The 2007 Climate of Hip-Hop from a B-Boy Perspective.
The 2007 Climate of Hip-Hop from a B-Boy Perspective
by Tarik Lawerence
Ahhh-yes, from, “The World is Yours” to, “Pop, lock, and drop it,” did anybody notice a change? The younger generation has a more care-free perspective in the world (don’t believe me? look at today’s pregnancy rate, hip-hop is not responsible for that either..shouts to Don Imus and Bill O’ Riley!!). BUT as hip-hop continues to evolve and generations change, I think we should actually, “embrace it, but not replace it”. What does this mean? Simple, “Embrace” the catchy new tunes of today, but lets not, “Replace” the rappers who are extremely lyrical as well. Metaphors, Songs with themes, messages, and storytelling seems to be fading away.
There is NO doubt the southern beats of today are hot, but most of the lyrics are simple (with the exception of Lil Wayne, T.I., UGK, Ludacris, Scarface, and a few others). We should have 2 lanes in hip-hop. Popular rap music (that sell many records) should be able to have strong content, metaphors, and show skills as a writer. Biggie and previous Jay-Z efforts are examples of what I’m saying. Biggie had wit, humor, skills, metaphors, and still made sure the song was a hit. What happened to that aspect of hip-hop? Simple lyrics of the south doesn’t necessarily mean whack though. Today’s generation wants to have fun with the music which is fine, but rappers should challenge themselves with more skills without getting too deep. There has to be a good balance between making a hit record where the lyrics are not too complicated but are not as ABC as it is right now.
-BIG TAH.
Suggestion Box
May 22nd, 2007 at 1:48 am
To be honest the Pop rap today is whack. Only groupies listen to them and buy them.
Real hip hop heads wants the old JayZ, Biggie, old Eminem, old 50 to listen to.
People liek Joell Ortiz, Papoose, Mos Def, KRS1 are still holding it down for us.
We don’t wanna listen to Chicken Noodle soup or anymore Lil Wayne pop songs.
May 22nd, 2007 at 2:02 am
I get sick of hearing the old “too deep” cliche. Why the fuck is it that intellect isn’t respected in hip-hop? We’re still falling victim to “it’s not cool to be smart”? Come the fuck on!
May 22nd, 2007 at 2:22 am
Hiphop is the most influential music out right now. Period.
The more these Rich peaceful but ignorant program directors try to kill it, the more it will grow.
Nas said rap was dead? That shit is funny to me. He helped kill “east coast” rap (although he was reborn through Jay-Z and roze to the challenge). I remember a time when rappers from the east coast were doin that bubblegum baller shit. Just like how the south is doin it now. The south deserves to be on top right now, think about the rappers you just mentioned from the south. They get play cuz they bust they ass! East coast rappers got comfortable and expected to blow up jus for bein from the projects. It was just as repetitive as today’s ABC songs.
Long story short,
this hiphop is dead and alive gahbage is a few old rappers not tryin to pass the Got dam torch. You talk about how much you love your culture and shit. PASS THE GATDAM TORCH IF YOU WANT EAST COAST RAP TO SURVIVE YOU EGOCENTRIC YOGA ART MOTHAFUCKAS! THERE ARE MANY IF NOT TOO MANY RAPPERS WITH GREAT TALENT THAT NEED TO BE PUT ON BY THIER PREDECESSORS. THAS HOW YOU GOT ON! WTFUCK B.
I like ABC raps better do to the fact that this is a whole different culture ..cultivating. Peep lil wayne, his raps are just as good as any east coast rapper. They are progressing and we are talkin about ABC raps. No disrespect. Just put in work and sell independantly. Do shows and make a fuckin friend. Shit is too serious out here tho. So, niggas like Jay and Jada and Fab and so on and so forth need to step up and help a regular nigga out before they burn out.
LIKE HOW T.I. PUT ON YOUNG DRO.
WHAT HAPPENED TO PUTTIN A YOUNG NIGGA ON?
THAS THE REAL ISSUE.
HOT MUSIC IS EASY TO FIND IF YOU LOOK FOR LIKE.. 1 MINUTE.
RADIO AND CABLE TV HAS TO BECOME MORE BROAD. LIKE THE STREET I LIVE ON. PHILLY WHOADI DON’T HOLD ME I’M GOOD REGARDLESS.
