This must be without doubt, the most highly debated topic amongst hip-hop heads within the last six months or so, and so for that reason I apologise in advance.

It may be getting incredibly tiresome seeing yet another post with some random person voicing their opinion, but I felt it was too big of an issue to go unmarked, and would be a nice way to get the ball rolling in this blogging game. So here goes...

Nas originally brought light to this topic, by naming his latest album, and the hit single from it, 'hip hop is dead'. This got even more response after Young Jeezy publicly announced on radio that he felt this was a direct attack on the new era of artists that are at the forefront of the culture.

Do I think Nas was wrong? Yes and No.

On one hand, to say hip hop is dead seems to be taking credit away from a lot of dope artists, producers etc who see hip-hop as their life. It's a very generalised statement, which its contradictory in itself. He is a major part of hip-hop, is his music dead?

The debate focuses around the music scene. But for those involved, people see hip-hip as more than just music, its an art form, a culture. So even if Nas is right in saying that the music is terrible, and the game is being ruined, hip hop isn't dead, just its music. After probably around 10 years of being the most popular genre on planet earth, I guess it's only natural to expect the music to get pretty watered down in it's most mainstream elements. It's obviously going to split into more subgenres as it gets more successful, just as Punk music once did.

That doesn't mean there's any less talent, it just becomes less concentrated. The success brings a lot of wack artists who make it harder to pick out the good ones. In that sense, the art form of real Hip-hop is definitely alive, in a massive sea of independent artists as well as in the quickly developing battle scene.

But, hip hop is about people having a voice, which could be anything from nerd rap to straight up gangsta shit, (don't get it twisted though, this isn't a debate on what's 'real' or not). But now nobody wants to hear that, and artists are busting their balls for a label to put out joints they don't really want to. So hip-hop is dead, well at least what was known as hip hop, what most people perceive as hip-hop...

What is publicised and marketed isn't hip-hop, more hip-pop. There is absolutely no learning or experience in it, and it's just not the sound that hip hop originally derived from.

This blame can be based solely on the media, and major labels who will manipulate it in any way they see fit to make a profit. For example, many mainstream artists albums, are basically 3-4 good tracks, drowned out by club bangers. I like the club tunes though, (when in a club), the strong beats with big basslines are dope, but it shouldn't be labelled as hip-hop, and as a fan I feel disrespected.

I mean c'mon... rap songs making the NOW... cds?

I'ma leave you to make your own conclusions on this....

I'm out, peaceeeee

Source: www.articletrader.com