Get On It, Get Wit’ It, or Get Left Behind

Turning on the radio is always an adventure. You never know who or what you’re gonna hear, but you’re damn near always guaranteed to hear someone else on the track. Everyone’s featuring everyone and they’re all getting money together. But WTF are they talking about?? Seriously. Lyrical content has become diluted with bubble gum raps and Dr. Seuss rhymes, so it’s no wonder the majority of wanna-be artists don’t make it to stardom. Most “artists” produce an LP, commercialize one or two singles (which are most likely the only hot tracks on the album), and then disappear. Seldom few come back in 3-5 years and do it again. Or they start with a group and then slowly but surely the best singer, who also happens to have the best body, branches out on their own. One hit wonders seem to be dominating the industry and true artists in their consistency, versatility, and ability to actually give you your money’s worth, suffer, go unrecognized, or get thrown into MC oblivion. Yea they have fans, but is it really enough??

LP’s used to have 16-20 tracks, now you’re lucky if ya get 10. And let’s not forget the ever present Internet, which has ya shit available for listening 3-6 months prior to drop date, talk about leaked!! Not to mention those content on being solely Web artists. Hip-Hop in the present, comes with a swag, an attitude, and sometimes even a dance—making it easy to divert your attention from what is actually being said; lyrical content if you will. Quote 7 of the “hottest” 10 artists out right now and at some point you will say, “does that even rhyme?? But what does that mean?? What kind of drugs is the fool smoking/snorting/shooting/etc…??” Which doesn’t mean it isn’t entertaining, but to an extent lacks depth/complexity and true skill, no?? And I know some of the world’s greatest successes have come from those who use a “catalyst“ to assist their genius, e.g., Jimi Hendrix. But some have also gotten it wrong, i.e., GW himself. But more to the point, you’re singing it, ya kids are singing it, fuck around and ya momz might know it too. “Dougie”ing til the cows come home at the family cookout… Times have absolutely changed my friend.

So you can sit down, be mad about it and only listen to your favorite Emcee’s latest CD, or you can suck it up and accept it for what it is. Consider it a conversation piece, even if every word you utter is negative and reeks of hateration. At this rate, before you can really grow a seismic disdain for an artist, there’s someone new out anyway to shift your focus. It’s not all bad. No one’s saying you have to like it, but to try and avoid it would be futile. This “new” era of Hip-Hop is everywhere, and seems to be here to stay—that is, until it changes again… Because, I mean let’s face it, the majority of what we listen to now is a confluence of what was (i.e., Run DMC, Big Daddy Kane, etc….) combined with the questionable talent of a steadily growing generation of unfulfilled yet resourceful adolescents. Musical evolution is inevitable. So maybe you were conceived to Lenny Williams or maybe, for some less fortunate, Rick James. But your kids… now, they got here from the Trey Songs, the R. Kelly’s and Rihannas, and that’s the unadulterated truth.

The fan base is significantly wider and yet there are those who will very well not conform, EVER. They like what they like, their loyalty is unwavering, and they feel like the majority of this new music is all bullshit, simply put. We all have our favorites. When there wasn’t as much competition, and getting a deal was just about the hardest thing you had to do, you were able to know all your favorite emcee’s word for word, song for song, LP for LP and feel like a part of an exclusive culture in which skills, complexity, punch lines and delivery guaranteed crowd satisfaction.

What’s to come, one can only fathom. We’re already mixing genres, languages, cultures, eras and instruments together that might never have been considered 25 years ago. The possibilities are endless yet certain. Nostradamus himself couldn’t predict this. But one thing’s for sure, it’s happening. And it’s happening now.