Article: “Has Hip-Hop Had an Adverse Effect on Our Young?” by ScholarMan
The other day while I was updating my account on Twitter, I noticed a “re-tweet” from an associate of mine. For those new to Twitter lingo, a re-tweet is when you re-post something someone already posted, including the original author to give them credit for their post. For the sake of non-name dropping I will leave their account names out. 

The re-tweet was this: 

“i HATE to say it but truly think hip hop had an adverse effect on a lotta brotha’s character development [folks gon b mad i said it]

2:07 PM Sep 15^th” 

After reading this I was positive that a debate would spawn as yes, many folks would have an opinion on this – I being one of them. My associate noted that he “didn’t agree” with the user’s statement when he posted the re-tweet. After reading it myself, I replied to both my associate and the other user with this: 

“not the culture, some of the the people maybe” 

My associate responded that he agreed with my sentiments. The user who wrote the tweet saw my response and here is where the discussion went at this point: 

User @ScholarMan “the people are a part of the culture.” 

ScholarMan @User  “Indeed, so if anything, blame the people, not the culture.” 

User @ScholarMan “the culture is the people!” 

ScholarMan @User “a couple bad apples doesn’t mean the tree is bad.. but I hear you” 

Nothing more was said. Can you really say hip-hop is the cause of the lack of growth of the young men who listen to it? I don’t agree. My argument was that yes people are the culture, in the culture but you can only blame the leaders within the movement for the negative effects the movement might have had on those within it. My analogy was “a couple bad apples doesn’t mean the tree is bad.” 

Hip-hop is huge with many layers and areas and a statement like “hip hop had an adverse effect on a lotta brotha’s character development” is too broad. If the user had said “gangster rap has had an adverse effect on a lot of brothers character development” then I would agree. I know plenty of people who have been listening to hip-hop since their days of wearing diapers (including myself) and the certain type of hip-hop they listen to has helped them much or not at all with their character development. 

This is no different than a company who has had bad management causing the quality of work from its employees to go down. The company is great, been around for years, but because of bad management the employees are disgruntle, tired, etc. What happens then? Complaints are made about the management and then eventually (hopefully) those ineffectively managing the company are removed and new personnel is brought in. So who is truly to blame, the company or the management? 

In hip-hop there are many sub-genres and styles of music, and perceptions of them. Just because a dude who listens to gangster rap 90% of the time can’t separate the music from his reality doesn’t mean hip-hop as a whole is to blame. Looking at it deeper, I blame lack of parenting and sound guidance as the REAL issue. 

Some folks were stabbed or shot after both a Jay Z and Fabolous concert recently – did hip-hop do this? No, the people did. You can’t blame hip-hop.

This article was contributed by ScholarMan

The New York Times announced this morning that HipHopLinguistics.Com is the world’s best hip-hop website! Well, not exactly. But why else would they show us love on page B5 of the Metro section in today’s special Independence Day issue – unless they thought the site was good, clean and wholesome?

Yesterday, a reporter from the Times approached me on the Manhattan-bound Q train while doing research for one of those feel good “who-rides-the-train-and-what-are-they-doing-for-the-holiday” type of 4th of July stories. Being the nice guy that I am, I decided to help him out – and even managed to throw in the proverbial “shameless plug.”

I didn’t think much of it until my mom called this morning after hearing through the grapevine that I got a mention in the Times. I picked up a paper to find out that they gave the site a shout out too. Big ups to David Giambusso for working the URL into the story, which you can see a snapshot of below:

I was a little upset that they didn’t mention my cat, my charming personality, or my devastatingly-handsome appearance – but I’ll take it. And most importantly, I learned some things today:

Lesson #1 – Once in a while, running late to work is not a horrible thing. It could get you a feature in the New York Times.

Lesson #2 – Next time that weird sweaty guy tries to talk to you on the train, take off your headphones and see what he wants. You never know, he might work for the Times and be willing to give you some free publicity.

Lesson #3 – It is impossible to find a copy of the New York Times in Brooklyn! I went to like ten bodegas and walked damn near a mile in my quest this morning, and all I could find was the shitty New York Post – which, to my suprise, did not have Lindsey Lohan on the cover today for the first time in a year and a half, opting instead to feature Christie Brinkley’s divorce trial. Good job guys!

It’s a conspiracy! They trying to keep us stupid by flooding our bodegas with the Post y’all. Bring the Times back to Brooklyn! Peace.

Gangster rap, or hardcore rap, is generally considered a subgenre of the larger category of rap music, which itself is a subcategory of hip-hop. Gangster rap is differentiable from other rap music in that it makes use of images of urban life associated with crime (Haugen, 2).

According to the Encyclopedia explanation of gangster rap, the top four images associated with the genre are violence, drugs, materialism and sexual promiscuity.

Gangster Rappers as Defining the Hip-Hop Social Group
As the hip hop movement has gained recognition throughout the United States, it has established itself as one of the fastest growing social groups anywhere. In the late 1990s immediately following the murders of both Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace, two nationally known gangster rappers, a propaganda campaign escalated against rap music and the hip-hop culture (Slaughter). Although gangster rap only represented a small percentage of the hip-hop culture at the time, all hip-hop and rap music was instantly stereotyped negatively as being “gangter-like”. Why? Well, this gangster version of hip-hop was the highest selling and most recognized form of hip-hop music among the majority class. And many critics have determined that this is because America is in love with sex, drugs and violence (Whaley).

Hip-Hop’s Rejection of Inferior Social Group Status
Henri Tajfel, a social psychologist who developed a theory of inter-group relations and social change, argues that members of a social group deemed inferior by a majority class can either accept or reject their inferior position in society. If a group refuses to accept its inferior position in society as just, it will attempt as a group to change things (Coates, 8-9). A large number of hip-hop artists have used their musical lyrics to reject the inferior social status placed upon them by the majority class.

The Reconstruction of the Gangster Identity
I have found that hip-hop artists use lyrics, both musical and poetic, to redefine the negatives characteristics given to their culture by the majority class, and in the process, reconstruct the gangster identity. By examining these hip-hop and gangster rap lyrics as text, I will show ways in which the lyrics attempt to reconstruct the stereotyped gangster rap identity by examining different views of violence, drugs, materialism and sexual promiscuity. In the end, one tends to wonder: Who exactly are the real gangsters?

Violence
That the hip-hop culture represents gangster-like violence is perhaps the biggest disputed claim amongst hip-hop artists. In order to disprove this claim, many hip-hop artists have pointed to the violence that exists within the majority social group, and how it leads to violence all over the world. In “Violence”, 2 Pac demonstrates his belief that violence was prevalent long before gangster rap existed:

I told em fight back, attack on society
If this is violence, then violent’s what I gotta be
If you investigate you’ll find out where it’s comin’ from
Look through our history, America’s the violent one

Here, the poet points to American society as “the violent one” and that he has to be violent in order to “fight back.”

In “Who Knew”, Eminem showed a similar viewpoint by expressing his belief that violence is a common occurrence in American society, yet not challenged in genres outside of the urban environment:

So who’s bringin’ the guns in this country?
I couldn’t sneak a plastic pellet gun through customs over in London
And last week, I seen a Schwarzaneggar movie
Where he’s shootin’ all sorts of these motherfuckers with an Uzi

Here, the poet questions the existence of violence in a country that allows firearms and violent movies.

