efforts. His desk was moved into the corner, and he doesn't even have to wear a dunce cap. Big deal. Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller won't even remove him from the budget committee. He deserves to be stripped of his exorbitant pension and kicked to the street. It's just another day of good ol' boy corruption in Annapolis that doesn't even make front page news.

There was a sharp contrast between the two headlining performances at this year's Preakness InfieldFest. Frugal rapper Macklemore, an independent artist with two No. 1 hit singles to his name, won the crowd over Saturday with messages that were positive, compassionate and sometimes just silly. Pitbull, the stoic purveyor of Eurodance-inspired rap-meets-pop, bludgeoned the crowd with rib-cage-shaking bass. And though Macklemore performed to a dry crowd while Pitbull fought through the rain, the results were largely the same, with an approving crowd fist-pumping and dancing.

Here's an example of what the world needs less of: twee, novelty covers of rap songs by cutesy indie duos. Not only does Karmin's "cover" suck the vibrant life out of Chris Brown's "Look At Me Now," but it does so with a knowing, smary attitude. (Amy Heidmann's strange vocal inflections and bug-eyed emphasis scream, "This is funny! I shouldn't be singing this but look ... I am!") This cover offers nothing new other than a Starbucks-ready version of a song that should never be played at Starbucks.

His big break was playing a dealer on "The Wire," but these days Tray Chaney has a much cleaner message. The Maryland actor has released an anti-bullying rap, the third single off his "Be Inspired" album which includes a number of songs with positive messages. Just in time for October's Bullying Prevention Awareness Month, Chaney's "Mike Bully (Stand Up for Our Future)," tells the story of a bullied boy named Michael and how he manages to turn around his situation with the help of his mom. On "The Wire," Poot was a dealer for Barksdale, hanging out on corners, shooting people and getting shot, serving time and eventually getting a job at a shoe store.

You don't have to be a fan of rap music or of rapper Ice-T to be disturbed by Time-Warner's decision last week to withdraw the "Body Count" album after police groups and conservative politicians objected to the song "Cop Killer," which critics charge glorifies the murder of police. Once self-appointed censors, no matter how well-intentioned, are allowed to dictate what other Americans can see, read or listen to, the right of all Americans to make up their own minds is threatened.We say this fully aware of the fact that many people who are not police officers also deplore Ice-T's lyrics, along with much else that goes with the culture of rap music.

Whenever I speak to high school students, nothing sends them into fits of guffawing more than the notion that their elders, in our never-ending quest to protect them from the ravages of gangsta rap, think that the group 2 Live Crew is a gangsta rap outfit.Oh, how the young folks snicker and giggle! But their elders, having put our feet in our mouths once too often on this issue, have solved the problem. We'll simply redefine reality. That'll show the whippersnappers.In an article Thursday, Sun staff writer C. Fraser Smith reported on the latest goings on in Annapolis.

Rap star MC Lyte breezed into Baltimore yesterday with her hip-hop anti-drugs and increased responsibility message, which she gave to crowds of cheering young people."

Boston.--Zipping down a Houston freeway, I did a slow burn into depression. One of the local black-oriented radio stations was playing rap music that was misogynous beyond my let's-understand-their-social-conditions tolerance. The words ''bitch'' and ''ho'' (whore) flew off disc after disc. This was not after-hours underground radio. This was 9:30 a.m. on one of the most powerful FM stations in the city.I still defend rap as a window to the rage and pain young people feel. I still feel African-American rappers are often unfairly singled out for violent lyrics in an entertainment industry awash with gunplay and belittlement of women.

Outkast remains arguably the greatest rap duo of all time, even though its members - Antwan "Big Boi" Patton and Andre Benjamin, aka Andre 3000 - haven't released an album together since 2006's "Idlewild" soundtrack. While Big Boi continues to release solo albums, Andre has mostly flirted with hip-hop, appearing on guest verses with high-profile artists when he pleases. Last November, Andre made headlines for his contribution to T.I.'s self-reflecting "Sorry. " On it, Andre apologizes to his longtime partner for slowing Outkast down, declining tours and, subsequently, walking away from significant paydays.

There are many things to say about Brad Paisley's new song. The country music giant is under fire for "Accidental Racist," about a Starbucks employee who objects to Mr. Paisley's Confederate battle flag shirt. The song, Mr. Paisley's attempt to metabolize his conflicted feelings as "a white man comin' to you from the southland" trying to pick his way through the minefield of race, has generated, well ... feedback. Rolling Stone dubbed it "questionable. " Gawker called it "horrible.

