Hip Hop is dead. After coming out of the Golden Age of Hip Hop, a place where lyrical masters such as: Rakim, KRS-One, Kool G Rap, and Chuck D ruled and socially conscious acts such as De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, and Leaders of the New School ruled the airwaves, things started to change. The radio, which at one point was filled with Jazz samples, was being ruled with Funk. Most people couldn’t accept the change claiming the West Coast was dumbing down lyrics (notice the same accusations to the south now) and producing nothing but gangster rap. Hip-Hop wasn’t the same anymore; it lost its innocence and, it seemed like it was dying fast. However, these were the same years that gave us albums like The Chronic, and Doggystyle. The same years that bought us Wu-Tang’s 36 Chambers, Nas’s Illmatic, Biggie’s Ready to Die, and Common’s Resurrection. But at that time, purists saw past those albums – those classics, almost masterpieces, and only saw that Hip Hop was dead.
So, fast forward a couple of years near the end of “The East Coast Renaissance”. With the on-going East-Coast West-Coast battle we saw the lives of Hip Hop’s most dominant stars, Biggie and Tupac, taken. Hip Hop had taken one of its most major blows. The knocking out of not one but two of its most powerful rappers never happened before, and at this point Hip-Hop was literally dead. Once again the whispers came back. No way it could survive this one right?
Perhaps, because of the death of the two artist, people were looking for a change in their music. Maybe had it not been for all the change in attitude for the gangster lyrics, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Erykah Badu, and The Fugees wouldn’t have had the opportunity to bring Neo-Soul to the mainstream and add another side to the ever changing Hip-Hop. Not only did those gain much attention, but it saw the rise and mainstream success of artists like DMX, Ja-Rule, Mase and Jay-Z.
So, here we are again with the rise of the South. The face of Hip-Hop is changing again but the same voices are still there. The same voices that claim the South is dumbing down music or makes too much club music. The same people who would have you believe that they were drawn into Hip-Hop by listening to Illmatic when it was more likely Wreckx-N-Effect’s “Rump Shaker”. The same people who list the artist stated above at one time killing Hip-Hop are the same ones listing them as the kind of music they miss. Remember, those who don’t learn from there history are destined to repeat it.
Deemehlow@defsounds.com
COMMENTS
Very true Very True, its not the south thats killing Hip hop, its Bad Rappers, If you suck as a rapper than your killing Hiphop. People Like Young Jeezy, Young Joc, and Camron, Jim jones, and other Crappy Rappers, if you suck and have no lyrical content or skill your killing Rap, Stop Blaming the South. Last Time I checked Ludacris was Better than about 70% of the Rappers out there, and Im being nice
awww hell yea...and a straight up tru dat...i wouldnt go blamin tha south..look at Three 6 and hypnotize minds...wats killin hip hop r people like camron, jim jones, and G-unit, givin beats and hooks to wiggers in subburbs...BUT THE RAP GAME IS FAR FROM DEAD!!! Throw down wit some luda (like mentioned earlier), papoose, uncle murder, lil wayne, saigon, and if you like that southern touch, check out lil scrappy
Bad rappers don’t kill rap even by your argument, it would be the people who love bad rappers not the rappers themselves, and
NOTHING IS OR WILL EVER KILL HIP HOP,
Hip hop is all about telling a story, telling your story for the world to hear, and regardless of skill or not everyone has the right to tell their story, and if their story is taken and marketed well it can make that rapper successful and add to his story,
Everyone has their right to compose one perfect verse in their life and have people hear it, most people never take the time to compose such a verse but those who do, and even thoughts who attempt and fail miserably have the right to express that emotion and let it out to the world,
Hip hop is about embracement not discrimination, rap fights discrimination, it doesn’t contribute to it,
What is really “KILLING” hip hop is the people who “THINK” they understand it and love it and know what’s best for it, I love hip hop, but I don’t understand it and very few do
NO ONE knows what’s best for it, no one but hip hop itself, and personally I do trust hip hop to prevail in the end as it always has,
And if you are worried about hip hop dieing, do your part and contribute to the parts of hip hop you love, buy albums, don’t download, vote on 106 n’ Park, do your part to keep hip hop alive, and unless you do that, DON’T FUCKING BITCH!
nuf said
First of all hip hop aint close to being dead. Second of all TheShow some niggas you named is from the south stupid. Young jeezy and young joc. And jeezy is made lyrical what the fuck you talking about. Ya need to stop hating on up north niggas.
it's dead when i say it is bitches
shut the fuck up
Well 1st of all bein a nigga from da south we ain't killin hip hop, yaw mudafuckerz killin hip hop by playin bullshit songz lyke "Laffy Taffy" over da air wavez & callin it hip hop. why don't u call it hip "POP", but anywayz I tired of niggaz sayin hip hop is dead & mainly its dem niggaz up north on dat hate-in shit b-cuz dey don't lyke 2 c niggaz make money off of eazy shit, better noe lyke I noe u should done it 1st if u hate-in. & last dey mad cuz hip ain't da same shit dey been doin fo 20 yearz now is played out & niggaz won't 2 dance now den juss sit back & relax.