In “Casualties of War”, Rakim blames the United States government, specifically its Head of State, as the group causing the violence in society with their war-like ways:

I’ma get back to New York in one piece
But I’m bent in the sand that is hot as the city streets
Sky lights up like fireworks blind me
Bullets, whistlin’ over my head remind me…
President Bush said attack
Flashback to Nam, I might not make it back

In this text, the poet refers to our country’s decision to go to war as an example of the violence that exists amongst the majority social class.

In “The Watcher”, Dr. Dre redefines the negative characteristic of violence by pointing to the police force as the source of violence, and therefore, referring to them as “gangster-like”:

Things just ain’t the same for gangstas
Cops is anxious to put niggaz in handcuffs
They wanna hang us, see us dead or enslave us
Keep us trapped in the same place we raised in
Then they wonder why we act so outrageous
Run around stressed out and pull out gauges
Cause everytime you let the animal out cages
It’s dangerous, to people who look like strangers

Here, the poet accuses the majority class of keeping them “trapped in the same place we raised in” and that the perceived violence is only due to the introduction of “people who look like strangers.” These are examples of how hip-hop artists redefine the image of violence by showing how it exists or was created within the majority social group.

Drugs
Another common disputed stereotype of hip-hop artists is their use and distribution of illegal drugs. In attempts to redefine this negative characteristic, many hip-hop artists have pointed at the majority social group as the facilitator of drug abuse. In “Justify My Thug”, Jay-Z speaks directly to members of government, raising questions about who has made the availability and use of these drugs possible:

Mr. President, there’s drugs in our residence
Tell me what you want me to do, come break bread with us
Mr. Governor, I swear there’s a cover up
Every other corner there’s a liquor store – fuck is up?

In this example, the poet inquires as to why there is a liquor store in “every other corner” of his community.

In “I Want to Talk to You”, Nas uses the same approach to challenge the notion of drug distribution by asking his representatives what they would do in his situation:

Why y’all made it so hard damn
People gotta go create their own job
Mr. Mayor imagine if this was your backyard
Mr. Governor imagine if it was your kids that starved
Imagine your kids gotta sling crack to survive

Here, the poet claims that the distribution of drugs is not only an effect of the poverty that exists in his environment, but also a means of survival.

In “Manifesto”, Talib Kweli actually accuses the government of being the body which allows drugs into the country:

Like the C.I.A. be bringin’ in crack cocaine bailin’ out of planes
With the George Bush connections, I push Reflection
Like I’m sellin’ izm, like a dealer buildin’ the system
Supply and the demand it’s all capitalism
Niggaz don’t sell crack cause they like to see blacks smoke
Niggaz sell crack cause they broke

In this example, the poet accuses the C.I.A. of flying drugs into the country, and again reiterates the point that it is a means of survival due to the “supply and demand” of a capitalist society.

In “Damn It Feels Good to be a Gangster”, the Geto Boys fully redefine the negative characteristic of drug distribution by accusing the President of being a drug dealer, and therefore, a gangster:

And now, a word from the President!
Damn it feels good to be a gangsta
Getting’ voted into the White House
Everything lookin’ good to the people of the world
But the Mafia family is my boss
So every now and then I owe a favor gettin’ down
Like lettin’ a big drug shipment through
And send ‘em to the poor community
So we can bust you know who

These examples show how hip-hop artists redefine the image of being drug dealers and users by again pointing to the majority class as the creator of the drug problem in this country.

Materialism
Hip-hop music is also seen by the majority class as a genre dominated by materialism. Again, artists point back to the majority class in an attempt to redefine this negative characteristic. In “Respiration”, Black Star points to all the wealth surrounding urban areas, and how it absorbs the lower class in materialism, making them want parts of that wealth:

Where mercenaries is paid to trade hot stock tips
For profits, thirsty criminals take pockets
Hard knuckles on the second hands of workin’ class watches
Skyscrapers is colossus
The cost of living is preposterous
Stay alive, you play or die, no options

Here, the poet talks about various materialistic aspects of the majority class, and how the lower class must “play or die” to “stay alive.”

In “All Falls Down”, Kanye West actually blames this materialism on American society:

It seems we living the American dream
But the people highest up got the lowest self esteem
The prettiest people do the ugliest things
For the road to riches and diamond rings

In this example, the poet blames the “American dream” for materialism, saying it causes people to “do the ugliest things” for “riches and diamond rings.”

In “Los Angeles Times”, Xzibit also blames this materialism on the majority class, claiming that is what the youth are taught coming up in urban environments:

Welcome to L.A.
Where you can see the whole city burning
Cause the cops got Uzis and the dealers keep serving
And your kids ain’t learning shit, except this
Sex power and wealth, fuck everything else

Here, the poet expresses his belief that certain aspects of materialism, including “power and wealth” are taught to children through occurrences in society. These are examples how hip-hop artists redefine the negative characteristic of being materialistic by showing examples of how this materialism is prevalent in the majority class, and often created within that class.

Sex
And the final debated stereotype of the hip-hop social class is that they are sexually promiscuous, often leading to disrespectful treatment towards women. The poets also attempt to redefine this stereotype by blaming the core of the problem on society. In “Pussy Galore”, the Roots claim that the country’s obsession with sex is pushed by sexually-driven marketing campaigns:

Lookin’ out the limo window up at the billboards
200 miles, she was the only thing I saw
Promotin’ everything, from the liquor to the nicotine
Cell phones, anti-histamines, chicken wings
You gotta show a little skin to get them listening
For real yo, the world is a sex machine

In this example, the poet retells a personal experience in which he saw sex advertisements as “promotin’ everything.” And in order to “get them listening”, he claims, “you gotta show a little skin.”

In “Get By”, Talib Kweli blames this sexual obsession on what we view on television:

The TV got us reachin’ for stars
Not the ones between Venus and Mars,
The ones that be readin’ for parts
Some people get breast enhancements and penis enlargers

Here, the poet expresses his belief that television creates a misconception of what people should be sexually, and that contributes to the promiscuity that is being blamed on the hip-hop movement.

Hip-hop artists have used their lyrics and poetry to influence the rejection and reconstruction of the gangster identity that plagues their social class. This is accomplished through the redefining of negative characteristics assigned by the majority class. In most cases, these redefinitions include pointing to the majority class as the real holders of these negative characteristics. The redefining of these “gangster-like” images through hip-hop lyrics helps to reconstruct the gangster identity by questioning “gangster-like” behaviors and which social class actually has these behaviors. So the question presented is: Who exactly are the gangsters?

Works Cited / Discography
2 Pac. 2Pacalypse Now. Jive Records, 1991.
Black Star. Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star. Rawkus Records, 1998.
Coates, Jennifer. Women, Men and Language. Longman Publishing, New York: 1993. Dr. Dre. The Chronic 2001. Interscope Records, 1999.
Eminem. The Marshall Mathers LP. Interscope Records, 2000.
Geto Boys. Uncut Dope LP. Interscope Records, 1999.
Haugen, Jason. “‘Unladylike Divas’: Language, Gender and Female Gangster Rappers.” Popular Music and Society: December, 2003.
Jay Z. The Black Album. Def Jam, 2003.
Kanye West. College Dropout. Roc-A-Fella Records, 2004.
Nas. I Am. Sony Records, 1999.
Rakim. Don’t Sweat the Technique. MCA Records, 1992.
Rawkus Records. Lyricist Lounge Volume 1. Priority Records, 1999.
Slaughter, Peter. “Attack on Rap Music.” Barutiwa Weekly News. June 14, 1997.
Talib Kweli & DJ Hi-Tek. Train of Thought. Rawkus Records, 2000.
Talib Kweli. Quality. Rawkus Records, 2003.
The Roots. Phrenology. MCA Records, 2002.
Whaley, Angela. “Hip Hop is Not for Sale.” Colorado State University’s Talking Back: Volume 3, Issue 1.
Xzibit. 40 Days and 40 Nights. Loud Records, 1998.

