From 'Not Like Us' to Campaign Cringe: How Pop Culture's Cool Factor Gets Lost in Politics

Where has the time gone? I remember when Cash Money Records took over in the late ‘90s and 2000s. That quote was twenty-five years ago, and it reminds me of a song by the Cash Money squad,"  "Bling Bling" For those that don't remember, the song was a massive hit along with a new phrase folks can associate with extravagant jewelry. It was all fun and games until the term"  "bling, bling" was utterly played out. I see something similar happening with Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" going into November during the campaigns, and as a hip-hop dude and Black man first, for the love of God, stop while we're ahead.

It's rare to find out when something has shifted in hip-hop culture from something really cool to corny as hell. Take the France Olympics that just wrapped up, for example. I was tickled every time I saw Snoop Dogg frolic around the country as one of America's most excellent ambassadors, from wearing USA flag get-ups to an equestrian get-up that he could only get away with, along with hanging with his weed-smoking bestie Martha Stewart.

I also remember thirty years ago when people were steamrolling his CDs in protest of his classic "Doggystyle" album. I bring this up because I'm not quite sure when Snoop made this transition from the most feared rapper to America's coolest uncle (and we can throw in the "shizzle" language as something that got uncool, too).