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Reviews: Trudog ~ Booty Ain't Got No Face
Posted on Saturday, June 06, 2009 @ 18:53:04 PDT
Topic: Reviews
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Artist: Trudog
CD: Booty Ain't Got No Face
Home: New York City
Style: Rap
Quote: "Trudog is smashing down boundaries and challenging stereotypes on every level."
By Beeb Ashcroft
When I first glanced at the cover for Trudog's Booty Ain't Got No Face, I saw titles like "Homo Thug" and assumed that it was yet more run-of-the-mill rap laden with homophobia and misogyny. Then I read a little closer, and noticed that his press release bills Trudog as a "Homo Rapper" who has become an underground favorite in gay bars. My assumptions were obviously far off the mark.
Trudog is smashing down boundaries and challenging stereotypes on every level. He's reclaimed a genre that can often be demeaning, and turned it around by lampooning some of the standard themes in Top 40 rap. He uses humor to illustrate a point about mainstream rap music's frequently sexist themes by spoofing these attitudes in outrageous tracks like the title track and "Homo Thug." These over-the-top parodies make a point with their lyrical content that objectifies other men, and mercilessly mocks violent rap lyrics – it's very thought-provoking, because the listener finds themselves shocked by the content, only to stop and realize that these same exact themes that are often directed towards females in mainstream rap.
And Trudog is mindful of the content he releases: "Homo Thug," "Straight Eye For The Queer Guy," and "PY Comes In Many Forms" (a re-working of the album's title track) are marked with a warning that reads: "Contains explicit language. Please listen responsibly. Do not play for minors." Tru is also quoted as saying, "I didn't want to release yet another rap CD laced with profanity." I'm not sure what's more subversive, the fact that he's a gay rapper or the fact that he doesn't like to curse.
All of Tru's songs have a sense of humor, and they are often hilarious. (Don't miss "I Wanna Get Loose With You," a spoof of seductive R&B songs.) Trudog has a talent for writing seriously good music with seriously funny lyrics. He isn't just a gimmick – he has true musical chops to back him up. His style is a little LL Cool J meets En Vouge, and the songs are well structured and melodic, feature great vocal performances, and are all over a pleasure to listen to.
Stylistically, this album covers a lot of different genres, with rap, R&B, and dance influences. One of my favorites is "Children of the Night," which is a little like Hall and Oates mixed with rap. (I know what you're thinking, but trust me, it works.) The songs are all good, but I think perhaps releasing the dancier cuts and the rap/R&B cuts as separate EPs might help him connect with his audience better.
Although he may be "The Notorious Homo Thug" with a tongue-in-cheek way of mocking rap culture, he is also a great musician. Trudog has true skills as a rapper, and he would get two thumbs up from me regardless of his image or lyrical content. The fact that he's a campy gay rapper just makes me like him even more.
Artist Website: http://www.trudogrecords.com
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