Editor’s Note: This article was first published on January 30, 2005.

Hip-Hop has historically existed as a male-dominated industry. Being a reflection of urban life and struggle, past Hip-Hop artists have been forced to maintain a certain level of masculinity in order to be accepted by their urban communities. Old school rappers who talked about love were often viewed as soft or corny.

Because of this perception, the existence of love in Hip-Hop is a fairly new concept. As the movement has gained support and recognition throughout the world, love has become an increasingly common theme in Hip-Hop music and poetry.

However, the taboo still exists. Even today, Hip-Hop artists and poets present their love stories in a manner that allows them to maintain socially acceptable identities. Hip-Hop stories about love must still meet the masculine ideology in which the movement is rooted in order to be perceived as real and true.

The purpose of this study is to analyze Hip-Hop love songs and how artists present these love stories in order to construct socially acceptable identities. I believe personal narratives are closely tied to the construction of identities. It is through personal narratives that people can recount life-changing events, realize socially acceptable behavior and create individual identities.

I have researched and studied several Hip-Hop love songs and analyzed the lyrics as text and poetry. In my research, I have found five common narrative forms used by Hip-Hop poets to tell their love stories: contrasting, perceptual, spiritual, conversational and metaphoric. These five narrative forms are used not only to present the story correctly, but also to maintain positive perception among a society that might view this sensitivity as weak or disrespectable. I plan to demonstrate each of these narrative forms and show how the poets use them to tell their love stories while establishing acceptable identities.

Contrasting Narrative
One of the most common forms of Hip-Hop love stories is the contrasting narrative. Many artists use Hip-Hop music and poetry to tell stories about the negativity surrounding their urban environments. The contrasting narrative allows the poet to express his or her love story as a contrast to this negativity while constructing an acceptable identity because that negativity is real and understood in urban communities. A great introductory example to the contrasting narrative would be the following passage from Method Man’s “All I Need”:

Back when I was nothin’
You made a brother feel like he was somethin’
That’s why I’m with you to this day boo no frontin’
Even when the skies were gray
You would rub me on my back and say “Baby it’ll be okay”

In this song, the poet uses the contrasting narrative to show his love for someone who stood by him when “skies were gray.” He speaks of his love interest as someone who helped him get through troubled times, thus providing a positive contrast to his negative surroundings.

Another example of the contrasting love narrative can be seen in this passage from Guru’s “All I Said”:

This world is crazy, she’s supposed to help me stay sane
Supposed to help with the pain
Supposed to help me maintain

In this song, Guru uses the contrasting narrative to share his view of what love should be. He admits that his “world is crazy”, and that his love interest is the one person who can make it bearable.

In “She Tried”, Bubba Sparxx uses the contrasting narrative to tell a story that actually recalls his love being there for him when he was in trouble with the law:

A fly country girl, just workin’ them gifts
She’s my queen, was a virgin I guess
But I ain’t never ask and I ain’t never tell
But Betty had the cash every time I went to jail

This song further illustrates the use of contrasting narratives to express love. Though the poet confesses spending a lot of time in jail, Betty was always there to bail him out, again acting as a positive contrast to his troubles.

Perceptual Narrative
Another common narrative form of Hip-Hop love stories is the perceptual narrative. Like the contrasting narrative, the perceptual narrative is based around the negativity that surrounds the poet’s life. But instead of presenting this love as a contrast to that negativity, the poet uses this narrative to explain how that love changed his or her previously negative perceptions. This narrative form also allows the poet to construct a socially acceptable identity due to the acknowledgement of the negativity of urban life. In “Jazzy Belle”, Andre of Outkast uses the perceptual narrative to tell of how his love changed his former perception of women:

Went from yellin’ crickets and crows, bitches and hoes to queen thangs
Over the years I been up on my toes and yes I seen thangs .
Now I’m willin to go the extra kilo-
Meter just to see my senorita get her pillow
On the side of my bed where no girl ever stay
House and doctor was the games we used to play
But now it’s real Jazzy Belle…

In this song, Andre talks about a personal change of perception caused by love. He admits that at one time he thought of women as “bitches and hoes.” But “now it’s real”, and he has a new perception of women as “queen thangs.”

Another great example of the perceptual narrative can be found in the following passage of Black Star’s “Brown Skin Lady”:

I don’t get many compliments, but I am confident
Used to have a complex about, gettin’ too complex
You got me, willin’ to try, looked me in the eye
My head is still in the sky, since you walked on by

In this example, the poet admits to having relationship issues, but tells of how love helped him to overcome these issues. The poet’s love interest helped him to change his perception of love and fear of “gettin’ too complex”.

In “Ms. Fat Booty”, Mos Def further illustrates this point by demonstrating the perception of other men and speaking to his love on how he is different:

Yo, let me apologize for the other night
I know it wasn’t right, but baby you know what it’s like
Some brothers don’t be comin’ right
I understand, I’m feelin’ you
Besides, ‘Can I have a dance?’ ain’t really that original

In this song, the poet uses the perceptual narrative to acknowledge that some men “don’t be comin’ right”, but that he has a different perception of women than these other men.

In “Come Close”, Common uses the perceptual narrative to express how love has made him change from his old ways:

I want to build a tribe wit you
Protect and provide for you
Truth is I can’t hide from you
The pimp in me May have to die with you

Although the poet used to be a “pimp”, an urban term for a man who romances a large number of women, he tells of how his love interest has changed his actions and perceptions.

Spiritual Narrative
A third common form of Hip-Hop love stories is what I like to refer to as the spiritual narrative. The spiritual narrative relies on the poet’s characterization of love as a kind of godly being, spiritual force or royalty, often with the feeling that the story teller has to protect that force. The spiritual narrative allows the storyteller to construct an acceptable identity by characterizing love as spiritual or perhaps even predetermined. A great example of the spiritual narrative can be found in this passage of The Roots’ “You Got Me”:

Somebody told me that this planet was small
We use to live in the same building on the same floor
And never met before
Until I’m overseas on tour
And peep this Ethiopian queen from Philly
Taking classes abroad

Here, the poet uses the spiritual narrative to describe the time, place and emotions that his love was founded on, speaking of them as if they were somehow meant to happen. He also refers to his love interest as “this Ethiopian queen from Philly”, using the royal characterization so common in spiritual love narratives.

In “Love Language”, Talib Kweli also uses a spiritual narrative form and refers to his love as a kind of royalty:

Now if they call you out your name
Then that’s a different thing
Anything but Queen I’ll go to war like a King

This example shows the protection aspect of common spiritual love narratives. The poet feels it is unacceptable for anyone to “call you out your name”, or in other words, use derogatory language toward his love. If someone were to do so, he would “go to war like a King”, thus maintaining his masculinity.

In “Mind Sex”, Dead Prez uses the spiritual narrative to talk about love introductions:

African princess, tell me yo’ interests
Wait, let me guess boo, you probably like poetry
Here’s a little something I jotted down in case I spotted you around
So let me take this opportunity

In this song, the poet uses the spiritual narrative to tell a story about the introductory conversation he had with a love interest. He refers to her as “African princess”, once again showing the tendency of poets who use the spiritual narrative to refer to their love interests as royalty.

