Many people consider Bob Dylan's classic "Subterranean Homesick Blues" one of the major precursors to rap music, an electric fusing of "labyrinthine rhyme schemes, anti-authority philosophy, pop-culture obsessions and street-level turns-of-slang." That connection certainly seems to be important to his grandson, hip hop artist Pablo Dylan: “I mean, really, my grandfather, I consider him the Jay-Z of his time," Pablo Dylan told AllHipHop.com.
Not that it's necessarily a huge insult to compare Jay-Z with Dylan, but it does seem a little... backwards. Pablo, son of director Jesse Dylan (who helmed the Will.I.Am music video for "Yes We Can," among other things) discussed his burgeoning career and the long shadow of his legendary grandfather today, acknowledging, "What I have done, I mean from a musical and personal standpoint, is definitely influenced by him. Everyone around me influences me, and I have learned so much from him just listening to his records, but I hope his music continues to live on through what I continue to do the rest of my life."
As for Dylan, he has gone on record saying he definitely appreciates hip hop, but doesn't listen to it all that much. That didn't stop him from reciting LL Cool J's classic "Mama Said Knock You Out" on his Theme Time Radio Show...nor in making a hilarious guest appearance on Kurtis Blow's "Street Rock" in 1986 (you can hear Dylan at the beginning, as well at 6:12 minute mark). Listen to both below.
