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.
Five Reasons Hip Hop is alive:
Conscious Rap
If Hip Hop has a soul then it lies with socially conscious rap. Not everything is about selling crack, despite what most rappers will tell you. It’s sad that I can’t hear Talib Kwali on west coast radio stations. It sucks that it took Common so many years before he sold a number one record. Hip Hop is notorious for eating itself from the inside and conscious rap seems to be the first item on the menu. How come there’s room for one hundred and one crack rappers but no room for a lot of the conscious rap that goes unheard. It’s time for the industry to stop dictating what can and can’t be sold and instead just brought music to the people. It’s hard to make a choice when the music isn’t out there on the radio and on the TV screen. What will it take, T-Pain singing the hook on a Black Star track?
The Dirty South
That’s right, progression means life, and you don’t get much more progressive than the dirty south. Remember, it doesn’t have to be your personal cup of tea in order for it to relevant or positive. What would the industry be like if there was no Outkast, or even Master P (ugghhhh). Lil Wayne’s new album is certainly not my favorite, but I appreciate his work ethic and his energy. New sounds coming out of the South further the foundation of Hip Hop so that there more room than ever for new music to be cultivated. Like the late Pimp C said, Quit hatin’ the south!
The Heart of Pop Culture
You might assume that having Common star in more movies a year than he puts out albums, is bad for Hip Hop, but the opposite is true. Musical performers who act is nothing new to pop culture (hell, Elvis had several shitty films), having someone like Ice Cube become a film star displays his versatility and the wide appeal that his music helped him generate. Seeing Ice T star in films and then television is a sign post that Hip Hop music can fuel any industry it’s attached to. It’s time to face the reality that Hip Hop has become socially acceptable to a wider audience, which is not a bad thing.
Outkast
These two guys are in a class by themselves, and have truly carried the industry as well as their particular region. Outkast is to Hip Hop what the Beatles are to Rock, they changed the game. Andre 3000 is a perfect example of an MC that has transcended the industry, able to do anything he pleases, in any fashion he chooses. The Love Below album would not have been possible from anybody but Andre 3000. He made it okay to express yourself any way you see fit and still be Hip Hop. Big Boi is a consummate MC who has so much longevity; these two MC’s are the benchmark for modern Hip Hop music.
Innovative new artists
Groups like Kidz in the Hall ensure that Hip Hop’s future looks bright. They have a sound that is fresh without attempting to deny their Hip Hop roots. Kanye West isn’t exactly new but he has more years ahead still than he has behind him. He continues to drive the industry towards greatness as each album drops. Lupe Fiasco is cut from a similar cloth and brings a lot of imagination to the genre. These groups represent the future of Hip Hop music as a genre and a movement. They recognize those who came first, and pay the proper respects. If left to them I think it would be safe to say that Hip Hop is alive and well.
So there you have it, Hip Hop is more than a musical genre, it is a way of life or a culture to some. The question that comes from that statement is a simple one; if Hip hop is a movement, then what is the message? Unfortunately that really depends on who you ask. Is it all about violence and drugs, or is it about being a voice for the people? What I’m getting at is there should be much more unity in Hip Hop as a movement. Because without unity (and innovation), Hip Hop truly will die.
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