Heavy Rotation: 10 Songs Public Radio Can't Stop Playing

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Time now for our music series, Heavy Rotation. Every month, NPR Music asks Public Radio personalities at our member stations across the country to tell U.S. about a song they cannot stop playing. And we invite one of them to share their pick here on MORNING EDITION. This month's selection brings U.S. music from a hip-hop artist named Rapsody.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DARK KNIGHTS")

RAPSODY: (Rapping) They couldn't stop me and now they're stuck underneath me. I took a leap of faith and I climbed up easy. Rap-so-deezy and Eric Jones, I Gotham City. I save ya all from the bad rappers in your city...

INSKEEP: The song also features D.C.-based rapper Wole. It was chosen by the host of the show Strictly Hip-Hop at member station WEAA.

JASMINE FLORIDA HENDERSON, BYLINE: My name is Florida, that's my DJ name. My real name is Jasmine Henderson. I'm from Strictly Hip-Hop, located in the Baltimore, Maryland.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DARK KNIGHTS")

RAPSODY: (Rapping) Dark nights been cold like night veins, serves (unintelligible) and chills, I'm ill like Mike Caine...

HENDERSON: The way the song starts off, she just basically lets you know that she's about the business.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DARK KNIGHTS")

RAPSODY: (Rapping) I'm lyrically Bruce Wayne. Pain, I felt it...

HENDERSON: The song is called "Dark Knights," and she mentions Bruce Wayne, the Bain reference from the Batman movie. And this is a good example of hip-hop being diverse and offering different subject matters from different artists.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DARK KNIGHTS")

RAPSODY: (Rapping) Beats with Bs, we rep honesty. My history, Cherokee and its African. The blue cinnamon, every bit of the black and him embrace and heritage, capitalize like...

HENDERSON: I love this song. It was a breath of fresh air, honestly. There are not a lot of female MCs that are being played on commercial radio. Women are perceived to have to show skin or, you know, have to be somewhat explicit with their lyrics - and that does not have to be the case. With Rapsody, she's been around for a long time and also she has been seen as one of the up-and-coming female lyricist of this generation.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DARK KNIGHTS")

RAPSODY: (Rapping) The Idi Amin of all of these idiots mean I know toe to toe go with the best that they throwing the ring. Seen lot of despair, pair me with none of them things. To let feeds only dance to the beats with Bs. We rep honesty. My history, Cherokee and its African...

HENDERSON: Samples are used within hip-hop to show the connection between past and present. And with this particular example, because it is a female, it shows the connection and Rapsody paying, I believe, tribute to the females have come before her. The beat to me didn't fit at first. But then as a song progressed, then I understood where she was going with the concept.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DARK KNIGHTS")

RAPSODY: (Rapping) And Benedict to ourselves, to deplenish(ph) all our wealth. Never blame a man for misfortune, do it yourself. Never blame a man for misfortune, do it yourself. Never blame a man for misfortune, do it yourself.

HENDERSON: She pretty much sums it up. You know, you have to be held accountable for what you do. And also, you know, just keep pushing forward 'cause you're going to make it as long as you put in the hard work, dedication and the time. You can get into the song. And not only that the production is easy on the ears, so it's an enjoyable track to listen to from beginning to end.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DARK KNIGHTS")

RAPSODY: (Rapping) Though I've been broke like pieces of soap tasted to cleanse my soul. (Unintelligible) Ra's al Ghul protege, I've been cold as Jay on "3 Kings," get schooled. I am the 5'3" Morgan free flow genius. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.