Don Frierson’s musical tastes took shape during his youth in the 1960s and ’70s. The positivity he heard from the radio DJs between the songs he loved inspired him to pursue a career in broadcasting; Frierson later graduated with a degree in journalism from the University of South Carolina.
Columbia musician 2Ru3 (pronounced “True”) came of age at the turn of the 21st century. Heavily influenced by the rap and hip-hop artists of that era, he developed his own distinctive style and message through the lyrics and music he performs.
In 2024, Frierson and 2Ru3, who are 40 years apart in age, met up at StoryCorps to discuss how music, particularly in the African American culture, has changed from Frierson’s generation to 2Ru3’s, and what those shifts reveal about the culture itself.
TRANSCRIPT:
Frierson: You know, one of the interesting things about rap is, a lot of us old heads really don't understand it. We think it's misogynist, a lot of cursing, and disrespecting of women.
2Ru3: Mm-hm.
Frierson: But some of it is not like that.
2Ru3: Right.
Frierson: And I can remember growing up, the music I was listening to, because my father was into jazz, and I am too, he thought some of the music we were listening to, we absolutely lost our mind.
2Ru3: (Laughs)
Frierson: Seriously, he ain’t listening to that stuff. And I always say every generation has its own thing, and the generation preceding that generation just don't try to understand what you all are about. And so, what does rap music say about the younger generation today?
2Ru3: Well, one that they're angry, another that they're confused about some stuff, they are looking for some sense of direction or some sense of purpose. A lot of the music now is basically street stuff. If it's not in the club and you know, women doing whatever, or somebody shooting up in the club, or somebody getting drugged out, drinking out their mind, whatever, it’s...
Frierson: Well, see, that's the thing. I mean, you know, music is supposed to be uplifting. Our music has always been uplifting. I mean, I go back to Curtis Mayfield, "Move on Up." I go back to all that stuff Gamble and Huff wrote during the ’70s. I mean, you say you all are angry. Why do, I mean, what are you angry about? And does the music really reflect…I should be mad because we're still fighting for the same thing we fought for in the streets during the ’60s, voting rights and...
2Ru3: Some of us are, I can't...I haven't seen a lot of music like that now. I feel like for the current generation, a lot of us are mad about our living situation. Like us not having our parents at home, like having our two-parent household growing up, you know, coming from broken homes. And then add on top of that being in a very toxic living environment. You know, some of us in the ghettos or in the hood or whatever.
Frierson: Does rap music reflect what's going on in the African American world today? Or do you think it could do a better job of doing that?
2Ru3: It does reflect the African American community, but it's mostly one side of it. That side being the street culture, basically. That's the more heavily expressed side, and a part of that, I mean, record labels and companies, I mean, that's what they’re—
Frierson: That’s what they want.
2Ru3: —putting the money behind. So, but yeah, I feel like it could do a better job holistically representing it.
Frierson: Times do change and so do people. You know, I guess there still needs to be a lot of change, but, you know, you just got to keep, as Curtis Mayfield said, "moving on up."
2Ru3: Yep. And, 2Pac, “Keep ya head up.”
(Both laugh)
Frierson: It's been nice.
2Ru3: Yeah, that's pretty cool.
Frierson: Yep. I'm Don Frierson.
2Ru3: Yes, sir. I'm 2Ru3.
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