I have been asking all week what the state of hip hop was today. I got varied answers but the overall sentiment is the same. It is in a state of emergency. I heard someone say it was on life support and that life support system is autotune! The death of us all, kinda like when Luke Skywalker lost his hand and you knew eventually he’d dabble in the dark side. This is how I see Hip Hop!
I would like to share with you the responses I got. None says it better than Dope Johnson (@dopeazzmuzik). Here is his “essay”. lol (You will also find Dope Johnson all around the web. He is Mr. Googleable! click his names for 2 of his links!)
“My personal opinion of the state of hip hop is it’s become a consumer based industry instead of an individual expression of self. In the beginning hip hop was an outlet of urban youth to express THEMSELVES musically. Now it’s about making the most appealing music to make money. Everyone sounds like everyone else. Everyone’s beats sounds or are feels derived from one basic area. The artist AND producer were from the same place and made very DISTINCTIVE music together. The foundation of todays hip hop is commerce or imaged based. The few artist that have been successful i.e. Drake, Lil Wayne, Wiz and a few others are actually the abnormal. As consumers until we start purchasing or supporting music that isn’t a cookie cut out or a carbon copy of something else hip hop will continue spiralling to the garbage disposal and our hip hop forefathers will roll in their graves.”
This is why artists such as MC SHAN have come out with this response to my pestering question of the state of hip hop today! (silly girl, I am, asking him this the day after he releases his video):
MC Shan ╭∩╮（︶︿︶）╭∩╮ @MC_SHAN - I JUST GAVE YOU AN OPTION WHAT YOU STILL LOOKIN FOR LOL RESPECT THE GRIND http://youtu.be/l59Jp0FOB1U
Most folks, like Marcus Greene (@SmokeGreeneDMV), say “I have a love/hate opinion on the #StateOfHipHop“. But I am looking for something a little more than just a love hate. What do you love about it. What do you hate about the place hip hop finds it self in the 20-teens?
The state of hip hop spans from being dead to being considered misguided to there being a resurgence of hip hop. When directly asked DJ KING ASSASSIN ™ (@DjKingAssassin) says, “#HIPHOP is in a state of emergency ask me why i’ll tell u!! We’re losing our #Urban stations in radio everyones turning there stations from urban to POP!”
Shortly after my exchange with DJ KING ASSASSIN, GЯATE-J @GRATE_J responded, “my opinion is hip hop isn’t dead.. People are just looking for it in the wrong places. you can’t listen to a pop artist and be mad that there producing pop songs.” While this is true, you can’t be mad at folks for wanting hip hop to come out of their radios and getting mad cause all they get is pop! Their anger and frustration about the lack of good hip hop comes from the radio stations changing their formats.
I believe the imagery that is painted by today’s version of hip hop has the stations shying away from the mass marketed copy cat artists because of “family values”. Yes, I said it and YES, I listen to the music my artists pump and know their music paints some of the same images. However, we keep our music underground and not mainstream. To go mainstream means (to me) that you are going to do whatever to get that $$. I think this industry should not JUST focus on the dollar signs but the fulfillment one gets from the work they are doing (recognized or not…learn to be humble!).
Learn to focus on you as a business and your music as a craft. Why do I say that? With opinions like Smiz The Moneykid’s (@smizthemoneykid) ”they say hip hop is dead but i think what died is the creativity!” I would think some of you out there that sound like the next guy would try to find his/her own voice.
Take advantage of some of the advice I am sure you get. And check the kind of folks you follow and listen to. Check your facts! Research the career you have chosen because the perception is that hip hop is no longer the outlet for the urban youth it use to be.
In this follower’s opinion (O D @tharealod) its in state of.shock being controlled by the people it was created to ridicule.
Ridicule is an interesting word to use. But what should be more disturbing to artists that cherish their creative works of art would be M.Dawes is PARADi$€ (@whoisparadise) thoughts on #thestateofhiphop ”is much d same as its always been if u knw where2look but similar2 #Jazz we r d creative & not d controllers”
The fact that people believe that the artist is not the controller of their grind is absurd to me. I thought that is what it was all about. That is what the #Sic #Grind is about. It is about empowering our young artists to be the controllers of their destiny! That is the state of emergency. That perception needs to be eradicated from thought!
Eric Shen Felton
@EricShenFelton - all I know is today’s Hip Hop is not like it used to be, Like it was back in the 1980′s. the other day I tweeted some of the things that today’s Hip Hop needs also, I forgot to add a little bit of Beat Box
Eric Shen Felton was right in one thing, Hip Hop is not like it use to be. I have faith that it will come back to be something great! Brayal (@Brayal) say, ”hip hop is starting to make a come back in the form of artist that have refused to accept a false progression #thestateofhiphop“
Then there are those who like to narrow down where hip hop will find it’s next wind. EatingHipHop (@EatingHipHop) “There’s a resurgence and it’s back and alive… Especially from the West Coast!” I am not sure I can support that particular claim…always with the East Coast love! lol but seriously, Check your grind and see where your mind is at. There are a lot of contributing factors to the demise in the state of hip hop. You must ask yourself, “Am I breathing life into Hip Hop or am I sucking life from her?” How much do you love Hip Hop? I know I love it immensely…once again. (even the queen had lost hope.)
Now, Go check this last link!
ICE T @FINALLEVEL Blog THIS! > ‘Art Of Rap’ Soundtrack > http://amzn.to/SjdVyK and DVD > http://amzn.to/Sje59B These are mandatory for all TRUE Hip Hop lovers.
ps….not the last link you silly people! Would I really end with someone else’s links? FUCK NO!
The Queen’s Domain (where my influence has much sway) http://www.reverbnation.com/label/kingdomrecordslabelgroup
BE SURE TO CATCH THE STATE OF THE HIP HOP UNION ADDRESS GIVEN BY KING LEGIT ON BLOGTALKRADIO.COM! Look for it this Saturday at 5pm!
Just over 1 week for the contest! Check under the Contest Category for rules & set list of songs! If you are a serious artist looking for some collabs hit us up & join this contest! If you are an artist (in the DMV esp. – queen’s choice) then Join This Contest!
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