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Slap-Boxing With Jesus

A Year In Hip-Hop

This is why Boston keeps winning. I still haven't forgiven them for trying to force Benzino down our throats though. Get 'em Casey...

20 years from now when vh1 classic has a documentary how Hip Hop was in 2007 how will it be portrayed. How will it compare to the many great years in Hip Hop history. Is this the Fall chapter for the epic novel the rise and fall of hip hop. Folr me it has been one of the most entertaining years in rap ever. Not that the music was good, but the beefs arrests, drama and gossip kept me thoroughly entertained. No epic albums, groundbreaking singles profound lyrcists, profound concepts or new movements. While it wasn’t the music itself that entertained me the youtube clips radio and interviews and hip hop gossip and blog sites kept me informed on all the juicy beef and drama in the rap world. Rappers have turned from artists to celebrities thugged out Paris Hiltons who are recognized more for their personas than their music.

The year started off good. Cam and 50 stared beef with a hilarious interview on hot 97 that soon escalated into a high tech version of the dozens. I haven’t been as amused by beef since my days as a teenager watching my friends crack on eachother’s mothers, appearance, sex life quietly hoping that they wouldn’t get on me. Two arrogant witty motherfuckers dissing eachother I felt like I was watching Macho Man Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan talk shit about eachother in the 80’s. rap has become the talking before the fight without the fight. And just like school children rushing to the scene of a fight about to happen, my self and other rap fans like school children watching two kids about to fight gave our attention, hoping to observe the outcome. Unfortunately Cam got punched in the face by True Life eroding his street credibility and we lost interest.

Then came the deathblow for gangsta rap as we know it. Radio personality Don Imus during a discussion on the NCAA womens team brought up the anology of the Jiggaboos and wannabees from spike Lees School Days, to differentiate the physical appearance of the teams. The discussion soon turned to Don Imus, in a mock-black tone reffering to the Rutgers women’s basketball teams as some nappy headed hos. When controversy erupted over the statement, Don imus did what any man in power and in the public would do, blame someone else. The someone was hip hop. Imus claimed his statements were comdedic and satirical(I wouldn’t know seing as how I never found him in any way funny). Of course black comedians, and White comedians have said things ten times worse but none did so in the forum that welcomed respected journalists and politicians and had a solid middle class older following. Howard stern for years has tread on the line between racistand funny but he has always had Robin and other black sidekicks, to dampen the blows, Family Guy has managed an equal opportunity racist but at least they hit all bases. What really disturbs is not the racial humor of Imus and Stern, but the outright right wing racism of Limbaugh, Hannity, Coultier and O’Riley. O Riley’s comment on how he as surprised he was to see black people act ‘civilized’ at Sylvia’s, showed a much more deep seeded racism than Imus mean spirited joke. And Who did Oriley blame over the small controversy? You guessed it hip hop, saying that due to Hip Hop’s portrayal of African Americans he has a false idea of black culture . The fact that Oriley is a paid member of the White House Propaganda team known as Fox News is equally disturbing. The right wing radio support of the war, dehumanization of lost Iraqi life,warmongering, intolerance for other cultures races and religions is way more offensive to me than a old white man joking about nappy headed hoes.

Anyway Imus comments diverted the scrutiny from his commnts to rap. Oprah held a town meeting on Hip Hop, criticizing the violence, misogyny and drug use that is prevalent in Hip Hop. My only problem is that she didn’t goafter the multibational corporations that sell Hip Hop but Hip Hop culture itself. Its not the culture that promotes negative rap, its Clear Channel, Viacom, Universal, SONY BMG, Warner Brothers that decide what rap is promoted o the general public. 50 Cent responded to Oprah’s comments saying that it didn’t matter what she said because they had different audiences. Which is true, however their audiences are deeply intertwined. The majority of Oprah’s is middle aged, suburban white females and the majority of 50’ is teen and tweenaged suburban boys who are the sons of Oprah’s audience. So if mom won’t buy Timmy that 50 cent CD for Christmas because she hear rap loves guns and drugs and hates women and closely monitors her sons itunes he’s lsing out on sales. More than sales which were declining anyway, Hip Hop began losing its bread and butter, corporate endorsements, as companies began dropping their hip hop spokespersons due to negative backlash.

