Rohan Marley - The New Millennium Yoko Ono
It didn't occur to me until last week when I found myself doing what a million other owners of "The Score" do on a daily basis - fast-forwarding Wyclef's and Pras' verses in order to get to Lauryn Hill's rhymes - that Ms. Hill is the female embodiment of every girl I've ever loved throughout my entire life. First, I'm in awe of their sheer beauty, much like I was with Lauryn in the beginning - at that point not giving a slippery fuck what besides her looks she has to offer, just feeling myself being steadily pulled in her direction as if very visage was akin to an ocean's undertow. Slowly, her other qualities start battling with her beauty. When Lauryn Hill started coming into her own lyrically I admittedly felt like a school-boy with a crush as my heart went all aflutter just thinking about her - like any time I've dated a fine girl with brains behind the beauty, it was evident that she would be promoted past the "Practice Vagina" rank. Then, wouldn't you know it, as soon as she has the deed to my heart, most of my day spent fantasizing about our wedding day and the both of growing old and experimenting with Viagra together - that's when she rips said heart out of my chest. Kicking me out of the apartment that the both of us share, and informing me that she's leaving me for guy who is literally homeless!! (Sorry about that, I'm still bitter) But you get the point, as soon as I envisioned a future where her place as the "Greatest Female MC of all time" would one day transcend opinion - that's when Rohan happened, the new millennium Yoko Ono.
Similar to how historians like to tell us that Yoko Ono had nothing to do with "The Beatles" disbanding, how John Lennon had planned to leave the group anyways, and how every member of the group was going into a different direction musically - I'm not buying it, just like how I'm not buying Lauryn's excuse for her inactivity being creative limitations and the trappings of fame. It was definitely that motherfucker Rohan. That filthy bastard, reportedly already married at the time they got together - serving as a one man wrecking-ball to what could have been the legacy of the greatest female MC to ever clutch a microphone apparatus. (I'm not into conspiracy theories or anything, but someone has to look into whether MC Lyte hooked them up or not- in an effort to save her legacy.) Besides the fact that he turned what I'm sure is Lauryn's lovely genitalia into a virtual clown-car, we all were let in on how big a douchebag the guy was by her emotional performance on that "MTV Unplugged No. 2.0" - a tearful train-wreck that at the end of the day still had flashes of brilliance sprinkled throughout it.
Now that I think about it, maybe it's a slap in the face of Yoko Ono to even compare someone like Rohan Marley to her - no matter what you think of the legitimacy of her work, at least she was an artist who also put out albums. What exactly has Rohan's lazy ass done? I'm sorry, being the son of a legend isn't exactly a job description, buddy - and trying to eat off of your father's accomplishments by having a clothing line named "Tuff Gong" just proves to me that your silly ass is a monumental waste of space.
I know it seems kind of harsh bashing a guy who by all accounts isn't even in Lauryn's life any more, but it's my firm belief that that son of a bitch has got to pay. Pay for me not having a decent album of hers since "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill", album collaborations with her and DJ Premier going unfulfilled, poignant verses about politics and global affairs never touching my eardrums, and the current state of the female MC - who would have thought that a shiftless layabout would be the culprit when it came to millions of fans being disappointed. All we are left with are weird interviews from the queen herself, a condemnation of the Catholic church at the Vatican (which was kind of gangsta, by the way), and promises of upcoming projects that are beginning to fall on deaf ears.
Of course, it's not too late for Ms. Hill. She could come out with some legendary material this year, for all I know - but if she never reaches that level of excellence we all thought she'd attain, just feel secure in knowing that it was Rohan Marley's fault. We have to be proactive, people. Visit his myspace page and tell that motherfucker what he's done, let him know that I sent you (I'm not hard to find) - even purchase one of his raggedy T-Shirts only to wipe your ass with it in protest at some later date. Years ago, I met Lauryn Hill while she and her band mates were promoting their first album. I wish I had the same fortune telling abilities as the guy in "The Dead Zone" - because when I touched her beautiful hand, I would have said, "In a few years you will meet an unemployed Marley boy. When he approaches you, just tell his ass "Kick rocks motherfucker!!!"
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Comments
1.
Iwanna Wright says:
I am feeling what marisa said maan.
You got to take some responsibilty for your choices. We get our discernment Effed up sometimes. I just hope lauryn heals quick so we can get some positive females back on the scene. If not, I got it..by no means can I fill them shoes, but I can definently set some new tracks with mine....I love you HC...
