Hip-Hop Isn't What It Used to Be
I understand what Common was saying in his song, "I Used to Love H.E.R."
Remember back on the boogie when cats used to harmonize? raps hip-hop legend Lauryn Hill in the intro to the 1998 jam, "Doo Wop (That Thing)." Those who truly know hip-hop should know that "Doo Wop (That Thing)" is a true classic, along with Common's "I Used to Love H.E.R." and A Tribe Called Quest's funky "Can I Kick It?" Somehow, as time passed, hip-hop changed into this unknown form, which is why I believe that hip-hop is not what it used to be. Hip-hop used to make a person's spirit rise and fly. Hip-hop was the microphone for those who did not have a voice. Hip-hop was a messenger to the world to let those know what was going on in today's society and that we need to do something different. However, when I turn on the radio or turn on the television, the only message (if you could call it a message) I hear is about women, clubbing, and materialism. It almost makes me wonder what has happened to the beloved music that I grew up with? How did we go from Tupac's "Lord Knows" to Young Money's "Every Girl?"
I understand that there are hip-hop artists trying to keep hip-hop in its roots (i.e. Common, Talib Kweli, Mos Def). However, those who rap about the negative definitely outnumber those who rap about the positive. It would seem that people care more about making a quick buck on a song rather than making music that makes people feel good. I do not just put blame on the music artists; I blame the music industry and the listeners. The music industry controls who they want to represent their music label and what kind of music they believe the artists should release. I blame the listeners because as listeners, we have control over what we want to hear. If all we want to hear are songs about half-naked women and alcoholism, then music labels are more than happy to find artists to create those songs. If listeners all took a stand and said, "No more songs about misogyny, materialism, and clubbing," then the music industry should be more than happy to accompany our new tastes (they do want to make money, right?).
Final Thought: Hip-hop is not what it used to be and there are many reasons why. Some blame the music artists, others blame the industry, but I put blame on everyone. Everyone has had some effect (one way or the other) on why hip-hop is not what it used to be.
