Comments on: Is Hip-Hop Dead ?

By: Allan

Allan — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:09:00 +0000

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…

By: Kojo "Easy" Damptey

Kojo "Easy" Damptey — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:20:52 +0000

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.

By: herohill

herohill — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 01:08:29 +0000

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.

By: Kojo "Easy" Damptey

Kojo "Easy" Damptey — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:55:43 +0000

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.

By: brandi

brandi — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:58:26 +0000

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

By: Kojo

Kojo — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:47:10 +0000

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

By: Linda

Linda — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 01:18:20 +0000

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.

By: Rob

Rob — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:48:54 +0000

Well put…

By: Naedoo

Naedoo — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:57:58 +0000

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.

By: Kojo

Kojo — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:56:26 +0000

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.

By: Naedoo

Naedoo — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:17:08 +0000

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.

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 21:05:02 +0000

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.

By: Allan

Allan — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:12:02 +0000

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.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:27:42 +0000

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

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 03:22:46 +0000

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.