Would Great Gatsby Author Be A Fan of Jay-Z's Soundtrack
. With the latest cinematic version of Fitzgerald's classic�this one directed by Baz Luhrmann�hitting theaters Friday (May 10), Radio.com breaks down the Jay-Z-produced soundtrack through the eyes of Fitzgerald. Would the author have been a fan of the sound? On the soundtrack, the rap mogul tries to combine the old and new, not unlike Luhrmann does in his films or even what Fitzgerald did with his writing. Jay-Z mixes Roaring Twenties-era horns with electronic beats, telling MTV he wanted the music to become another character in the film, just as it was in the book. Jazz was dangerous, chaotic and exciting when it first hit the scene and the youth of America couldn't get enough of it. Hip-hop had the same effect when the public heard it in the 1970s so it's no coincidence the two styles have been melded together by Jay-Z in an effort to bring the Jazz Age into the 21st century. The album starts off with Jay's own contribution, "100$ Bills," a straight-up hip-hop track that references Slick Rick, the 1929 Wall Street crash, 9/11 and Taylor Swift, sort of dissing her with the line, "Took that, Taylor Swift to a hundred f****** million, b****." (Apparently, Team Kanye all the way.) Beside the fact that poor Fitzgerald would have been confused about these future events Jay speaks of�not to mention the voice modulation going on (the talk box, the first voice changing equipment, wasn't invented until the 1930s)�the song is straight from the 21st century. The closest thing they had to rap in the '20s was the poetry of Langston Hughes, a studied poet who was still enrolled in New York's Columbia University the year Fitzgerld's book came out. more. Radio.com is an official news provider for antiMusic.com.
...end |
On the Blue: New Horizons Cruise Days 4 & 5: Starship Lands on the Pearl, Alan Parsons Takes It Home
Kandace Springs - Run Your Race
On the Blue: New Horizons Cruise Day 1: Marbin Gets the Fun Started
Hot In The City: Prog Band Tu-Ner Coming to Phoenix
Watch Motley Crue's 'Dogs Of War' Video
Richie Sambora Returns With 'I Pray', The First Of Four New Songs
The Smashing Pumpkins Reveal New Guitarist
Linkin Park Top Hard Rock And Vinyl Albums Charts With Papercuts
Watch Black Veil Brides' Cinematic 'Bleeders' Video
Singled Out: Evan Boyer's Cedar Creek
Pink Floyd's David Gilmour Reveals Song From First New Album In Nine Years
AC/DC Launching High Voltage Dive Bar At Stops On Power Up Tour