Hip Hop The Future (1 Viewer)

[CHE-13S]

Hi to all, I am new to BOS but hope this will be the first of many contributions to the forum.
I have thought about this after being inspired by an article by Emma-Kate Symons in The Weekend Oz a while ago.

I have some questions for the hip-hop fans out there on a subject that has had me thinking. Is modern Hip-Hop still culturally significant to the classic audience of poor African Americans? Does hip-hop actually mean anything anymore? Does it have a purpose? I am constantly pissed off when people tell me the early 90s hip-hop i listen to is crap music. There seems to be some ignorance out there in the population regarding hiphop music. I am thinking that people are putting 50 cent, eminem, etc into the same basket as 2PAC, Ice Cube, PE, etc.

Also, what do you think about the new phenomenon of 'flaunting' wealth? Is it counter-productive or in some way a betrayal of the origins of hiphop? I am beginning to hate this "Can ya control yo' ho/ rollin escalade" bullshit being put out by Snoop Dogg. Apart from Nas i can't think of any big modern artists getting political or activist in these dark years of GW Bush. I have heard of Paris and his 'Sonic Jihad' but would like to see more of this to make hiphop the cultural force it once was.

I am interested to see what you think about hiphop's relevance and hiphop in general.

 

[shady_03]

Hi to all, I am new to BOS but hope this will be the first of many contributions to the forum.
I have thought about this after being inspired by an article by Emma-Kate Symons in The Weekend Oz a while ago.

I have some questions for the hip-hop fans out there on a subject that has had me thinking. Is modern Hip-Hop still culturally significant to the classic audience of poor African Americans? Does hip-hop actually mean anything anymore? Does it have a purpose? I am constantly pissed off when people tell me the early 90s hip-hop i listen to is crap music. There seems to be some ignorance out there in the population regarding hiphop music. I am thinking that people are putting 50 cent, eminem, etc into the same basket as 2PAC, Ice Cube, PE, etc.

Also, what do you think about the new phenomenon of 'flaunting' wealth? Is it counter-productive or in some way a betrayal of the origins of hiphop? I am beginning to hate this "Can ya control yo' ho/ rollin escalade" bullshit being put out by Snoop Dogg. Apart from Nas i can't think of any big modern artists getting political or activist in these dark years of GW Bush. I have heard of Paris and his 'Sonic Jihad' but would like to see more of this to make hiphop the cultural force it once was.

I am interested to see what you think about hiphop's relevance and hiphop in general.

Yeah u raise some great points which i have debated quite a few times lol. Newayz yeah, its tru that 2pac/biggie/PE era of rap is voer, but like if artists now stuck to only what older rappers were saying there would be no interest in hip hop now. They r flaunting their wealth coz they came up from poverty but alot of th subject matters can be the same (and exteremly repetitive)

But i think that ppl are puttin eminem in the same basket as tupac bcause they are the most signficant rappers of their respective eras - tupac was the legend of the 90's and Eminem was the "great white hope", comin from poverty and making it as one of (if not) the most sucessful rapper of our times, in a predominantely black game. They are the most "known" rappers of their times i guess. But yeah, modern day rap shouldnt really be compared to old skool coz it paved the way for new rappers to emerge in the game

 

[shady_03]

Maybe also copy this thread to "music" in entertainment, coz then ull get more exposure/replies.

 

[CHE-13S]

Yeah u raise some great points which i have debated quite a few times lol. Newayz yeah, its tru that 2pac/biggie/PE era of rap is voer, but like if artists now stuck to only what older rappers were saying there would be no interest in hip hop now. They r flaunting their wealth coz they came up from poverty but alot of th subject matters can be the same (and exteremly repetitive)

But i think that ppl are puttin eminem in the same basket as tupac bcause they are the most signficant rappers of their respective eras - tupac was the legend of the 90's and Eminem was the "great white hope", comin from poverty and making it as one of (if not) the most sucessful rapper of our times, in a predominantely black game. They are the most "known" rappers of their times i guess. But yeah, modern day rap shouldnt really be compared to old skool coz it paved the way for new rappers to emerge in the game

I can understand why they'd want to flaunt their wealth but considering most black people in America are still out of the middle-class, simply flaunting doesn't really help the cause of other black people in their same conditions. I've heard Ice Cube talk about realistic ways to make wealth in business, corporate area, etc but the others seem to give the message that being a gangsta or a pimp will get you driving a Bentley.

I'm concentrating on hiphop as a voice for black people. I don't mind white people rapping but hiphop loses its purpose when the rhymes are simply about how much money i have. I think it would be better if hiphop took a shift away from the big labels and started aspiring to be a Public Enemy rather than a 50 Cent. Sure 50 Cent has talent but so does Delta Goodrem. It's about the way that talent is used. At the moment i think popular culture is corrupting hiphop, making it lose it's voice.

 

[hiphophorray123]

or lebs are corrupting hiphop making it lose its appeal

you said you only knew of nas taking a political stance? what about jadakiss 'why did bush knock down the towers', mos def and immortal technique 'bin laden didnt blow up the projects it was you nigga tell the truth nigga *bush knocked down the towers*' T.I 'theres a war goin on and they killin for nothing'

i don't mind the state of hip hop right now, im a huge fan of both underground and mainstream, we still got great artists like little brother, immortal techique, mos def, talib kweli, nas, the roots (cant wait for their concert in syd ), AZ, cormega, scarface, T.I we've got heaps, common and de la still makin albums too (commons 'be' is great)

but yes we still have the fuckers that are really just a gimmick, eg, mike jones, this dude looks like his gonna go gold just because he literally repeats the same line 7 times...and gives his actual phone number out on songs fat southern inbred faggot, its bad enough his voice is fkn retarded, i guess most of swishahouse are retarded, lil flip especially. 'ill treat you like milk ill do nothin but spoil you' lol

ice cubes topics have leant towards more the 'guns and hoes' shit now, he probably won't ever go back to his 'ameriKKKas most wanted' and 'death certificate' days, his latest song 'anybody seen the po po' is something u'd expect from G-Unit but oh well i still cant get enough of ice cube.....same with LL cool J...don't think ill ever get sick of em no matter what they do

u just don't hear the good stuff on the radio

and your 'i htink it would be better for hip hop to move away from the big labels' idea won't happen......its all about money no use wanting to change that.

and big L, biggie, jay-z, ice cube and mobb deep > 2pac