KRS-ONE speaks about hip-hop history

[bigted]

What up y'all I found this dope KRS-ONE lecture that he did recently on his European tour, check it out:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/hiphop/krsone_talk.shtml

"Rap is something you do. Hip Hop is something you live."

KRS-ONE talks

1Xtra brought the Blastmaster KRS-ONE over to the UK. He performed infront of a hype crowd at Nottingham's Rock City. The following day he spoke to an audience about his views on hip hop, building communities and lots more.

If you weren't there, you can hear the talk here online. We've broken it down into nine sections and three sections will go online each Friday.

Part one

The Teacha talks about the difference between hip hop and rap.

Breaks down the history of rap music starting with the founder, Kool Herc in 1972.

States the principles behind hip hop.

Part two

Breaks down why Afrika Bambaataa was important to the movement.

Talks about the film Wild Style.

How Grandmaster Flashs' invention created the basis behind what we hear in clubs today.

Explains what happened when himself, Chuck D, Grandmaster Flash and others were at the United Nations and why Grand Master Flash walked out.

Part three

The history behind the Sugarhill Gang.

How the industry went from hip hop to rap.

Explains How Grandmaster Kaz was robbed of one of the most famous lyrics in music.

How the rap music was born due to one friend betraying another. "

[J-o-e]

Thanks Ted...thats dope!!!!

[bigted]

Yeah man KRS' really breaks down the hip-hop history well, the pics are dope too, btw I found this heated interview he had recently with Tim Westwood that somebody posted on the okayplayer board, I wish I heard the audio, this is some great stuff, KRS is telling it like it is and throws Westwood in a corner:

"The infamous on-air exchange between Westwood and KRS-One (reproduced from HHC)

Westwood: "To recap, what would you say are the main problems facing hip-hop today bro'?"

KRS-One: "It's funny that you should say that, because it has a lot to do with the fact we have lost a lot of the rules and regulations."

Westwood: "Mmmmm..."

KRS-One: "People forgot about being an emcee and became more like rappers. To be a good rapper you got to be platinum. While me and people like Lord Finesse were in the parks, practising our skills. I got this pop hit now called 'Step Into The World' and it makes me laugh.., and that's cool... but if you study my history and hip-hop altogether you'll see there's a great consistency in not only what I do, but what hip-hop does as an energy. We lost that.., the mediums that hip-hop has to come through is dirty. These mediums. Respect to this station, you guys pretty much put it on a map, but this is what is really destroying hip-hop is the fact that, like KRS, I'm going to say this out of respect, I'm not dissing, but I'm not really welcomed at this station, really."

Westwood: "Wh... what you mean? Radio One?"

KRS-One: "Yeah."

Westwood: “right."

KRS-One: "They didn't check for my last album..."

KRS-One: "In a lot of ways Tim, you know, we got to fix our relationship. You and I."

Westwood: "Yo, why do you say that Kris? Why do you say that Kris? Why do you say that?"

Wes: I'm sorry, we gotta rap this up."

KRS-One: "I'm not going to get into this, but the people know that behind the scenes you cool. I know you from day one and vice versa.., but we are on two sides of the fence. We should be in more contact together, you and I. I don't call nobody so let me take the blame as well, but the way an audience looks at a radio station is also the way they look at the hip-hop that comes through that radio station, and Radio One has to do a lot more for hip-hop. You can't wait for me to get pop and then decide to have me on the show." "...Flex goes through the same problem, even Red Alert has to go through this as well... When you have artists like me that can't get a break on stations like Radio One, I respect you... but when my record don't sell they are going to throw me to the side. I'm keeping it real."

Westwood: "l-ight, let me break it down like this. The station is the station, they take care of their business so I'm just taking care of my business, which is like two three-hour shows, but word, every time you've been in the UK, you've always come on my show... We've always supported you." "...So we've always had mad love for you man."

KRS-One: "You! You always have."

Westwood: "Can I just keep with this. In New York, I've always tried to get you on the Rap Exchange, you just ask Eric Skinner... you can't say there's no beef with us."