So Hip Hop don't die Disco die cuz u don't hear dat shit no mo & tymez change & people don't stay da same, datz a da answer fo u Non-Open Minded mudafuckerz
"If u fell me can I get a soul clap"
suck my dick
Hip-Hop Ain't Dead<<<Its just evolving into something that no one is prepared for
Hip Hop aint dead,the Fans are just stupid people that think Lil wayne is a good Rapper are stupid.
Nope nope there will always be rappers comin on 2 sceane like 2pac biggie eminem dr.dre snoop dogg,50 cent run dmc NWA public enemy that will keep hip-hop goin longer if it does die i die wit it u heard..peace
Ok, I think I'm gone have a lot to say, being that I was born and raised in the south. I'm gonna take a with guess that this editorial was by a northern person. I beleave that hip hop is just taking a drastic turn that Y'ALL aint ready for. In the really 90's, the eastcoast was running everything. The people of the south embraced that and loved it. You can ask anyone that is a real hip hop head in the south if Jay and Biggie are the greatest of all time and they will tell you they are. Then we went into the westcoast scene and we did the same. But now that we're on top of it, y'all wanna bitch and complain. Y'all say snap music gay, our music sucks, we killing hip hop, but we say NOTHING about Chicken Noodle Soup, Diddy[he sux as a rapper], and plenty of other stuff. Since the ball is in our hand and we dominate the charts, you should just sit back and wait for our time to be up. And not all artist in the south suck. T.I., Scarface, 8 Ball and MJG, Field Mob, Outkast, Ludacris, and many many more. I'm gonna stop now cause I'm getting frustated with your ignorance.
I think the problem most have with southern music is that it's just laid-back fun MUSIC. Whereas east coast heads seem to only respect lyrical/gangsta rappers. I'm not a huge fan of southern music, but I do believe music needs to be fun at times. You can't always bump super-lyrical shit. Sometimes you just need to chill/relax
GAmami did you even read the article?? Yes im from the North, New york infact but if you read the damn article instead of going onto a whole tirade about the south you would have known that im agreeing with what your saying. Some of you guys need to understand that not everyone is out to get ya.
Lets keep it real. Hiphop will never die. Its just that the market is concentrate with sucka-MCs as you use to say back in the day. People need to realize that tight azz beats don't make you a rapper. Its having a tight azz beat that you as an artist to merge with as one and create something special. Ok now days catz think cuz you got one or two bangin tracks that you fire. Stop. I'm from the STL (the show me state) so show me the fuel to the fire meaning keep them tight azz beats with fire lyrics flaming thru out the album. We all know that most rappers first album are usually hot cuz they had all their heart, effort and time into an album to get put on. But whats the deal with the follow up album. I'm sick of all these niggas with a beat thats fire and a hook that catchy thinkin they the shit. Somebody will save her meaning (HIPHOP)
I like how nas got under everyones skin with his albums name...good idea but true.wheres the break dancers, big park jams,spray can artist,real djs??? think about how lucky we was growing up,it was a classic era.We had a tribe called quest,brand nubian,common,busta,wu-tang,b.i.g,jay-z,nas,outkast,the roots,2pac,snoopdogg,doctor dre,onyx,goodie mobb,and mobb deep,big pun,big l!!!all classic music being dropped back 2 back now we all have been forced 2 settel.I feel my man up above about ludacris but hot singels are hot till u get the album and cant really listen 2 the whole thing.we need classic artist not 50 cent or g-unit,young jezzy,joc,wayne,dipset,d4l,pretty ricky,who ever made that vans song,bowwow(who said he is this generations jay-z)..i mean lets get real that shit they puttin out would have got u smacked and clowned on in the 90's!! i know its a new era so lets make it count yall. Peace!!
The problem is niggas is breaking the main rules.innovative beats,not shit that sounds like so & so.head nodding kicks and snares.lyrical substance, a message within the song just like anything on tv.lyrics with great detail or crafty wordplay.never use the same word more than once for a rhyme(cheating).scratching or sampling.Another thing, music is a way to escape the trails & tribulations of life for the moment,I'm on the block all day,why would I wanna hear about the block all night.Niggas act like this a small ass universe,man there are so many stories we haven't heard yet,fuck the block.
"Niggas act like this a small ass universe,man there are so many stories we haven't heard yet,fuck the block. " -Daddylonglocks
thats the truth right there man.
First off, HipHop might be dieing, but it's not dead yet.To the person who said "hiphop is evolving", say off the crack.When a genre goes from being base on lyrical skills,lyrical content,B-balling,turntabling,etc, to ebonics laced lyric,stupid cornball dances,and dudes talking about shit they can't afford, I think that is more backwards than forward.And to "GAmami", your right the eastcoast has some bad rappers, but almost all of the south rappers are garbage, and the extremely stupid for that matter.How many times can Three Six Mafia,chingy,trick daddy,and many more southern rappers get on stage at a award show and make us all look bad with there inability to used words in the english language.