50 was the supposed to be the 1st savior for rap but even raps reigning multiplatinum king could not breathe new life into rap. His 1st two singles failed miserably and he couldn’t even start a beef, maybe if Cam didn’t get punched in the face 50 could of got one of his goons to shoot Freeky Zeeky before his album dropped and have a couple big diss trax for the album to hit the mixtape circuit, however 50 had no back story no shootings no beef no good music to promote his album, Curtis ‘Interscope’ Jackson, had hid album pushed back three months.

While many people hoped the Don Imus scandal would subside criticism of Hip Hop continued. Filmaker, Byron Hurt put out the dope documentary, Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes, which was a much more accurate knowledgeable, and poignant criticism from those outside the culture like, Imus, Sharpton, Oprah, Oreily and the like. The film showed an accurate depiction of the violence and misogyny in hip hop, backed up by interviews footage and lyrics from rappers.
Russell Simmons went on a book tour he turned into a Spanish Inquisition on Hip Hop defending modern day Hip Hop as poetry. However Russel lost all credibility to me when he defended De Beers and Blood Diamonds, proving that he will defend anything he has financial interest in, regardless of the immorality or negative effect on society. Russel’s other causes, seemed very out f touch from the real issues in the black community, promoting issues like PETA(for white women with pet dogs) and campaigning against anti-semetism. Seems s if Russell cars more for dogs and jews han he does black people.

BET had a town hall in negativity in Hip Hop which is kind of like playboy having a town hall meeting about nudity. The town hall reminded me of my old Columbia days in that I had to hear Michael Eric Dyson give 20 minute dissertations repeatedly(he was my Hip Hop Profesor). Brought in to defend Hip Hop were TI and Nelly, who passionately defended their brand of music. TI claimed that he only talked about ‘AAK’s and Tech Nines to trick young people into buying his album and hear the positive songs. Dam you tricky TI, baiting me in with your gun talk only to let me find outabout the rich cultural history of WEB DuBois and the Harlem renaissance. I guess he went to far trying to trick young people into buying his album when he bough that small Arsenal later this year hoping to reinforce the wy he tricks young people into buying his albums. Nelly, known more for his pp jams than his gangsta rap, was also put on the spot for his raunchy video, Tip Drill. While many years from now when the invent a credit card machine that can fit into a strippers ass, Nelly will be seen as a visionary. However women who exist outside of the strip club culture (Spelman College, Essence magazine) frowned upon it deeply. BET finally gave a voice to the women who have been criticizing BET for years on its depiction of black women.
That said 2007 was not a good year for black women in hip hop. Lil Kim came out and no one cared. Eve caught a Hollywood starlet, pre requisite DUI. Foxy Browns tantrums finally came back to haunt her as she was sent to Rikers, Gucci shoed in all. Female rappers paid for their images with their freedom. Just as the gangsters wifeys often have to do time for supporting their gangsta boyfriends, the very few relevant females rappers have been doing time at an excessive rate. These days the only way you can find an article about a woman in a hip hop magazine would be in the eye candy section.
2007 also brought about the disposable hip hop artist. With ringtones becoming a lucrative way to make money, and the album, not so much, the ringtone has superceeded the album in terms rappers being known for their albums which should contain a variety of different songs, topics and styles, messages, and good lyrics. However with a ringtone all people are looking for is a catchy phrase, jingle or repetitive chant. No one is looking for social commentary or a profound concept on a 15 second ringtone. Shop Boyz, Mims, Huey, Soulja Boy, all had popular singles that translated well into ringtone sales but not well into album sales. Labels are trying to sign more disposable rappers who can put out a novelty single to sell ringtones rather than signing quality rappers capable of creating good albums.

With album on decline, its no wonder that the rapper the media, hipsters and the streets(not the internet streets) have proclaimed as the hottest MC this year, Lil Wayne didn’t even put out an album. With just collaborations, guest appearances and mixtape tracks, Lil Wayne had enough juice to call himself the best rapper alive without being questioned. With Hip Hop under attack for negative content,guns, misogyny and drugs, Lil Wayne might not be the best posterboy. Having been arrested for guns, proclaing his blood affiliation, and singing the praises of sizzurp(codeine) and prescription pills, Lil Wayne does not make him a god roll model for the thousands of urban youth who look up to him. Wayne recently bragged to O-Zone magazine about his tattoo tears(symbols for murders) and how he would kill opponents along with their newborns. Despite Hip Hops propencity for violence few would condone the killing of newborns even if it came from rap beef. The statement reflects a growing trend of disrespect for children. With Camron threatening to piss on Nas baby daughter, to Tany Yayo slapping Jimmy Henchman’s son, which resulted in gunman shooting up Yayo’s mother’s house, where his sister and her child were living. This type of violence is disturbing even to the most hardcore criminal. Even Scarface refused to take part in harming children.

