When it comes to music, I quite like songs with some substance or meaning behind the words, even though I may not necessarily be deep enough to understand them
. For months now I've wondered what Viva la Vida was actually about (lyrics
here) - I know there are suggestions of it being related to the Crusades, fall of the Roman Empire, the American political establishment, George Bush, etc., but I've never really found a definitive answer. I guess like a lot of artistic work, it's open to interpretation.
With the upcoming anniversary of Biggie Smalls' death, and the film Notorious that's out now, I've recently been revisiting some of the Hip Hop material from my school days, and all the East/West Coast rivalry stuff. Then I realised that there's one person who could not be more fitting for that Coldplay Song...
In the mid-90's Suge Knight was a music industry mogul. As CEO and Co-founder of Death Row Records, he was worth hundreds of millions of dollars. He had artists such as Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg and Tupac signed up to his record label. Mansions worth millions, expensive cars, all the gangster rappers showing off their bling on the videos, he sat at the top of the food chain cashing their cheques. And he was a scary-looking guy as well; Black, Bald and 25 Stone, with a street cred backed by a nasty criminal record, he was probably feared more than he was respected - the Godfather of Hip Hop
10 years later he's sat next to Tupac when he's gunned down (but somehow survives), then gets a 9-year stint in jail, ends up getting sued, having property seized and sold for a fraction of the price, assets from Death Row auctioned off, filing for bankruptcy with just $10 in his Account, etc. etc. More recently he was knocked out unconscious for over 3 minutes by some skinny hairdresser, got done again for beating up his girlfriend, and only a few days ago had his face kicked in and hospitalised by some guy claiming to be Akon's manager.
There's videos of him from people's phones on YouTube, getting beaten up, humiliated and turned away from clubs like a nobody, and it just made me realise how far he'd fallen. Back in the day when he owned everything, you'd be scared to even look at him cos you know he'd arrange your hit the next morning, now he's getting treated like a toothless little bitch.
I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own
I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand
Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the worldI very much doubt the Coldplay song was actually written about Suge Knight
, but it's someone who fits the bill quite well, but if you know for definite or can think of any other candidates, feel free to share...
THEN...
NOW...