Conversational Narrative
The fourth common form for Hip-Hop love stories is the conversational narrative. The conversational narrative allows the poet to recite or recreate a conversation with his or her love and present it as play-like story about a specific love experience. Conversational love narratives are typically characterized by introductory speech and compliments, and are most commonly used as tools to tell a story about a first meeting or impression. These narratives allow the storyteller to construct an acceptable identity mainly because they often include many smoothly-structured compliments, and make the poet look like a cool ladies man. A great example of the conversational love narrative can be found this passage from Dead Prez’ previously mentioned “Mind Sex”:

Pardon me love but you seem like my type
What you doin’ tonight?
You should stop by the site
We could, roll some weed play some records and talk
I got a fly spot downtown Brooklyn, New York

In this example, the poet is reciting the conversation between himself and a love interest. As with many conversational narratives, it is based around meeting someone for the first time. The poet is telling a story about a girl he met that “seem[ed] like my type”. He then inquires “What you doin’ tonight?”, and follows with a list of charming speech in an attempt to create a social relationship with the girl.

In a similar narrative, “Beautiful Skin”, Goodie Mob uses the following conversational narrative to retell the first phone conversation he had with his love interest:

This is Carlito from a couple of days ago, you sound tired
Forgive me if I’ve called you too late
But what better time to relate mind-states?
Where could I begin?
Has anyone ever told you ‘You got beautiful skin’?

This example further illustrates the use of introductory language in conversational narratives. The poet asks his love interest if she would like to “relate mind-states”, or get to know each other. He then tells her that she has “beautiful skin”, an often successful introductory complement given to women.

Cee Lo uses the following conversational narrative in “Slum Beautiful”:

Look at you, unbelievably, brilliant beautiful you
You’re looking deliciously divine darling you really and truly do
The very thought of has got me running at the speed of love
Exploring everything about you from the ground to the God above

In this song, the poet uses the conversational narrative to speak directly to his love interest through the song. Note the wide range of compliments offered in this passage, as well as the charm, again illustrating a common aspect of the conversational narrative.

Metaphoric Narrative
The fifth form of Hip-Hop love stories is possibly the most fascinating. It is the metaphoric narrative. The metaphoric narrative is used when the poet speaks of love in a metaphor of some kind. The most popular and socially acceptable form of metaphoric narrative is using Hip-Hop as the metaphor. Many followers of the movement view Hip-Hop as a driving force of love and happiness in their lives. Thus, many metaphoric love narratives revolve around Hip-Hop itself. A good example of such a metaphoric narrative is the following passage from Black Eyed Peas’ “Rap Song”:

Yo, she got hips to hop
And she ain’t goin’ pop
She like a record that I wanna rock
When I’m rollin’ in my ride cruisin’ down my block

In this example, the poet actually uses a unique play on words and speaks of a love interest as a Hip-Hop metaphor. He relates this person to “a record that I wanna rock”. The group further extends the metaphor in the following passage:

She like a beat that makes me wanna grab the mic
She like the lyrics that I wanna recite
She like the old school mic with the cable
You can bring your records and I’ll bring the turntable yo

Again, the poet relates his love interest to other things he and his audience love, including “old school mic with the cable”, reciting lyrics and spinning records on a turntable.

Another great example of the metaphoric narrative is in The Roots’ “Act Too . Love of My Life”:

Learnin’ the ropes of ghetto survival
Peepin’ out the situation I had to slide through
Had to watch my back my front plus my sides too
When it came to gettin’ mine I ain’t tryin’ to argue
Sometimes I wouldn’ta made it if it wasn’t for you
Hip-Hop, you the love of my life and that’s true

This passage is unique because it utilizes both the metaphoric and contrasting narrative techniques. The poet refers to Hip-Hop as “the love of my life”, while simultaneously showing how that love created a positive contrast to the tough “ropes of ghetto survival”. The poet admits that he “wouldn’ta made it if it wasn’t for you”, showing that his love for Hip-Hop was and is a driving force in his life.

And that leads us to the most popular metaphoric Hip-Hop love narrative of our time. In “I Used to Love H.E.R.”, Common Sense uses the metaphoric narrative to express his love for Hip-Hop. He starts off the narrative with the following passage:

I met this girl, when I was ten years old
And what I loved most she had so much soul
She was old school, when I was just a shorty
Never knew throughout my life she would be there for me

In this example, the poet starts off telling a story about a girl he met when he “was ten years old”, and how she was always there for him. The poet continues to use the metaphoric narrative to speak of this girl, including the good times and hardships they faced together. Not until the end of the poem does the listener actually realize that the entire song is a metaphor. The song ends with the following passage:

I see rappers slammin’ her, and takin’ her to the sewer
But I’ma take her back hopin’ that the shit stop
Cause who I’m talkin’ bout y’all is Hip-Hop

In this song, the poet used the metaphoric narrative to tell a story about the love of his life, the struggles she faced, and his desire to save her. In the end, he admits that this love is not a real person, but instead his love of Hip-Hop.

The presentation of Hip-Hop love narratives and their relation to identity construction is a very difficult task. In order to talk about love and still construct a socially acceptable urban identity, artists tend to implement one of the five successful love narrative forms. I believe that our society’s analysis of Hip-Hop music and culture is lackluster at best. The Hip-Hop love narratives presented above could provide a great basis for linguistic and sociolinguistic studies. Not only are they presented in a variety of styled narrative forms, but they also include deep thought, perception and analysis of the urban environment that characterizes an increasing majority of American society. Through the analysis and study of these love narratives, linguists could come to a greater understanding of and appreciation for the Hip-Hop vernacular, literature and, ultimately, culture.

Works Cited Discography
A Tribe Called Quest. People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm. Jive Records, 1990.
Black Eyed Peas. Bridging the Gap. Interscope Records, 2000.
Black Star. Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star. Rawkus Records, 1998.
Bubba Sparxx. Deliverance. Interscope Records, 2003.
Common. Electric Circus. MCA Records, 2002.
Common Sense. Resurrection. Relativity Records, 1994.
Dead Prez. Let’s Get Free. Relativity Records, 2000.
Goodie Mob. Still Standing. La Face Records, 1998.
Guru. Jazzmatazz Streetsoul Vol. 3. Virgin Records, 2000.
Method Man. Tical. Def Jam Records, 1994.
Mos Def. Black on Both Sides. Priority Records, 1999.
Outkast. ATLiens. La Face Records, 1996.
Outkast. Stankonia. La Face Records, 2003.
Talib Kweli & DJ Hi-Tek. Train of Thought. Rawkus Records, 2000.
The Roots. Things Fall Apart. MCA Records, 1999.

Editor’s Note: This article was first published on January 13, 2005. It is now republished every February 14. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Some of the questions posted in response to the forum were “What do you consider pure hip-hop?” by several individuals, and “Is this a subliminal way to bash the mainstream?” by others. Though I believe that there is no one answer to this question, I will share my sentiments nonetheless.

Google has several definitions for the word pure listed. Depending on sentence context, pure means “without flaws or sins,” “free from extraneous elements,” and the list goes on. When I think of something that is pure [from a broad perspective] I think of something that is innocent, clean, organic or natural.

When it comes to hip-hop, I don’t think using the term “pure” to describe it at its current state is appropriate; whether underground or mainstream. When a child is born he is said to be pure because his mind and soul has not been infiltrated by the world’s ills, and I believe hip-hop as a culture and as a form of music follows the same classification in this regards.

