Where Is Rap Really Headed?
Is this the future of rap?
Is it dead? Is it alive? Are they hipsters or are they jerks? Folks are really scratching their heads about this rap thing. With Jay-Z talking “experimental” albums and Drake the game’s rookie of the year, the mic generals of the past, present and future are all faced with the uncertainty of where the culture is truly going. Where is rap headed? We’ll wax poetics after the jump.
In a news piece over at HipHopDX.com, Cormega had to clarified statements made about October’s very own, Drake, via his LegalHustle.net message board. After he exclaims that he never “dissed” the rapper, the Queensbridge rapper got to the bone of his issues by reiterating statements made in an interview with XXL.
“I can’t respect [rappers] that had a good upbringing or are rich that rap about the streets or the struggle, it just doesn’t seem realistic to me. I’m just speaking what I feel,” is what Mega said on Oct. 20th to rap mag’s website. And elaborates via his message board, “I’m just saying what’s wrong with rap. Everybody is glorifying the stupidity, they’re glorifying the derogatory treatment of women, everything derogatory is being highlighted and used to market hip-hop and that’s what I’m against.”
If you don’t know about Cormega, you can get your late pass over at Wikipedia.
The guy has a point. You have this new wave of rappers who push the same type of stories as Kool G. Rap and Scarface, but with the glitz and polish of a Sean “Diddy” Combs. I used to ask rappers during interviews if we needed to do a rapper background check and most believed that we should. I’m still pushing the petition, but is being a rapper – the street poet laureate – passe, in favor of appearing to be one just to push a “movement”?
Acts like Young Money are getting applause and angry looks for what goes on in their clique. Plies’ street card was recently pulled by Jamie Foxx and we all know how hard he pushes the “goon” agenda. There is a divide going on in the game. Think of it like rap’s secret war Marvel style. The only problem is we’re all pointing fingers without knowing where we’re headed as a culture.
Drake and Cormega are representative sides of a coin being flipped in an unknown direction. Which side will it land on? Speak on it in the comment section!
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It’s a battle of the old versus the new. Hip hop in general needs to mature. How is that one day we want rappers to tell a story of drugs, hoes, and gang life and then be upset when little black kids are being jumped, shot and beaten.
I think Hip hop is taking the right direction when artists like Bun B, Snoop, and Jay accept the younger ones and even take them under their wing. It’s more about sharing a story.
The Jamie Foxx/Plies thing was taken out of context on the radio show but he sure did lose that street card. But it still amazes me what we bash Plies for having a nursing degree. He’s an educated man that goes bout his business…Damn you got me writing my own little article, let me stop..haha
Yeah, “street cred” in my day means what type of activities you do in the streets. The illegal variety. Doesn’t mean that Plies can’t get goon-ish… He’s also a member of Phi Beta Sigma. I think folks are afraid that rap will become a love fest or something…
RAP is going NOWHERE…if it was, then it will be NO “BET”…OLD RAPPERS need to let it go…SOUTH in here!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I so seriously think that a good rapper is a good lyricist. It’s just poetry set to music. And if you sound like an intelligent, witty rapper (i.e., kayne, drake, nas, -.. I cant vouche 4 the New Boys) ppl luv u; but if u have a degree or cause as to how or where u got that intellect from ppl despise u.
Wow are some individuals just that ignorant that they actually believe you have to get shot 9 times to rap about it (as we recall the issue with 50); – it’s call fictional rap if u will. Every artist does it (say things or events in there life that neva happened). If some ppl are that sensitive about being ‘real’ so to speak; hell start putting disclaimers on rap albums…(may be fiction or nonfiction- the verdict is still out).
Yeah, Yeah, old school rap was about the good old days when all blacks or other minorities were struggling and it was ‘real’….to those who lived back then. Now, in the year 2009, if a dj was to play some Run-Dmc or Slick rick at a club he’d probably get some drinks throwed at him…lol.
Seriously though, hip-hop, rap, or whatever your interpretation of that music genre is…it’s evolving just like the culture and people in it. Everyone has they’re own style of going about “rap” that doesn’t mean that old-skool is dead; it’s just been tweaked/mixed and changed a little. As we have all have come to witness, certain change is good. So keep doing ur own unique thang!
Drake isn’t using his gift like he should. I could write the stuff he says. When you think of some of the best rappers of all-time they Kept The Shit Real and had meaning behind there lyrics
IE: Biggie Smalls he was a high school drop out but enjoyed success because he kept it real.
Sure Tupac may have talked about violence but it had a message.
Now the best rappers are educated
Lupe Fiasco is an amazing lyricist. Listening to one mixtape can expand your vocabulary a good bit.
Andre 3000 the words he makes rhyme just blows me away. When Eminem calls you the best rapper out there then you’ve gotta be great. Em said that about 3000 in an interview in some magazine(I can’t think off of it off the top of my head but he did an interview about his drug problem)
I agree with gotfaith? (yes I do – by the way) and Paul Rocks. You guys took the words right out of my mouth. Great job, Clark Kent. You should go ahead and call yourself Superman.