The Truth is Out There

I've been listening to Hip Hop music since I was 7 or 8 years old when my big bro introduced me to legends of the game like KRS-1, Rakim, and NWA. But the one group that stood out above all of them was Public Enemy. Here was a group that fearlessly brought truth to the forefront; they viciously attacked the system that so meticulously declared war on the black community through violence, drugs, guns and propaganda. Lead by Chuck D, a gallant MC with a sonorous voice that inspired action in his listeners; the group tackled issues such as crack and its destruction of the black community, the government's relentless attempts to recruit the poor in an army disproportionately represented by Black and Latino soldiers, and the media being used as a tool of distraction away from pressing issues. After all the changes Hip Hop has seen, and in spite of Flava Flav's embarrassing decent into a modern day Sambo(still got love for you Flav), Public Enemy has never changed their agenda in providing resistance to the "system".

One of the lesser known member's of the group was the outspoken Professor Griff. The name might not ring a bell to those who aren't familiar with the group, but for those of us that have followed P.E., Griff is a well respected contributor to the movement. I posted a recent interview with the Professor discussing ills of the media, the "real" and the "fake" as well as the rise of the occult in Hip Hop. You may not agree with everything he is saying, or maybe even anything he's speaking of, but at least hear the brotha out. Sound off in the comments

Who Murdered It?

We have a new weekly feature here @ hiphophoop.blogspot.com called "Who Murdered It?" Once a week I will post a track featuring several artists on the site. Then I will post a poll for you to vote on which artist ripped it the most. The poll closes in 7 days, so get your vote in! Todays Track:

DRAKE FEAT. KANYE WEST, LIL WAYNE, AND EMINEM----FOREVER

Hip hop Hoop News

Jordan Inducted Into Hall Of Fame:

Allow Me to Re-introduce Myself

My name isn't Hov and I never sold snowflakes by the O -Z. I never sold drugs, Hov did that so hopefully I'll never have to go through that. And I'm not a rapper, my last album was not the Chronic. I'm just an avid reader of Hip Hop Hoop and was recently asked by the creator to give my input on the current state of music, primarily hip hop.  With the current state of hip hop being debated so heavily, I jumped on the opportunity to express my views. So over the next few weeks, I'll be adding my opinion about everything from cd reviews to what I'm bumping in the car to rapper's turned actors failing as rapper's again to over-rated artists who are just living off the past to creative new artists that you shouldn't get caught sleeping on, etc...  So thank you Mansa for getting that foot in the door and allowing me to kick it wide open..

New Tracks from Raekwon and Jay-Z Albums

New Joint off Blueprint 3: On to the Next Feat. Swizz Beats:

New Joint off Only Built for Cuban Linx 2: New We Feat. Ghostface and Meth

Iverson to the Grizzlies: Good Fit?

In a previous blog written about the Allen Iverson situation of this summer I stated that one of the best players ever to play the game was getting treated unfairly. He had been white balled, cast to the purgatory of a league that he helped popularize. Let's get one thing straight, Allen Iverson is an icon, a trend setter, and an amazing talent. How many players in the league did you see with corn rows, tattoos, and arm sleeves before the "Little Giant" stepped in the the league. When Jordan and his squeaky clean image left the court in 97, Iverson became the new face of a league that wanted no part of his "gangsta" image. When everybody was trying to "be like Mike", Iverson was just being himself. The NBA dress code, just one of many racist mandates handed down by David Stern, was aimed at players like A.I, players who refused too change their image or who they are to cater to the white media. But I digress; this is about Iverson the basketball player, and although he played a part in his decent into the cellar of the league, there should have been another team out there willing to take a chance.

The Memphis Grizzlies won a whopping 24 games last season, but they played hard every night and have an excellent young core of players. There are a couple things they did in the offseason that I didn't agree with as far as their direction as a team, but they still have a lot of talent. The trade for Zach Randolph was a questionable move, especially when you consider the Pau Gasol deal. (Their Salaries are basically the same). But Gasol was already gone, and when you have a chance to get another dominating low post scorer for next to nothing, you take it. What's worse is that they let Hakim Warrick go for nothing, and he was a major contributor to their team.

All is not lost in the land of Memphis. They did manage to snatch Sam Young out of Pittsburgh in the second round, and that was as much of a steal as Dejaun Blair to the Spurs. (These two, along with Jodie Meeks going in the second round just shows how "smart" these GMs really are.) O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay are a dynamic scoring tandem on the perimeter, especially with a post presence down low in Randolph. The issue with Randolph is he doesn't pass out of the post much and is viewed as selfish. As talented as Gay and Mayo are, they are still very young; their shot selections are questionable. Now we come to the intrigue surrounding this team: Where does Iverson fit. Is he starting or coming off the bench? The problem with bringing a veteran of this caliber to a team like this is that it could hinder the development of the young players. There is no doubt that Iverson should start over Mike Conley, but he really started playing well at the end of the year. Is it a good idea to bring Iverson in when the kid was just getting his confidence up and playing well?

