Word.

O.K. Here's the situation....
The kids have been discovering music and expressing likes and dislikes. I both like and dislike this phase. I'm glad that they are developing and exploring but I really, really want to take Katy Perry and Bruno Mars and smack their heads together Three Stooges' style. I'm not a complete music snob. I don't hate pop music or refuse to listen to country.  I pretty much like every kind and then pick who I vehemently hate within the genre (I'm looking at you, Jack Johnson). Obviously I have my favorites which I like to refer to as "required listening" since I retain full control of the radio while in the car. I make no apologies. But I'm kind of excited to see the kids explore new music. And then it comes back and bites me on the ass.

Recently Flannery decided to write a rap song because that's what little blonde 7 year old girls do when they need to express their inner turmoil and rage. It's hard out there for a 1st grader. Actually hers was more about how great it is to live in Portland. Apparently she even survived her vicious English teacher parents attempt to ruin it with talk of rhythm and meter because her living room debut trickled into a constant stream of questions. It also got Emerson beat boxing. Yup. It's been interesting around these parts.

I guess this is a good time to mention that any inclination towards rap or hip hop can be blamed on me. And I should also mention that once when the kids were very young, Reg may have come home to find us all dancing to a song with let's just say questionable lyrics but they were VERY young and not yet really all that impressionable. I've learned a great deal since then. So when I wanted to share an example of a rap video, I did not start with 50 Cent or Tupac or Eminem, thank you very much.  But I did face quite a dilemma. How do you find an example of rap that is also kind of kid friendly.  If you are like every person I've posed that question to, you answer it the same way every time: Will Smith.

So while I am not necessarily endorsing Will Smith the Rap Star, I am delightfully amused that they not only liked this video but they loved it with the radiant intensity of Lil Jon's smiling grill. They love it so much, we've watched it several times and had in depth discussions about it. I'm pretty sure I could teach a course entitled Parents Just DO Understand: The Dimensions of Discourse in Will Smith's Oeuvre. But I won't. I've encourage enough of this craziness.

Recently we went to the library and Flannery loudly asked me if they had any Will Smith cds there and I had to quickly redirect her because, you know, I've got a rep to protect.

Word.