RESPECT TAH. REAL TALK.
May 22nd, 2007 at 4:15 am
“but most of the lyrics are simple (with the exception of Lil Wayne, T.I., UGK, Ludacris, Scarface, and a few others)”
Once AGAIN someone else tries to depreciate the content coming from the south; and, once AGAIN someone has to correct themselves in the same sentence. People, you can’t belittle the ENTIRE SOUTHERN REGION but then come back and say EXCEPT FOR THESE GUYS. Use your brains, someone can take that approach for EVERY REGION. Some of y’all act like every rapper coming out of New York is on par with Wordsworth (the English poet, not the rapper) or Keats…this is just not the case.
Stop Hating.
May 22nd, 2007 at 5:25 am
at the end of the day east coast cats just mad cuz the south got the rap game in a chokehold when just before nas came out talking about hip hop is dead everybody was snapping they fingaz and walkin it out right alone with they music and chicken noodle soup was gaebage but since its east coast yall wasnt in an uproao about that its alot of rappers from the south that are lyrical like T.I Rick Ross Lil-Wayne Yung Joc Young Jeezy Scarface etc.. first everybody was talking about hip hop was to “gangsta” now when the south bring the dancing and partying aspect to it people still got some to say about that talking about its “not real hip hop” like jay-z song show me what u got ofr fabolous diamonds on my neck was nothing but “garbage” yall need to get over it the south is poppin and they aint going no where hip hop is suppose to be here for people from all over to embrace and add to the culture by leaving their stamp on hip hop and thats what the south is doing if everybody stop jocking nas and jay-z they can think for themselves everybody was vibing to southern music until nas and jay had some to say about it not cats got they draws in a bunch tryna follow nas and jay lead now all of a sudden hip hop is dead thats straight B>S and everybody know it and i aint bias because I aint even from the south REAL TALK
May 22nd, 2007 at 6:19 am
I agree with Number 3 to an extent, but you gotta be aware that some established hiphop acts put themselves out there and get burnt if the artist they trying to launch dont deliver or turn diva on them.
Luda had that issue with chingy, its a real suprise that they would take him back
50cent with the game
Jayz with Beanie Seagal, Mephis Bleek, etc.
Nas with the whole Braveheart thing,
Dmx with Drag-on
It goes on an on.
May 22nd, 2007 at 6:25 am
you guys say that TI, lil wayne, young joc, and young jeezy are lyrical…prove it
give me some bars that would make them worthy of my, or our, time
all i hear is their garbage on the radio and the clubs
May 22nd, 2007 at 6:47 am
the problem is.
the “deep” rappers, rap about things the average listener doesnt understand.
some of the metaphors go right over the dudes head.
so he would rather listen to something as easy as ABC rather than think.
its been many of times where common, talib, mos def and most recently lupe fiasco, has made me hop on the internet and look something up.
and i appreciate that. if you can learn something and be entertained, why not.
that bubble gum, mickey mouse rap doesnt appeal to me. not even a little bit.
and since i rap a little, i cant listen to anyone that doesnt impress me.
i listen to guys who make me say, “damn, how he think of that.”
but bertrand russell said, “some men would rather die than think, and often times they do”. and that seems to be so fucking true for our generation.
May 22nd, 2007 at 7:25 am
number 7 give me some bars from jay z that he hasnt stolen from biggie he practically stole dude whole flow bottom lin jay-z a biter but some of my favotite rappers like nas (even though he trippin nowadays) common kanye mos def talib are very lyrical methaphorical rappers but at the same time lil wayne and t.i are good rappers to dudes like fat joe papoose lil-kim and fabolous are all garbage list some bars of theirs where it was straight fire papoose can barely stay on beat fabolous just makin retarded ass songs just to make some i mean diamonds om my neck was garbage he aint had a hit in I dont know how long fat joe lyrics are straight up garbage and lil-kim all she talk about is sucking this dude and the next dude sex thats all she talk about
May 22nd, 2007 at 8:03 am
U young catz are pissing me the fuck off!!! All on BET & on the net I hear little wayne is fire… PROVE IT!!! Name one little wayne verse… ONE!!! One that changed your life!!! U assholes can’t!!! I’m from the west and I can quote plenty of NAS, JAY, BIG, RAKIM, KOOL G, KRS, KOOL G, MOE DEE… And shit even COOL JAMES… And he’s a COMMERCIAL RAPPER!!! Don’t get me wrong… I be feeling Little Brother, Kanye, Em, and even Fabulous… But I’m sorry… I think all these catz would eat Wayne alive… REAL TALK. I hate ignorant people who don’t know they shit!!!
