***My article is NOT about Young Jeezy!*** this build session attempts to answer the question posed in the 1st sentence of the original article, as well as other topics related to Hiphop’s turbulent life and supposed death.
This argument about mediocrity in hip-hop is not a new one, neither is the Northeast vs. the South lyrical “beef.” Ironically, the East took the same position when the West Coast hip-hop scene popped-off. Think about it, this problem with “hip-hop has changed”, “hip-hop is wack” or “hip-hop is dead” has only happened when some other city, coast, or quadrant other than New York, develops a vibrant hip-hop scene. Before hip-hop in other parts of the country began to blow-up, it was all about New York. But, didn’t New York MC’s have lyrical beef with each other? Absolutely, the Bronx (hip-hops birth-place) had lyrical issues with other boroughs who they felt was not as hip-hop as they, thus, “The Bridge is Over.” Lyrical “beef” was focused primarily in New York between blocks, crews, boroughs, etc. But, as soon as Cali threw their hip-hop hats in the arena it seemed as if the five boroughs magically united to deal with the so-called common threat, “the West Coast.” Now it’s “the south.” I say let the “niggas” live! Of course, you can criticize someone’s art, after all its art, but don’t make it appear as if rappers whose art you may not care for is the reason “hip-hop is dead.” Because that is far from the truth! Mediocrity has nothing to do with where you come from! The reasons that many of today’s rappers choose the same exact “mediocre” subject matter speaks more to the CORPORATE control over hip-hop’s current image and direction than to their natural lyrical abilities.
When the East Coast was the sole-controller of the hip-hop genre, while growing up in my hood I caught the same hell for criticizing Milk D’s rhymes, my opinion was that his shit was mediocre, but I liked the overall song. Was it not the intellectual Ultramagnetic MC’s who said “to the scientific matter I probe for evidence…/leaving melodies obtaining slight positive beams…/of the average formulation applied mechanically…” and dissed RUN-DMC for their apparent mediocrity by saying “they keep singing back and forth the same ole’ rhythms../that a baby can pick-up and join right with’em…/their rhymes are pathetic…/they think they copasetic…/using nursery terms, at least not poetic…” Shit, Ced Gee said straight out Say What Peter Piper? to hell with childish rhymes…/but this jam steady moving, the crowd is steady grooving..” What I am saying is that Hip-Hop is NOT dead! Hip-Hop has always had its “mediocre” rappers (Milk D amongst others), its gangstas (Just-Ice, Kool G Rap, etc.), political (PE, BDP, X-CLAN, PRT, etc.), party/dancing rappers (Kid-N-Play, Steezo, etc.), etc., etc. The only apparent difference I see in Hip-Hop is “CORPORATE AMERICA!”
Corporate America does NOT want to market an MC who’s songs are geared towards the upward mobility of black-people when 75% of the music is purchased by white-kids who they claim/feel don’t give a fuck about that, therefore PE, X-CLAN, PRT and others are, at best, a “turn-off” for white kids going out to the store and buying the music. This is why we no-longer have the balance of hip-hop opinions blaring through the radio-speakers or the BET/MTV video networks. CORPORATE AMERICA IS THE REAL PROBLEM! The clap-a-nigga, stripper-bitch, pimps up-hoes down, flossed-out, bling-bling, cognac, $500 blue-jean raps keeps white-kids shopping, clubbing, drinking and SPENDING MONEY! While at the same time it keeps young black kids smuggling, cooking, hustling, pitching and banging, so that they may afford to go shopping, clubbing, drinking and SPENDING MONEY! It is not in the best interest of CORPORATE AMERICA and her hierarchy to have a balanced and healthy representation of Hip-Hop on the radio that mobilizes kids to book-stores, colleges and libraries! I really believe that we should use our time and energy on trying to figure out how to break the legs of CORPORATE AMERICA and take back control over hip-hop’s business and image instead of isolating and blaming one form of the culture as the reason for it’s decline? The bottom line is that mediocre rappers are a hazard of the job, but as long as we have balance and respect we’ll be fine. Maybe if the overwhelming majority of interviewer’s, journalist’s, and photographers spent an equal amount of time covering, writing and exposing those Mc’s that exceed our lyrical expectations and speak about more than pimps, hoes, clothes, guns and cars, mediocrity in hip-hop wouldn’t be such an issue. Hip-Hop ain’t dead, I seen her sliding down a pole in a strip club in Decatur “I kissed the bitch and put a fifty in her thong…/and whispered in her ear, STAY STRONG…”
