{"id":450,"date":"2015-03-28T17:49:36","date_gmt":"2015-03-28T21:49:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lyreka.com\/blog\/?p=450"},"modified":"2023-12-20T10:58:08","modified_gmt":"2023-12-20T15:58:08","slug":"lorde-and-her-familiar-rap-cliches-in-royals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lyreka.com\/blog\/lorde-and-her-familiar-rap-cliches-in-royals","title":{"rendered":"Lorde and Her Familiar Rap Clich\u00e9s in Royals"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Lorde\"
Lorde Royals via YouTube<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Is Lorde<\/a> a rapper? It depends on who you ask. In the song “Royals<\/a>,” she definitely makes use of a familiar rap clich\u00e9.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

She’s never seen a diamond in the flesh.<\/q> She’s from a torn-up town, no postcard envy.<\/q> This is a cliffhanger, implying some kind of but. But what?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surely, now she proclaims about how she’s transcended working-class life, right? Or at least, is on her way there?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wait a sec. This is her but: Every song’s like…<\/q> Suddenly, we’re hit with a catalog of luxuries – things “new money” rappers supposedly now enjoy with abandon: “gold teeth”, “Grey Goose” vodka, trashin’ “the hotel room”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And another but: we don’t care.<\/q> Then, more new money revelries: Cristal, diamonds, jet planes, and even tigers on a gold leash… We aren’t caught up in your love affair.<\/q><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, time to sing along: And we’ll never be royals!<\/q> For this title word, then ruler, and I’ll rule,<\/q> the backup singers support her message with a high-pitched mockery of the turned-up noses of the upper classes or actual royalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In her own crowd, though, Lorde is a ruler: You can call me Queen Bee. In her mind, she’s already made it. Let me live that fantasy,<\/q> she declares. But she’s already been living it –\u00a0without anyone’s help. More like, f**k off\u00a0– with one-percenter politeness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She and her friends have cracked the code.\u00a0They count their dollars on the train to the party.<\/q>\u00a0And apparently, they always do have enough to party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To be fair, maybe another rap clich\u00e9 is claiming one\u2019s authenticity. Regardless, Lorde makes a very catchy argument in her favor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watch the Royals by Lorde Music Video<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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