An Intelligent Perspective

An article was written this week entitled “Critical Minded: Why Does Jeezy Get a Pass for Being Wack? By J-23 for Hiphopdx.com

http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/columns-editorials/id.687/title.critical-minded-why-does-jeezy-get-a-pass-for-being-wack

These are my thoughts…

INTELLIGENTNEWZNET

INFORMING the HIP-HOP COMMUNITY

***My article is NOT about Young Jeezy!*** this build session attempts to answer the question posed in the 1^st sentence of the original article, as well as other topics related to Hiphop’s turbulent life and supposed death…

“Since when did mediocrity become acceptable for emcees in hip-hop?”

An Intelligent Perspective…

This argument about mediocrity in hip-hop is not a new one, neither is the Northeast vs. the South lyrical "beef." Ironically, the East took the same position when the West Coast hip-hop scene popped-off. Think about it, this problem with "hip-hop has changed", “hip-hop is wack” or "hip-hop is dead" has only happened when some other city, coast, or quadrant other than New York, develops a vibrant hip-hop scene. Before hip-hop in other parts of the country began to blow-up, it was all about New York. But, didn’t New York MC’s have lyrical beef with each other? Absolutely, the Bronx (hip-hops birth-place) had lyrical issues with other boroughs who they felt was not as hip-hop as they, thus, "The Bridge is Over." Lyrical "beef" was focused primarily in New York between blocks, crews, boroughs, etc. But, as soon as Cali threw their hip-hop hats in the arena it seemed as if the five boroughs magically united to deal with the so-called common threat, "the West Coast." Now it’s "the south." I say let the “niggas” live! Of course, you can criticize someone’s art, after all its art, but don't make it appear as if rappers whose art you may not care for is the reason "hip-hop is dead." Because that is far from the truth! Mediocrity has nothing to do with where you come from! The reasons that many of today’s rappers choose the same exact “mediocre” subject matter speaks more to the CORPORATE control over hip-hop’s current image and direction than to their natural lyrical abilities.

When the East Coast was the sole-controller of the hip-hop genre, while growing up in my hood I caught the same hell for criticizing Milk D's rhymes, my opinion was that his shit was mediocre, but I liked the overall song. Was it not the intellectual Ultramagnetic MC's who said "to the scientific matter I probe for evidence.../leaving melodies obtaining slight positive beams.../of the average formulation applied mechanically..." and dissed RUN-DMC for their apparent mediocrity by saying "they keep singing back and forth the same ole' rhythms../that a baby can pick-up and join right with'em.../their rhymes are pathetic.../they think they copasetic.../using nursery terms, at least not poetic...” Shit, Ced Gee said straight out "Say What…Peter Piper? …to hell with childish rhymes.../but this jam steady moving, the crowd is steady grooving.." What I am saying is that Hip-Hop is NOT dead! Hip-Hop has always had its "mediocre" rappers (Milk D amongst others), its gangstas (Just-Ice, Kool G Rap, etc.), political (PE, BDP, X-CLAN, PRT, etc.), party/dancing rappers (Kid-N-Play, Steezo, etc.), etc., etc. The only apparent difference I see in Hip-Hop is "CORPORATE AMERICA!"

Corporate America does NOT want to market an MC who's songs are geared towards the upward mobility of black-people when 75% of the music is purchased by white-kids who they claim/feel don't give a fuck about that, therefore PE, X-CLAN, PRT and others are, at best, a "turn-off" for white kids going out to the store and buying the music. This is why we no-longer have the balance of hip-hop opinions blaring through the radio-speakers or the BET/MTV video networks. CORPORATE AMERICA IS THE REAL PROBLEM! The clap-a-nigga, stripper-bitch, pimps up-hoes down, flossed-out, bling-bling, cognac, $500 blue-jean raps keeps white-kids shopping, clubbing, drinking and SPENDING MONEY! While at the same time it keeps young black kids smuggling, cooking, hustling, pitching and banging, so that they may afford to go shopping, clubbing, drinking and SPENDING MONEY! It is not in the best interest of CORPORATE AMERICA and her hierarchy to have a balanced and healthy representation of Hip-Hop on the radio that mobilizes kids to book-stores, colleges and libraries! I really believe that we should use our time and energy on trying to figure out how to break the legs of CORPORATE AMERICA and take back control over hip-hop’s business and image instead of isolating and blaming one form of the culture as the reason for it’s decline? The bottom line is that mediocre rappers are a hazard of the job, but as long as we have balance and respect…we’ll be fine. Maybe if the overwhelming majority of interviewer’s, journalist’s, and photographers spent an equal amount of time covering, writing and exposing those Mc’s that exceed our lyrical expectations and speak about more than pimps, hoes, clothes, guns and cars, mediocrity in hip-hop wouldn’t be such an issue. Hip-Hop ain't dead, I seen her sliding down a pole in a strip club in Decatur "I kissed the bitch and put a fifty in her thong.../and whispered in her ear, STAY STRONG..."

WISE INTELLIGENT

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2007 is the year of Solutions and Success!