Published on Sep 4, 2001
Controversy sometimes is the only reason some acts ever get any
attention from the public. Let’s be honest – if it hadn’t been
because of MTV’s reluctance to air the video for “Because I Got
High,” would anyone actually have ever heard of Afroman?
The Good Times, Afroman’s latest release, suggests to me
that
someone at the label had to have gotten hold of some bad
shit to allow a disc like this to be released. At one time, this
would have been considered a “party record” and would have been
sold under the counter to a limited group of people. Part 2 Live
Crew and part
High Times put to music, you almost have to be high to enjoy
this absolute piece of crap.
Afroman’s style of music is minimal, usually with only a sparse
drum track, bass line and occasional guitar or organ to fill in the
background. Musically, he walks the line between r&b, soul and
rap while sounding suspiciously like Humpty-Hump from Digital
Underground.
Regrettably, that’s about the nicest thing I can say about
The Good Times. If it wasn’t for MTV hedging on the video
for “Because I Got High,” this disc would have died a quick death.
Alternating between accolades for marajuana, getting drunk and
sexual descriptions that would make Luther Campbell proud, Afroman
is a half-assed 2 Live Crew wannabe.
What I want to know is, who the fuck decided that “Because I Got
High” was a
single, for God’s sake? A song with a basic chord structure
and almost no rhythm track, while Afroman rues everything that’s
happened since he lit up – all the while still promoting smoking
pot, despite what MTV might say – in a civilized world, this one
never would have seen life past the cutting room floor of the
recording studio. Sometimes, I think the only thing that separates
us from the times of Caligula is that they didn’t have cable
TV.
Everything you’ve tried to protect your kids from – songs about
drug use (“Because I Got High,” “Tumbleweed”), drinking (“Let’s All
Get Drunk,” “Tall Cans” – Christ, where’s Jesse Jackson when we
actually need him?) and loose sex (“Crazy Rap,” “She Won’t Let Me
….”) – it’s here on
The Good Life. And, strangely enough, if Afroman had
actually had solid musical tracks and dropped the studio goofing
off masquerading as songs, I might have been able to stomach this
disc. (And, I swear, if this asshole clucks like a chicken one more
time, I’m gonna tie him to a chair and make him listen to Ray
Stevens’s “In The Mood” for a month straight. See how funny it is
now?)
If all this wasn’t bad enough,
The Good Times comes with a bonus video (which I didn’t even
bother with) and – oh, God, help us – a bonus,
extended version of “Because I Got High” tacked onto the end
of the disc. If I had a firearm, I would have pulled an Elvis at
this point and shot my speakers out.
Oh – and as for that go-nowhere rant on “The American Dream”?
Four words:
shut the hell up.
‘Nuff said.
The Good Times is not only a waste of hard-earned money, but
I’m willing to bet that some more deserving band wasn’t offered a
contract because some Einstein chose to release this album. It’s
time to resurrect Nancy Reagan’s old line; when it comes to
Afroman, just say no.