Elvis Presley’s rebellious spirit lives on in Lil Wayne

The Times is celebrating what would have been Elvis' 75th birthday on Friday. Randy Lewis looks inside a new Elvis photograph exhibit at downtown's Grammy Museum, and pop music critic Ann Powers examines the continuing legacy of Elvis Presley in Friday's Calendar. An excerpt from her piece is below. 

Elvis Presley's 75th birthday is upon us, and I can't stop thinking about Lil Wayne. Comparing the long-departed King to the soon-to-be incarcerated Best Rapper Alive might seem ludicrous to some; certainly Presley's accomplishments outstrip those of Dwayne Michael Carter. But there's a logic to the association.

Both artists leaped to stardom out of a troubled South: Elvis on the verge of the civil rights movement, Weezy in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Both gained fame on the strength of vocal performances that took established styles (rockabilly and urban blues; syrupy rap) to startling extremes.

Both combined a dandyish sex appeal with the classic American charm of someone getting over -- sneaking across the sturdy boundaries of class, race and region by deploying a talent that delighted its owner by coming naturally. Both have been compared to space aliens.

Rock music can be defined many ways: One is as a Southern-born, blues-based, multiracial, male-dominated genre exploring such risky subjects as sex, drugs and the high life in general while still aiming for a youth-driven mass audience. On those terms, rock's era of dominance begins with Elvis' "Hound Dog" and ends with Wayne's "A Milli."

Presley was the dark-lidded white boy whose illicit race-crossing sound enacted a musical era that paralleled the most transformative period in American race relations since the Civil War. Wayne isn't as historically influential, but as the most aggressively gifted representative of the Dirty South, he might be the last crucial voice in the cultural conversation leading up to the Obama era.

I don't believe in the term "post-racial," but I do think pop has entered a new phase, in which rock is no longer the defining force in American popular culture. Weezy's desire to be a rock star, embodied in his often-stalled Coldplay and Lenny Kravitz-influenced album "Rebirth," seems like the rock era's last transgressive gasp as it gives way to a new kind of hybrid that hasn't yet completely emerged.

Wayne even has a protégé, Short Dawg, who also calls himself Elvis Freshly. Old gods die hard and are always available for resurrection.

--Ann Powers

Read the full story here. Explore the photographs of the Grammy Museum's 'Elvis at 21: Photographs by Alfred Wertheimer' here. 

Photo: Rapper Lil Wayne carries the Presley flame. (Lil Wayne: Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times; Elvis Presley / Associated Press)

Comments

[Bruce Burbank]

Is it April 1st or something?

[Zachary Rodell]

Are you sure your not talking out of your ass when your saying things like O I don't know Lil Wayne is like the new Elvis or Jay-Z is the new Frank Sinatra . It's a sad day in music because this is so hype up!!!. It's to the point where people actually believe it and they have completely lost their common sense .

[Daniel]

This article is blasphemous. Elvis Presley was a rock revolutionary. Lil Wayne has not done anything to warrant even a remote comparison to Elvis. His music mainly consists of nonsense babble (see: T-Pain - Can't Believe It), and the little bit you can understand is elementary rhymes that are embarrassing to the hip-hop tradition. His Rebirth album is nothing short of muscial chaos equal only to hyenas crooning over "music" made by banging pots and pans. Elvis' classics live on until today (30+ years), covered by many artists. No one can logically believe any one will even remember Weezy in 5 years. I was not around during Elvis' era, but his music transcended the test of time so that my generation could still witness it's brilliance. Whether rock's era of dominance is over or not, is another debate. But, we all know it has nothing to do with "A Milli," and that song is surely not a defining moment in it. It is not even a defining moment in hip-hop history. Elvis was a charismatic trendsetter, Wayne is just a blip on the strange-o-meter in hip-hop. This is coming from a 26-year-old who grew up with hip-hop music since Eric-B and Rakim's Paid in Full. Please, Ms. Powers, research what you are writing about first, so that this farce doesn't happen again.

[Benjamin Morsberger]

Comparing Elvis to Lil Wayne is like comparing a delicious thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings.. to a 2 week old piece of chewed out flavorless bubble gum under a table at chuck e cheese. This writer should be fired.

"Presley was the dark-lidded white boy whose illicit race-crossing sound enacted a musical era that paralleled the most transformative period in American race relations since the Civil War. Wayne isn't as historically influential, but as the most aggressively gifted representative of the Dirty South, he might be the last crucial voice in the cultural conversation leading up to the Obama era."

Right, at least you admit that Wayne is NOT as historically influential.. much less "locally" influencial.

There are 2 groups of music listeners.. Adults. and children. Lil waye belongs to the kids. apparantly you're listing to too much of your kids music. Lyrically, Intellectually, & even physically he STRONGLY reflects insecurity, ridiculous vanity, and his big message involves "Bitches and Hoe's being unfaithful and HIMSELF being a Hustler with loads of BANK and "his clip on his hip".

He's just a little gangbanger with a rappers contract & bad taste. but there's also a lot of children that identify & in their quest to find themselves.. they may have latched onto one of his records cos his "niggaz call him the lil russel crow for his beautiful mind"

seriously?

Elvis has nothing whatsoever in common with this jokester. NO one can compare to the gentleman, his class, his style, his messages, and yes, even his look.

[richie]

Ann?

Are we trying to get some tickets for your kids birthday party?

or. are you actually serious in your comparison?

I don't even know where to begin in regards to you even having such ideas. Lil Wayne is just another temporary slum star. rapping about hoes and hustlers. dime a dozen. the industry has clones by the truckload, they all walk the same, they all talk the same.. with their diamonds, their heavy insecurities and their sampled melodies but, Elvis?? He has absolutely no place at all in an article with even a hint of lil wayne. Different worlds lady. You want to write a good read... how about Elvis & Bob Dylan.. again. 2 different worlds.. but much more influential in the other.. and.. i hate to say, mature?

[Johhnie]

"Both combined a dandyish sex appeal with the classic American charm of someone getting over -- sneaking across the sturdy boundaries of class, race and region by deploying a talent that delighted its owner by coming naturally"

Where do you get your concepts lady? how does this apply to the "soon to be encarcerated" lil wayne?

[Jimmy]

Everyone needs to stop being so defensive about Elvis.

I liked the article and the comparison. There will always be differences between all great artists, hence all comparisons are flawed in some way. But if you have to bring up a comparison between Elvis and an artist from this decade, Lil Wayne is a good choice. Kudos Ann.