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WOW YOU SAID ALOT BRO! I THINK THE THING WITH MEDIOCRITY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE REGION. COMING FROM THE EAST COAST I’VE ALWAYS APPRECIATED LYRICS AND BEATS. HAVING TRAVELLED EXTENSIVELY, I’VE FOUND HOT LYRICISTS IN ALL REGIONS OF THE STATES WHO KEEP IT TRUE TO THOSE SIMPLE PRINCIPALS OF GOOD MUSIC. THE MACHINE BEHIND COMMERCIAL RAP IS GETTING PAID OFF SIMPLE JINGLES AND OVER PRICED VIDEOS, AND PAYOLA RADIO AIRPLAY. LOTTA PEOPLE EATING THAT WAY EVEN THOUGH THE MUSIC SUCKS. NOW I CAN SAY ANYBODY FROM ANY REGION IS GARBAGE ON THE MIC IF THEY ARE TRULY GARBAGE, AND I DON’T LIKE THEIR BRAND OF HIP HOP. BUT THEN I’D BE CONSIDERED A HATER??????? 90% OF THE RAPPERS ON THE RADIO ARE WACK, EVEN YOUR FAVORITE RAPPER MAY HAVE LOST HIS STRIDE. AT THE END OF THE DAY, I CAN’T EVEN COMPLAIN CAUSE I CAN STILL GO UNDERGROUND AND GET THAT GOOD MUSIC AND JUST NOT LISTEN TO THE RADIO. MEDIOCRITY IS HERE TO STAY AS LONG AS THE AIRWAVES AND VIDEOS ARE CONCERNED. SIMPLE DUMBED DOWN RHYMES ARE HERE TO STAY AND THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT, OTHER THAN DON’T LISTEN AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOUR FAVORITE MC AND UP AND COMERS.
i understand what your saying about the control of corpret america, but to me thats just an excuss. niggas like Talib Kwali, KRS-one, and Mos Def have been putting lyrical dope shit out since the 90’s. it really aint nobodies fault but our own. a nigga put out a wack ass song with no point, but we listen to it. Thats the problem. if we start supporting the real artists, then these bullshit “trappers” won’t have careeres. so we need to start listening to the good shit that is poetic, and lyrical.
these garbage rappers became acceptable when they started movin units. there are 2 kinds of rappers in hip hop today, the ones dat have genuine love for hip hop and care about what they do and the ones that are in it for the money cause they just were looking for someway to get out the hood. all the ones that just use hip hop for money or a way out are mediocore. a mediocore emcee will do or say anything to sell records cause they lack real lyrical talent to sell records and they come out year after year wit the same bullshit. a real emcee will take a couple of years to get his thoughts together before he makes an album cause he cares about what he’s sayin.
Shortytalls, da problem wit what u said goes back to the article corporate america will not promote those artist who spit da music wit da fire lyrics dat actually have a meaning. “The clap-a-nigga, stripper-bitch, pimps up-hoes down, flossed-out, bling-bling, cognac, $500 blue-jean raps keeps white-kids shopping, clubbing, drinking and SPENDING MONEY! While at the same time it keeps young black kids smuggling, cooking, hustling, pitching and banging, so that they may afford to go shopping, clubbing, drinking and SPENDING MONEY”
That themost true statement throughout da entire article. I read that 80 to 85% of 50 Cent fan base is white.
SOME OF WHAT U SAID IS ABSOULTLEY RITE BUT FACE IT MOST OF THE SOUTHERN HITS THAT GET RADIO PLAY ARE TRASH, THEY GET PLAYED OUT IN LESS THAN A WEEK. tHEN YOU GOT THE ARTIST THAT SELL THEIR SOULS TO SELL lp’S lIKE 50 CENT.NOW AT DAYS HE ONLY APPEALING TO THE WHITE FOLK,I BET THAT IF U WENT TO ANY HOOD ANYONE WHO KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT HIPHOP WILL TELL U FITY WHACK. lIL KIDS DONT EVEN ROC gUNIT APPERAL NO MORE CAUSE iTS “WHITE”
………….I beg to differ with your argument that mediocrity doesn’t come from a particular region, although I do agree that the corp. or business minds who have hijacked creative control from the artists are a big part of why this is happening. I say this because the corp. world only pushes artists in the direction of what is selling; in short, if there was no demand for mediocrity it wouldn’t be concidered good business to push out these bullshit albums. The truth is, that its really the artists who sale their souls for profit. ………And in regard to a whole region being simple & plain, anything can become culturized, even mediocrity! in comparison, the chef sound of hip hop over the last few years coming out of the south is in fact just that….simple & plain lyrics………look at how even they (southerns themselves) over look lyrical emcees from the south, and instead flock around the mediocrity of the south. I do understand your point, but just like sometimes steriotypes are indeed true, the truth just is, it isn’t because we say it is……………it is indeed a fact that many southern rappers are in fact mediocor…….