Like any genre of music, hip-hop is the reflection of the society that embodies the culture, so the traits you hear in the music are more than likely the traits you will see in its people; but in recent years there are many exceptions to this rule. Going back to “pure” hip-hop; I think the creator of this forum topic meant “real” hip-hop when he use the word “pure.”

As I stated in several of my articles, I believe real hip-hop is music that is intelligent, promotes positive lifestyles and uplifts the community. Real hip-hop embraces the positive as well as the negative energy of our communities and creates a platform for change for all who listen to it.

So why don’t black people support real hip-hop?

Again, this question is broad, but I believe anyone who follows both mainstream and underground hip-hop [more than a little bit] should be able to generate an educated list of opinions to this question. Here is a list of my thoughts (in no particular order):

Blacks don’t support real hip-hop because …

1. Many blacks don’t know the difference between mainstream hip-hop and real hip-hop and others simply don’t care. Many blacks who are in their late 20’s and higher in age don’t buy as many albums as the younger generation, so they listen to commercial radio because it’s convenient.
2. The government is using mainstream hip-hop as a means to extort the black community – targeting our children from their early teenage years to their mid-20’s. This is why certain artists who promote negative themes are heard numerous times on the radio. It is a classic case of conditioning our youth through modern day slavery.
3. Mainstream hip-hop is a commodity to big corporations, so its basis will always be to make money. Our youth are being conditioned to focus entirely on material possessions and achieving wealth so they ignore anything that doesn’t promote this message.
4. Real hip-hop is about love and unity amongst its people and most blacks live in areas where they see little of both.
5. As #4, real hip-hop at times can contain concepts and views that many blacks can’t or refuse to relate to, so they ignore it. I have heard the phrase that real hip-hop is “too intelligent;” this is nonsense. This is just a way of big corporations saying “we want to keep your people dumb so we won’t play that other music.” Parenting is the key to successfully spreading more positive hip-hop to our communities. It is up to the parents to educate and guide our children so they can understand how much music can greatly affect their spirits.
6. Peer pressure. This goes hand in hand with #3, #4 and #5; if you aren’t with the “in” crowd who listens to artist “A,” you aren’t cool. As a teenager, on average, who doesn’t want to be cool?
7. Big radio and TV corporations simply do not play enough [if any] positive/real hip-hop. When I was young, you could find real hip-hop on TV shows like Jukebox, Yo MTV Raps and on the radio. You could also find real hip-hop plastered more in magazines like Right On, The Source and others.
8. Real hip-hop can be judgmental on those who aren’t apart of it. Let’s face it; there are some arrogant positive rappers out there. Even as underground artists, we can fall victim to some monstrous egos; more humbleness needs to be widespread through the game.

I am sure that once I publish this article I will conjure up several more opinions to why blacks don’t support real hip-hop, but these are my top reasons. Looking at the state of things, I believe not only that blacks are being extorted, but also that everyone is being extorted through the use of mainstream hip-hop. What better way to control a people than through the music they love? Subliminal messages are all around us and affecting all of us – not just blacks.

It is sad, though, that at an average underground hip-hop show featuring talented artists that I attend, I see about 10 blacks for every 50 or more whites in the room. It seems that if the song doesn’t have a catchy dance, a message about “gettin’ money” or a dirty south rhythm to it, the masses won’t feel it. But even with this there are exceptions to this opinion, such as artists like Kanye West, Common, Wyclef, Will.I.am and a few others.

Could it be that blacks simply don’t support their own as well? For many, if you aren’t a brand name, they won’t buy your album. Some call it hating, others simply say that they don’t buy music from someone of whom they haven’t heard.

Whatever the case, I think many of us sip on the “Haterade” often, and it’s hard to put the bottle down. Hating was embedded in our people during slavery, playing the field slaves against the house slaves, women against men and vice versa, and clearly it is prevalent in our music, fan base and record labels.

It’s not rocket science – in most cases negative energy breeds more negative energy creating a negative environment. For the sake of this article, pushing negative themes make the rich richer and the uneducated even more uneducated. Mainstream hip-hop is a cash cow making many companies wealthier at the expense of our communities. If big labels were to push underground artists like they do the mainstream all of a sudden, it would be so foreign to the young folk that album sales would seriously decline due to the conditioning that they have already encountered.

All of this to say, again, there is no one answer to this question. The best thing for us as hip-hop artists to do to get more people in general to listen to our music is keep (or begin) making real hip-hop.

As producers, continue constructing classic beats. Get more creative with our promotion and advertising techniques. Reach out to people instead of waiting on them to come to you.

As listeners, expand and listen to new artists whose songs embrace more positive themes, mainstream or underground. The game is only as good as its coaches, players and fans. Let’s begin practice, because practice makes perfect.

- ScholarMan

As an advocate of this culture, I had to respond on what Whitlock wrote in this editorial. At first I was in partial agreement with his sentiments before he pointed the finger at hip-hop. In the beginning he makes references to what he calls the “Black KKK” and that a member of this group should be blamed for Sean Taylor’s death. After reading this I interpreted his “Black KKK” just as I do the White KKK, a group of racists who hate people of color for numerous reasons – except in this case of the same race. It seems as though Whitlock believes Taylor was murdered by a black person who was more than likely jealous, envious and had a vendetta against Taylor. This could be possible.

What took the cake is how Whitlock shifted from “we don’t know the circumstances of
Taylor’s death” to “it was a black man who killed him and it was because of hip-hop.” Even speculating this is some garbage. He goes on to state that it was pretty much the hate and self-hatred that hip-hop promotes as the cause. Hate and self-hatred is a worldly problem, not just a hip-hop problem. Hate and self-hatred existed long before hip-hop. Many black people were taught these things when brought into this country during slavery, so to blame hip-hop is absurd.

If anything, blame “corporate hip-hop” – those responsible for promoting this crap on the radio and television. Don’t throw every person of a culture into the mix, because that’s an insult to those working to make the culture positive. Whitlock’s words are a clear case of how he has been conditioned to stir up readers. Either way, it seems he is blaming all of hip-hop like those during the Don Imus issue did by blaming all of hip-hop for Imus’ comments. They were using the acts of just a small percentage of the hip-hop community as justification. Again the hip-hop card, it seems quite convenient don’t you think?

What about the “lack of parenting” card; the “controlling what our children listen to” card? What about the “corporate Amerikkka” card, where rich capitalists are using mainstream hip-hop to condition our young people all over again to hate each other? The same people promoting that it is okay to sell drugs and kill each other over material possessions? Where are your points about these organizations promoting these messages, Whitlock? I agree and have written many times that much of mainstream hip-hop is a form of modern slavery and black face. This is the main reason why you don’t hear many conscious and positive artists in rotation and on mainstream television. As Phonte of Little Brother put it (based on what BET said about his group), these artists are “too intelligent” and corporate Amerikkka refuses to invest in them.

Why? Because, right now, corporate record labels and investors have psychological control over our young people through the opposite of intelligent hip-hop music. The influence is strong and covers an enormous amount of people, not to mention hip-hop is a colossal cash cow. With power and money, it’s not hard to control a group of people! Clearly, feed them sweet candy laced with a disease and a diseased people will reap. Diseased actions will reap and a diseased future lies ahead. But don’t blame the innocent for consuming the candy, blame the manufacturer!

