HIP HOP STATE OF EMERGENCY ?

On the outside looking into the melting-pot, some may conclude that the state of hip-hop isn’t as bad as some may conclude. Granted album sales have drastically dropped for even most household names, but the interest level for a number of fans has remained. However, in the day and age of instant gratification and short attention spans, what exactly constitutes as hot or whack?

Is it the hot single that dominates the radio circuit during the summertime (Allah Chief Keef’s “Don’t Like”)? Is it the lyrical content and substance that so many people claim is lacking, yet they’ve grown accustom to not hearing? Or is it the image of the artist that so many people idolize and mimic, but don’t hold them accountable for the material they put out? The reason I pose the question of hip-hop being in a state of emergency is because so many people debate about who’s hot and who’s not, yet they vaguely state their claim of why. Me personally, I find an artist to be that deal when they have insight to go along with the image; lyrical content to go along with the look; substance to go along with the swag; and knowledge to go along with the knots of money they adamantly claim to be about. I can recall a conversation I had with an old associate who was also an aspiring hip-hop artist. We were watching 106 & Park and I vaguely recall the artist who was performing but the look of disgust on his face said it all; he looked at me and said, “Man I honestly think that most cats watch this  at home and the first thought that pops into their head is I can do that too. That’s why you have a game over-crowded with no talent, but a gang of the same shit being reproduced.” As a word of advice to aspiring hip-hop artist, I will keep it short and simple: listen to the song "Never Do What They Do" by The Roots, and you’ll understand completely why most people are demanding more from artists.

Written by Daniel "Regal" Robinson