What is missing from Hip Hop today?

[gav09]

Originality and substance. 95% of lyrics these days are bout cars, bling, bitches & $$$ thats it!

[macknlatin36]

therer aint as much fun as i use to feel in hip hop minus some tracks i still bump but to be for real and this is me, I use to love hearing the DJ scratching in the backround.  That shit use to pump me up like crazy and me wish i had turn tables.  Recently i really havnet heard anything like that in alot of the newer albums.  Kinda of like Moment of truth album or Ressurrection did.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Mainstream Hip Hop of today (and I use that term loosely), is by and large a joke in my opinion.  Peeps have touched on the big problems:  lack of creativity, major label monopolies, radio station monopolies, too predictable, redundant, payola, etc.   The balance of power is heavily skewed to one side, and it's killing the game.

There are still quality artists, but it is very difficult to get their voice heard.  Let me ask yall this:  Do you think a major corporation wants an independant thinking, intelligent person dropping albums on their roster, or some ignorant ass mother fucker that can't read contracts and will do any fucking thing you tell them for a few bucks?  If all you're concerned with is your bottom line rather than the art, you want that shit to be as dumb and accessible as possible - gotta get that mass appeal.  Little kids don't know any better, and they gobble anything up that they are told is "hot".  That's a huge problem to me.  

Do you think songs like Laffy Taffy are new to Hip Hop?  Hell no, that isn't something new.  The problem is that balance is lacking.  If I turn on the radio to "THE NUMBER ONE STATION FOR HIP HOP & R&B!" to check for new songs (LOL, haven't done that in years), all I'm really hearing is the same fucking bullshit over and over.  I'm not learning anything new, i'm being fucking brainwashed.  They're telling me this bullshit is Hip Hop?  I'd accept that statement if they were to play some half way intelligent music after Laffy Taffy.  I could digest hearing that song if it was complemented with something else of substance, but it's followed up with more bullshit.  They're not interested in the artistic side, they're interested in brainwashing the youth that all this shit is hip hop, and it aint.  It's monopolistic corporate America's brainchild to exploit the youth in turn padding their pockets.  But I guess getting paid justifies anything in the Hip Hop world.

You think rappers doing love songs is something new?  Hell no, that isn't something new.  The main difference I see nowadays is that cats have no shame nor accountablity for their music that they put out.  All these rappers act so fucking hard in their interviews and shit, and then these faggots start skipping around on tv in fucking sweater vests, singing along.  Then, the next thing they tell you (and lots of people buy this) "I'm just doing this type of joint for the ladies"  or "I'm just trying to create a buzz" or "This is my club banger" or "This is my street anthem".  LMFAO!!  Who the fuck is talking here?  The 'rapper' or the douche bag business man that knows dick about music?  Why in the fuck do hip hop fans accept these answers?  They don't even hide or deny this shit! And people continually gobble this bullshit up.

Some of the most classic hip hop songs ever made were about relationships or spittin at a girl or whatever.  Big Daddy Kane made numerous songs about ladies, but he NEVER sacrificed his credibility in doing so.  He was still mad lyrical.  Same with Tupac - he touched on so many subjects, but he always did it having true hip hop as the backbone.  Cats today unapologetically put out tracks that any self respecting "MC" wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole.

And all you guys throwing your hands up and act like you cant do shit kill me.  For one, if there is an artist that you really respect and admire, BUY THEIR FUCKING ALBUM.  Don't just download the shit.  Don't get it twisted, it's all gravy to listen to it prior to making the decision to purchase, and it keeps everyone honest.  But if you download an album and bump the shit out of it with no intention of supporting the artist financially, then you're a piece of shit.

