Sat Mar 15 2008 02:43:55 By: mystery9 ( 3)
I couldn't agree with Q-Tip more. I'm a longtime fan of his as well as A Tribe Called Quest. A particular track that did it for me was the 1990 cut "Rhythm (Devoted To The Arts Of Moving Butts)" from the first LP, "People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm". I mean, it doesn't get more down to earth than that where you have tracks like, "Footprints", "Push It Along", "Description of A Fool", etc,. What Hip Hop lacks nowadays is creativity and a sense of history. It is so true that if you don't know where you're from then you don't know where you're going. The disease of capitalism has certainly given today's so-called Hip Hop artists a high level of uncertainty. It's actually a societal thing which is taken on the whole world (global capitalism). Hip Hop has sold itself to Corperate America (BET to Viacom) and brought disharmony among us. Where's our sense of community within the music? Artists representing the Real Hip Hop with an underground approach at that. Although, Hip Hop is a multi-billion dollar force the very expansion has also led to its decline or demise. The music went from rap to crap or poetic to pathetic. Notice how production certainly outweighs lyricism. "You rocking live but you ain't saying nothing". Capitalism is the disease and lust for money is the virus. "Never selling out, that's a negative. Lovin' Hip Hop, lovin' heritage" -Q-Tip, ATCQ, Rhythm (Devoted To The Arts of Moving Butts). That's a track has direction. Now what?

Sat Mar 15 2008 04:15:16 By: Adyam ( 1)
What he said sounds right to me. It seems like rap is really sinking down under. Hip hop on the other hand is not as good as it used to be in the 80's,90's when there was more rythm and lyrics. These days it seems like all the songs are very quick and easy to make like karaoke. Maybe it's because the song writers aren't very inspired by the young stars of today. It's never been so easy to become a star when so much is fake and under estimated. There are a lot of artists that perform what they didn't write as usual, which is fine because that isn't necessarilly their job but look and listen a lot of the girls these days they either have that squeeky barbie voice or the i don't care low pitch voice when they talk. So there's not too much unique going on. Their are song writers that were inspired strongly in the past which caused them to write unforgettable hits remembered to this day. The writers are malnurished and hungry for some one natural to call the song their own. Till then they'll they don't want to give a masterful piece to wannabe. Look at Janet jackson and madonna they're music kinda sounds the same very techno, dance and electrical and not to lyrical like it used to be. A lot of thins are just being put out there without the real sweat of effort, and untill then it's going to be as easy as crank dat soulja boy and lean back.