…………….p.s., in terms of the external powers controlling hip hop music, the overall conditions remind me of the psycho-dynamics of french businessmen used to get a hold on african afairs (economically speaking), which inadvertingly caused hundreds of thousands of africans to kill other africans………..we as black americans need to remember that we are one people emerging out of similar conditions. stop the self hate, what’s going on in hip hop with that beef shit is just another manifestation this hate we all seem to have for ourselves….
I don’t think it has anything to do with corporate America, it has to do with dollars and cents. Hip Hop as a movement has grown and grown, now the songs and albums that top hip hop charts are on the top of the charts as a whole. Hip hop has become pop in many ways. And just like pop music it is about how you are packaged, your backing and the catchy of your songs as to how many records you sell. Is Britney Spears the greatest singer of the last 10 yrs? Not even close, but she sold the most albums because she was packaged, pushed and looks the part and her songs are catchy and written to gain mass appeal. Music from MC’s who have a message and are lyrically talented is not for the masses, because the masses dont wanna hear that shit. It has nothing to do with race. Go to a Wu-Tang concert, I’ve been to over 15 with them together or their group members on solo tours. They are a lyrical force, over half of the fans at every Wu concert I’ve been to are white. Most of my friends who listen to hip hop, prefer the Young Jeezy type rap, especially the black ones. They dont look at songs as something to delve deep into and experience on another level, they just want a banger. And I think most people would say that they know more people like that, than people who care about the artistry in music, whether it be rap or any other type of music. Look at Jay Z, he is the Def Jam president and he goes on airplane hanger tours and pays MTV and BET and radio to play his videos. Is he doing that for Ghost or for any other artists under him, hell no. Even rappers who have lyrical ability are coming out saying, hey fuck it im gonna release some music to garner radio play so I can make money. Nas did it in the middle of his career. Cam’ron took it to a new level with this whole Dip Set thing. Jay Z even rap’d about doing it. Its not corporate America. Corporate America is going to do whatever makes them money. And pointless mindless songs sell, whether its in rap or its in any other genre. Why do acts like the Spice Girls and N Sync sell over socially conscious music. Its people, not everyone views listening to music as a multi-layered experience. Everyone doesn’t respect the talent it takes to have hot raps. Some people just wanna hear Lloyd Banks punchlines or Every day I’m Hustlin 30 times straight. And the majority of people who buy music are teenagers, thus they aren’t even ready to listen to that half the time anyway. Its not some conspiracy. Rap has gone pop. Pop music has always been about catchy hooks, production and packaging. 50 cent is the perfect example. You take a guy who has been shot and arrested for drug dealing so he has street cred. The guy used to actually be able to rhyme, but he cares more about money then respect for his rapping ability so he makes cute refrains gets hot dre beats and his rhymes can sound like garbage cuz all anybody is listening to is him saying ‘nigga you’s a window shopper’ or ‘i got the magic stick’, 9 million out of the 11 million people who bought his Get Rich or Die Trying couldnt rap half a 16 out of any of those songs, but they damn sure know all the choruses. Out of the 400,000 people who bought Ghostface’s Fishscale, probably 350,000 could stand there rappin every word from the album while ghost spits it on stage. Thats the difference. People who care about lyrics are just like dope fiends they know where to get their fix. But they are not the majority and they never will be. I’m not hating on em cuz I’m one of them. But you can’t even argue with someone who is not, cuz they don’t care. They dont care that 50 killed Ja Rule and then basically imtitated his style. They dont care that Jay said in his own song he dumbed his music down for his fans. They dont care that DFB couldnt rap their way out of a paper bag, they just wanna dance EVERY TIME THE BEAT DROP.
……….you can’t separate corp. america from money making, that is what they are all about…… hip hop is a culture that corp. america cares nothing for, if they didn’t see money in it, trust me, they wouldn’t be in it. ……..and its naive to think that race has nothing to do with it, especially here in america……
…….And in all actuality, there is nothing wrong with hip hop becoming pop, as long as the overall message is not compromised. In truth, inorder to get your story told on a global scale (or nationally for that matter), more than just language barries are going to to have to fall down, preparing urban music (hip hop music) for the masses is a process we’ve come to know as pop……
….hip hop is tooooo raw not to water-down.