At the press conference where Iverson was introduced as a Grizzly, he stated this season was personal and he felt like a rookie all over again. There is no doubt that Iverson has to use this one year stop in Memphis to prove he can play nice and join a contender next year. It's an unfair deal, but it is what it is. He has to be able to mentor the young talent, become more of a play maker without completely sacrificing his scoring ability, and lastly he cannot pout or get frustrated when things are going well. The microscope will stay focused on him, and sports writers across the nation can't wait to gloat in the face of a failed experiment. The Grizzlies will be exciting to watch and might even win a few more games, but they won't contend. What they will do is compete night and night out, something that fits the indemnity of a player that doesn't quit, and keeps fighting even when the odds are stacked against him.

Blood on Our Hands

The idea of Hip Hop being "dead" was prevalent in the hearts and minds of many MCs well before Nas decided to title his album with the bold proclamation at the end of 2006. If rappers didn't believe Hip Hop was actually deceased, they made tracks stating their opinion, usually believing that the culture was on its death bed. Common made the song "I Used to Love H.E.R." as an ode to hip hop back in 1994. The track was highly critical of the direction that Hip Hop was moving into at the time after attaining more commercial success in the mainstream. Around the same time other rappers stepped to the forefront to convey their disappointment in Hip Hop's apparent downward spiral from an art form that originated from the struggle of the oppressed, to a sound that has been over saturated with bravado and degradation. KRS-1, a Hip Hop pioneer and legend, has been one of the strongest advocates of "Real "Hip Hop as well as one of the bigger detractors of what would be considered "Commercial Rap." The question remains: Is Hip Hop as we once knew it truly dead? If it is dead, who is to blame for it's apparent assassination? Are we to blame the record labels, radio DJs, the artists themselves, or the fans?

The culture of Hip Hop has its origins deeply rooted in the streets and projects of the oppressed and disenfranchised. Of course there were groups with the commercial appeal that were enticing to white America that allowed the culture to gain notoriety. The "Sugar Hill Gang's Rapper's Delight" was a Hip Hop hit single that brought world attention to the growing sub-culture, but rap music's foundation was based in the ghettos and hoods that were generally ignored by the white community. Tracks like "The Message" by Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five and later album's like "Criminal Minded" by Boogie Down Productions gave America more of insight to the plight of African Americans in this country. The culture gave social commentary on black communities and the hardships we endured. The difference between now and then is that the music wasn't immersed in negativity. Run DMC, Melly Mel, Kurtis Blow, Public Enemy, Rakim and KRS-1 weren't glorifying the grind, but were creating ways to escape it. Somewhere the artist lost control of the mission while record labels played the role of master by deciding what was socially acceptable.

When an artist presents his/her album to a label, the label makes the choice of which songs will generate the most revenue for their company. This seems fair when making a business investment into an artist, but tracks with real messages are being scrapped and never see the light of day. There are MC's out there who refuse to let a record exec control their creativity and dumb down their music. Immortal Technique, an MC and political activist, claimed that he turned down a deal with a major label due to the constraints they attempted to place on his music. This intrusion has caused many artists to jump in the game looking for that hit single as oppose to invoking their music with passion and fervor. The music is suffering; the culture as a whole is yielding bastard children who have no regard for the art form that raised them. Radio DJ's influence the trend by deciding what's "hot" and what's not. What we're left with is the same formulaic sound echoing on radio airwaves 24/7.

I'm a fan of Hip Hop; I support the culture, the soul and the passion. In the early 90s, when I was old enough to appreciate what I was listening to, there was less of a divide of what was played on the radio and what was considered underground. Radio stations played Public Enemy, KRS-1, De La Soul, Wu- Tang, Tribe Called Quest, Nas, NWA, and ICE Cube. There was still an underground network, consisting more of local artists and others who broke the geographical barriers. But either way you went, it was still Hip Hop. I don't have a problem with main stream rap music. I listen to all Hip Hop, some time I might be in the mood for some gangsta shit, club shit or some political shit; I'm able to appreciate all sides of the spectrum. The problem is there is no more variety, and now we are forced to do extensive research to locate the remnants of the culture. The average listener will might never hear the Hell Razah joint, Blitz the Ambassador, or AntiPop Consortium just to name a few. I guess it's time to realize that the system has no need to support music that counters its very existence. Maybe it's time for the fans of the music to demand more from our artists, DJs and labels. Is Hip Hop really dead? I don't think so, there are plenty of MC's out there who will tell you differently, and prove that the culture is still breathing in their music. I hear the rumors, maybe she faked her own death. And while there are plenty of people dancing on her grave, she's in hiding, waiting for the perfect time to emerge form the ashes.