Don’t blame black men for Taylor’s death; blame a society full of hate! Once the killer is brought to justice, blame the killer! Don’t blame the race of people he belongs to! Rich or poor, we all are targets of the system, but those with money and power of the black race are more likely to be singled out before the poor. Look at Michael Vick, T.I., Barry Bonds and others. I am not saying that Taylor and the others listed have lived innocent lives or should be let off for any crimes proven guilty of; I am saying that despite the fact, many aren’t given the chance to correct their wrongs. Most are guilty before proven innocent and have no option of becoming a better person for their race and community. It’s a simple term used with Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Huey Newton and others: character assassination.

Let Taylor truly rest in peace, let the Skins heal and play tougher than ever. What has happened has been an injustice and hip-hop as a whole has nothing to do with what happened. The killer should be put on trial, not hip-hop. If you believe those involved including Taylor were influenced by negative hip-hop, blame poor guidance from the elder’s in these individuals’ lives. Better yet, blame finger pointing instead of solution finding! Those with power to influence others like Whitlock should promote solutions instead of bringing down what could be a strong positive force in our communities.

By ScholarMan
Copyright © 2007 C. Schmidt. All Rights Reserved.

First things first, I do not write this to take sides with anyone. I have a genuine respect for both A Tribe Called Quest and Lupe. My intent is to look at this situation from all angles and possibly play the Devil’s Advocate. The bottom line is Lupe had what some consider a small mess-up during his set. Again, he forgot a small portion of the lyrics from Electric Relaxation while honoring the group on VH1 this past October 8, 2007. 

Performing another artists’ track I can relate to. I performed Method Man’s Bring The Pain back in August at a show put on at Sonar in Baltimore. Though the show was not at the level of a VH1 show, I took the time to rehearse the lyrics alone for 3 weeks straight to get down the energy and presence as if Method Man himself was spitting the verses. After that, I spent several days getting Meth’s trademarked movements down from the Bring The Pain video. All this to say, as an artist who considers himself a professional, when you sign on to perform a legendary track by a legendary artist, you should immerse yourself into that song and show it much respect.

However, mistakes can happen, I honestly do not remember slipping up when performing Meth’s track but of course, I slipped up a bit rehearsing it. At the level of a VH1 show, nervousness definitely can kick in and depending on the artist’s level of comfortability, various things can happen. I have seen artists forget all the words to a song, some of the words and others have walked off the stage. Once again, it is about professionalism and being comfortable before you step on the stage. Not only that, but knowing how to cover up mistakes so that the audience thinks it is apart of the show; but that was not possible in this situation.

In this case, taking the time to memorize the Electric Relaxation lyrics to a 100% confidence level would have been a good idea. Did Lupe rehearse? For a show like this, I am positive he did. Various articles state that he did. Did he rehearse outside of the VH1 scheduled sets? I do not know. Did he print out the lyrics and read them? This I also do not know. Did he simply get nervous? Possibly. Lupe is an artist with more demands now so he might have got the call late and didn’t have much time to rehearse. Who knows…?

Many have made comments that Lupe had no respect for the song or ATCQ. One point made was that when he messed up he laughed it off as if it was his own song, this I find interesting. That is one angle, another angle is that many people laugh when they make a mistake or get nervous, others shiver, some tremble. If he laughed it off just to say “fuck it, I fucked up” then I would say he deserves the bashing, but if he was trying to cover up his nervousness, give him a break. The fact that he kept the energy up and “picked up his fumble” as Okayplayer.com states should give him some of his “Cool” points back.

Moving on, after many comments, posts on YouTube, Lupe moves to the defense. He states on Okayplayer.com: 

“So I’ve explained this to a lot of people…let me name drop a few:

1 Fab 5 Freddy
#2 Q-TIP!!!!…THAT’S RIGHT THE LEADER OF THE GROUP HIMSELF!!!
#3 Common
#4 Questlove  and more….ahem…“I DID NOT GROW UP ON ATCQ!!!…”
THE LITTLE GHETTO KID FROM THE MEAN STREETS OF THE WESTSIDE OF CHICAGO GREW UP ON SPICE 1, 8-BALL & MJG, NWA AND SNOOP DOGG…
I WASNT A BACKPACKER RAP ENTHUSIAST!!!…I NEVER CLAIMED TO BE…I GREW UP ON GANGSTA RAP!!!HAVE I LISTENED TO MM IN ITS ENTIRETY?…NO!!!…(Sorry Quest)…GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSES AND YOUR SACRED COWS…SOME OF YA’LL MAKE ME SICK… AND FYI WHEN IT WAS INITIALLY OFFERED TO ME I TURNED IT DOWN BECAUSE I FELT IT WAS OUT OF PLACE FOR ME TO BE HONORING THEM BECAUSE WHILE I WAS FULLY AWARE OF THEIR IMPACT IN HIP-HOP I WASNT REALLY AWARE OF THEIR MUSIC LIKE THAT…BUT GUESS WHO WANTED ME TO BE APART OF IT….HMMMM…HOW ABOUT…Q-TIP!!!…SO NOW ARE YOU GOING TO HATE ON “ATCQ” BECAUSE THEY WANTED SOMEBODY WHO DIDNT REALLY KNOW THERE MUSIC TO HONOR THEM BY COVERING SOME OF THEIR MUSIC?…THINK ON THAT OKP’S
P.S. I FORGET THE WORDS TO SOME OF MY OWN SONGS ON STAGE…HEY IT HAPPENS…”Link: http://board.okayplayer.com/okp.phpaz=show_topic&forum=17&topic_id=90521

No matter how bad the slip up was, if I were Lupe I would not have released this response. The fact that he did not grow up listening to ATCQ really does not make a difference. I can see how to many people this is just an excuse. When I was selected to perform a legendary throwback track, as stated, I immersed myself into the song and I think Lupe should have done the same. I have listened to many of the same artists he listed and I am on the East Coast, specifically Maryland where we get most of the new shit when its 6 months or more dated to everyone else.

Again, this article is not to take sides nor judge Lupe as an artist. I own a copy of Food & Liquor and I think it is a hot album. I think his next joint will be hot. I think he is still deserving of respect. Would I pick him to do the lyrics on another throwback show? After his statements, I would not unless he validates that he has followed the artist to some degree as well as having the time to rehearse. C’mon, those of us who claim we are huge hip-hop heads cannot remember every single lyric from every single track over the past decade or more. Stop fronting. To this, I will join with Lupe and reiterate, get off your high horses. At times, we all need a refresher.

Now, the issue on whether Q-tip begged Lupe to do the set or vice versa, put your nuts back in your draws. I do not care who did what in regards to this matter, it sounds like a case of d*ck riding via huge ego’s and I wont cater to it. I am sure a hip-hop committee of VH1 sat down and analyzed ATCQ’s persona as well as artists of today to see who could fit the ATCQ mold for the show, shot out the list to ATCQ in which ATCQ responded with a “ye” or “ne,” then VH1 worked their way through the list. Clearly, Lupe was at or near the top. I am sure it was not just Lupe and no other artists. My thing is, if Lupe in fact turned down the job, why wasn’t someone else chosen on the list? I am SURE that it had to be a plan B and C on this list, right? If not, where was the contingency planning? Maybe there was some begging involved. Arsenio moment.. “hmmmm?”

In regards to the fans and critics, whether you agree with what I have written or not, come off it. Judge the show and move on. Do not reach deeper into a ridiculous issue. Looking at it from ATCQ’s eyes I would have been briefly disappointed with what happened but 10 seconds out of one of a few songs featured is not going to spoil my night, week or relationship with a respectable artist.

