Hip- Hop Through The Houses

Last night, I was thinking about the tremendous impact that hip-hop continues to have on our world. As a professed hip-hop "head", it's not easy to turn on the radio and witness the myriad of methods used to reduce the art of creative expression to dollars and cents. I'm not here to say what's "real" hip-hop and what isn't, but I am here to state my preference and to support those individuals whom I think are producing the music because they love it and feel it's a viable medium for self-expression in regard to their particular worldview.



Yes, like it or not, these artists sometimes use profanity where other terms may be more "suitable". Some of them may speak on subject matter that you disagree with and label as noise pollution. Guess what ? I agree with you. However, I have a solution: don't listen. Just like the far right flips past MSNBC or the lefties tune out Rush Limbaugh. I encourage all to pursue your particular musical tastes with fervor, but to be cognizant of the fact that different musical tastes don't qualify as "better" or "worse".

I applaud the efforts of the hip-hop artists that I choose to support for pursuing their goals and dreams. Thank you for continuing to do your "homework" and studying the elements. I'm writing this piece regarding hip-hop and the astrological houses because I really enjoyed writing my sun sign hip-hop playlist article and I think the connection between hip hop and fields of life experience, which the astrological houses represent, is fascinating.

In studying astrology, one of the first jewels of knowledge that I was presented with is that everything that transpires in our life can be assigned to one of the areas symbolized by the houses.

Some Astrologers may care to be more technical or specific, but here's how I would assign the basic house meanings:

1-Personal identity, self- presentation.
2-Personal and material values, finances, talents.
3-Communication, basic education, thought processes.
4-Home, childhood, roots, psychological foundation.
5-Self-expression, entertainment, creativity, sex, romance.
6-Work, daily routine, health, service.
7-Partnerships, marriage,public dealings.
8-Others' resources, transformation, hidden elements.
9-International travel, advanced learning, philosophy, religion.
10-Public ambition, status, fame, career.
11-Organizations, friends, goals,humanity, the collective.
12-Internal life, meditation, prayer, seclusion,spirituality.

For all of the hip-hop heads, here's my playlist and contribution towards helping you towards a better understanding of the Astrological houses. The following are song titles that describe issues, themes or phenomena relevant to the representative house:

First House
"Me Myself and I" - De La Soul
"Take It Personal"- Gangstarr
"My World"- O.C.
"This is Me"- Common
"Selfish"- Slum Village featuring Kanye West & John Legend

Second House
"Paid in Full"- Eric B. & Rakim
"Make Munne"- Black Moon
"C.R.E.A.M."- Wu- Tang Clan
"Money on The Clock"- Oddisee
"Who Makes The Loot"- Grand Puba

Third House
"Form of Intellect"- Gangstarr
"Speakin"- El Da Sensei
"NY State of Mind"- Nas
"Flava In Your Ear"- Craig Mack
"Super Lyrical" - Big Pun featuring Black Thought

Fourth House
"The Place Where We Dwell" -Gangstarr
"2nd Childhood" -Nas"
"Nothing Like Home"- Mobb Deep
"Breakin Bread" - Hi- Tek
"My Country"- Nas

Fifth House
"Express Yourself"- Salt N Pepa
"The Show"- Slick Rick & Doug E. Fresh
"Sex, Sex, Sex" -Nice & Smooth
"Stages & Lights"- Sadat X
"The Game"- Common

Sixth House
"Method Man"- Wu Tang Clan
"Work"- Gangstarr
"A Day in The Life"- Diamond D
"I Go To Work"- Kool Moe Dee
"I Get The Job Done"- Big Daddy Kane

Seventh House
"Ex Girl to The Next Girl"- Gangstarr
"You and Yours"- O.C.
"Won on Won"- Smif-N-Wessun
"Getting Married"- Nas
"Bridging The Gap"- Nas

Eighth House
"War Games"- O.C. Featuring Organized Konfusion
"Survivin"- KRS- One
"Phone Tap"- The Firm
"Roxanne's Revenge"- Roxanne Shante
"Invstigative Reports"- GZA

Ninth House
"Philosophical"-KRS One
"Church"- De La Soul
"The World is Yours"- Nas
"What You Seek"- Diamond D
"Travelz"- Baby Blak & Jazzy Jeff

Tenth House
"Mainstream"- Outkast
"Mass Appeal"- Gangstarr
"For My People"- Large Professor
"Just To Get A Rep"- Gangstarr
"What I'm Here For"- Gangstarr

Eleventh House
"Friends"- Whodini
"Revolution"- Dennis Brown"
"Liberation"- Outkast featuring Cee-Lo
"Fight The Power"- Public Enemy
"U.N.I.T.Y."- Queen Latifah

Twelfth House
"Best Kept Secret"- Diamond D
"The Unseen"- Quasimoto (Madlib)
"Hellucination"-Smif N Wessun
"Lose Yourself" -Eminem
"Mind's Playin' Tricks On Me"- Geto Boys