COVER STORY: What's real hip-hop??

(Via GQ)




OKAY so I was recently doing my browsing of this month magazines, and I was looking through the XXL magazine and as you guys know Drake and Nicki Minaj were the cover story with the title "Nicki and Drake Domination: The Rebirth of Rap Royalty". I can agree to the title because every radio station that features R&B and Hip Hop is not complete w/o an track with Nicki and Drake in it! But now it's an whole discussion going around, well that has been going on since, THEY say that about in 2000 when all of the "Real" rappers diminished. Or according to THOSE "Real" listeners. The question I want to spark and sort of elucidate is: What is REAL hip-hop? Some say that Lil Wayne embodies the essence of REAL hip-hop. However some say that new-era rappers, rap for the money and not for the passion and the desire to relay their issues, and elaborate on current events creatively, like Jay, Talib Kweli, and LL Cool J. THEY say that rappers as of now, don't rap about the struggles of real-life situations and controversies. THEY say that female rappers in this day, literally go by the term 'SEX SELLS' so they won't lose their big house and expensive clothes. THEY say that Nicki Minaj is doing absolutely too much to stay in the media. Her barbie portrayal is not a good look for young women in America, and that she is turning all of the young women into fake items. But who are THEY?


Funny you should ask, because THEY are people who are still stuck in the 90's, THEY are people who hasn't realized that in the turn of the century a whole new mind set brushed across the music industry. They are the people that hasn't realized that, this NEW music that is being put in mainstream media, IS REAL MUSIC.. They haven't realized that Nicki Minaj doesn't do this to be fake or phony. She does it because her AUDIENCE, which is probably your daughters like this.


When the critics of new music say "Where is all of the new music is going?" They clearly forgot about Wale, who's song "90210" sparked controversy because he rapped about a girl who did anything (including having sex with producers) to make her way into the entertainment industry in Beverly Hills. They forgot about Drake, who's song titled "Over", explains the life that you experience once you become an celebrity, and majority of the people that you are surrounded by you hardly even know. They think that real rappers are defined by whether or not they're mainstream or underground. Underground rappers get more respect because their 'rapping for the people.' Truth be told, if they make it mainstream they'll be rapping the same stuff you'll just get a peek at their new lifestyle.

They said that Lil Wayne was better when he was Cash Money. But Young Money is the SAME thing, and honestly just an improved version of Cash Money. Listeners as of now, do not want to run around saying 'bling bling.' They would much rather say 'Roger That." (referring to Young Moneys single: Roger That)


I'm tired of the media saying that Nicki Minaj is just a female MC who's 15 seconds of fame is going to be over. Or that she's entirely to much of an attention whore. Parents think that she's corrupting their children by her extremely vulgar lyrics, and crazy appearance. Let me quote you guys something that she said in her interview with XXL Magazine
"I never feel pressure to say anything sexual. I think people have come to understand my personality now, and even when I do say something sexual, it's almost funny. I've turned a lot of songs down I'll they're to overly sexual because I don't believe I have to do that In the beginning, I think I did feel I had to do that- I'm not gonna lie. But as of right now, I don't feel like, in order for me to get attention, I have to do anything sexual. The majority of my fans seem to be younger girls [and] they're cool with me making weird faces and putting a pink weave in. It's more about the character that I've built and less about the sexuality now I think. I love kooky style. I love things that look like a photoshoot everyday. I wanna play dress-up"

I can't argue and say that older hip hop isn't hip hop because I wasn't there during that time. But I can do my research as a listener and using the internet as an resource I can dissect the music. As a listener to music now, this is real music! If it wasn't real music then why do rappers of today use: KRS ONE, Tribe Called Quest, Jay-z, Pac, and BIG as their inspirations.


So to conclude, What is REAL Hip-Hop isn't nesscarily a question, because they're really isn't REAL Hip-Hop. It's Hip-Hop. Take it or leave it.