We all make mistakes, put your pride down and be more thorough! Do not get too comfortable, too cocky and depending on the occasion do not be quick to take offense or defense. Stop making excuses and improve. Close curtains.

By the way, cop that new TrueBless “Mission ISpossible” and my last joint “Candy Medicine.” (shameless plug)

Peace and a bottle of Dax hair grease. 

That revolutionary emcee,

ScholarMan
www.scholarman.com

Since the year started, Madlib, 33, has released four albums, counting “Liberation,” a full-length collaboration with rapper Talib Kweli; a deluxe rerelease of “Champion Sound,” his project with dearly departed producer J Dilla; “Yesterday’s Universe,” a collection of amorphous jazz fusion; and, most recently, the latest installment of his instrumental hip-hop series “Beat Konducta.” This is to say nothing of the numerous tracks and remixes he’s done for other artists over the course of the year.

But if one were to make a shortlist of hip-hop’s workhorses, a few names might come to mind—Kanye West, Jay-Z, P. Diddy—but Madlib’s name probably wouldn’t make the cut. That probably has a lot to do with the peculiar attribution of his impossibly constant flow of material. He likes to make up aliases. A lot of them. For example, “Yesterday’s Universe” is credited to Yesterday’s New Quintet, a jazz band consisting of Madlib (going by his birth name, Otis Jackson Jr.) and four imaginary band mates, despite the fact that he’s playing all the instruments. “Universe” also introduces 10 new totally imaginary groups, among them The Last Electro-Acoustic Space Jazz & Percussion Ensemble and Kamala Walker & The Soul Tribe. The reason Madlib doesn’t immediately come to mind when one thinks of hip-hop’s pre-eminent creative forces is the same reason he is one of hip-hop’s pre-eminent creative forces: he’s just really, really eccentric.

The Madlib story begins in Oxnard, Calif., a city much better known for its strawberries than for its hip-hop. ’Lib was born to Otis and Senesca Jackson, both musicians, who surrounded him with sound from a young age and whom he still considers his biggest musical influences. “My dad would take me to the studio with him, and I would touch the buttons and play with the knobs. I showed that interest at a very young age.” In his 20s he started to collaborate with a group called Lootpack, who caught the attention of L.A.’s Stone’s Throw Records, a label that has established itself as a place of refuge for outré musical minds. It’s a perfect spot for Madlib, who since graduating from Lootpack has created a huge, quirky catalog of woozy jazz and off-kilter hip-hop.

I try to compliment him on being so prolific and he asks another question, then answers it. “Do I release a lot of music? I don’t know. I guess, but not as much as I’d like to. For every album I release there are 10 more I don’t. I have 20 installments of ‘Beat Konducta’ finished. The groups on ‘Yesterday’s Universe’? Every one of those groups has five albums completed.” His restless creativity and Calvinist work ethic are attributed in part to a love of marijuana and the fact that he “gets bored a lot.” And just as the best writers are the most voracious readers, Madlib is listening to music as much as he’s making it, mostly because his hip-hop work is largely composed of samples he pulls from other albums—lounge, psychedelia, soul, whatever obscurities he can find. His most recent release, “Beat Konducta in India,” is made up of beats he constructed from old Bollywood soundtracks.

Madlib takes chunks of music and recontextualizes them to create a completely new form of art. If what he does were executed with tangible materials on a canvas board and hung in an art gallery, it would probably be called “mixed-media pop art.” Because it’s hip-hop, though, it’s often just called creative theft. This is an idea that heats the unusually laid-back Madlib up a few degrees, the notion that sampling is less musical than playing live instruments. “I don’t understand that mind-frame at all,” he says. “You can take a sample and chop it up, and it’s like you’re a conductor. It’s a different skill, but it’s equally musical. I’d like to see a musician try to do what I do.”

By that he means make music using samples, but naturally he could easily be talking about his ability to crank out album after album. He says he makes one every week, but doesn’t put an emphasis on quantity over quality. So with such a large body of good music, why doesn’t Madlib get more recognition? He’d probably love to wax poetic on that subject. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of records to make and thousands of noms de plume to think up.

Source:
Newsweek

As a writer, I contribute ideas on paper, as an emcee I contribute my life experiences through music and as a producer I contribute various emotions through rhythm. What is your purpose?

Since hip-hop runs through my veins just as naturally as the blood that keeps me alive, it is only correct to use the state of hip-hop to describe my point. Point being, many people who represent this culture are doing so in vain. Many artists are degrading not only themselves, but also their heritage as well as the art form with much of the music presented. Over the past twenty years, the hip-hop I love has drastically declined where one could feel alienated by simply listening to the radio today.

What is your purpose? Why are some of you in the game? What happened to the songs like Self Destruction, Fight The Power and Hey Young World? What happened to positive lyrics, lyrics that inspire and motivate listeners to bring change in their lives and communities? Lauryn Hill said it best on Superstar:

Everything you drop is so tired
Music is supposed to inspire
How come we ain’t getting no higher?
I know you think that you’ve got it all
And by making other people feel small
Makes you think you’re unable to fall
And when you do, who you gonna call?
See, what you give is just what you get
I know it hasn’t hit you yet
Now I don’t mean to get you upset
But every cause has an effect

To the artists who represent the “hood life,” you described the hood now can you describe solutions to the problems you addressed? Do we want to improve our communities or continue to suffer spiritually, physically and financially? Any artist can drop songs about drug sales, murder and sex; is it hard to create songs about how to avoid being trapped into these lifestyles? Must be. Songs are more than a quick $.99 download or a ringtone, they are mediums that affect every person mentally and spiritually.

An occasional two step song, I’m good with; a song glorifying the beauty of a female or songs about struggle, I am also good with; but ten songs back to back on the radio that praise negative things like those I mentioned earlier, I am not okay with. Parents, our children imitate these artists, study these artists, dress like these artists. The generation gap will continue to get wider if we do not communicate with our children at their level on what good music really is! Do not continue to fund this brainwash movement! We may not be in chains and shackles anymore but we are suffering mental slavery. This is worst than being bound at the hands and feet. Once you have psychological control over a people, you determine their destiny.

Lastly, some say the music we hear is a description of what is taking place in our communities; the funny thing is when I ride around mine I see a lot more than what is being described in these songs. Life is bigger than material things; it is about establishing a long line of family who are not only prosperous by means of wealth but also by knowledge and love for one another. Define your purpose and control your own destiny.

by Guest Author: ScholarMan
Copyright © 2007. C. Schmidt. All Rights Reserved.

You know the religious Hip Hop “purest” that draw a line between what they consider “real” and for lack of a single term “commercial/mainstream/jiffy-pop” or just plain ole “rap.” Some argue that “real” Hip Hop has been regulated to the “underground” by major record companies who only want to exploit, control and further ruin Hip Hop culture.

Today the so-called “real” Hip Hop has become synonymous with the “underground” so whatever is not played on mainstream radio and or video has become “underground” or “the real” Hip Hop and this, in my opinion, is utter bullshit! Now I would agree that the major corporations have taken control of Hip Hop from the financial perspective (funding, distribution, deciding which songs get put into regular radio/video rotation), but to arbitrarily call and or label the “underground” “real” and the “mainstream” “fake” is quite frankly bullshit. I mean we actually have people debating whether or not Hip Hop is a snap or a snare, a white-tee or a button-up.

