The Torch Of HipHop In The Air
Since the Days of DJ Kool Herc and the emergence of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, SugarHill Gang to RUN DMC -Hiphop has survived while most Music Executives walked away stating “Hiphop is just a FADE-It will NEVER last.”
But the Torch was passed…
With Pop & Rock culture changing while dominating the radio networks and airwaves there was no room for an alternative. Jazz and Rnb was thriving but Rock dominated. A few musicians like Bob Marley, Michael Jackson and the old 70s artists were dominating music play. In the early 80s a young man took the torch by the name of Todd Smith aka LLCOOLJ that changed the game- INTERNATIONALLY. His style, the clothes, the cars, the exotic animals-to the Ladies.. COOLJ was that dude. Also HEAVY D was on the rise!! And again the Torch was passed…
Hiphop started to merge popular culture along w/ Rock Entertainers when RUNDMC did “WALK THIS WAY” w/ AEROSMITH & ROCK LEGEND STEVEN TYLER. As Rock was all about Love & Party’s..HIPHOP was something more..HIPHOP is/was the soul of streets for everyone to understand problematic circumstances within our communities. And artists like ICE-T with “COP KILLER” & NWA made the World Aware with Gangsta Rap. Ice Cube and NWA with song “F&$k the Police started something Big.
And can’t forget about SNOOP!!
Every-time I think of NWA-I think of my friend DARREN WHITE -out of all my friends that were mostly black.. Darren a white boy said-MAN YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO THIS!! All my friends didn’t have the tape-No one had this tape but Darren.. and he gave it to me to listen…and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing and then second I remember saying -these Niggas Crazy- the Pigs gonna get them!! Lol and I was right..Also what was Amazing- in the Movie “Straight Outta Compton” the scene w/ Dr Dre where they had the big pool party..I actually saw that footage on VHS tape in middle school. And let’s just say -That was a Wild Party I saw..the hell with your DIDDY parties..this was XXXXXX and the kids today wouldn’t know how to act if they went to a party like that. In LA they still talking about that party.
With the 50th Anniversary of Hiphop hitting every media network worldwide especially National News on ABC, NBC, CNN, FOX and even ESPN-HIPHOP IS HERE TO STAY & THATS FACTS!!
Now the Torched has been passed down from Biggie & PAC to most favorable artists like Cole, Kendrick, Drake etc.
But when we hit the 90s the Torch wasn’t passed down properly ..and during that time no talks of JAY-Z..he wasn’t a household name- and after 2PAC & Biggie Died-the streets were saying it was Nas..it was Cube…it was Snoop.. and with the emergence of Social Justice, Hiphop was challenged bc of its use of profanity, disrespecting women, gang and drug music and the direction of where Hiphop was headed.
So I ask what Worldstar asked- WHATS REAL & what’s fake???
So now 2024 when the world is in its most dangerous place with theft, sexual assault, rape, and drugs on rise with your favorite hiphop artists wearing skirts and now this Diddy saga. and it doesn’t help when we see Musicians act out this bad behavior with our kids mimicking every move..
Today in Hiphop KILLING is cool-JAIL is a mandatory prerequisite to get your music to take off, and drugs is discussed like it’s skittles..like what color you want??
Hiphop was NEVER THAT!! ICE-T and Ice Cube talked about police brutality and showed the world what was FACTS!! HOW DRUGS CAME TO THE STREETS BY OUR GOVERNMENT?? The GRIND WAS REAL!! Everything was against us back then..and it still is but back then it was real. Nowadays our kids are LAZY…and sell drugs just to look cool while they live in the suburbs in a 4,000 sq feet home..and you ain’t struggling.
Only if NAS, BIGGIE or EPMD etc had your TECHNOLOGY back then…With 2PAC, Chuck D and PUBLIC ENEMY w/ Flavor Flav hitting the streets.. change was happening.. but not within the judiciary system nor in our own communities.
What now?? WHEN will change happen within Hiphop??
But who will reign since the downfall of Diddy?? What’s funny is most whites are just now understanding that Diddy was a Gangster for 30 years.
Two names that pop up are 50 cent and Ross just due to there net-worth and popularity..
With Diddy allegations swirling- and big name indictments pending like Jay-Z, Drake, Rick Ross, Meek Mill, & other rappers I dare not to mention bc we knew they were gay from the Jump…
Is this a new era in hiphop..happening right in front of our eyes..
So Who will reign King!!
The one person that has been consistent over the years has been 50 Cent..with his new business ventures in Lafayette , Louisiana expanding his empire even more-and he is not about none of that GAY BUSINESS ..
The feelings are mutual I the streets and we may have a new king in Hiphop.
But it some old heads like KRS-One, Rakim, LLCOOLJ to NAS.. that feel they never had a chance to be crown the king of Hiphop.
I can hear 50 Cents saying this..
ITS GONNA BE HARD SAYING YOU A GANGSTER RAPPER WHILE TAKING BACKSHOTS FROM YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS.. “
But with this new era of mumble rap emerging-we are doomed for stupidity, fakers, and attention seekers that will do anything for FAME.. Unless a standard and a formula is created for these kids to see greatness for success then HIPHOP will FAIL..