KRS-One: "Even though you were with us in the beginning Tim, there was a time when you said, 'KRS-One fell off...'"

Westwood: "Yo, yo, yo, yo, no, no, no... Kris, Kris, I have never said that. No, no, no."

KRS-One: "I got it on tape."

Westwood: "Where? Where? Play me the tape! What? I never said you fell off! What? On the radio? Kris, you must play me that , even if you play it to me down the phone, like then I’ll come on and apologise... word is bond. I don't come on the radio and dis artists, I don't come on the radio and say that artists have fallen off!"

KRS-One: "Then let me put this a different way then - maybe you should pay more attention to the way that the audience feels about you. I talk to the people and the people are saying something that we are not saying right here now. They are very critical of you in your position, you know that. No matter what you do."

Westwood: "Right, let me break that down then, like, boom, when you say the people, who is the people that you are talking about? Like the man you rolled with tonight, like big up Max & Dave, I got nothing but respect and love for those guys, or whatever, whatever, but there's no disrespect like that, because like, boom... ..., nah man."

KRS-One: "You know where I just came from? Brixton. I had some fish and rice and I talked to the people, and the people are looking at this station like 'Wassup? They ain't representing real hip-hop.' And I represent the people, I don't stand with Radio One..."

Westwood: "Are you saying that the people aren't feeling this situation for the playlist or aren't feeling the Rap Show?"

KRS-One: "Aren't feeling the station for the playlist but also you in particular though, Tim. You should pay more attention to the way that people feel about you in particular, and I'm not going to go into what was actually said because I think that was trivial, but you should pay more attention..."

Wes: "I'm sorry, we have to rap this up, we really are running out of time here."

KRS-One: "...That's all I'm saying. On to hip-hop. But the seat in which you sit in and the station that you broadcast from, and even in the political moves you yourself have to make, in order for you to survive in this business, the people are critiquing you in a different way. The people that are around you and work for you aren't going to tell you that. I come from people..."

Westwood: "Alright Kris, I'm gonna break this down like this. Kris, this is no disrespect, but when did you get into the UK?"

KRS-One: "Umm, like whaddya mean?"

Westwood: "When did you arrive here? Yesterday?"

KRS-One: "Urr, about.., sure."

Westwood: "So you arrived here yesterday and you haven't been here for like six years?"

KRS-One: "No, I've been here."

Westwood: "When was the last time you were here?"

KRS-One: "I've always here. See, you're concentrating on the physical...”

Westwood: "No, no, no, no... i-ight, i-ight, i-ight..."

KRS-One: "I always get information... as a matter of fact I got world information from the minute I started..."

Wes: "I'm sorry, we gotta go. We have to go Kris, we gotta go Kris, I'm sorry."

Westwood: "I'd like to keep with this Kris, word is bond, word is bond... I would love to keep with this..."

KRS-One: "Just give us five more minutes Wes, five more minutes..."

Wes: "I dunno man, dunno..."

KRS-One: “…another level, and you know that I will always keep it real with you, I'm not going to front with you, but people have another critique of you that you need to check yourself and check with them in order for you to maintain your longevity in this business as a credible deejay. Because you are talented, you were here from day one, your respect is concrete in terms of your contribution…”

Westwood: “"On the real Kris, I'd like to say that I got mad love and respect for you from day one to now and I will always stand by that. And number two, when you say the people, and whatever, whatever, but I'm not going to stand here and defend myself in any which way I don't feel we need to. When you say the people this and the people that, like, sure, you know how the game is with like playa-haters, with this click here, and this click there, whatever, whatever, we are not into that, we don't dis the next man on the radio, even off the radio, that's not what we are about and none of the people that we surround ourselves with, and you can see that we are deep in the show up here. We aren't with no playa-haters and crab types who are dissing the next man.., and you can ask whoever about that because you won't hear, and that's why I cannot believe that you have a tape of me disrespecting..."

KRS-One: "Oh yeah, no I, ha ha..."

