Journal Activity #3

Daughters 

By: Nas

[Verse 1]

I saw my daughter send a letter to some boy her age

Who locked up, first I regretted it then caught my rage, like

How could I not protect her from this awful phase

Never tried to hide who I was, she was taught and raised like

A princess, but while I'm on stage I can't leave her defenseless

Plus she's seen me switching women, pops was on some pimp shit

She heard stories of her daddy thuggin'

So if her husband is a gangster can't be mad, I love her

Never, for her I want better, homie in jail- dead that

Wait till he come home, you can see where his head's at

Niggas got game, they be tryna live

He seen your mama crib, plus I'm sure he know who your father is

Although you real, plus a honest kid

Don't think I'm slow, I know you probably had that chronic lit

You 17, I got a problem with it

She looked at me like I'm not the cleanest father figure but she rocking with it

[Hook]

For my brothers with daughters, I call this

For my brothers with daughters, I call this

Not sayin' that our sons are less important

For my brothers with daughters, I call this

For my brothers with daughters, I call this

Not sayin' that our sons are less important

[Verse 2]

This morning I got a call, nearly split my wig

This social network said "Nas go and get ya kid"

She's on Twitter, I know she ain't gon post no pic

Of herself underdressed, no inappropriate shit, right

Her mother cried when she answered

Said she don't know what got inside this child's mind, she planted

A box of condoms on her dresser then she Instagrammed it

At this point I realized I ain't the strictest parent

I'm too loose, I'm too cool with her

Shoulda drove on time to school with her

I thought I dropped enough jewels on her

Took her from private school, so she can get a balance

To public school, they too nurture teen talents

They grow fast

One day she's ya little princess, next day she talking boy business

What is this

They say the coolest playas and foulest heart breakers in the world

God get's us back, he makes us have precious little girls

[Hook]

[Verse 3]

And I ain't tryna mess ya thing up

But I just wanna see you dream up

I finally understand

It ain't easy to raise a girl as a single man

Nah, the way mothers feel for they sons, how fathers feel for they daughters

When he date, he straight, chip off his own papa

When she date, we wait behind the door with the sawed off

Cuz we think no one is good enough for our daughters

Love

The Song I have chosen to pick apart is called Daughters, and it was written and performed by, well known rapper, Nas. Finding the form in a Rappers lyrics is often hard to do, which I have just discovered. They don't often use stanzas in their work, but if they do, its certainly not laid out clearly. Its usually just one rather large paragraph.

As in most Rap or Hip Hop music the Rhyme schemes tend to be a lot sloppier looking than you would see in a better laid out song. For example, in a lot of music, and the same in spoken word poetry, the Rhyme scheme is often simple, such as aabba. In the first verse of this song, the rhyme scheme is aaaa bbb cc dd eeeeee. Poets can go on for hours writing rhymes, and as long as the artist is speaking about something, or rapping in this case, that keeps me tuned with some good music to support it, more power to you. As you can see, thats exactly what he did with the never ending eeeeeeeeee.... . This song has great rhythm as well. In the first 4 lines of the song, the artist creates a rhythm by emphasizing key words which allowed him to choose his own rhythm, which he can change and does, throughout the song

I saw my daughter send a letter to some BOY HER AGE

Who locked up, first I regretted it then CAUGHT MY RAGE, like

How could I not protect her from this AWFUL PHASE

Never tried to hide who I was, she was TAUGHT AND RAISED like

The artist uses this rhythm as the basis of his first two verses.

This is a song that was clearly written from a single father talking about his daughter. But more so a personal song written by Nas and referring to his own life struggles with his daughter, Destiny. Each verse has a different tone. Verse one gives off more of an angry tone. The speaker is mad at himself for seeing what and who his daughter is getting involved with. “Don't think I'm slow, I know you probably had that chronic lit, You 17, I got a problem with it” . The second verse has a more apologetic tone, the speaker is sorry he didn't do enough to be a better parent “At this point I realized I ain't the strictest parent, I'm too loose, I'm too cool with her, Shoulda drove on time to school with her, I thought I dropped enough jewels on her”. In the third verse, he has a understanding or accepting tone. I know I'm only supposed to pick one but thats to hard. He understands that his daughter is growing up but he is very protective because he knows "no one is good enough for our daughters " In this song I found one example of personification “This social network said "Nas go and get ya kid" ”. This is an example of personification because “social networks” cant talk. 

This song is full of meaning. Full of meaning for the artist, for the addressee, for listeners dealing with the same circumstances in their lives, for fathers with daughters. This is one of those songs where no one really cares whats the implications could be, because it is just such a good song. At least for those who enjoy this style of music. Its not gangster rap or anything hardcore, It doesn't talk about women, money, guns or drugs. It has meaning. Thats why I like it.