It could be argued that just as video perhaps killed the radio star, that the Internet ruined the rap star. Coincidence or not, the golden era of Hip Hop’s D-Day is not far from when most schools, libraries, followed by an economic trickle-down of families got modern to the modem. Although limited content and connection speeds made what could be done on the Internet minimal, the Hip Hop browser’s information super highway is now jammed with billboards, boutiques and rappers holding up cardboard signs that they’re street veterans, willing to rap for attention, or at least a MySpace comment.

Every time a rapper hops in his car, it seems that a dashboard camera is turned on. Chung King sessions became the pinhole mic and Reason. Instead of a steady album every two years, rappers are doing mixtapes every week. “Please listen to my demo” evolved into “Here’s a ZShare, fams.” Rumors swirl, pictures surface, playlists post, and everybody’s Twittering away commentary.

However, just as quickly as a cynical soul can question the merit of the web’s contribution to Hip Hop, there has been a genesis of genius. Parallel to the argument that the independent artist has the creative control that a major label withholds, the DIY writer, filmmaker and possible 2010 deejay are what’s making Hip Hop truly remain fun, remain educational, and remain groundbreaking on the Internet. To call them “bloggers” might be the equivalent of referring to KRS-One or Ice Cube as “rappers.” It might not be inaccurate, but it’s surely not saying nearly enough.

Video technology has allowed Hip Hop to get more personal. Whether video allows Joe Budden to share his lady’s assets or Prodigy teaching his son how to let one off, Hip Hop stars are letting us in. Inversely, we’re able to show them what exactly we think of them. Longtime Hip Hop luminary Jay Smooth uses video essays on his IllDoctrine.com [click here] to analyze the senselessness of “no homo” or parody the video blogger altogether, including himself. Another onetime XXL blog affiliate, Dallas Penn has extended his vast Hip Hop commentary with buddy Rafi to use video to show Hip Hop’s rural, urban and international listeners a dichotomy of urban America, using observational comedy of staples such as check-cashing spots, with a mockumentary style that appeals to people far beyond the culture that arguably gave both creators a voice and a reason.

More overt comedy comes from brothers Eric and Jeff Rosenthal, with their weekly rap comedy sketches, ItsTheReal.com [click here]. The show takes pages from comedic elements seen in The Office or Saturday Night Live and adds it to an inherent love and knowledge of Hip Hop, filling a void left by The Chappelle Show and In Living Color. “Our whole lives have been around Hip Hop music and culture. We’ve always loved it. Recently, we felt that Hip Hop was taking itself too seriously, and wasn’t having enough fun. That’s not to say that gun talk shouldn’t be around or different kinds of rap shouldn’t be around, but we just felt that there was an element missing, and we could add something to it,” says 27 year-old Eric. A film graduate of University of Syracuse, Eric’s filmmaking is hardly novice. Prior to ItsTheReal, an effort that began over a year ago, Rosenthal was doing documentary film work for Hip Hop’s elite, including Kanye West and Missy Elliot. Meanwhile, 24 year-old Jeff, a Boston University grad, had written about Hip Hop, interviewing artists for several publications, allowing the two brothers from Harrison, New York to fuse their love together.

“We had a three-pronged program which we initially wanted to put on television. Really deep interviews – 60 Minutes meets Angie Martinez, performances like MTV Unplugged, and then Hip Hop sketch comedy,” explains Eric about their initial mission. Jeff adds, “When we visited a lot of the places, a lot of these big companies loved the idea, they just didn’t see the vision.” That drove the comedic filmmakers online. “That’s what ItsTheReal started out as, on a blogspot page, a year and some change ago.” The videos now get upwards of 20,000 views, and have featured industry celebrities like Bun B, Charles Hamilton and famed Hip Hop editor Elliott Wilson.

Although these sketches, which include pokes at Def Jam Records buying up its own releases, a Lloyd Banks retirement party and Jews campaigning for Jay-Z do not pay the Rosenthals' rent, the brothers treat the hobby like a passion.

“It takes a lot of time; that’s a huge sacrifice. We’re not making any money on this right now. The goal is to one day make a living at comedic writing,” says Eric, who along with Jeff, market the videos Monday, write through the week, and film and edit nearly every weekend out of the year. As both artists and outlets like VIBE magazine and Shade 45 radio recognize the Brothers Rosenthal with interviews, it seems likely that the duo – who also champion their – often featured – group of friends and other brother Dan, may get a different reaction should they revisit television. Still, as Jeff says, ItsTheReal intends to stay true to the medium that made them, “We love television and Internet, and hope both are a part of our success.” Continued on page 2 »