Then there’s the “real” Hip Hop breakdown by territory i.e., is “the south” Hip Hop? Is “the west” Hip Hop? Is the “mid-west” Hip Hop? I read an article recently entitled “Did the South Kill Hip Hop?” You know, that’s some straight dumb shit and one of the key reasons for the weakness in Hip Hop right now! Many so-called “underground” or “real” MC’s think that as long as they don’t say what 50 Cent, Lil Wayne or Jay-Z says, then they are repping the “real” Hip Hop? I’ve listened to a lot of Hip Hop in my life. I’ve made a lot of Hip Hop in my few days and I have a fairly sound history of the culture itself, and I know for a fact that it was/is all this infantile tribalism and lack of infrastructure that facilitated the financial takeover of Hip Hop by alien forces and not a fuckin snap beat!

You see I can still remember a time when Ice-T (LA) used to roll with Afrika Islam (New York). I can remember a time when Afrika Bambaataa made music and created an organization that reached out and embraced every sound and culture in the universe! I can remember when I (Trenton) was on tour with Ice Cube (Compton) and Too Short (Oakland). I can remember when Hip Hop radio and video shows used to play joints by Boogie Down Productions, The Jungle Brothers, Kid N Play, Slick Rick, Salt N Pepa, Heavy D, Queen Latifah, X-Clan, NWA, 2-Live Crew, Kid Frost, Rakim, PRT, LL, Paris, MC Hammer, Freshco and Miz, MC Lyte, Kool Moe Dee, Public Enemy, Nice and Smooth, Tribe Called Quest, The D.O.C., The Gheto Boys, JJ Fad, Tone Loc, Young MC, Shinehead, Milk D, Just Ice, Chubb Rock, RUN DMC, Sir Mix A Lot, The Fresh Prince, Big Daddy Kane, Kool G. Rap, King Tee, The Hieroglyphics, and Biz Markie all on the same program! And regardless of where they were from, what beats they rocked to, or what subject matter they chose to talk about, they ALL were regarded as REAL HIP HOP!

The spectrum of my associates in Hip Hop straddle an unbroken span of mainstream and underground artists from Trenton, NJ, to California to Japan to Europe and back to the Tri-State area and the one thing I know for sure is that 50 Cent is no less Hip Hop than MF Doom! And if you’re out there still yelling and screaming that the subject matter is the defining factor in determining who is “real” and who is “fake” I have some very sobering news for you, cuz frankly speaking, the large majority of so-called “underground” rappers, yes “rappers” just like many mainstream rappers, ain’t saying shit either! In fact, most of these “underground” or “real” rappers are caught up in their own “fantasy mentality” and apart from talking about magical amulets, funny-colored weed, and how they’ll take-out any “mainstream” or “commercial” rapper, they never say anything socially relative, thought provoking, or political either!

Now don’t get it twisted; I really enjoy MC’s/Rappers like MF Doom, but no more or less than I do 50 Cent. Well, actually, I am a bigger fan of 50 Cent. But just look at these two rappers for a moment, they have more in common than not. The only apparent difference is production styles. Music aside MF Doom, like 50 Cent is a marketing genius. MF Doom is doing voice over work (

Sherman the Giraffe) on a cartoon series on Adult Swim (Perfect Hair Forever), and 50 Cent has landed a couple of movie roles. MF Doom has a super-hero doll on the market, and I read that he also has teamed up with Nike to create his own shoes now known as the “Nike Dunk High Premium SB MF DOOM”. 50 Cent has sneakers, clothing, a book and Vitamin Water on the market. I do not believe that MF Doom would pass up the opportunity to have a book, a clothing line, or a “Formula Doom” Vitamin Water on the market. This is evident in the fact that he has a “commercial” action-figure and works with the Cartoon Network! My point is that MF Doom is just as commercial as 50 Cent no matter how we slice it, AND THAT IS NOT A BAD THING!

I guess the $400 million dollar question is “which of these two rappers (50 Cent or MF Doom) are not REAL Hip Hop and for what reasons?” It can’t be because of the lyrical content and in light of the facts; it can’t be because of mainstream “commercialism.” So tell me why does only one of these rappers wear the title of “the real” Hip Hop and the other one labeled as the “mainstream” or commercialized” sell-out of “real” Hip Hop??? Proponents of this position have argued and continue to argue frivolous points like “it’s the beats?” They say 50 Cent and others are making R&B, not Hip Hop? I have even heard it argued that a “real” Hip Hop beat, must have a snare? In the event that said track contains a dreadfully mainstream and commercializing “snap” or clap instead of a snare, they say it’s not “real” Hip Hop?

Listen…Hip Hop samples everything from folk, jazz, blues, country, rock, pop, metal, be-bop, ska, reggae, calypso, movies, sirens, gun shots, world music, classical, Indian, continental African, Arabian, and all other types and sorts of music including the “underground” or “real” Hip Hop kryptonite that is R&B. Whodini’s hit record “Friends” was no “Boom Bap” track and they were singing in the chorus? Was it not Hip Hop? Melle Mel’s “The Message” was no “Boom Bap” track, but I ask you, was it Hip Hop? Was LL Cool J “I Need Love” a real track Hip Hop? The Main Source “Looking at the Front-door” was an R&B sample I believe.

Who are these assholes who wish to put Hip Hop in a box of monotonous kicks and snares? My guess is that they are a small crew of rhythm-less “corny” mother-fuckers who have never been FRESH! They run around in obscurity on the other side of their computer screens debating whether wearing gators is Hip Hop or not? Yes, a lot of mainstream rappers occasionally rocked a pair of gators, but so did some of the illest “underground” rappers in the business of scripting rhyme, like Freddy “Bumby Knuckles” Foxxx and believe me I have the magazine to prove it! I dare you simple “niggas” to say that Bump Knuckles is not “real” Hip Hop because he likes to put on some fly shit occasionally! You wouldn’t dare! Educated rapper of UTFO wore gators and suits, Jekyll and Hyde wore gators and suits, Double Trouble in Wild Style wore full tuxedos, Dane Dane, Slick Rick, were always dressed up so what the hell are you talking about?

Some misinformed people even say that Nelly, Juvenile, Baby, Lil Wayne, etc. are not Hip Hop because of their “grillz” but it was JUST-ICE that introduced most of us to “grillz.” JUST-ICE is a hip Hop icon that was so proud of his grill that he sat them atop his black leather Kangol and took a picture of them for his cover! This is my point my young “real” Hip Hoppers, Hip Hop culture is neither a “snap” nor a “snare.” It’s neither gators nor Chuck’s, white-tee nor button-up, sweat-suits nor denim, gangster nor scholar, and no, it is neither underground nor commercial. Rather, Hip Hop encompasses all of the aforementioned expressions. In fact, Hip Hop is “an urban communication…a forum of expression…a projection of ideas…a reflection of life…a manifestation of consciousness…a poetical musing…a superficial thought…a random opinion…a dream realized…or a ray of light on a situation”. It’s ALL of the above and more! 28 inch spinning rims, fly-cars, fly-girls, gaudy-jewelry, suits and fly-kicks has always been a part of Hip Hop, just as African beads, African medallions, Ostrich feathers, leather pants, and raccoon tails. EXPRESS your self, BE your self, it is your duty as an artist, but when you become an imperialist tyrant who wish to force your “form” of self-expression on others as the ONLY or “REAL” way to articulate ourselves in the world, you my friend, are no different from emperor George W. Bush and the neo-cons who wish to turn the rest of the world into the west! YOU AIN’T HIP HOP!

By Guest Author: Wise Intelligent