I HAVE BEEN SAYING THE SAME THING FOR A YEAR!!! THOSE WHO FREQUENT SOHH KNOW THIS. THE SAME COMPLAINT THAT NY HAVE WITH THE SOUTH HAVE BEEN LOBBED AT THE WEST COAST, BUT MANY IN NY FAIL TO REALIZE THE SAME COULD BE APPLIED TO SOME OF THEIR OWN FAVORITES. BIGGIE ONLY TALKED ABOUT:SEX ,MONEY, WEED & CRIME. NOTHING HE SAID WAS REMOTLEY POSITIVE BUT FOLKS WILL STILL CALL HIM THE G.O.A.T. AND YES, THIS MUSIC WAS A LOT BETTER WHEN WE HAD MORE TO CHOOSE FROM. BEING FROM SOUTH CAROLINA, I LISTENED TO MUSIC FROM FL, GA, TX, CALI, & NY. TO ME LUKE & 2LIVE CREW WERE THE SAME AS EPMD…RAPPERS WHO MADE MUSIC THAT I LIKED. IT WAS MY OWN CHOICE. NOW FANS ARE FORCE FED IMAGES & LED TO BELIEVE THAT IF THEY DON’T CONFORM, THEY WILL BE CALLED ‘HATERS’. PPL WON’T THINK FOR THEMSELVES. THAT’S WHY UNDERGROUND INDI MUSIC DON’T SELL. YES, THIS IS A BUSINESS & WE HAVE THE LAST SAY. DON’T BE AFRAID TO SAY WHAT YOU LIKE.
@ EVENWHENILIE:
HOW CAN YOU MAKE LAME SHOTS @ THE SOUTH THEN POST SOMETHING LIKE THIS;
………..we as black americans need to remember that we are one people emerging out of similar conditions. stop the self hate, what’s going on in hip hop with that beef shit is just another manifestation this hate we all seem to have for ourselves….
THIS MAKES YOUR CREDABILITY FALL UNDER QUESTION. YOU SEEM LIKE A ‘WILLIE LYNCH’ SELF-DIVIDER WHO WANTS TO GIVE THE ILLUSION THAT YOU ARE FOR OUR PEOPLE.
…………these aren’t lame shots, they are the truth! and the fact that you don’t see them as such only makes educated people question your intelligence……
…………fact……well before hip hop left northeast, it was well defined and everyone knew what it should sound like…
fact…….west cost rappers did not deviate from the blue print set forth by their east coast brothas, it had more to do with their topics…which is why at first chuck d wouldn’t do a show along side them etc. no one said all southern emcees are mediocor, but many aren’t keeping with the initial blue print I mentioned above….the ones who you’ll no doubt mention in your defense like luda, ti, chamillionare, scarface, etc., etc., I know you get my drift; these and others have stayed the course of what hip hop is, but some have not………and yes many of those who live in new york do fall in this bracket as well…… It just seems like whenever anyone says anything bad about anyone else, the natural reflex (ego defense sys.) to tell that individual to check they own shit…….but that doesn’t change the fact that what I wrote down is indeed the truth. but you are right about the fact that many northern niggaz are just simply mediocor to…..
SAYING ONE REGION IS LESS THAN ANOTHER ISN’T FACT. IT’S OPINION! AN EDUCATED PERSON WOULD KNOW THE DIFFERENCE!!! YOU STILL CONTRADICTED YOURSELF!!!THE FACT THAT YOU TRIED TO IGNORE THAT WHILE DEFENDING YOUR CREDABILITY ONLY MAKES EDUCATED PEOPLE QUESTION YOUR INTELLIGENCE.
DO YOU FIND GREG NICE’S LYRICS TO BE COMPLEX??
“………SAYING ONE REGION IS LESS THAN ANOTHER ISNT FACT.”
………..were did I say one region was less than another. you’re right about that but that’s a straw man you created. but in terms of defining what hip hop is should be left to its original creators……you can’t go to egypt and tell egyptians how to make pyromids. you can’t tell them the image they have in their minds. if you want to add to what they are doing, then yes you have to conform to their definitions of hip hop. if not, then do you play boy, but don’t call it hip hop.
………and next time be original, use your own phrases, you should be use to being original and doing your own thing, hip hop has been defined for many years now and the boundries have been set…….you can’t change a players game in the ninth ending without losing fans or momentum……
All you haters in here - every region makes shitty music. Dont keep it to one region and be hypocrites, every region makes bad music.
The name of the blog is “Since when Did Mediocrity Become Acceptable for Emcees in Hip-Hop?”
The real question is when was mediocrity unnaceptable? There has always been mediocrity in every genre of music…
This is just like how hip hop people blamed the whole East vs West thing on the media after it took the lives of Biggie and Pac. Dude its hip hop, but it has turned pop. Corporate America is going to milk it for every penny its worth, just like they do every other brand of music and every other race. The media is going to run wild and capitlize on every bit of negative information just like they do with anything else. Thats like saying that Paris and Nicole wouldnt have lost their friendship if it wasnt for the papparazzi. Hip hop has gotten what it wanted, it wanted to become a vital part of america’s cultural fabric, but in the process the same thing has happened as happens to every movement that becomes successful, it sold out. Some people still keep it real, but to suggest it didnt sell out is bs.