Paper Thin

....I put feelings inside, I know who I am.

My name is Lyte, is your name Sam?

Cuz if it is step off

Grab your coat and get lost

wrap scarf around your throat

Go back and catch a boat

Hit the road Sam.

And don't you come back

no more, no more, no more, no more

Hit the road Sam

and don't you come back no more.

I am now old enough and hip hop is now old enough where I can be one of those people who says, "music just aint what it used to be." Remember how our parents' generation would hear us playing New Edition, Run DMC, Boogie Down Productions, M.C. Lyte and all the rest-- they'd say, "you young people call that music? That aint music. Temptations, Chi Lytes, Earth, Wind & Fire....now that's music."

My generation (Gen X) certainly has an appreciation for the Motown sound and the 60's & 7o's era. Anyone of us and complete the popular tune by the Temptations that goes,

"each day through my window I watch her as she passes by. I say to myself, I'm such a lucky guy. To have a girl like her, is truly a dream come true. Out of all of the fellas in the world, she belong to you. But it was just.........."

We can appreciate the music of the earlier generation. But what's up with the Gen Y's music?? Souljah Boy --and the dance that goes with it. Lil Wayne (although I admit his stfuf is catchy).

What about these toy R&B guys? The Dream? T Pain, Trey Songz.... Seriously? "I'm in love with a stripper? Superman that hoe? Lick me like a lollipop?"

What happened? When did we become so raunchy, lewd, disrespectful and over-sexed? Does anybody sing about love or rap about the black movement anymore?

Is my generation responsible for this? After all we did create N.W.A. and Eazy E. That was the jump off. But even Ice Cube and Dr. Dre grew out of that. Did we plant the seeds for this outrageous behavior?

Exactly how did we get here?