Westwood: "And thirdly, like, yo Kris, this is how I am breaking this down and I know that you got your people here and all that good stuff, but you haven't been here for like six years, and boo-boom, you've been here 30 hours now and you must have slept some part of that. And you are saying that the people are saying this about you and I can't really respect that, because you can't really be making your opinion from a scene that has been happening here - and I have been putting in mad work for those six years you haven't been here - and when you talk about this station, it's non-commercial man, this is a music-led station man... It's a pop station that caters for 13 million people per week, has to cater for its audience... On a Saturday night, one million people listen to the Rap Show, the show I do on a Saturday night, nine to midnight, that's a million people deep. Now we put mad work in, we got Carnival... when I was at the other stations, we used to pay to put our stuff on, then, one year, I did it with the other station, it was all about sponsors on board, how they made their profit. Every year this station invests mad money into Carnival. It pays for that itself, not for any promotion, but to give the people some love back for what they've done. We do club events like at Club UN, which is just me deejaying, no artists there, we get 2,500 people at the event... So if you are saying that me, Westwood, has this attitude about me, boom, boom, why is there 2,500 in there? Why? No? And what? You know.., we did Talent 2000 to blow up UK talent, we support UK talent, you get some crabheads saying 'Westwood this and Westwood that', whatever man, everyone's entitled to their own opinion and they are welcome to that. That is their opinion and they are welcome to that. There are playa-haters over here just like there is in New York and it's deep. Youknowhatl'msaying? There's mad politics over here and boom, if those people want to play those politics they are entitled to do that. We are not about that, we are about doing what we gotta do and that's a commitment to hip-hop which you know how we've served for all these years..."

KRS-One: "Well, I..."

Westwood: "Alright, no, no, no, no, check it, I wasn't here at this station when you put those albums out."

KRS-One: "But this is what I'm saying Tim. The medium that you are coming through is obviously making you dirty."

Westwood: "No. No way Kris!"

KRS-One: "Let me put it to you this way..."

Westwood: "No way Kris! No, no, no, I gotta check you on that. Of all the stations, you cannot say that about this station. come Sunday at the lecture and see me there."

KRS-One: "When they ignore my music for four years, I can't say that? Now I am here only because I got a pop hit out?"

Wes: "Mm. Mm. Mmmmmmmm!"

KRS-One: "Nah, Tim, recognise truth."

Westwood: "Now this station isn't perfect in any which way."

KRS-One: "But that's the point, that's the point…hip-hop is perfect, and if you don't represent hip-hop then you don't represent KRS-One."

Wes: "Thank you very much, thank you for having us, we out the door..."

KRS-One: "Hell, hah, hell... Wes is wyling! Tim, this has been a great conversation.''

Westwood: "It's been mad nice to see you again man."

KRS-One: "Listen, listen, I come back September 7th, at The Forum, come out on the stage with me."

Westwood: "Nah, I'm chill man."

KRS-One: "No, come out on the stage with me and let the audience tell you there what time it is. That's all I'm saying. Come out on the stage with me there and let's raise that question right there. And let the audience tell you there what time it is. I'm here to protect you. I'm here to help you too, but your crew is not going to tell you that, I'm coming from straight off the street, you know my style from day one. And I'm telling you..."

Westwood: "Yo, yo, yo, yo, if you are gonna break it down like that..."

KRS-Ooe: "I'm not breaking you down."

Westwood: "If you are going to break it down like that then, boom, alright then, why, why then, see, Kris, I don't wanna get, I don't wanna go like any which way 'cause you're my man Kris, word is bond Kris, but why aren't you going to spread love at Notting Hill Carnival?"

KRS-One: "Huh? Wha, wha, wha.."

Westwood: "Come to Carnival man, 'cause people would love to see you at a free event."

KRS-One: "No, because they could…”

Westwood: "l-ight."

KRS-One: "That's the people event. Carnival ain't no people event, people making millions of dollars at Carnival man. Advertisers and all that, that ain't a place for KRS."

Wes: "Hey, we shouldn't be even having this conversation right here. You know that Kris is in Amsterdam that time on a world tour so you expect for him to hop on a plane, when he came over by the QEII, just to facilitate your event? It's not going to happen."