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:09 am
Lil Wayne is not a rapper….HE is a entertainer…..HE is a trash, garbage one if that. He has lyrics yes, punch lines yes, but no substance….The nigga talks about nothing, and can’t stick to subjects.
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:57 am
I can’t believe any nigga who would consider themselves intelligent would sit there and say hip-hop ain’t dead. When a record like “This Is Why I’m Hot” is the NUMBER ONE hip-hop record in America, IT’S DEAD! You got only a handful of rapper who even worth listenin 2 these days.
Saigon album gon flop even tho he the best MC out right now, period. Lupe flopped. NAS ain’t flop but didn’t do what he thought he was gon do. Talib always flop. Mos Def always flop. dead PREZ always flop. The only real hip-hop that sells revolves around KANYEEZY who basically on another level ,and what he do will never be replicated or done better. Same for Jay-Z. They once in a lifetime.
And to the contrary of what yall keep yellin, the south got PLENTY of niggas who can go rap 4 rap wit damn near anybody. The south jus do what they do, and that’s make music to have fun. When TIP wanna rap he can (i.e. “I’m Taling To You”) same for OUTKAST, Scarface, Master P, Juvenile, Trick Daddy, etc., etc.
HIP-HOP IS DEAD!!!
May 22nd, 2007 at 10:23 am
I feel u dogg,its true butt time changes.There will be a day that real rappers are going two come out.4 now lets have fun
May 22nd, 2007 at 11:33 am
on the real..everybody should just embrace the music….its apart of the culture…its not like its some totally new shit going on here..take a look back at the music several odd years before all of this now..none of this shit is new shit going on here real music heads should know this but we are always going to have different views when it comes down to it….and there is nothing wrong with that…..But on the same note we all should think back 2 days past…When niggaz was wearing and doing some of the dumbest shit ever thought of LOL but it was fun tho…..Prime example Whats the difference between Tootsie Roll and Laffy taffy??..People called tootsie roll wack back when them niggaz was rapping that shit..correct? The fact about it is everybody got they own swagger period..meaning the same shit that gets ur jollies off don’t have to get mines off…4 real let cats do they thing Just LIVE my niggaz PEACE…
May 22nd, 2007 at 12:48 pm
Number 6 I understand what your saying but all those rappers you mentioned were from the same crew.
GREED KILLS!
I would put anybody on that I feel is BangBang.
I don’t care about having a business relationship with rappers.
Mas Fact FUCK a business relationship with rappers.
Rap is realer and more aggressive than any music out there.
Mixing reality and aggression does not go well with money.
There’s almost always a war that destroys everything you built.
I would rather help a hungry rap artist out and then go sign an R&B singer. Any rapper that I sign would be better than me. Not a tax write off!
GREED KILLS!!
I would help a nigga out the same way I help a nigga on my Block out, …Break bread and keep it movin. Niggas forgot how to be good to each other. Iz all love on this side even tho I live IN the Murder Capitol. When I do a favor, I don’t expect anything back from them. I always recieve more from someone else regardless. 100% percent of the time.
Nothing spiritual just good luck that is created!
GREED KILLS!
May 22nd, 2007 at 12:49 pm
Number 6 I understand what your saying but all those rappers you mentioned were from the same crew.
GREED KILLS!
I would put anybody on that I feel is BangBang.
I don’t care about having a business relationship with rappers.
Mas Fact FUCK a business relationship with rappers.
Rap is realer and more aggressive than any music out there.
Mixing reality and aggression does not go well with money.
There’s almost always a war that destroys everything you built.
I would rather help a hungry rap artist out and then go sign an R&B singer. Any rapper that I sign would be better than me. Not a tax write off!
GREED KILLS!!
I would help a nigga out the same way I help a nigga on my Block out, …Break bread and keep it movin. Niggas forgot how to be good to each other. Iz all love on this side even tho I live IN the Murder Capitol. When I do a favor, I don’t expect anything back from them. I always recieve more from someone else regardless. 100% percent of the time.
Nothing spiritual just good luck that is created!
