Strange Fruit: A Portrait of a Holiday

[Bounce]

Play Strange Fruit by Billie Holiday


Strange Fruit: A Portrait of a Holiday


..self medicated to hide the pain within.
deep tracks...
..on both arms, outline the life she lived
in fact...
..the dope scars, help find what time
has hid...
..locked in song by a songstress in a
timeless hymn...

Someone once told me, a great writer makes a choice in life
voice of night consoling lonely wives bound by page and light
or the timeless type in bold print, bound by his ways in life
so I raise waves in ink, Poseidon like, & never the silent type
violence ripe, I script bruised fruit! Some fell from the trees
as others hung from the noose. I'm painting that strange fruit
portrait of a Holiday, a heroine bulls-eyed on opiates cut loose
on dart-boards over-used, tracks of which tell a dark tale or two
Smack down, syringe plunged deep in mainlines, numb veins
pump candy for strained minds, on back-drops of stained lives
heated spoons & cotton balls, cop a squat & watch'em crawl
in a funk so thick, because filth covered pores prolong the next fix
so she swims in white water rapids despite the white collar tactics
deployed & fixed by the system, she pours her soul onto plastic
to blast hits, the type to tops charts & celebrate w/ new pricks
not to imply she's promiscuous, but this seed's of another tip
shooting juice to blow into another trip, a new haze in a daze
gone by, un phased by her ways played in another jazz club dive
alive, pouring soul into a metal box, smoke wafts thru dim light
as pianos play soft, off to stage right, she's only a silhouette
in a sea of cigarettes & candle light, like velvet wings in flight
her voice soars high over soothing waves on moonlit nights
she sings of sorrows seen in life & scenes of tearful things alike
strange fruit swayed on Southern trees, where colors ran
black on white, back when right was a consensus of white cloaks
and colored folks were labeled senseless and hung for jokes
in orchard rows by ropes, a fruit that dangled by necks broke
this portrait of a Holiday s'long been painted... tis but a peek
created from a sedated funk, deep in a sultry tongue & cheek
her voice sweeps through in controlled octaves & evening gowns
leaving crowds in tears, pale faced patrons with deceiving frowns
stand in ovation, yet days later they haul her ass into station
a starlit, lit on the walk of fame with her name ablaze in lights
headlines read, ''Miss Holiday Arrested'' for favors found in spite
she candy coated truth on wax that struck down anyone in sight
so next time you hear Miss Billie Holiday, just stop and listen
her sweet voice carries a soulful tune but the deeper image...
you're missing...

...just listen

..self medicated to hide the pain within.
deep tracks...
..on both arms, outline the life she lived
in fact...
..the dope scars, help find what time
has hid...
..locked in song by a songstress in a
timeless hymn...


Inspired by Miss Billie Holiday



By: Bounce

[NYspitta]

nice peice, i was really feelin it from the beggining to end, i luved the hook or wateva it was, but it was nice, ur skript kept me interested from beggining to end, and i didnt lose focus not once, this was great selection to keep the readers attention, i liked ur rhyme scheme and imagery, i really felt that u felt u were in this, overall great selection and writing, rating-9/10

[Blazin' Young]

thats a pretty powerful picture, and i dont get moved by much, believe me

[Bounce]

thanks to NYspitta

[SmokaJoka]

Beat went nicely with this work...but I had to close it about halfway due to the distraction of it causing me to read shitty...soooo...here's the highpoint of your work Bounce...from metaphors, rhymes, ....and myths..

so I raise waves in ink, Poseidon like, & never the silent type
violence ripe, I script bruised fruit! Some fell from the trees
& others hung from the noose. I'm painting that strange fruit
portrait of a Holiday, a heroine bulls eyed on opiates cut loose
on dart-boards over-used, tracks of which tell a dark tale or two
Smack down, syringe plunged deep in mainlines, numb veins
pump candy for strained minds, on back-drops of stained lives
heated spoons & cotton balls, cop a squat & watch'em crawl
in a funk so thick, because filth covered pores prolong the next fix
she swims in white water rapids despite the white collar tactics
deployed & fixed by the system & pours her soul onto plastic

Nice strong opening to a good story full of thoughts, rhymes, and a metaphorical tone

&

this portrait of a Holiday s'long been painted... this is but a peek
created from a sedated funk deep in a sultry tongue & cheek
her voice sweeps through in controlled octaves & evening gowns
leaving crowds in tears, pale faced patrons with deceiving frowns
stand in ovation, yet days later they haul her ass into station
a starlit, lit on the walk of fame with her name ablaze in lights
headlines read, ''Miss Holiday arrested'' for favors found in spite
she candy coated truth on wax that struck down anyone in sight

The priciseness of the enviroment near your ending impacted the entire story...to be able to visualize what's going on by reading is truly a gifted writer's work




BreakDown
Metaphors = 10/10
Vocabulary = 10/10
Rhyme = 9/10
Topic = 9/10
Imagery = 10/10
Originality = 10/10...not many people use instrumentals in their drops
Overall = 58/60

Rating:
9.5/10

Final Word:
I don't want to speak of the story in details due to some lazy asses that may just feed from my review and agree just to get a link (if we still do that), but the story was definately one of originality...the ONLY reason I wouldnt give you a perfect 10 is because it still seems like something was missing....not sure honestly what it could possibly be..but it's good to see your still dropping good shit after awhile of not reading nothing from anyone

[LedgenZ]

But, what I will say is that you have one hell of a piece on your hands. The message was both powerful and insightful, and something I feel needed to be addressed. It was a great departure from the poetic and usually pointless topicals I've grown accustom to peeping on this board. And like always your excution was flawless; multis, innernals,flow, metaphores, imagery - they were all there, and they were all great. Without a doubt you have become one of my favorite writers on the site - and it is obvious that your reputation proceeds you. Excellent post...but then again what else is new?

Favorite lines:
"alive, pouring soul into a metal box, smoke wafts thru dim light
as pianos play soft, off to stage right, shes' only a silhouette
in a sea of cigarettes & candle light, like velvet wings in flight"

^I know I probably missed the entire point of the drop by quoting this, but to be honest these lines were the most vivid to be. the roaring 20's, 30's, 40's night life was alive and well in my mind when I read those lines. I thought they were superb.

All in All.....Damn!!! what else need be said?

[Soule]

This wordplay was increible. The flow was really nice. The story is great. The structre was nicely done. 10-10. Keep it up Boss.

[Spekz.]

did not think i would be reading nething new from you in a while..how refreshing it is to see regardless. You are always the one to make somebody think when reading ur pieces..and this piece was no difference..the title had me intrested..then as i got reading the piece..and looked at the pieces i just had to chuckle cuz the piece was a large metaphor..that was about something i never thought about when viewing the title however made so much sense when i was done. Its pointless to commend you on how well you wrote it cuz like e/body else said u killd the metas etc..and just the piece was well written...however i think most ppl get caught up in that..and miss ur message n what ur trying to say..and i appreciate ur gradetude.

overall wornderful piece as usual..good to still see you around posting n what not.

[Bounce]

thank you...

[Passive.]

*reserved*

I'll hit this up as soon as possible Bounce.

[Cody Nash]

yeah ..i was gonna say, until i saw the end. there's a similar outtake on this, with less description than you've got here in a song created by a woman. but you've already got her down. although honestly, i think she was a "bad singer" imo. lol, sounded like a man to me when i first heard her a long while back. but the concept of the who storyline, is a sad one at that. the fruit were the people in hers, which is exactly how your perspective on it was, it was excellent. but ..yeah, another great piece, about the bad treatment to the colored race in a bad time in this world. very nicely done on your part though, you spruced it up with a lot more content than the real thing. if only there were enough words to use on this subject, but i have the feeling it'll be portrayed differently all through our years to come ..good piece, great read. <sorry if i missinturpreted ..

check me out ..would like your opinion ..
http://www.rapbattles.com/forum/show...90#post4653290

[Bounce]

thanks

[D. Josey]

OMFG Bounce! I can't believe this! I can't believe the piece, and I can't believe the topic because I was contemplating a drop on "Strange Fruit". I had just learned the terminology, and was expecting a poem to come with it, but I realized that you just outdid yourself on this, especially because I was reading on lynching today. I liked your use of multis, and your vocabulary was steady, and consistent. It was a nice read, and had great emotion, and the pictures fit right in with the piece. I liked it, and when I looked at it, I wanted to read it to see how accurate you were to actual events, and you hit it head on..

Nice job, even though you stole my idea.

[Bounce]

haha...

this peice is more of a tribute to Billie Holiday and her courage to say something about the events durign the time. In those days, you did not do that, and she did regardless of the repercusions, and yes there were repercusions. It's not focused around the hangings and such, but around the singer and her ability to put the message out and the pain in her voice. It points out why she used, and what she delt with that lead to her addiction, which can be heard in her music. So, this peice is ntohing lke the peice you described in your post, since it's not focused on the hangins, but on the anguish such caused on those who witnessed/lived it. One being Billie Holiday. So, I encourage you to drop your peice on the subject.

thanks everyone.

[Nahlidge]

This shit was dope. At first when I seen the title I was thinkin` about Nina Simone`s "Strange Fruit". Then I clicked on the track. And it`s the same lyrics lol. So I had to cut it off. Cuz Nina`s version does sumthin` to me that this one couldn`t.

Someone once told me, a great writer makes a choice in life
voice of night consoling lonely wives bound by page and light
or the timeless type in bold print, bound by his ways in life
so I raise waves in ink, Poseidon like, & never the silent type

I think you opened this up dope for what you were doin` with it. Like u said. Wasn`t focusin` on taklin` about the hanging`s. But you did incorporate that into the piece nicely also here and there. The technicality of the verse was done dope. A lotta inner rhymes. And flippin` around with the rhymes that I caught in there. Overall dope piece. Dope message. Keep doin` ur thing.