CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
The once blurred line between Generation X and the youth has today become a gaping laser cut canyon, as one local ‘fun uncle’ realises that his nephews have absolutely now cultural references to draw on when it comes to the golden age of west coast rap music.
While loitering around his sister’s home ahead of a family viewing of the football last night, mid-40s airport baggage handler Jai Berringsworth was forced to accept the fact that he has nothing in common with the TikTok generation.
As an early adapter to both Facebook and Instagram, there was once a time when Jai thought that nothing could sneak past him. But the recent hysteria surrounding Taylor Swift tickets and the rising influence of K-Pop on his younger relatives have left him a little shook.
But he knows what he likes, and it isn’t any of this YungBlood shit. Basically it can’t be anything that was released after Miley Cyrus did that sledgehammer song, which Jai liked because it reminded him of Sinead O’Connor.
As the family mill around the balcony at his sister’s place after dinner – this old dog made peace with the fact that he’s content with not even asking what this shit is that his nephews are constantly playing out of the bluetooth speakers.
“Turn this noise off” he says, officially transforming into an old man.
“Can ya put some decent music on”
And by decent music, this former graffiti writer means specifically the earlier EPs and feature tracks that immediately predated LA rapper Xzibit’s 3rd studio album ‘Restless’ – which was released at the height of Dr Dre’s influence as a hip hop label executive and music producer in the year 2000.
“Ya know?!” says Jai
“Mr X To Tha Z?”
“You nerds ever watched the Up N Smoke Tour movie? I think I got the DVD somewhere”
His nephews, now intrigued by this absolutely foreign language coming out of their recovering stoner uncle’s mouth, have a few questions.
“What’s a DVD?” asks his youngest nephew, Arlo (12).
The oldest thinks he might know what his uncle is talking about.
“Is Xzibit the mechanic who does up all those cars? I think I saw some videos of him on TikTok” says Mason (17)
Jai sighs.
“No. I’m talking about the rapper. He’s more of a rapper than a TV star anyway. But yeah they did use his song Paparazzi on the final episode of The Sopranos first season when the FBI snuck a camera into the meeting of the Five Families.”
The nephews look completely clueless.
“What the hell is the Sopranos?” they ask.
