With the Eagles' playoff game looming around the corner, and the possibility of Michael Vick's miraculous turnaround into an MVP candidate, I can't help but ponder the idea of redemption. Have we forgotten about Vick's past? Has he repented, paid his dues to society, and worked to become a better man? Possibly. I've never met him personally and can't make a fair judgment. I do know one thing - he's a damn good football player. And this leads me to some current trends in music. At what point do we have to forget about the musicians' past lives and forgive them for their "sins"? Sometimes it's hard to do this when their current life so closely imitates their past. Take a look at Drake's video of "Best I Ever Had." Keep in mind, Drake is "legit." He has collaborated with Kanye, Chris Brown, Rihanna, Andre 3000, and Jay-Z, to name a few.
Hmmm. Basketball coach? High school? Seems awfully familiar of a Drake that I remember not so long ago in a really spectacular show that I may or may not own on DVD. Only a couple of years ago, Drake portrayed Jimmy Brooks, an aspiring high school basketball player who was unfortunately shot in the back and therefore paralyzed from the waist down. Hell, a lot of shit happens at Degrassi High in Toronto. Here's the best clip I could find of Drake's finer days:
But now we're supposed to give him street cred as he's singing about bitches and ho's? I don't know if I can roll with it. Doesn't he feel a little embarrassed when he's trying to explain this all to Jay-Z? Just saying.
And then I think about Miss Mandy Moore:
Mandy was a record exec's delight. She was twisted, molded, and crafted like the perfect pop song that is "Candy." But we must know that something's not right, considering she's the only one not showing off her midriff. Mandy is too sophisticated for that (hence she married the always classy Ryan Adams). She dumped all the pop crap, and decided to become a singer-songwriter. I hate to admit it, but I actually like this song:
It's a little too well-crafted, a little too predictable, and a little too perfect... but look at the turn-around. This is like going from dog-fights to MVP quarterback candidacy.
And while Mandy will never substitute the great Emmylou Harris on the original recording, I would like to give this gift to you (keep in mind it's merely a rehearsal, which makes the imperfection even more perfect):
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