What does it mean to be "real" in hip-hop?

[Lincoln]

I read the word a lot. I'm just curious, what does it in your opinion mean if you're real?

[budsmokeronly]

if you carry a pistol, smoke a lot of dank, and hit them cornaz in ya lolo dogg

[Lincoln]

if you carry a pistol, smoke a lot of dank, and hit them cornaz in ya lolo dogg

lol

[T.J.]

"real" rappers are ones who dont lie to themselves and dont try and do something that isn't what they want to do.

[LAZY]

not fakin the funk lol.. but not bein from the rich neighbor hood sayin ur from the poor part or sayin shit thats false just 2 fit in or make money

[M Dogg™]

Basically. If you are true to yourself and your message. If you stay true to the culture that was laid down by the forefathers like Soul Sonic Force, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5, Run-DMC, D.J. Kool Herc, and even the true schoolers like Eric. B. & Rakim, and Boogie Down Production, Slick Rick, and N.W.A. and Ice T. As long as you are true, then you are real. If you lie to get sales, then you are fake, or if you are rhyming to downgrade a group of people, like pimpin' hoes down grades women. That's fake, especially if you lie on yourself. Come on, if what all rappers would say are true, then a lot of rappers would have a grip of life sentances for murder. Being true is real hip-hop.

[The Watcher]

music wise, not being in it for the money -- and not bein a fake. sure if you're gonna talk about killin some dude, go do it!

hiphop is a lifestyle for ALOT of people though, from music, right down to clothing and living in general. being "real" means being down with the culture, and as another dude said, not fakin the funk

[Code Blue]

Real recognize real.

[Trauma-san]

"real" rappers are ones who dont lie to themselves and dont try and do something that isn't what they want to do.

Real is hard to describe.  It kind of has to be felt, lol.  Anyways, to be a 'real' rapper, you have to have "I don't give a fuck itis".  I don't think it has so much to do with not being fake (which it does).. .but it has a lot to do with doing things because you want to do them, not because other people want you to do them.  I.E., Canibus making songs about political consciousness, then switching up and making everyone of his songs about Erykah Badu (LOL) to me is pretty fucking Real, because he doesn't give a shit what people think about it, he's just doing what he wants to do.  A Lot of people would call him a sellout for making love songs, but I say it makes him even more Real.  So to me, it's not necessarily about staying 'true' it's about doing what you fucking feel like doing, and not caring what other people think about it.  Being real to yourself, like T.J. said, not being Real to the cause, or Real to where you came from, or whatever, being Real to what you feel, even if that makes you a hypocrite, or even if that makes other people hate you.  To me, me saying America is the greatest country in the world, is pretty fucking Real, because that's what I want to say, I know it may not be true, or that it's unfair to people that aren't american, but the real part is, I don't give a fuck, it's what I feel, so i'm being real to what I feel, i'm not trying to change to make other people happy.

So it's hard to explain, but the way I always judge it is, is the rapper doing what he wants to do?  Snoop working with Britney Spears because he LIKES Britney Spears would be Real to me.  Snoop working with Britney Spears because he thinks it would be a hit or because he thinks he'd make a lot of money is not real.  So as long as somebody's doing what they want to do, not what they think other people want them to do, they're real.  Canibus making love songs may make him a sellout to other people, because he's not being real to where he came from, or real to what he used to be, but he's being real to what he wants to do, so that's alright.  Everybody knows I hate the new Andre 3000 album, I can't fucking stand it.  Andre's Real, though, because he doesn't give a fuck if I like the album, he made it because he wanted to make it.  = Real  

[Trauma-san]

Real recognize real.

Yes

[Trauma-san]

music wise, not being in it for the money

That doesn't have a thing to do with being Real.  You can be in it for the money, and still be Real.  All musicians are in it for the money, who wouldn't be?

[Trauma-san]

Basically. If you are true to yourself and your message. If you stay true to the culture that was laid down by the forefathers like Soul Sonic Force, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5, Run-DMC, D.J. Kool Herc, and even the true schoolers like Eric. B. & Rakim, and Boogie Down Production, Slick Rick, and N.W.A. and Ice T. As long as you are true, then you are real. If you lie to get sales, then you are fake, or if you are rhyming to downgrade a group of people, like pimpin' hoes down grades women. That's fake, especially if you lie on yourself. Come on, if what all rappers would say are true, then a lot of rappers would have a grip of life sentances for murder. Being true is real hip-hop.

You're being a little contradictory, though.  I'm white, I didn't listen to any of those rappers.  If I came out and rapped about my family, or how I grew up, or whatever, I'd be real, though, because that's what I wanted to do.  I dont have to conform to the foundation of hip hop, I need to conform to what I want to do, that's what makes somebody real.  Being true is real hip-hop, you're right on that one.  You've got to realize though that you have to be true to yourself, not true to everybody else's thoughts on what you should be, or what hiphop should be.  

Also, you're wrong about the part about killing in music.  Everybody knows they're all lying, that's not being 'fake'.  Ice Cube is real as shit, why?  Because he WANTS to make music about killing people, so he does.  Everybody knows he's lying.... everybody knows he went to college, and hasn't even been arrested... but he doesn't GIVE A FUCK.  That's why he's real, he's doing what he wants to do.  Peace~

[Danté Williams]

From what you are talking, Eminem is the fakest rapper in earth.

[Lord Funk]

If I came out and rapped about my family, or how I grew up, or whatever, I'd be real, though, because that's what I wanted to do.  I dont have to conform to the foundation of hip hop, I need to conform to what I want to do, that's what makes somebody real.  Being true is real hip-hop, you're right on that one.  You've got to realize though that you have to be true to yourself, not true to everybody else's thoughts on what you should be, or what hiphop should be.  

That's it right there ^^^

Oh, and don't forget what Pos taught us - "You cry 'keeping it real', but you should try keeping it right'"

[T.J.]

music wise, not being in it for the money

That doesn't have a thing to do with being Real.  You can be in it for the money, and still be Real.  All musicians are in it for the money, who wouldn't be?

i guess in saying that, every rapper is real coz they are all going for what they want.... the $$$