Poppin' Tags

Well. This is probably one of the most well known and slightly controversial songs of this year.
We've heard all sorts of trash over the past few years in the name of music. Bieber has made his crawl to the top of the slag heap by singing about beauties, beats and babies. He has also been caught spitting on fans from his hotel room during a tour. And oh, look, he could be banned from the US because of his alleged assault outside an NYC nightclub. Such a role model.
Then there's Nicki Minaj, who never fails to make me wonder why someone would want to willingly look like a pornographic Malibu barbie on steroids. And that new MAC campaign. Really. Lying in a swimming pool with opened lipsticks pointing at her.
And One Direction. Rebecca Black. Condom Style. Hot Problems. I could go on.

But no. There is one duo that has really brought something very close to my heart onto the music scene. When I heard it for the first time, I literally almost wanted to kill myself. But I was one of the uninitiated and therefore, naive.
As I started listening, really listening, I realized what they were trying to say.

Yes. Thrift Shop. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.

They have brought to light the growing consumerism and commercialism that is brewing materialistic toil and wrecking havoc in world.

With the steady increase of buying power among not only the rich, but the upper middle class and the middle class, who are spending more and more of their disposable income on luxury and premium goods, there is now a new enemy we face. The brand whores. Those who buy not only for the sake of buying, but purely for the logo. Those who refuse to believe that everything really is, Made in China/Bangladesh/Thailand and India.

Then this song came along. No. Do not mock them. Listen to their message.

First, an extremely interesting point was brought up - sustainability. Up-cycling of fashion is something that is very much in vogue. Not only does it cut costs, but it creates an individuality in pieces that mass production simply cannot touch. And vintage/charity/Goodwill shopping. You can find some really, really quaint pieces in those stores. And by mixing and matching, one can create and recreate style to suit their own needs.
As is demonstrated in the lines,


'One man's trash, that's another man's come-up
Thank your granddad for donating that plaid button-up shirt
'Cause right now I'm up in her stuntin'
I'm at the Goodwill, you can find me in the bins
I'm not, I'm not stuck, I’m searchin' in that section'

The song also recognizes the perceived versus the real value of a brand.

'I hit the party and they stop in that motherfucker

They be like, "Oh, that Gucci - that's hella tight."

I'm like, "Yo - that's fifty dollars for a T-shirt."

Limited edition, let's do some simple addition

Fifty dollars for a T-shirt - that's just some ignorant bitch (shit)

I call that getting swindled and pimped (shit)

I call that getting tricked by a business

That shirt's hella dough

And having the same one as six other people in this club is a hella don't'

Lastly, the song has a message that runs strong and true, and that is the real essence of fashion. Individualism. Being comfortable in what you wear. Making a statement. Being different. Being confident.


'What you know about rockin' a wolf on your noggin?
What you knowin' about wearin' a fur fox skin?'

As you can see, the singer has enough self belief and confidence to be able to carry off such daring yet high fashion pieces. He challenges (the public perhaps) and asks them what they could possibly know about such statement making and unconventional dressing.