The difference between these covers of Dre’s “Bitches Ain’t Shit” and less contrived covers like the “Put It In Your Mouth” collection is that the former is inspired mostly by (I’m taking a leap here but I think it’s likely) another cover version, namely, this Ben Folds doodoo that basically sucks the meaning and essence out of the original, whereas the latter are spontaneous emulations and therefore retain something. What that something is is difficult to articulate so I’ll just leave it at that. Something gets lost and it rubs me the wrong way.

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