Tête-à-tête

Hey People!
Wow, lots of mail this week. Okay, recap time! The issue under dissection is "Rap Music in Bangladesh". Last week, we featured a letter by 'Enigma', who lambasted the very idea of having rap in the Deshi music scene. This week, we were supposed to have the rebuttal session, and goodness…Enigma's letter seems to have sparked off quite a wave of response. Our first letter is from "Ghettotan" who writes:

"Enigmatic has no idea of what he is talking about. He says that rap sounds stupid in any other language other than English. If a non-Bangla speaking person listens to Bangla rock he will probably find it stupid. If what he says is true then why are the Japanese, Chinese, Swedish and many other rappers from other countries becoming popular by rapping in their own language in their respective countries? The reason that most Bangladeshi people aren't into rap is because most of them don't understand the language used by rappers. In rap the lyrics are much more important than the music so you have to understand it to enjoy it. I think this problem can easily be solved by the local MC's. Another reason why people here may not like rap is because most of the rappers they have listened to are bad rappers (Outkast, Eminem, and Nelly). If they listen to some of the good rappers (Nas, 2 Pac, Wu Tang) they will surely enjoy it. The other reason why many people here do not like rap is because most rappers are black. Bangalis are very narrow minded (I hate to say it, but its true); they seem to have something against black people. For example, if you ask any teen here if they like Eminem, even the ones who hate rap, and they will say yes.

The lyrics in rock songs are horrible; they have no meaning. The lyrics of rap song are tight; they talk about the realities and hardships of life. Enigmatic says that rap songs have no tunes, then he should listen to the songs Juicy by Notorious B.I.G. or Better Dayz by 2 Pac. These two songs have a great tune and great lyrics and there many others like these.

According to Enigmatic, rap is just American trash. If this is so, why are more and more people starting to listen to rap all over the world except for in Bangladesh? Bangladeshis don't know what they are missing out on, so the local MC's should help them get in on it."

Well, I have a bone or two to pick with Ghettotan with regards to the views expressed here, but before I get to it, here's a letter from Rudmila, who returns this week with another eloquent rebuttal.

"Calling Rap "American street trash" is way out of league. The poetry of rap is not meant to be sublime. Considering where Rap has been generated: the ghettos (of yes, America), where young people, frustrated and miserable because of the poverty-stricken, socially dysfunctional and intoxicated states of their lives needed an outlet. Thus the harsh language. As for it having no rhythm… Missy Eliot, Eve, Da Brat-- these rappers combine rap and hip-hop to create music that is great to listen to, not to mention to dance to. So I guess, the Achilles' heel is compensated for.

I agree, however, that rapping in Bengali does have its drawbacks, since this type of music was not formed for a language like Bengali in mind…the rhythms, the rhymes, accents and stresses just don't fit. However, the possibility shouldn't be ruled out since international artists (especially in Asia) have undertaken the challenge of rapping in their own languages and succeeded. Maybe with a couple more years of practice, support and acceptance from more of the public than just a small clique of MC's and their friends, Rap may very well be where R/M/A music is nowadays.

Take the Bangladeshi music industry, say, 10 years ago. Who would have thought that the typical 'band shongeet' stereotype could be cut through though accommodate electrifying music, cool lyrics and singers with attitude. It has happened. How many people then, could contemplate the words, alternative and Bengali music being used in the same sentence?

The problem is that Dhakaiya MC's are getting nowhere in terms of public appeal. A few good tracks, even if they are collaborations would in fact draw attention just as the pioneers of R/M/A did. Excuse my corniness, but as the Chinese proverb goes, 'a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step'. For the Bangladeshi audience, Rap still might have to take some more risky leaps.

Although I did lean in favour of R/M/A in my initial opinion, I see that music 'is' a universal language, and while each keeps to their own, there no need to be 'dissing' any genre. It's better to be hopeful about fresh faces and fresh music that have the potential to penetrating our conventional mentalities and enter the music scene."

Thank you Rudmila, for stating the point I've been trying to make for the past couple of weeks. People already have so many things to disagree about…
why should music be added to the list? It is often said that music is what brings people together…after this debate, I have to rethink that one. Funny isn't it? Anyway…today, we end the debate…if the readers have any other issues they'd like to discuss, just let me know, okay? Till our next tête-à-tête, take care!

Send your polls, opinions, and queries to [email protected]
By The Girl Next Door

Ask for salary increase

One day an employee sends a letter to his boss to increase his Salary!
Dear Bo$$
In thi$ life, we all need $ome thing mo$t de$perately. I think you $hould be under$tanding of the need$ of u$ worker$ who have given $o much $upport including $weat and $ervice to your company.
I am $ure you will gue$$ what I mean and re$pond $oon.
Your$ $incerely,
Norman $oh

The next day, the employee received this letter of reply:
Dear Norman,
I know you have been working very hard. NOwadays, NOthing much has changed. You must have NOticed that our company is NOt doing NOticeably well as yet.
NOw the newspaper are saying the world`s leading ecoNOmists are NOt sure if the United States may go into aNOther recession. After the NOvember presidential elections things may turn bad.
I have NOthing more to add NOw. You kNOw what I mean.
Yours truly,
Manager

Being cool is not all about clothes and style. See if you have the confidence, the attitude and the class within yourself by taking the following test!
1. In your circle of friends, you spend most of your time by
Talking the most and talking about yourself only (0)
Remaining quite and listening to what others have to say (1)
Talking and listening to your friends (2)
2. If your teacher asks you a question to which you don't know the answer to, you
Stay quiet and say you don't know the answer (1)
Crack a joke on how stupid the question is trying to sound smart (0)
Crack a joke on how you should have known the answer but then apologise. (2)
3. While going up the stairs to class, if you trip and fall (and not hurt
yourself too much!) you
Feel embarrassed, stay quiet and escape the scene (1)
Just laugh it off and make others laugh it off as well (2)
Get mad, start swearing and make sure that no one has the guts to laugh at you again! (0)
4. Around the opposite gender
You try to tell tales/start a gossip to keep the conversation going (0)
You become shy and don't talk at all (1)
You can crack jokes, flirt a little and still pass with silly conversations making the surrounding look comfortable. (2)
5. With a big test coming up next week you
Study the night before (1)
Show that grades don't rule your life so you don't study at all (0)
Study at least twice that week and even on the phone with your friends you study it together (2)
6. When your friends start to laugh at someone who just tripped you
Laugh along (0)
Stay quiet and watch (1)
Laugh a little but go help that person get up (2)
7. Before going to school
You wear whatever you find on the floor (0)
You spend half an hour in front of that mirror with ten different outfits (1)
You wear the clothes that you feel most comfortable in (2)
8. If you get into an argument with someone you
Get into a physical fight (0)
Walk out (1)
Stick to your point but decide to calm down the situation by not yelling about it (2)
9. When watching a movie that you may not like with a bunch of friends, you
Keep complaining about it (0)
Walk out and do something else (1)
Keep quiet if you see that others seem to like the movie and just enjoy the fact that they are there with you (2)
10. If you ever loose in a game you
Become grumpy and yell at others (0)
Get depressed but keep it to yourself (1)
Become upset but tell everyone "we did our best and will do better next time (2)
Rating yourself
0 6 You really need to start changing your attitude
7- 14 you are ok but you should work on your self-confidence
14 20 Everybody loves you!

By Shayera Moula