AWmusic

Is Hip-Hop Dead ?

11 October 2008, Kojo @ 8:30 pm

Necessity is the mother of inventions they say; in the heart of the Bronx in New York City a Jamaican born DJ looped some rhythmic patterns on his turntables and hip-hop was born. The year 1971, birth place 1520 Sedgwick Avenue, Bronx, New York. This was the beginning of a cultural movement. With other DJs such as Grand Wizard Theodore, Grandmaster Flash and Jazzy Jay modifications were made such as scratching and cutting. This innovative development lead to people saying stuff lyrically when the beats were playing in the background which is now known as rapping.

That was just the tip of the iceberg, other modifications were infused in hip-hop which we now call the five elements. The elements being Rapping, Djing, Graffiti, Breakdancing and Beatboxing.
The main use of hip-hop during the 70’s and early 80’s was for reporting social issues in the community stemming from the civil rights movement. This educated both the black youth in America, the politicians and the world. This trend eventually tailed off with violence and drugs taking over in the communities especially during Ronald Reagan’s term as president. With commercialization, hip-hop was mutated into a misogynistic and narcissistic genre.

Fast forward to 2008, hip-hop has transformed into club music with no moral values and no conscience. Now its acceptable to praise vices that undermine our society. Issues such as teenage pregnancy, drugs, violence, and love of money. A couple of years ago Nasir Jones aka Nas said “Hip-hop Is Dead”. I totally agree with him, everyone that listen to hip-hop doesn’t know the history and thinks it always has to talk about negative issues.

In view of that the are a handful of artists that want to keep carrying the torch of clean and positive hip-hop. Everyone listening to hip-hop I urge you to look for these artists. They are hard to find because the radio stations and video channels on TV wont play them, but seek and you will find. As a music writer I am happy to at least give you a list of some artists that are willing to provide the public with positive, clean intellectual hip-hop:

Louwop
Kae Sun
Shad K
Sublime Temple
Heat
Leighton
Masia One
Nifty
Rasoul
Miles Jones

Some MP3s:
The Message by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

Split Second Time by Masia One

One 2 Check by Louwop featuring Shad

Share and Enjoy:

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Filed under: Uncategorized

Tags: opinion

16 Comments

1. Coko — October 11, 2008 @ 9:56 pm
   
   

   Honestly, the true nature of hip-hop died around the Bling/Big Pimpin’/Shake Your Ass times… Right around when BET came to Canada.. and Da Mix & RapCity faded. I remember loving everything around Hip Hop and now loathing and cringing when I hear what they’re saying. Sure the beats are still good, but the content is just greatly disappointing. I hear hip hop artists (the popular ones) always defend their point by saying, “this is what we know” or “this is how we live”. That’s great and all, but should we perpetuate degrading people (not just women) and promoting sheer materialism?

   I am so glad you wrote about this… I’m totally feeling it and glad that some of us are speaking up about this.

   Coko




2. Rob — October 13, 2008 @ 11:22 pm
   
   

   Ummm…. I don’t want to be a dick, but this:

   The main use of hip-hop during the 70’s and early 80’s was for reporting social issues in the community stemming from the civil rights movement.

   and the rest of your post is a gross mis-characterization of hip-hop then and now. I don’t disagree with your sentiment – that its nice (especially for young inner city kids) to hear positive messages – but, I think before you tell us that we need to ‘know the history’ you might want to do a little reading yourself.




3. Anonymous — October 14, 2008 @ 10:27 am
   
   

   nice to see some coments being left, Mr Rob i would like to start of by thanking u for the post , and to answer ur question, i will name some rap artists that stood for addressing social issues, Public Enemy,Grandmaster Flash,Nas just to mention a few, if u cold name 5 rap artists today that have talked about social isseus predominantly on their albums i would love to know. plus could u please described how i have mischaractised hip-hop now. for all those lovely readers reading this i would love to leave and link so u can check out an essay about hip-hop;
   http://www.zimbio.com/pilot?ZURL=%2F70’s%2BRap%2BMusic%2Farticles%2F2%2FMegaEssay%2BHistory%2BRap&URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.megaessays.com%2Fviewpaper%2F28225.html




4. Allan — October 14, 2008 @ 12:12 pm
   
   

   Rap personally died for me ala 50 cent. I don’t want to be mean but those 9 gun shots he took were metaphorically for hip-hop.

   Having been shot, 50 cent was able to take his “gang-banger” lifestyle and legitimize it. It diverted more then ever from the point of what RAP was supposed to be.

   There’s still some great rap out there. It’s unfortunate but unlikely to receive a mainstream push. Which is why indie/underground “scenes” are all that more important.




5. Rob — October 14, 2008 @ 5:05 pm
   
   

   I’m not disputing that rap artists through the 70s, 80s did anything positive… my suggestion is maybe that there has always been positive/negative rap music. Its my understanding that rap emerged out of the Jamaican art of ‘toasting’, which, essentially was a way to ‘rep your hood and belittle your opponent. I think there’s always going to be a part of that in any hip-hop …

   And, I don’t know that we ought to make a value judgement on that, or gangsta rap… I mean, if young, poor, (and typically black men) can’t express themselves through rap then what can they do? Whether we allow, or even encourage kids to listen, is another story.