While guns and misogyny have been saturated into rap culture for sometime now,Hip Hop has not been affected by hard drug use the way Jazz, Rock and Roll and R&B have been. While rappers have always promoted weed and alchohol, hip-hop has traditionally frowned on hard drug use. With the exceptions of ODB and DMX few rappers have delved into the world of hard drugs and fewer still have been open about it. A recent study showed that weed use was on the decline while prescription pill use is skyrocketing. While pill use has traditionally been a Caucasian problem a few rappers have been bragging about pill use and some have been even speculating that it was pill use that resulted in the death of Pimp C. Sizzurp use also continues to spread from Houston to the rest of the country. Many have speculated that Sizzurp use led to the deaths of DJ Screw and purple Moe, who knows how many non celebrity deaths it has caused. Interestingly enough it is phizer that has lobbied extensively against the legalization and regulation of marijuana that makes many of the prescription pills that rappers and others are using. Hopfull rap will not be plagued by the addiction and overdoses that has plagued previous forms of black music.

2007 also gave birth to one of the best marketing plans Hip Hop has ever created. After being delayed several due to lack of a buzz, reigning Soundscan king 50 cent’s album was set to drop on September 11th. Universal which owns both Kanye’s Def Jam and 50’s Interscope took the opportunity to drop Kanye’s album the same day setting a clash of the Titans. The showdown was made to look like a prize fight, with photoshoots trash talk, and media types predicting to winner. 50 faced a different opponent in Kanye, not another gangsta rapper who he could belittle and mock for not being as tough as he was but a metrosexual, church loving Jon Mayer collaborating producer. The match was meant to determine the direction of hip hop. While both represented materialism and arrogance, Kanye represented the old school native tongue aesthetic with a lil Diddy in him vs 50’s oversaturated corporate sponsored gangsta. Perhaps white America was tired of 50, or Kanye had hotter singles, or Don Imus ethered gangsta rap as a whole genre. Kanye was not the only non gangsta to be successful. 2007 served to be the year of the Huxtable in Hip Hop. Not only Kanye, the product of two college proffessors, but Talib Queli also the product of two college professors and Common the product of an ABA player and a high school principle all had successful albums this year(in contect. However the year was not that great for Kanye as he lost his biggest support system his mom. While I grieve for Kanye’s loss, I find it ironic that the man whop put so much emphasis on image lost his mother to an unnecessary surgery to improve her look. Recently his mom had written a book and become a much more public figure and perhaps felt the pressure to look younger. Ironically if she had heeded her sons advice on Workout Plan and went to the gym she might still be alive today.

In other news DJ Drama got busted for mixtapes, Stack Bundles died, Ja Rule proved that despite what 50 did to him he could still get arrested in this town, Prodigy has to do some real time. The next new York rapper(Saigon, Papoose, Maino, Uncle Murder) hasn’t come to save the day. The veteran South brought some credibility back their region with Scarface and UGK dropping albums that where well reviewed and sold relatively well and Andre 300 dropping killer cameos, it hard to argue that the South has no social commentary or intelligent lyrics.

What will 08 bring? A lot of Wayne? Will hipster hop blow up? Who will get shot, who will go to jail? Who will be another Hip Hop scapegoat for what’s wrong with America. Will hip hop have a resurgence or fade away like disco? I’m sure there was a lot of good rap music in 07 but as the saying goes if a tree falls in a forrest and noone hears it, does it make a sound. However 07 was great for the bloggers, bad for the listeners and great for white America as a scapegoat. I will continue to follow hip hop, checking blogs, watching youtube and listening to radio interviews. Rap has become the Sopranos, people only pay attention to see who gets killed or arrested the music has just become a soundtrack to the beef and drama. Its unfortunate that rap has taken such a bashing in the media, if it hadn’t maybe rappers could help get Obama elected. As of now an endorsement for Obama from a rapper(besides will Smith discounting Kidz and the Hall and Jin) would likely hurt his cause more than help it. The once vibrant political force of hip hop has been displaced with thuggery and no politician wants to be endorsed by a thug.

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