Last night was awesome! I managed to score suite tickets for the second time in a week to see an OSU hockey game. I don’t even like hockey but if there is a suite involved, I’m game.
My youngest, C, became ill earlier in the day so my husband stayed home with him while I took our oldest P, to the game. Truthfully, this one-on-one time was better because I was really looking forward to an opportunity to spend some time with him. Essentially, I wanted time to bond.
2.5 hours and $38 in junk food later, we were on our way home from the hockey game. P kept saying how much fun he had, over and over again, and I know he truly meant it. I kept thinking to myself I wouldn’t forget this evening.
“Why don’t you turn on some tunes! Macklemore, how about Macklemore?” I said as we came upon the Columbus city skyline, which by the way is beautiful and it will never get old for me.
“Yeah totally!” He said and with a few taps of his IPhone, we were rockin’ out to Thriftshop, ogling over the city lights.
“Ok, your turn!” I said after it was over. We had a good 30 minutes left of our car ride and agreed to take turns on picking songs.
“Ok, I want to listen to Cinderella Man. Can we listen to the not clean version?”
Reluctantly, I agreed. We were having an amazing time and I just wanted to keep the momentum going.
“Ok, but don’t tell your dad! He’d kill me!” I said conspiratorially.
“Mom, you should hear some of my songs. They are so awesome but I don’t think you would like the language.”
P was opening up to me. As each day goes by in the nightmare that is middle school, along with ear buds and electronics, I sometimes feel like I’m loosing him.
“Go ahead! Play me one! Who’s it by?” I asked, like the cool mom I am.
“Drake.”
I was totally relieved. I had heard his songs on the radio station, like Hotline Bling and One Dance. I found them slow and boring. Besides, what inappropriate song could he produce? He was a Canadian rapper with the first name- Aubrey. I am prejudice in the fact that the best rap is American. I mean, there’s a reason French rappers have never made it over here, but I digress.
Tap, tap, tap. The new Drake song started- Energy. He began rapping about having enemies. Ok fine. I piss people off too sometimes. Then the F bombs and N words began to drop.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa….those are horrible! I better never, ever hear you say those words.”
He smirked, “I know, I know. Trust me mom, I listen to much worse.”
I didn’t like where this was going. Here I was trying to bond with my son by showing interest in something he was interested in. I would now have to dig deeper into this sudden train wreck to find out what much worse, really meant.
“Play it,” I cringed.
“You sure?” He asked.
“Totally,” I lied.
The song began as usual. The first verse involved something along the lines of powder and mirrors. Note to self: we are talking about drugs right after this song. The next topic du choix was about strippers….all these strippers. I did what I always do when placed in awkward situations, I began to make awful jokes.
“Oh….they have strippers and poles. My, they are blessed,” I stated in a voice 3 octaves higher than normal.
Then the deal breaker of the song played and I was done. Bonding complete, do not pass go, do not collect $200…..
Pass dat pussy…I say pass dat pussy….
“Stop! Stop right now! Hard limit.” I said firmly, holding up my right hand to indicate I was done. I think I had been holding my breath the entire time because I exhaled dramatically. He quickly tapped his phone and the music stopped.
“I have a line and that song crossed it. You cannot, CANNOT listen to that song. The song before, not good either. Not good. Oh my God.” I sounded like a cave woman with short phrases. I needed to listen to Party in the USA or something.
So yeah, my son enjoys hard-core, inappropriate rap. He can listen to rap till the cows come home but it can’t involve strippers, pussy, the n-word, violence, etc., etc. I mean Jesus, sweet 7 lb. newborn Jesus. See what I did there? I am feeling uncomfortable writing about this, thus the Talledaga Nights reference.
I hope you’re not naive enough to think that he’s going to stop listening to that kind of music completely…? Sure, it’s not good music, but music taste is music taste. It sounds like he knows not to repeat certain words, so what’s the harm? When I was his age, I was listening to hardcore metal/screamo… I’m talking System of a Down, Avenge Seven Fold, Slipknot… the kind of stuff the music videos would given you nightmares.