Black People : A RESPONSE to HipHop's Intelligentsia.

[A007]

Lil Wayne's last album is straight up "meh", lol. Kanye is a good producer, but as a MC he needs work in a lot of areas (although he's getting better). Lupe is okay, but is overrated imo...

I agree, I don't dig Kanye's flow, but WHAT HE SAYS and HOW HE SAYS IT is genius. If you can name another rapper that can give you real statements in his raps and STILL have mass appeal (besides Jay-z and Tupac)I will gladly listen to him.

I agree, Lil Wayne is not great a writing albums. That is his one weakness. But, can you name another one (besides subject matter)?

Lupe is still a child. Give him a chance to grow. Watch what he does.

 

[Khasm13]

a person can be smart...
but people will always be dumb as he11...as a whole

mass appeal does not mark the greatness of a rapper 2 me...imho

one love
khasm

 

[Metaverse]

I respect your statements Bro. A007. From a business perspective, I've met many Artists who somehow "envy" the commercial success of other Rappers for example only because in their hearts they know they are much better than they are, at least from the standpoint of skill and musical talent.

For example, many people forget 50 Cent was an underground Artists long before most outside of New York knew about him. In fact, we were passing 50's mixtapes around for years. What was 50's "mass" appeal? The lyrics he's doing now? No- actually for the true "lyrical heads" in NYC that doesn't work. It was his wit. It was the fact that he was making fun of commercial rappers in the game, that's what won 50 his underground fan base. OK, he had some tough talk too, but that wasn't what won him "ears" because just about every rapper in the hood has tough talk, you need more.

Fast forward some years later. Where are we? 50 is a problem. Who made him that way? The same machine that made Mike Tyson an Animal. I call it the White Man's mojo.

What most people want to know from their Artists is, "can you see what I see" can you speak for me? And as I said before if Artists aren't doing that then the Artist is not doing their job.

There are so many "mindsets" and philosophies in the African collective that is still untapped. Which is ashame. It is ashame that we subscribe to what our enemies tailor for us. Still, even the Gansta element in Hip-Hop is a redefined element of Warriorhood that was been part of African culture for eons. But so many Warriors and no Generals- no Chief Elders guiding them. Farrakhan tries, Russell tries, Quincy Jones tries- but they all fail without the right forces backing them.

And then of course, there are so many Artists who care less and less about "mass appeal" -where's the money! Ask Prince about that one and he'll tell us that it wasn't until he started controlling his "entire" business of music that he became successful for ~himself. He was one of the first Artists to attempt ecommerce sales of his music and succeeded. Did he sell out shows? Of course, he's Prince. Did he do less sales, sure he did- without the backing of a major label he did much less. But guess what, he made more money because less hands were in his pocket.

We need to stop equating success with commercialism, they do not go hand in hand- never did. What is real success for Artist? When that Artist has successfully done that ~they~ have set out to do, period. There's a big difference between "moving a crowd" and selling records, they do relate- but there's a difference. Not all Artists that sell records can move a crowd. Basically studio Rappers/Artists are not all performers. Some Artists are content with the money they get for performing all over the world, yet they are not top selling Artists. If you can use your artform to get love from all over the world where ever you perform- then that is success.

We have to understand that some elements in Hip-Hop are not always welcomed around the world. Kayne West realized that himself, which is why he said he wants to make "stadium music." Thinking of course about the levels of creativity most Rock n Roll Artists have, which shamefully beats out the Hip-Hop element. Cold Play is one of the most heavily downloaded group on the planet.

Half the time, no one knows what these groups are talking about. What is the mass appeal for them? It's a level of awareness that fans around the world are seeking out. If more Rappers could tap into that mindset then they will understand. What was Seal talking about in 'Kiss from a Rose" who knows? It's poetry. We need to stop looking and acting so stupid with our music and be the Gods that we are with our craft. What most so-called "positive" Rappers fail at, is the music element. People want rhythms they can feel. You can make something positive and powerful without saying a word. Let the beat tell the story.

Rap and Hip-Hop failed to learn the truths from it's distance cousin- Reggae.
That first and overall the most important element in dark African music is the rhythm, that is first and foremost. Whatever message you have will go to hell without it. Black people listen to music first through feeling, if they can't feel it it doesn't matter what you're saying. White producers already know this about us, so why don't we know this about ourselves?

R. Kelly has people singing stupid lyrics like "you remind me of my jeep"- because his "theory" is on point. So you mean to tell me if Hip-Hop wanted to tailor liberation music they couldn't? If they wanted to create music to raise the consciousness they couldn't? That's bs, because this is what Reggae and music throughout the Caribbean has been doing for centuries.

And behind all great levels of consciousness in music there is a philosophy. What I am saying is there is so many philosophies among Black people that you just don't hear in our music. Which is weird and un-natural. The BET and MTV philosophy is only 5-10% of Black philosophy, which is among a smaller breed. You say- Reggae and the first thing that pops into most people's minds is Bob Marley. But Marley was never void of his philosophy. In fact, there would be no Marley without Rastafari, as there would be no Malcolm X without Islam. But I'm not just talking about spiritual or religious philosophy. Do we really think the philosophy among most Black Men is that if another Man steps on my new shoes I'll fight him? Or if he looks at my "chick" I'll shoot him? No. Those are the philosophies that get us sent to prison for being stupid and immature. Which also reveals the relationship between our current state of Hip-Hop and the prison industrial complexes around America.

The most concrete philosophies among Black people deal with earning of money, the raising of families and the development of relationships. The social philosophy among Black Men is the fight for Black Manhood in general. Black Men want to know that they are seen as Men and nothing else. In traditional culture we weren't seen as Men until we passed certain tests and initiations. Today those initiations and tests are in the streets. Being "hard" doesn't make us Men, no more than having a gun makes us Warriors. What makes us Warriors is our ability to out maneuver our enemy. What makes us Men is our ability to create roads where none existed so that those behind us can follow.

Since Hip-Hop is Male dominated, is this a legacy we are leaving for Black Men in the future? Are these roads we will want them to follow? I say yes, because I can see future generations being smart enough to learn from the errors of today's knuckleheads.

They will have to be much smarter than we are, because the world will not be here for long if they are not.

 

[rasembi aunk]

Do you think that in the near future there will be spiritual hip hop music with metaphysical themes to it. Kind of like a Ras Kas of old.

 

[Metaverse]

"Soul On Ice" by Ras Kass

These two MetaTeachers say it all Bro. Rasembi