Also, i'd highly recommend satellite radio.  I have Sirius - it's got 3 hip hop stations:  2 of which I listen to <2% of the time, and 1 I can't seem to ever turn off.  It plays classic commercial free hip hop from 1979 to 1995 and its the greatest hip hop radio station that i've ever heard.  I'd pay 12 bucks a month for this station alone.  The other 2 HH stations will play some great contemporary hip hop, but they do play some bullshit that doesn't keep me tuned in all the time.  Sirius now has over 4 million subscribers.  That = serious $, so don't think you have no influence.  

Another thing is alternative media, ie DUBCC.  The quality of info I get on this board exceeds pretty much any news outlet.  You think this site and others like it don't effect hip hop?  Look at people they've interviewed here over the years.  

So there are a few things you can do to change hip hop, even if it is on a small scale.

Anyways, sorry for writing a fucking book here but music is my favorite thing in the world.

Yo man, MAJOR props on the reply, this is pretty much what I meant when I said "I can sit here and type up an article about this shit", you basically did it for me...I just don't bother anymore, nobody cares, they like Lil Jon over DJ Quik and Akon over Nate Dogg...What is known as Hip-Hop to the general public is simply not. We can probably sit together and write books on it, but is it really worth it? Do people really listen to the real? I don't think so...PeACe

[QuietTruth]

I agree, and that's where we need to start. We need to support the local underground artists that are blowing up the spot and producing good music by buying their music and seeing their shows. We need to expose other heads to whatever good music that you find. And most importantly, buy the fuckin album if it's good instead of downloading it! At least see that artist perform live or something. It's up to us too keep this shit moving or else we will lose it forever. Also everyone needs to study their history. I was dismayed when only a handful of people responded to that post about Afrika Islam that was made on this board. That's our history, our culture. It belongs to us and we need to take this shit seriously.

Word! The histroy part is fuckin NEEDED to know! How can you listen to hip hop and not even know how it started, how it all began. Nobody's true to it no more. The music today really is rubbing off becuz half of the fans don't give a fuck!

Research hip hop! I bet half the rappers today don't even know about it. Ya'll need to read and learn.  This culture is so interesting cuz it's so fuckin real! Now I'm glad I've been slacking on hip hop today to understand every piece of it..taking a break from it and reading up, I gurantee, ain't a bit close to a waste of time.

[Wessia4LiaNia Chieee Chieee]

Immortal Technique on Mtv, that's what's missing !

[M Dogg™]

Immortal Technique on Mtv, that's what's missing !

very true.

[Minkaveli]

Great thread!!  Everything mentioned is very important.  We need more Producer/Emcee combos like Pete Rock/CL, Guru/ Premier, Hi-Tek/Kweli, Dre/Snoop.  We need to get rid of playlists and have more radio stations/ Video stations take the stand that the XM and Sirius Satellite radio take with hip-hop.  I agree that those stations are doing the right thing.  I love XM 65/Tha Rhyme and XM 66/Raw.  I also like Sirius 43/Old Skool with Dana Dane and Shade 45.  We need those stations to get rid of radio.  I personally hate the radio.  Fuck the Laffy Taffy bitches!

[On The Edge of Insanity]

One of the main problems to me is that there isn't a chance for crews to put out their albums on a major level without the label interferring and getting in all the latest big name producers just so they can sell more records. If you look at the majority of the classic hiphop records they were made by people who had being together for years and built up the vital chemistry that is needed in order to make a classic record. Pretty much anyone from the mid nineties era came up like this (Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Gangstarr, Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Black Sheep, the whole Bootcamp Click, etc), and there doesn't seem to be the outlet for that to happen anymore.

[Mr. O]

you know what's sad about hip hop these days? there's no music to remember....like ol' dayz...u know what i mean?

i agree with everyone here...but the only way to solve this...to do something about...change the game...make music.

[BizzyR.I.P.]

hip-hop is missing albums from artists, period


too many politics get in the way leading to people (companies) making shitty records and aiming it at shitty audiences

Probably agree with this the most. It sucks when talented artists that have something to say like Saigon, Crooked I, Sly Boogy, etc. can't even release an album. Most people never even heard of these cats and the way things are going most won't.