10/09/2007 at 4:20 PM
2.
marisa says:
First off, Ms. Hill i guess it is did all this to herself. First messin with a older man(jean) then to find out he had a wife or lady at home she shouldve left it alone but no kept on with it then met Mr. Marley and kept on with BOTH men, Finding out Marley had a wifely and kids JUST LIKE HIS DADDY AND BROTHERS. But She still played the game and had both fools thinkin they was daddy then just jumpin into a mama roll to have 3 more marley's. She aint married where is the papper work. by Law the uncle tom whats paper. If that was the case id be married. anyways her as a women Knows better and knows how men are and can be. We have all seen it heard it and have some way been around it so no more cryin honey deal with it and move on and put some music out we have been waitting too long and it is due time for an ablum. Do it for the kids.
07/25/2007 at 7:21 PM
3.
bunny says:
You are kinda right about that. One she should have looked at his family history and seen that she was not going to be anything special. That he was not going to be faithful. Hell, look at his brothers, Damian has a girlfriend and he still f*cks around, He even brought her some fake breasts, but if you listen to his music he is always saying be natural and he wants a real woman. Steve wife left him because of an outside baby Zipporah from Kristina Murawski, some unknown fashion designer, and the other Robbie "Ninja" go around sleeping and f*cking everything in sight. They are all the same. Yeah he may have loved her but he sure did not respect her enough not to sleep around and hurt her the way he did. One say with her best friend and the other with a cousin. Thats wrong, he is somewhat the cause for it, but she should have known how those Marley Boyz are .... WHORES!!!!! LIVING OFF DADDY.
07/17/2007 at 3:08 AM
4.
Brother Omi says:
never thought about it like that. i do feel that dude is a womanizer and Hill just got caught up in the Marley mystique (i have an insider in that camp and they tell me all the time how folks get caught up in that)
07/06/2007 at 10:49 PM
5.
Wale says:
I swear I was saying the same thing just days ago, only I blame Wyclef for bangin her in the first place. He was married at the time, and too old for her and blew her mind with some Haitian Voodoo shit, and then ran back to wify. Praz politely axed him not to bang her, but Wyclef banged her anyway, like I would have if given the chance, like anybody would have.
As for Rohan, were his 439 brothers not a sign that something was amiss genetically regarding monogomy? Could Lauryn not see that shit coming?
The trouble started with Wyclef. As for now, it is her got damn fault for not gettin over shit and movin the fuck on.
07/06/2007 at 1:19 PM
6.
Belve says:
HC, you are either crazy, or brilliant. I actually lean towards you being crazy but thats my ego talking cause I have a theory that the loss of feminine skill in hip-hop is what is letting the art-form decay from the inside. But it does seem that the decline of hip-hop coincided with the loss of Madam Hill to *phewt* him.
on another note. Saying vagina has caused you more problems than actually getting it. I don't know where I was going with that just thought I would rub it in. LMAO
07/06/2007 at 9:03 AM
7.
Jake says:
Ok, time to move on from the Erykah Badu post - its ok, it really is. lol
That being said, great post HC!!!
07/06/2007 at 3:23 AM
8.
Nicole says:
What I'm saying is that, you've probably hit the nail right on the head this time. Even though I haven't followed the Marley/Hill relationship, your observations clearly exhibit behaviors in women that I've witnessed over and over again. This is not part of a game, it's just straight up stupid.
Hmm, uber feminist? Like I tell my son about the mean look on Mammy's face. Don't be concerned about the mean look on Mammy's face. Mammy ain't mean, she tired, tired of having to fight for everything that she and her family deserves (this behavior and the attitudes and ideals associated with it is also sometimes confused with feminisim). She had to fight for basic stuff like food, shelter, clothes, shoes, education). So, when you see that mean look, feel safe, cause Mammy got yo back. ;-)
07/06/2007 at 1:11 AM
9.
HumanityCritic says:
"Wow. Am I at a hen party? Calm down. This kinda shit happens all the time. We women have to hide away the best things about ourselves in order to beef up the man's ego (and sometimes we loose control/career/dream/aspirations, etc.). Those of us who don't practice this destructive behavior are called single. Who are you? Not the same Critic who just demeaned Eryka Baduh."
But I would think that the uber feminist that you are, you know, feeling as if I slandered black women as a whole based on me putting the word "Vagina" in a post - would reject the notion of women catering to a man's ego, even if you aren't the one doing it. What part of the game is that exactly? That being said, I'd bet dollars to donuts that Ms. Badu herself wouldn't feel "demeaned" by what I wrote.(No one has their sensitivity bar set that low) Peace.
07/05/2007 at 11:53 PM
10.
Nicole says:
Wow. Am I at a hen party? Calm down. This kinda shit happens all the time. We women have to hide away the best things about ourselves in order to beef up the man's ego (and sometimes we loose control/career/dream/aspirations, etc.). Those of us who don't practice this destructive behavior are called single. Who are you? Not the same Critic who just demeaned Eryka Baduh.
07/05/2007 at 11:37 PM
11.
C.C. says:
This was actually a GREAT read! Good job!
07/05/2007 at 8:57 PM