GREED KILLS!!!
May 22nd, 2007 at 1:14 pm
NUMBER 8 I AGREE.
WE DON’T LIKE SOUTHERN MUSIC FOR LYRICAL ABILITY. IT’S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF VIBE. WHEN YOUR IN THE CLUB, YOU KNOW. IT MAKES YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING INSTEAD OF ANALYZING IT AND THEN DOING SOMETHING. IT’S THE FEELING. LIKE NY RAP FROM THE 70′S AND 80′S.
A BIG FUCKIN PARTY.
NUMBER 10. YOUR NOT THE ONLY HIP HOP HEAD. YOU TALK LIKE YOU CREATED HIP HOP BRUVUH. WE CAN QUOTE LIL WAYNE VERSES FROM MIXTAPES! HAHA. WHAT ALL YOU HEAR IS THE RADIO VERSIONS OF RAP? COME OUT OF THE ROCK YOU’VE BEEN SLEEPIN UNDER. RAPS AND METAPHORS ARE GETTING BETTER BY THE YEAR. IT’S NATURAL PROGRESSION. SEARCH AND YOU WILL FIND O HEAD.
NUMBER 12
MAINSTREAM HIP HOP IS AND ALMOST ALWAYS WAS WACK. HOW IS HIP HOP DEAD WHEN YOU WERE JUST TALKIN ABOUT ALL THE ARTISTS THAT YOU ENJOY LISTENING TO? C’MON BE SMART.
May 22nd, 2007 at 1:34 pm
if your a real hiphop fan, you dont want to hear eminem or 50 or any other of these over hyped cornballs. Maybe im just getting old. im 29, i grew up listening to hiphop. That bull shit out right now should have another word , that shit aint hiphop. that shit is wack. all ya young muthafuckas in here are corny. ya all are phony.
May 22nd, 2007 at 4:20 pm
I think that yall niggz need to get yall balls pulled out of your stomachs, fuck tiptoein’ around these sorry ass rap niggaz, the all suck and they could all die for all I care. Fuck poppin and lockin and dancin and buyin dranks and flirtin last I checked, they aint had all those luxuries in hell. Fuck liberalism and anybody who supports it. Niggaz need structure. By the way, rap does affect kids, stupid.
May 22nd, 2007 at 5:03 pm
when something becomes a big money maker, it turns bad.
everything from sports to music.
it becomes all about the money instead of the art.
players would rather get a 500million dollar contract than to be a champion.
just like rappers would rather sell their souls and make “commercial/crossover” songs that will be sure hits with the main consumers.
unfortunatly, we black people arent the main consumers.
we listen to it more, but we dont buy the most cds.
May 22nd, 2007 at 6:04 pm
Well the A is for Ashley
she always ask for me to take it out her pussy
put it right in her ass and the
B is for Brittany she right in the class
she be hatin on Ashley cuz she tight in the ass
you see is for Christina want me to big screen her
the way she dick dish should be a misdameanor so if you seen her
I been searchin but cant find her
ever since i been wit Diamond wit Diamonds in her vagina
And the E is for ever elegant Ericka
sweet red bitch
we used to call her Miss America
I aint gon lie now Ericka is a dog
but to the that magnolia nigga she done fucked em all, (Slim!)
Speakin of slim, the f is for Fat,
a real skinny hoe so you know
why they call her that
And the G for gabriel , you can call her Gabby
but all my homeboys seem to call her nasty
H is for my H-town homegirl Heather
Head haze, purple pussy pills with afta
My mami’s dedicated aw, she neva tell me no
the most she say is not yea and then uh
I is for Isis mami a pisces,
she fuck rappers for free, but hit them actors wit prices
they always pay cuz her body the nicest
but I hit that everyday back when I had the wife I
J for Joanessa kinda sexy wit light eyes
she didnt make the band but she still doin quite fine
To key for Kia
I hate that bitch
because she super fuckin fine
but she caint take that dick
And then the L is for LaKia
that’s Kia’s twin
night and day everytime we fuck I fall right in
and the M is for Maria, Madia, Madieah
she hangs out wit NeCole whose fuckin Olivia
WHO TEH FUK SAID HE CANT STICK TO 1 SUBJECT
THIS SEEM LIKE ONE FUKIN SUBJECT TO ME
BITCHESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS