Will Smith is the epitome of what a smart rapper needs to be

[Jin]

THE BRIDGE: WHY HIP HOP SUCKS

by Darryl James on May 15, 2007

I knew that the integrity of rap music was in trouble when a young Black man in the mix of everything relevant, timely and hip told me that Eminem was the dopest artist to ever come along. My disagreement wasn't because Eminem was white, but simply, because the artist was just not that good.

Before any fans of Eminem begin to launch attacks, please understand that I was raised on REAL hip hop. REAL hip hop was about the music, it was about the lyrics, it was about the flow, or delivery, it was about the lifestyle.

REAL hip hop dissed and dismissed artists for biting someone else's rhyme style or content, but today's crap rap features a generation of artists who are mimicking a bunch of second rate, talentless losers.

When hip hop had talent and creativity, MC Hammer was clowned, even though he was funky. He was clowned not because he was talentless, but because many of the artists of that day were so stellar. Play Hammer's best music today and he could tell any artist "U Can't Touch This," and most of them truly could not.

Will Smith is the epitome of what a smart rapper needs to be, even though some people want to claim he's corny. But he has been consistent and he grew linearly and with Hollywood calling his name to the tune of $20 million, who knows if he will answer any call to rhyme again?

Tupac was conflicted, but just as beautiful when he was ignorant as when he was poetically celebrating Black mothers or encouraging sister to keep their heads up.

Today there is always Common, Mos Def and Outkast, but their voices are few and no longer of the majority. The voice that is most popular in Rap music really has nothing to say.

How is rap the voice of the people when it isn't saying anything to the people? The things that it says are being said by everyone. There is nothing revolutionary about an art form where everything at the top of the game is monochrome.

Just think about the end days of Disco.

I look at these bitches who are hoes for the record labels, talking about bitches and hoes and I am torn between a strong desire to throw up and a compulsion to lash out and pass out beatdowns.

And, I could pass out those beatdowns easily because these fake gangster emcees are posers who fool no one-not even the Italian Mafiosos they suck up to.

It never made any real sense to me that rappers named themselves after Italian gangsters. First, I found it silly that Black men were naming themselves after gangsters. Second, I found it silly because none of the rappers with Italian gangster names were Italian. Finally, it was silly because if they really wanted to take names of gangsters, there were plenty of Black mobsters around to celebrate.

There is no revolutionary voice in this art form that was once dubbed "The Black CNN."

Twenty years ago, NWA raged against the police and outlined tales of drugs and gangsters in the neighborhood. The so-called Gangsta Rappers of today are repeating those same stories without the wit, or the reality. Most of them sound like they grew up in Middle America, listened to The Best of NWA CD and began to rhyme. These are third generation, fourth rate, Gangsta-Rapper wanna-bes.

Twenty years ago, PE talked about fighting the power. Now, we aren't even focused on power, focusing instead on the accumulation of trinkets and trash, which loses its value long before it loses its minimal luster. It's nearly impossible to name all of the Rappers who have given praise to Jacob the Jeweler, a white man who takes the scraps of diamonds from his floor to make their gaudy, worthless junk jewelry.

Chuck D spoke about the fear of a Black planet, but that fear is long gone where rap music is concerned.

It was revolutionary when Luther Campbell and Eazy-E's labels were independently owned and made simple distribution deals. It's not revolutionary when today's so-called "moguls" enter into partnership deals with corporations that eat away at their ownership, while pretending to the public that something else is in play.

I remember when AZ was "Thinking of a Master Plan," and when X Clan was taking us "To The East Blackwards." Now, the one true desire of the hip hop movement is to bling bling the hardest and to be thugs? That movement is in the wrong direction.

Some may point to Russell Simmons' recent awakening to activism as a move in the right direction, but I say take a closer look and you will smell something very foul. First, the question has to be asked, why did it take Simmons more than twenty years to use rap music icons as well as his own visibility to move the masses? Second, one has to ask what his real motives are since he has only selected specific movements to jump behind. For example, where was his activism when Public Enemy, a real activist group was being mistreated on the label he owned? Finally, why does Simmons only choose to align himself with other high-profile artists and icons?

It is impossible to completely eliminate the revolutionary spirit of an entire generation or of an entire movement. There are of course many artists who are still activism-oriented and who still deliver real revolutionary content in their lyrics and in their lives.

Dead Prez, for example, harken back to the days and ways of The Black Panthers. Standard revolutionaries such as Public Enemy refuse to go away, and with their recent alignment with ultra-revolutionary rapper Paris, the rhyme revolutionaries will continue to bring the noise.

With all the sucking in hip hop, it is comforting to know that some of the few proud rhyme activists refuse to lose.

Now, there are those who will attack me for reminiscing over the days of revolution, but the same people who claim to live and die for hip hop and also claim to be faithful to its roots, completely ignore what it was and what it was supposed to be.

We can hear people talk about what hip hop is supposed to be, but really, only remnants remain.

It's like a zoo. Hip hop is cool to look at, but it's kept harmless and toothless.

Everything that hip hop is supposed to be has been sucked from it.

Now, it just sucks.

Darryl James is an award-winning author who is now a filmmaker. His first mini-movie, "Crack," was released in March of 2006. He is currently filming a full length documentary. James' latest book, "Bridging The Black Gender Gap," is the basis of his lectures and seminars. Previous installments of this column can now be viewed at http://www.bridgecolumn.com. James can be reached at djames@theblackgendergap.com.

http://www.afronetwireless.com/afronet/articles.asp?i=46

[analogue]

Now if the perfect time for FP to pick up the mic again with all the positive reviews/comments that are being posted about him

[JumpinJack AJ]

As i waz reading the article...all i waz thinking waz "AMEN." Those who grew up on "real Hip-Hop" will totally love this article just as much as i did.

[Hero1]

Great article. People need to be telling Will how much we need a JJFP album at this point. There needs to be a bmovement against the mediocrity out right now. JJFP could lead the charge if they take the time to record.

[bart5]

That dude spoke the truth. If only everyone felt this way, then the game would change (which it needs to). He basically explained a lot of people's feelings toward what hip hop has become. I agree with him 100%.

Mad props for the dope article.

[rcpbball30]

Great article, really on point, and further highlights the need for Will to start putting out new music.

[TopDawg14]