Editor: I am writing in response to an apparent dust-up over the use of rap lyrics on a t-shirt at Joppatowne High School. Unfortunately, I did not see the original letter to the editor on this subject, but I can comment on the mother-educator response. It disturbs me to read that a parent and educator would actually condone the use of this particular rap song, or any part of it in a school setting. This so called song contains foul language and atrocious grammar from start to finish as well as the use of the controversial "N" word; though in the so-called acceptable context we have been duped to believe is "artistic expression.

Lest anyone had any doubts about Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith's good eggdom, just check out the rap video (above) he made with his fiancee to get kids to study. Smith's fiancee, Chanel Williams, teaches fourth grade at Dogwood Elementary in Windsor Mill. With the Maryland School Assessment tests coming up, Williams convinced Smith that a message from a football star might inspire her students to do well. Together they created the "MSA Rap" and put it on YouTube where it has already garnered nearly 20,000 hits.

(Above photo is from Los' Facebook page ) Los and Mullyman , two Baltimore rappers who have seen success outside of the city, have pledged their allegiance to their hometown's football team. This week, they've released separate songs in support of the Ravens. Both are titled "Purple Reign," but sound very different. (Note: The Sun's Jill Rosen spoke with Los and the song's producer, J. Oliver, and has a story about the origin of "Purple Reign. ") With its regal horns and stadium-sized hand claps, Los' "Purple Reign" sounds ready for the radio right now. It also invokes the underdog attitude the team wears so well.

Right now, Twitter and Google users around Baltimore are looking toward both a potentially slushy weekend and the new year beyond, according to those sites' metrics. Meanwhile, Philadelphia rappers Meek and Cassidy have continued their fake fight in order to gain attention. (Based on twitter trends, it looks like it may have worked.) In homes across America, however there was worry this week about actual fights: As the relatives wouldn't go away and NetFlix went down, hosts who wanted to go out nearly went crazy instead.

It would be easy to say that Wu-Tang Clan has peaked — that its best period is behind it. It's not just that Ol' Dirty Bastard died in 2004, or that members have dabbled with solo projects over the years to varying degrees of success. The group has now been together for nearly 20 years, making it positively prehistoric in hip-hop. Against the members' better wishes, they've become elder statesmen. But despite not having released an album in three years, the group's new tour makes a defiant claim on relevance.

OK, let's concede one thing. When Bob "Mack Daddy" Dole stakes out a position, he stakes out a position.Here goes:Bob Dole, who wants to be your president, thinks some rap music is too raunchy.And he also thinks some movies, except the ones starring famous Republican-style Hollywood actors, are too violent.Is this guy a visionary or what?Maybe I've got it backward. It might be that Dole thinks movies are too raunchy and rap music is too violent. And then there are those (gasp) violent, raunchy movies with hip-hop sound-tracks, and let's not even get started on MTV.Whatever, Dole went to Hollywood the other night, said what he had to say, said it hard, said it mean, said it like Charlton Heston would say it when he brings down the laws from the mountain-top, and then got out of town before he was infected himself.

Barrett King's son, Camden, will turn 1 just 11 days after this weekend's Baltimore Marathon. He's King's inspiration. "It sounds like a giant cliche, but becoming a dad made me want to set an example for my son ... that by focusing and persevering, you can do amazing things," said the 32-year-old attorney who lives in Catonsville. He put in some hard work, Camden. After "a life of being virtually completely uninterested in physical activity," the race also allows the chance for him to help raise money for the Women's Law Center of Maryland (you can check out his fundraiser page at crowdrise.com/WLCmarathon/fundraiser/barrettking )

His big break was playing a dealer on "The Wire," but these days Tray Chaney has a much cleaner message. The Maryland actor has released an anti-bullying rap, the third single off his "Be Inspired" album which includes a number of songs with positive messages. Just in time for October's Bullying Prevention Awareness Month, Chaney's "Mike Bully (Stand Up for Our Future)," tells the story of a bullied boy named Michael and how he manages to turn around his situation with the help of his mom. On "The Wire," Poot was a dealer for Barksdale, hanging out on corners, shooting people and getting shot, serving time and eventually getting a job at a shoe store.