Hip hop started out in the park, two turn tables and a microphone. Who would’ve thought that in three decades that we’d go from the hood to Hollywood? Nonetheless, hip hop is at it’s best right now in terms of the almighty dollar but we’re seeing the worst of times artistically.

*pause for the cause*

I know that most of you think I’m about to get on my editorial soap box and fire away at three fifths of the Billboard charts, but ladies and gents, B-boys and B-girls, it’s a new day. And as one rapper said, “this is food for thought, get a plate.” Gather round, dinner is served.

*and action*

Let’s put the music in perspective for a moment. As much as some of y’all hate Mike Jones (who?) we need him in the game. I said, as much as some of y’all hate Mike “you all know my name” Jones we need him in the game just as much as we need Common and Mos Def.

Which leads me to my next point. Hip hop purists will shake their heads, but, there’s room at the top for everybody. We need Dem Franchize Boyz, we need Dip Set and as much as it pains me to say this (until I actually decide to hit the clubs), we men need to watch some thicky Nicky shake her Laffy Taffy.

The problem is not the fact that we can lean wit it and rock wit it… the problem is that unless you know better, the ONLY thing we can do is lean and rock (how long will snap music be relevant anyway? Anybody remember the Tootsie Roll? Hell, I’ll take it a step further and shout you out in the next column if you can name the group that made the song.).

Said artists, dare I say are the game’s new school version of your Biz Markie’s, Will Smith’s and other rappers who just wanted to have fun.

Before you all fix your fingers to fill my inbox with blasphemous comments, suspend the fact that Will and Biz have made some classic records. Under the conditions of today, if we were subjected to ”you say he’s just a friend” 35 times a day, 7 days a week, 50 some odd weeks out of the year, we’d hate Biz Markie’s ass too.

If there was no Public Enemy to balance out N.W.A., we’d be boycotting Eazy E and friends for being a detriment to the black community. (For those of you who argue that N.W.A. has a catalog of “classic shit”, remember that there were those in the community who thought the music was an abomination and bastardized all hip hop had worked for up to that point.) Continued on page 2 »