There is no hall of fame in Hip Hop. Despite all of the awards and units sold, sometimes this still relatively young cultural movement of ours seems incredibly disposable. As the years pass by, your favorite emcee can easily be transformed from being on top of the mountain into regulars on the Vh1 reality television circuit. It's little wonder that so many of Hip Hop's founding fathers find themselves bitter and on the receiving end of harsh criticism.

All of this is not lost on Craig G and Marley Marl. The pair is now decades removed from their years of Juice Crew dominance. Yet, to hear them talk to each other is to re-live the excitement of hearing what made you fall in love with Hip Hop in the first place. They don't speak of taking back Hip Hop as a threat—but as an invitation extended from one generation to another. The game has changed, but these two friends are still chasing after one of the few things that will always remain constant: the perfect chemistry that is created when a dope beat pushes an artist to compliment it with the perfect rhyme. It's really that simple.

HipHopDX: I guess we should start with the title. Naming the album Operation Take Back Hip Hop makes it pretty clear how you guys feel about the state of the game and your position in it.
Craig G: I’ve always been saying that I’m not the only one that feels this way. It’s been said over and over again. The funny thing is, when a rapper says it everyone looks at him like a hater. At the same time, no one wants to talk about it. I just want to get the dialogue started about why the game is lopsided right now and why there’s no more balance in the game. Even from the beginning, there’s always been wack Hip Hop, but there’s just no balance anymore.

There was a point where if I wanted to hear some hardcore shit, I could go listen to N.W.A. I could go listen to A Tribe Called Quest [click to read] if I wanted to chill. There was Public Enemy if I wanted to get political, but we don’t have those choices anymore. That’s pretty much my problem with it, and I don’t even blame the rappers. It ain’t really the rappers faults. The machine that’s pushing Hip Hop right now feels like we’re under communist rule. That’s basically why the title of the album is making that statement.

DX: When you look at a Stakes Is High or Hip-Hop is Dead, how thin is that line between constructive criticism and complaining?
CG: Like I said, I’m a fan. Don’t get me wrong, there is good Hip Hop out there. As far as the mainstream level goes, 80% of it is just [copying] the last thing that was out. They’re not looking for originality anymore and that’s what’s killing us. I don’t personally believe what I’m saying is the most original thing, but I just felt it had to be said.

DX: I’ve heard you shout out Bon Jovi, Def Leppard and a bunch of other stuff, Craig. When we look at all these other genres, there isn’t that negative stigma attached with being dominant in an earlier era.
CG: That disgusts me, man. If it was up to me I would banish the term “old school.” I think it’s real condescending. If you look at The Rolling Stones, The Eagles or any of these dudes they call "Classic Rock," they sell out arenas without having product out on the street. The Eagles just sold seven million off that last album independently. The fans of that genre hold their artists in a higher regard. As far as Hip Hop and the powers that be making it so youth driven, it’s almost like they push us to the side. I won’t say it’s all of us, but there’s a whole bunch of us from our era that are still great artists. We don’t get the time to be looked at because we’re labeled with that word “old school.” Why can’t it just be "classic"?
Marley Marl: Or just call it retro.
CG: Yeah, “old school” almost sounds like an insult. In these other genres, these dudes made songs that were timeless. Timeless. They’re fans will step over their mothers to get tickets to their concerts.
MM: The funny shit is Rolling Stones “old school” stuff is outselling everybody new. [Laughs]
CG: [Laughs.] Exactly. And to me it’s a bad thing. It is what it is, but at the same time it makes me want to prove myself.

DX: One record that really stands out is “Made the Change.” As much as people claim Hip Hop kept them off the streets, no one seems to ever address it directly like you do in that song.
CG: That song was basically me thinking about where I would be without dudes like Marley and without Hip Hop. It’s not really about bragging about how your hood is, but a lot of people where we’re from in Queensbridge only saw one ending. They were either dead or in jail. I feel like I owe Hip Hop, because who knows what I’d be doing if it wasn’t for it. That’s why that song is important to me. And the beat is like an aluminum bat to the back of the head. Continued on page 2 »