6. Naedoo — October 15, 2008 @ 9:17 am
   
   

   You know what is actually dead? Asking “Is hip hop dead?” is dead. Kudos to whoever wrote this for pseudo-caring about hip hop, but I’m sorry, it’s a little too generic to be of any real value. Hip hop was birthed at community parties in the Bronx, and it’s main purpose was to move the crowd, so to say that hip hop’s main aim in the 70’s was to report on social issues is way off base.

   Sure, there is a ton of awful hip hop out there right now, but that is the same with any genre of music – just read a few of Allan’s reviews for proof. You listed some solid Canadian artists in your post, some we’ve covered on the hill, so I’d recommend you spend your time writing about folks like that instead of these grandiose discussions about the state of hip hop.




7. Kojo — October 15, 2008 @ 9:56 am
   
   

   the reason for writing this piece is to let people know that Hip-hop has had move value than is percieved today, how many of the general audience see hip-hop as an art form? plus when i say hip-hop i am talking about the entire culture. how many of the general audience know that graffiti is connected to hip-hop? the list i put up there how many records do u think they have sold since they made music their career? now switch over to whats played on radio, shown on tv, apart from Shad K and Masia One none of them are played on radio , and that is what i am talking about ? and they represent what hip-hop is suppose to be. the article is to raise a contrast between the past and the present. about hip-hop reporting on social issues i would have to disagree with u , Black music has always had a direct correlation between having fun and being serious, the blues , jazz, rock and roll.




8. Naedoo — October 15, 2008 @ 1:57 pm
   
   

   I certainly can’t argue with the motives for your post, I just doubt you’re going to be able to school the “general audience” with one, semi-accurate, hip hop history-style post.

   My point was more you should spend your time writing about the artists you listed, give them a bit of coverage instead of just saying they need more attention.




9. Rob — October 15, 2008 @ 4:48 pm
   
   

   Well put…




10. Linda — October 16, 2008 @ 9:18 pm
    
    

    I think it is a great article. Instead of shooting the author down and telling him to “spend your time writing about the artists you listed” we should be encouraging him to continue writing articles of the sort.
    I don’t think the author’s point was “to school the ‘general audience’,” I think it was more about opening the door to get people thinking about the direction Hip-Hop has taken and what it has become today.

    Hmm..
    How many times has anyone commented on articles written by this author that do highlight artists?

    My props to the writter, keep doing what your doing.




11. Kojo — October 17, 2008 @ 9:47 am
    
    

    Linda thank you very much. i appreciate your honesty. you actually read the article and got what i was trying to say. You are right i have posted other articles on other artists and no one actually posted any comment. But this article has created a tsunami. But as a writer and a lover of music these things always happen.

    Peace




12. brandi — December 1, 2008 @ 11:58 am
    
    

    i am 13 years old and i like some of the hip hop music that has come out today . i agree with some of the stuff you were saying but hip hop isnt dead. some artists only rap about booty shakin and drugs and other things and thats not real hip hop i like istening to it because its somthing you can dance to i th9nk that hip hop has been changed because thats what pple want to hear it may not be for the better or the worst but that is what happened sure what they rar about is stupid somtimes but thats what pple like and you cant knock them for that i like some of the old school hip hop too and




13. Kojo "Easy" Damptey — December 2, 2008 @ 7:55 pm
    
    

    hi brandi,
    thanks for reading the article and keep on checking Allans World. what i was trying to convey in the article was hip-hop is an art form, where lyrics and a beat come together to evoke emotion. this is disappearing and it hurts the genre. sure most people say they like it cos it makes them dance, there is alot of music out there that have better lyrics and also make u dance.
    plus as a musician and a writer if we were suppose to give the people what they want, society would be a very dangerous place. as we are witnessing now. music has become about dancing, and wack lyrics.
    musicians and artists are suppose to challenge society and to educate them.
    in war tone areas in Africa some 13 year olds listen to rap and embody that violence and gangster life since they are child soldiers. so my point is we should listen to music that has good lyrics so that it will have a positive impact on whoever is listening to it, whether they are in canada or africa.

    let me know ur thoughts.




14. herohill — December 2, 2008 @ 8:08 pm
    
    

    Here’s the deal… musicians and athletes aren’t supposed to do anything. Just because someone can flow over a track or make nice beats, dunk a basketball or write a terrific screenplay doesn’t make them more or less accountable than anyone else and certainly doesn’t mean they should spend their time educating or challenging society.

    In fact, I’d say that turning to artists and athletes for guidance or education is a part of the problem. Some choose to use their status to get a message across, but they aren’t required to and in most cases I wish they wouldn’t.




15. Kojo "Easy" Damptey — December 2, 2008 @ 9:20 pm
    
    

    well i think that for anyone who is one t.v 90% of the time or being played on radio 90% of the time, being a good role model for your audience and people around u shouldnt be that bad.
    and i think most of them should be accountable because they ay the behave and the way they are portrayed has an impact of lives all ovr the world.




16. Allan — December 3, 2008 @ 6:09 am
    
    

    I think hip-hop is not the problem. There are artists that make good art, well everywhere. That’s why I started the blog in the first place.

    People just need to understand that there are politics (mainly financial) to what gets played on TV and radio.

    However they have abused that position and the internet is getting stronger and hopefully more and more deserving artists will be financially compensated like they should be unlike those who don’t.

    P.S. Kojo when will you be writing next? It’s random with you…

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