Hip Hop Just Died This Morning

(SHORT VERSION)

 

“Rap is all the same.  It’s just a bunch of black guys talking about drugs, violence, their GATS and how many HOES they got.”  My Friend, TURN THE RADIO OFF!!!  The truth is most rap music, that is sold like dope to middle class white kids, is mostly about ICE, Bitches and the dude who got shot.  Why?  For some reason in the early 90’s gangsta rap became the ‘cool’ form of rap.  See rap and Hip-Hop are not one in the same.  Rap is an element of Hip Hop.  Hip Hop in itself is a culture that goes so much deeper than rap.

The Hip Hop cultural movement started in the 70’s in New York mostly within the African American and Latino communities.  Rapping, graffiti, Djing, and breakdancing (BBoying) were the four main elements of Hip Hop.

Early forms of rap were basically MC’s rhyming over the dj’s on the turntables.  They would rhyme about promotions to shows, take friendly jabs at other MC’s or mention political problems plaguing their communities.  While other forms of rap stemming from Africa and Jamaica were more so forms of spoken poetry.  Hip Hop in its early form has been said to promote optimism in inner city communities and actually had a positive affect.

Who’s to blame for the change in Hip Hop from a cultural movement to a watered down commercialized product?  I’m not sure if that question truly can be answered.  What I do know is that Hip Hop culture is next to no longer existent.

Today all successful rap music tends to have two elements… BASS and lyrics that stay within the realm of violence, misogyny or cooking crack.  It seems that nobody cares about the product of rap music anymore.  The gangsta image outweighs the content.  This is why I find myself searching for music instead of relying on the radio to tell me what is HOT.

Believe it or not the people that say all Hip Hop is the same, don’t know Hip Hop.  They know what is the fad.  It’s sad that such an incredible form of expression is being raped by record label CEO’s who don’t know anything about the culture and are just trying to make themselves richer.  Even worse, so many artist are lining up to be signed.

So who are the proud and the few that haven’t conformed?  Glad you asked.  Thankfully there are still plenty rappers that don’t allow such shallow material to flood their albums.  Some have fortunately reached mainstream and unfortunately some in doing so have changed their styles, but for the most part most still hold true to what they believe in.

Common, Talib Kweli, Consequence, Gang Starr, Kanye West, Jurassic 5, Brand Nubian, Nappy Roots, Immortal Technique, Black Star, Mos Def, Fort Minor, Lupe Fiasco, Dead Prez, The Roots, Cee-Lo, De La Soul, The Cool Kids, J Dilla, A Tribe Called Quest, The Fugees, NAS, Hi-Tek, Rhymefest, Atmosphere, Flobots, Lauryn Hill, Outkast, Sa-Ra

Sadly most artists mentioned will never have mainstream success because their lyrics are too deep for most to get and their styles are too alternative.  Nonetheless these are the rap artists I listen to and respect for having a different message.

What do you know about Hip Hop besides the few songs you’ve heard on the radio?

It’s ok to not enjoy some forms of music.  Just make sure you know that genre before making such empty comments.

 

-X

 

dont think these record deals gonna feed your seeds
And pay your bills because they not
Mcs get a little bit of love and think they hot
Talkin bout how much money they got, all yall records sound the same
Im sick of that fake thug, r & b, rap scenario all day on the radio
Same scenes in the video, monotonous material, yall dont here me though
These record labels slang our tapes like dope
You can be next in line, and signed, and still be writing rhymes and broke
You would rather have a lexus, some justice, a dream or some substance? 
A beamer, a necklace or freedom? 

-Dead Prez