For those who are in a coma, hip-hop is just as vibrant and fresh and alive and breathing as it was in its genesis. Like PE said, 'don't believe the hype.' All that talk about hip-hop is dead or hip-hop is wack; kill that noise, B. I start off with that to get to this point; today is Tuesday, September 13th. New albums get realeased on Tusdays and today marked the arrival of Little Brother's [1][2][3] latest work of art, The Minstrel Show. Here's an interesting article, entitled, "How Hip-Hop Music Is Slowly Transcending Its Circular Culture Take it as you may.." You can digest it as you may, but I usually get frustrated reading through a hip-hop related article that meanders its way like a dissertation paper with sometimes-good and oft-times subpar analysis of the music and culture. I'm gonna sit back and enjoy history in the making. Reminder: For those inclined to try somethign new; LB's tour swings through Boston this Saturday. They'll be performing live at the Paradise Rock Club and tickets can be copped online. And speaking of live performances, whenever Dave decides to hit up the Bean; I'm there with bells on.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Ladi Dadi Lament
For those who are in a coma, hip-hop is just as vibrant and fresh and alive and breathing as it was in its genesis. Like PE said, 'don't believe the hype.' All that talk about hip-hop is dead or hip-hop is wack; kill that noise, B. I start off with that to get to this point; today is Tuesday, September 13th. New albums get realeased on Tusdays and today marked the arrival of Little Brother's [1][2][3] latest work of art, The Minstrel Show. Here's an interesting article, entitled, "How Hip-Hop Music Is Slowly Transcending Its Circular Culture Take it as you may.." You can digest it as you may, but I usually get frustrated reading through a hip-hop related article that meanders its way like a dissertation paper with sometimes-good and oft-times subpar analysis of the music and culture. I'm gonna sit back and enjoy history in the making. Reminder: For those inclined to try somethign new; LB's tour swings through Boston this Saturday. They'll be performing live at the Paradise Rock Club and tickets can be copped online. And speaking of live performances, whenever Dave decides to hit up the Bean; I'm there with bells on.
6 comments:
i think when people say hip-hop is "dead" or wack they might mean in the mainstream...but in my opinion, real hip-hop never made the mainstream...even the hip-hop that made the mainstream in the 80's was considered questionable at the time.
i hate it when people think they have a little education and they are black so that qualifies them as "scholars" of the hip-hop community. just talking about nothing. heard one old school album and now they know everything about everything.
i am most definitely looking forward to hearing the cd.
Hip-hop, like spirituals, gospel and jazz, is a truly original American form of music with a history in the struggle of people of color in the diaspora but originating in West Africa with the Griots/oral historians/storytellers. Mainstream America has tried to kill it several times (by eliminating most vinyl records and only giving radio/television airtime to the most vile violent and disconnected artists). But it's here to stay, it has seeped into mainstream American culture in a way that it cannot be eliminated. The very fact that Little Brother's album can co-exist with SnoopDogg's car commercial...or that Kanye West's garbled International protest statement can coexist with the launch of GUnit brand socks...or that the artists at the MilkyWay can co-exist with Queen Latifah in purple chiffon being nominated for an Oscar (WTF???) means that hip-hop has grown and aged well and still has room for the new artists just coming in. Hip Hop is getting bigger and broader, not smaller. This is America, there is room for everybody to make money and express themselves.
yeah, but sometimes i doun't think the right people are making the big money. and vinyl is not dead. undergroundhiphop.com just recently opened a store. it's like heaven on earth.
@Pops-Thank Gawd they (whoever "they" are) were unsuccessful in getting rid of vinyl. It's just not the same when you go to a party and some twelve year old with a laptop is rocking the party (WTF?!?!?). And we've discussed this before, but you know I think grassroots support of underground artists is the most important, long lasting type of support and the most important. I liked The Root's and Jaguar Wright's Coca Cola commercial but I have to admit it was a little disturbing...
@K-Hip Hop has historical artistic relevance regardless of what white people think. Hip Hop HAS grown because the artists themselves have grown. Queen Latifah is almost forty, Russell Simmons is even older. How rediculous would it have been if in 2005, they were still wearing their black medallions and standing on the backs of their unlaced adidas. They had to expand into producing, fashion and acting to survive. Because they survived they grew. Also, back in 1985 Queen Latifah may have always wanted to act, sing jazz, or make movies. Because of HipHop she was able to do so. I am from The Bronx and I am also almost forty (which is why my baby picture over there is in Black and White, LOL). I was there in the beginning, when it was live and spontaneous on the street corners and at the "jams" in the late seventies, early eighties. Believe me when I tell you, it has grown.
chezniki - i am curious to know what you found disturbing about the commercial.
as far as hip-hop having relevance regardless of what white people think, i think that goes without saying.
in no way was i trying to imply that someone still wear medallions or adidas or whatever, even though that is what still goes on today. it's just that instead of leather pics of africa, it is platinum Jesus pieces.
what i saying is that it is still live and spontaneous...and while i would not say that i am old enough to remember the inception of ideas, i am old enough to remember the beginning.
geesh. y'all over here writing essays and shT
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