saturday night?
Morrison the 124ian:
I walk out of my bedroom after finishing my book, into the living room
where Omar and his friend Ukachi are listening to KRS-1's classic Criminal
Minded. I passed a comment, "?they don't make music like this
anymore", and all hell breaks loose! A debate ensues for the rest of the
night, all three of us tipsy on Southern Comfort and Orange Sunkist yelling
at the tops of our lungs in defense of one of the greatest arts that has
ravaged the world.
The Argument: Hip-Hop Today ? "Materialistic Fluff and Marketing Tool?"
Or "What's Wrong with Making Money?"
Now I can get into a sociological examination of the hip-hop industry and
its history and preach about how MC's are icons and examples, thusly,
inadvertently owing their people and society lyrics with a message and not
the Jay-Z, Tha Eastsidaz et. al. infested music that is distributed today.
However, our friend Ukachi says, "What's wrong with making money?" Now I
must say that it isn't fair arguing with Ukachi because he's from Nigeria
and has only been in the States a little over a year ? therefore doesn't
recall the migration of hip-hop culture the way an American would, however,
his question automatically evokes my response, "That's like asking 'What's
wrong with compromising your dignity and selling your soul?'"
The stance of this topic can be debated forever ? with the right people
(meaning those who are passionate). However, I'd like to fellow 124ians
(as Lamont would bastardize us) to ponder the following: What do you think of
hip-hop today? Do you miss the heyday of Political Rap or has hip-hop
cultural changed so much that teachers are no longer needed? Or are new
teachers (Canibus, Ras Kass) not marketable? Is it ever o.k. to desecrate
the art of hip-hop for the sake of benjamins and crystal? Etc, etc, etc?
4:30AM ? The dialogue is endless however, my opinion is still the same:
?for the mass, its easier to "Shake Ya Ass".
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