The new Nas album is just around the corner, it’s a follow up to his Grammy nominated Hip Hop is Dead. That ground breaking record sent shockwaves through the Hip Hop community, many MC’s offered their responses either in lyrics or in the press. The question still remains, is Hip Hop dead? Here are five reasons Hip Hop is dead, and five reasons Hip Hop is alive and well.
Hip Hop is dead, here’s why:
Soulja Boy Tell ‘em
Ice T has a point, Soulja Boy really is killing Hip Hop, not because of his music (that’s bad enough, but bad music never killed anybody), but more because his idiotic response to Ice T for calling him out about his shitty music. Ice T isn’t some flash in the pan overnight sensation like yourself DeAndre, and you’re not winning any votes from the Hip Hop set simply by calling Ice T old. Heaven forbid you do, but if you manage to actually still have a career in five years then maybe people will listen to your useless youtube diatribes. You suck Soulja Boy, and your fans will realize it as soon as they turn 15.
Rap Beefs
The Bridge Wars were a classic rap beef from the early days of Hip Hop. That back and forth helped to shape how MC’s interacted and settled their differences. The Nas, and Jay-Z beef furthered showed us how far an MC should go before going too far. Most beefs are bad for Hip Hop ultimately, so why do we get a new one from 50 Cent and G-Unit every week? That group has more drama than Destiny’s Child on a good week. From Tony Yayo beating up pre teens to 50 leaking tapes of Young Buck crying on the phone, enough is enough. How just making a quality record and letting the cards fall where they may for once. Ok Boo boo?
Useless Publicity
Let’s see… who wants to play the design a tattoo for game contest? Really? That’s not gangsta. It’s silly stuff like this that kills Hip Hop. You’re either a dangerous rapper who could go to prison for a shooting at anytime or you’re not, there’s no in between. The Game also gets involved in erroneous beefs while at the same time claiming to be Hip Hops savior, it’s time for rappers like the Game to realize that any press isn’t always good press.
Going to Jail isn’t cool
Just like Monopoly, going to jail sucks. Don’t let the Beanie Seagal’s of the Hip Hop world paint a different picture for you, having done time doesn’t make you a better MC, it makes you an idiot. Nothing makes the Hip Hop community look worse than some of their biggest (most successful) stars heading off to the pokey. Even those like T.I. who managed to stave off jail still leave the industry with a black eye. It doesn’t look good to rap about all the money you have just to wind in jail. If you look at the penal system for a bit you’ll notice a shortage of the rich. If you have all that money, what are you shooting at people for?
East Coast vs. West Coast vs. The South vs. oh for the love of God
Are you serious? Thankfully the coastal beef fad is starting to die down, at least until you listen to local Hip Hop stations. The Coastal beef that erupted between Tupac and Notorious B.I.G. should have died with them, and the fact is it didn’t. You still have various MC’s weighing in on which coast is what, because of this that and the other. If there is no coastal beef then rappers shouldn’t be concerned with putting their coast on the map or any other crap. It’s old and it makes Hip Hop look bad. You don’t see any other form of music dividing itself based on where a particular artist sits on a map. It’s bad for Hip Hop so for God’s sake stop it.
Mother 
