The Time is Now
By pmd on Jun 17, 2007 in Hip Hop |
Funkmaster Flex is the only man who could have said what he said this week.
Now that it’s out there, though, it needs to be discussed. Hip Hop is in a bad state–not just musically, but financially. USA Today ran a piece this week about the huge decline in hip hop sales. White kids are getting out and like we always feared, that could mean the bottom is falling out of hip hop. We will discuss it tonight…Real Late…on HOT 97…
I’ve seen a few articles like this in recent weeks. Another hip-hop blogger wrote a piece on this that basically said all the guys coming out these days are “douchebags”. There just seems to be a lack of humility and you gotta wonder about guys who are already got a Hummer with 26′ rims and haven’t yet as Low Profile said back in the day “Pay Ya Dues”. For me hip-hop has always been about music and the message. Sure the music is still bangin’ but the message, well, I haven’t much of that coming from big commercial rap sources in a long time.
Jeff | Jun 17, 2007 | Reply
The bottom falling out is definetly a concern, but music sales are down across the board, not just hip-hop. One problem I see is the interchangability of so many of the artists. Back when I first got into the music in the ’80s (yes I’m getting old), each artist had a distinct identity and their own lane in the game. KRS was the teacher, Rakim was the cold blooded lyrical assassin with the 5% subtext, Kane was the punchline master who could murder you on the mic, steal your girl and never break sweat, G Rap was the kingpen, etc.
Now, the artists have no identity. We snap our fingers, two step and walk it out to whatever the hot record of the moment is, then move on to the next one before the artist has even really registered. Of course we’re not going to buy the album. Rap now is what disco was in the late 70s. A string of one hit wonders who’s hits will live on in compilations, while the artists themselves claw each other’s eyes out for a spot on Surreal Life Celebrity Fit Club Vol. 12 - Fishing with the Stars.
On a different note, just got around to checking out the show from last week. I’m glad something like this is on commercial radio in NYC. Hopefully it sticks around for awhile and maybe some other markets take note.
JTH | Jun 18, 2007 | Reply
THE SNAP MUSIC/SOUTHERN RAPS ARE RUINING HIP HOP…i have tons of cds but in the last two years i have only bought two…jayz and Ti…i buy cds for lyrical content and not hooks and catch phrases. so as long as keep hearing shit like “a bay bay” “walk it out” “wipe it out” and ‘party like a rockstart” i won’t be buying cds anytime soon…its refreshing to hear Nyoil, joel ortiz and the new common but unfortunatley they won’t get radio support….EXCEPT ON THE PETER ROSENBERG SHOW…I think a young jewish chap might be the hiphop savior. HAHAHA
burton | Jun 18, 2007 | Reply
HIP HOP I DEAD. and Burton, lyrical content, not buying for hooks and catch phrases? Then why did you buy TI, all he is is hooks and phrases.
King Luke | Jun 20, 2007 | Reply
TI has hooks, lyrical content but his flow is different from everyone else.
burton | Jun 25, 2007 | Reply