Sweet little Dorothy said it best, “There’s no place like home,” and it’s true because countless artists have paid homage to the cities that they call home for years. [JF1]Rappers are no different. It seems that as soon as they make it big, or in their attempt to make it big, they tell tales of their city, its offerings, or lack thereof, and how it helped to make them who they are. [JF2]Record label executive and rapper Chris Bridges, formerly known as Chris Luva Luva who now goes by the rap moniker Ludacris, and his label mates Field Mob, Shawn Johnson and Darion Crawford, have joined together in shared love and admiration of their home state—Georgia, in a rap song aptly called “Georgia” that resonates with the soulful melodic hook in the true fashion of none other than Ray Charles’ hit song “Georgia.”[JF3] The love of home is so strong that it unifies people although they may love different things about it. [JF4]
Ludacris, the poster child of southern hospitality known for his southern drawl and his unique way of slurring his words, paints a vivid picture of every day Atlanta city life. [JF(GH5]Verse one opens up with a typical scene of individuals loitering outside of a liquor store, which sad to say, seems to be a dime a dozen in the Atlanta area. [JF(GH6]“Fiens at the liquor store/ Lac Crusisn/ Crap Shootin/ 50 on the 10 to 4/ Overcast the forecast/ Shows clouds from plenty dro” [JF(GH7]Such a common scene, one of gambling, the passing by of cars, and the hovering of cops evokes a feeling of nostalgia for Ludacris because it’s such a common occurrence that he could be on a corner in Bankhead or on the other side of town posted at a liquor store on Campbellton Road. [JF(GH8]In addition to the everyday scenery, he also has love and respect for the Atlanta sports’ culture.[JF(GH9] Through the use of clever puns, Luda, as he’s often called, gives recognition to the various thriving sports teams of Atlanta.[JF(GH10] For example, when referencing his need for protection against the rampant crime in the area he says[JF(GH11]“That’s why I keep my Georgia Tech in the state of …Georgia.” Which clearly is in reference to both a Tech 9 gun and the Geogria Tech Yellow Jackets. [JF(GH12]He mentions that the “Bulldawgs is clockin’/ These look out boys is hawkin” and that gives recognition to both the Georgia Bulldogs and the Atlanta Hawks. [JF(GH13]What stands out for Ludacris resonates in the hearts of many true ATL-ilens and implants as well. [JF(GH14]
Although Ludacris’ love for Georgia stems from everyday life in the streets and sports, [JF(GH15]Darian “Smoke” Crawford of the rap duo Field Mob loves Georgia for its Southern food.[JF(GH16] At the onset of verse two[JF(GH17], Crawford boasts of being “from the home of the neck bones, black eyed peas, turnip and collard greens….” [JF(GH18]This vivid imagery gives feelings of a stereotypical Sunday dinner at a dinner table near you anywhere in the South. [JF(GH19]He then goes on [JF(GH20]to show how country he is [JF(GH21]“Pecan country like catfish with grits/ Candy yams and chitlins/ Gram’s homemade baked biscuits.” [JF(GH22]Crawford’s lyrics will leave the listener’s mouth watering as he describes Southern staple after Southern staple and it’s little wonder that this is what warms his heart about this “peach cobbler called…Georgia.” [JF(GH23]
Luda’s love for the everyday life is on a broad scale while Shawn Johnson’s love for the materialistic pleasures that the South has to offer are more of a check list of a hood boy starter pack.[JF(GH24] In order to fit in with a Southern hood boy, one must have a proper ride, and according to Shawn there are a bevy of acceptable choices in the South such as cars with “…wet paint drip[ping] jelly on pirelliz an the / chrome on the Chevy”. He suggests that the strip club life in the South is spectacular because it’s “Home of da strip club,/Known foe da thick gulz/ Where da chickz put tipz in da tip cup, Of thick chick in a thong wit a big butt…..” The South is the home of freaknik and he’s “got a Chevrolet on 26’zzz!” Shawn’s the quintessential hood boy representative and he’s sure that he’s got a handle on what Southern good life involves—nice cars, strip clubs, thick women and large rims. These items aren’t strictly isolated to Albany, people come from all around to see the Southern car shows and Atlanta I s renowned for it’s world famous Strip Clubs.
Is Georgia sports? Is it crime? “Fiens at the liquor store?” or is Georgia fried chicken, black eyed peas and collard greens? Could Georgia be summed up into Box Chevys, Caprices and 26 inch rims? Isolated, any of these things can be found in almost any state in the United States of America, however, when they come together, they make up the metaphorical “peach cobbler” called Georgia, and they help to prove that it really doesn’t matter what you value about the place that you call home, everything that you value unites the people together as they express their love, respect, and admiration for home. After all, Dorothy said it best, “there’s no place like home!” [JF(GH25]
[JF1]Broad Opener about the topic (topic=home)
[JF2]Relevance to topic
[JF3]Background Info-> song/artist whatever is needed for reader to understand the premise of the song
[JF4]Theme
[JF(GH5]Topic Sentence of Body Par # 1 CLAIM
[JF(GH6]Intro to data
[JF(GH7]Data
[JF(GH8]Commentary
[JF(GH9]Transitional Phrase/ CLAIM/ INTRO
[JF(GH10]CLAIM
[JF(GH11]Intro to data
[JF(GH12]DATA
[JF(GH13]Data/commentary blend
[JF(GH14]Conclusion for paragraph
[JF(GH15]Transitional phrase to connect Body 1 to Body 2
[JF(GH16]Topic sentence of Body #2/ CLAIM
[JF(GH17]Intro to data
[JF(GH18]DATA
[JF(GH19]Commentary
[JF(GH20]Transitional phrase
[JF(GH21]CLAIM
[JF(GH22]DATA
[JF(GH23]Commentary w/ sprinkle of data for style
[JF(GH24]Transitional CLAIM statement
[JF(GH25]BROAD conclusion that ties into