Published: Sunday - May 8, 2005
Words by Matt Clark
Rakim Photo: n/a
Some say hip-hop is at an all time low; others argue that it's at the top of its game. As far as the mainstream goes, hip-hop is involved in areas where at one time there weren't areas. This is great for the culture, and is providing many jobs in many different fields for people who may not have the artistic ability to compete in the actual making of the music, but have this ever dominating culture in there minds and in there hearts. Now that urban fashion (G-Unit, LRG, Ecko, Rocawear, Sean John, etc) is big business, as well as urban films, ring tones, cell phone adds, what's happening to the actual music? Common knowledge to anyone who knows the first thing about the rap game is that these side businesses are producing more revenue for the artists than the actual music. Are they forgetting what got them these other ventures in the first place?
What about the audience? Today's youth don't know the first thing about where this culture came from as well as why it was created in the first place. The majority of the hip-hop audience doesn't know Kool Herc, or Grandmaster Flash, or Afrika Bambaataa. This is a shame, because if fans knew the history, fans would create a greater demand for real authentic hip-hop. Back in the culture's "golden age", there was passion; there was just pure love of the craft. It wasn't about making millions, but actually enjoying the process of finishing a beat, or finding that hidden gem deep in the crates that would give your grandma goose bumps. It was about being clever, and boasting how nice you were on the mic, and not how tough you were. It was about getting off the corner, and heading to the park to feed off the energy of something so pure and genuine.
Whenever there's a problem with anything in life, there's never one area to pinpoint. Combining the lack of knowledge the majority of the hip-hop audience has, with the money hungry, C.R.E.A.M.-driven rap stars, the problem with creativity stands firm at a pause. The artists are producing what sells; what we buy, and what sells right now is garbage.
You're always going to have a few sellouts sacrificing themselves for a couple bucks. That's expected, but when its the majority of what we're hearing in our stereos, that is when you got to stop and ask yourself, what is happening to the ever growing hip-hop audience? Today, the radio is filled with nothing but Lil Jon yelling or 50 Cent talking about his real or fantasy street tales. Where is the music that is lacking, like Rakim making magic out of the alphabet?
I'm sorry, but I'm disgusted over the lack of demand for quality music. I blame the artist, I blame the consumer; and I blame the greediness of society. I blame the lack of thought and the short attention span of the listeners. No one wants to think anymore; no one wants to sit in the car and dissect the message that Public Enemy was trying to get across, or what Immortal Technique is trying to teach. They want to go to the club and get Crunk, and continue being as ignorant as the music they buy. I love going back to listen to old school hip-hop, and hearing what they were saying in there rhymes. I love going to the library, studying hip-hop literature and the history of what I love. The problem is that I can only keep Paid In Full on repeat for so long. Eventually, I want to here something new, and when nothing new of any substance is being put out, there is a problem.
Lets take a stand, and not feed into the trash that's out now. Let's collectively get together, and show them that we want something more than a club anthem. They're giving to us what we buy. Let's push these cats back to the lab to reevaluate what they're doing.
Rakim - "Mystery, The (Who Is God?)" from The 18th Letter
"In eternal blackness, in the midst of the darkest night Proteins and minerals, exist within specks of light Solids liquids and gases, and sparks of light within Infinite lengths and widths and depths and heights No beginning or ending, the seven dimensions Than a million words and inventions"
Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz - "Bia' Bia'" from Put Yo Hood Up
"Well get 'em up (Get 'em up) Put 'em up (Put 'em up) Stop actin' like a bitch and get yo hands up Well get 'em up (Get 'em up) Put 'em up (Put 'em up) Stop actin' like a bitch and get yo hands up Well where you from n---- (Where you from) Where you from n---- (Where you from) God dammit motherf---er where you from (Where you from)"
Which do you prefer?
The views expressed inside this editorial aren't necessarily the views of BallerStatus.net or staff.
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