I am sick of songs about local dances, and I'd luv 2 c Hip Hop head more towards where it was headin' when it was in da 90's. Hip Hop used to have substance, and it sold itself out for the quick buck, everybody and they're mama's talkin about numbers, and how much money rappers have, and these kids is listenin', really they are. Those values r being portrayed and pushed on 2 them, and dat's on some sad shit. It's like Mos put it in "Fear Not Of Man":
"Yo Mos, what's gettin ready to happen with Hip-Hop?"
(Where do you think Hip-Hop is goin?)
I tell em, "You know what's gonna happen with Hip-Hop?
Whatever's happening with us"
If we smoked out, Hip-Hop is gonna be smoked out
If we doin alright, Hip-Hop is gonna be doin alright
People talk about Hip-Hop like it's some giant livin in the hillside
comin down to visit the townspeople
We +are+ Hip-Hop
Me, you, everybody, we are Hip-Hop
So Hip-Hop is goin where we goin
So the next time you ask yourself where Hip-Hop is goin
ask yourself.. where am I goin? How am I doin?
Til you get a clear idea
So.. if Hip-Hop is about the people
and the.. Hip-Hop won't get better until the people get better
then how do people get better? (Hmmmm...)
Well, from my understanding people get better
when they start to understand that, they are valuable
And they not valuable because they got a whole lot of money
or cause somebody, think they sexy
but they valuable caause they been created by God
And God, makes you valuable
And whether or not you, recognize that value is one thing
You got a lot of socities and governments
tryin to be God, wishin that they were God
They wanna create satellites and cameras everywhere
and make you think they got the all-seein eye
Eh.. I guess The Last Poets wasn't, too far off
when they said that certain people got a God Complex
I believe it's true
I don't get phased out by none of that, none of that
helicopters, the TV screens, the newscasters, the..
satellite dishes.. they just, wishin
They can't really never do that
When they tell me to fear they law
When they tell me to try to
have some fear in my heart behind the things that they do
This is what I think in my mind
And this is what I say to them
And this is what I'm sayin, to you check it
All over the world hearts pound with the rhythm
Fear not of men because men must die
Mind over matter and soul before flesh
Angels *hold the pen* keep a record in time
which is passin and runnin like a caravan *trader*
The world is overrun with the wealthy and the wicked
But God is sufficient in disposin of affairs
Gunmen and stockholders try to merit my fear
But God is sufficient over plans they prepared
Mos Def in the flesh, where you at, right here
on this place called Earth, holdin down my square
Bout to do it for y'all, and y'all at the fair
im typin this up and the adverisment i see under me is to buy a ringtone for wai : SNAP YO FINGER, SHOULDER, I KNOW YOU SEE IT AND THE ORAL SEX SONG(me nd u fo the dummie). hiphop is a culture it aint dead but its hella dying. for them southern homies it aint hate and it aint because you on top. the problem is there has to be diversity, every1 brings something different to the table you understad. but the whole of last year was all the same song ya dig. i mean lil jon been doing his thing and wen we clubbin err1 knw who to call to aint nobody hate on him but wen u got 2000 niggas tryna ryhme like him thats wen its fucked including you mofucking new york niggas. let every1 do their thing but the word is EQUILIBRIUM. i cant imagin a hiphop with only hot lyrics and message i also need to party i cant imagin hiphop with only brenda's got a baby i need my gangsta party. do yall dig wat im sayin its plain and simple. STOP THE HATING. look at chamillionaire that nigga doing his thing u knw, you gotta be diversified seriously. hope yall hear me nd yeah FUCK GORILLA 4 LIFE
AS SIr Francis had said a while ago in this discussion..hip hop is about Embracing MC's story. This hating that's going on. This is what's killing hip hop. The rappers are alllowed to tell their story, and WE the audience decide who we want to buy albums for. We decide who makes it on the countdown on 106 and park. When we hate it just creates conflict, and obviously during the classical period/birth of hip hop, every MC had their story with their own flow and way to tell their story in the cipher, and the people around them either boo'ed and made them wack, or cheered for em and made them hot. It's the people interest dat's dummin down.dats wat ud lead to hip hop's death
i understand where nas is comin from wen he say hip hop is dead but i disagree wit him when we loose rappers like nas, talib, common, mos def, etc dats wen we can say hip hop is officially dead. as long as we still got some REAL rappers hip hop gonna live point blank. tru da south doin dey thing or wateva and erybody just cant say da south killin hip hop cuz its a lotta garbage in da east too its just dat da mojority of garbage come outta da south. dont trip now i mean youngins grew up listenin to some ghetto boys, scarface,outcast or wateva but... snap you fingers.... soulja boy.. laffy taffy... off some real shit tho! too make a long story short heres a list of some "rappers" and their garbage: yung joc,yung buck,yung jeezy,mims,50 cent, jim jones,camron,lil boosie,d4l,franchise boys,bowwow,romeo,ying yang twins, yung dro,yung berg,lil mama,the ppl dat sing chicken noodle soup, SOULJA BOY IS DA WORST!!! JUST GIVE IT UP SON! hip hop aint dead but its damn sure not far