Westwood: "It's not our event, it's a people's event."

Wes: "I could go deeper because I asked you for a couple of things to make this thing happen and you couldn't produce them, but I want to leave them because it is time for us to go. Thank you very much, once again, for having us. We out B, let's go..."

KRS-One: “…peace to all the people listening to this station, represent real hip-hop. Yo Tim, you got mad love for me. Let me say this, I have no beef with you, but a man to a man, I always speak the truth to you, and what I am saying is that I know why I am here -Radio One don't support me..."

Westwood: "Yo, Kris.."

KRS-One: "Recognise that Tim, recognise..."

Westwood: "Kris, do I support you?"

KRS-One: "Yes."

Westwood: "And have we for ten years?"

KRS-One: "Yes."

Westwood: "Well, that's all I can defend. AlI I can defend."

Edited June 13, 2005 by bigted

[J-o-e]

Haha...thats great. KRS One doing his thing and giving his word about hip hop and how it should be..thanks so much ted this is evidence that KRS one is still supporting the old way around hip hop.

[bigted]

KRS' makes strong points that other rappers are afraid to make but what us fans have been saying for years 'cause a lot of the talented mcs never get airplay and ain't even allowed to be interviewed, I'm gonna keep it real: I wouldn't even know about KRS-ONE's recent albums and other underground albums coming out if it wasn't for the internet.

[mfuqua23]

KRS is amazes me sometimes. Very eye catching article. The audio would definately be better. Just to hear him speak intellectually.

[J-o-e]

Thats what so great about the Internet, you can get information of things like where your favoirite artist is dropping an album. Like ted i dont know alot of underground rappers. But i know some. Have you ever heard of Siagon. His underground tapes were the best i ever heard. but when he got a deal he got crap production and no promotion.

[mfuqua23]

I heard of Saigon. I got a a song or two of his. MTV said he was the next thing for the summer. I 1st heard him on DJ Absolut's "M.J. Moves". The song was called "Favorite Things". The other song I got is "Hood Life". I also heard a piece of a track on the Tupac: Thug Angel DVD. Don't know what it was tho.

[bigted]

I never heard of Saigon but my favorite underground rappers are some of the cats that're on KRS-ONE's independent "Grit Records" like OC and Shuman, I like other underground cats like Hieroglyphics, MF Doom, and Masta Ace.

[J-o-e]

Guess they have mayjor skillz. KRS one produce them or does someone else or mixed?

[Hero1]

that was mad interesting :1-say-yes:

[hotzappa11]

Seriously i've always hated Westwood, props to KRS

[mfuqua23]

I never knew this Westwood fellow. It's funny we like this guy cuz he was always down wit JJFP, but shun him becuz of KRS-One and some other incidents. hmm.

Anyway, I didn't like his version of "Holla!" That bothered my ears.

[J-o-e]

Funny because a year ago i would put my radio into Radio 1 for the latest hip hop songs. Hes the voice of hip hop in the UK he tells us whats going down. wot rumours stuff like that. interviews dope artists at times but he is an idiot. hes a 40 yr white man wit nuttin to do really haha

[bigted]

I don't know too much about Tim Westwood either to form an opinion on him, I never heard of him until Will went on his show, I'm not really a fan of any radio DJs, they all basically kiss ass to all the popular artists and diss the independent artists or the artists that weren't platinum, I remember hearing Funkmaster Flex say how Nas fell off and wouldn't be able to respond to Jay-Z' "Takeover" but when Nas came out with "Ether", Funk Flex started throwing bombs on the records and gave him props, I remember Nas being mad about that too, if Will wasn't doing that well he wouldn't be invited to do that much interviews, I noticed too how they all diss Jazzy Jeff too when they interview Will, they're like: "what happened to your DJ, what's he doing now?", that pisses me off. :mad: To put it in Will's words, "they don't measure what they yell in the street", they just do their job and that's it, they don't care about the artists or the fans.

Edited June 14, 2005 by bigted