Is Hip Hop Dead ....??? Discuss Your Opinions Here.

Originally Posted by Bogey_J

I know this has been discussed to death, but just answer the question..

Is hip hop dead to you? Vote and Discuss

Originally Posted by ~:Frank White:~

RADIO OR VIDEOS?

ITS FUNNY HOW BACK IN THE DAYS WE (HIP HOP HEADS FROM THE 80'S) WAS TRYING TO BE ACCEPTED BY OTHERS, BUT NOW ITS OLD HEADS IN THE GAME AND SO-CALLED GANGSTA RAPPERS KILLING OFF WHAT WE HAVE LEFT....YEA ALL THAT SNAP sh*t IS CORNEY (IMO) BUT ITS HIP HOP....BREAKIN WASNT LOVED AND DONE BY ALL ARTIST EITHER.....HIP HOP HAVE 5 ELEMENTS NOT 1.

Originally Posted by Young Cutthroat

I've been thinking about something. During the 90's, rap was aimed towards the street crowd because thats who bought most rap CD's. As time passed til around the 2000 era, the streets stopped buying CD's and started burning them. That kind of slowed down money in the music industry. Thats why u would see artists who had a major buzz in the streets because of their talent but wouldnt even make gold because their CD wasnt selling in stores, but everybody had it because of piracy. Back in the day, it wasnt nothin for a talented artist to go platinum in no time, but its not like that no more because we'll burn their CD instead of buying it, taking away money. The industry's solution for that was to stop making music for the street crowd and cater to the crowd that buys CDs the most, and that would be suburban white kids and females. A lot of white kids buy into the industry's gangsta image and the females buy into the sex appeal that they see in male singers and rappers...therefore, they end up buying CDs from these artists. I feel that if the streets wouldve never stopped buying CDs instead of burning them, that hip hop would still cater to the streets. Its all about money and the music industry is catering to the crowd that will come out the pocket and buy CDs from the store. Which explains why u see people like Soulja Boy puttin up Jay-Z numbers in sales. So basically, I think piracy is the reason for this. Just a thought of mine.

Originally Posted by jeehtoven

Ever since rappers wanted that 'hot single,' rap hasn't been the same. If MCs started using the same producers (who shows variety), then we'll start getting that classic sh*t that the feens are looking for.

Originally Posted by Fatt Kidd

Think about.......
when older people like yo parents or grand parents heard you playin Illmatic or Wu Tang or NWA they were thinkin that music was dead. Cuz they wasnt ready for the change. I think that same thing happened to anyone that thinks hip hop is dead. It didnt die. You just turned into that old person that doesnt like the change and generation.

and if you send me hate yo kids gonna catch chicken pox

Do you remember the golden oldies? Do you remember Tupac? Do you remember the first Snoop Dogg? Do You remember B.I.G? Do you remember the Motown movement? Do you listen to music like this and it hits you in a place where music today cant hit you today? Like its hard for people to connect with their listeners on a real emotional level in hip-hop/rap.

I think that all that old sh*t had soooooooo much soul. It seems like the reason hip-hop/rap is the way it is now is because most rappers/hip-hoppers have sold their souls for the MONEY.

At one time there wasn't much money circulating around this genre and there was so much realness and soul and now its without the soul and we are making so much money. Every since hip-hop/rap has became popular culture the soul has been sold for the money.

Who agrees? If not, voice your opinion/explanation.

i think the future of rap lies in the hands of rappers like master p and chamillionaire.

why?

no cursing, vulgar lyrics.just clean raps, about any type of issue

i'm talking about no cussing through out the whole album.

imagine the marketing aspects?
being able to market to a broader audience, mainly the children.
no need for parental advisory stickers
master p learned a thing or two when his ass was showing up on nickelodeon and you were hating on him calling him a sellout and sh*t

What kind of criticism would parents be able to give to this revitalized genre of hip-hop?

and don't give me 50 sh*tty argument cause p put him in his place on national television.

hiphop with no cursing has been around i'm sure. but name the last artist that was able to do it big like cham and p are going to do it.

similar artists are going to spring up from other regions besides the south i believe.

look at conscience artists like common, mos def, talib? they're whole concept of positive rap is more accepted now than ever before by the commercial mainstream

the game isn't going to stay in the south forever...
where do you think hiphop is headed as far as the commercial mainstream goes?

Sorry but I got to get this off my chest.

There's a big debate over whether Hip-Hop is dead or if it's alive. But this debate is based on the recent lack of sales by the large majority of hip-hop artists. With the exception of Jay-Z, Eminem, 50 Cent, Kanye West, T.I, Lil' Wayne, and Ludacris, it's hard to name a rapper that has gotten a platinum plaque over the past few years. The numbers show that hip-hop is certainly on life support, but that's not main thing to look at when people say it's dying. Take some time-out and listen to the music and you'll get your REAL reason why it's dying.

These niggas and bi*ches in the game today aren't talking about sh*t! Everybody's so focused on making the next dance step or club record that the content of the music is NO WHERE near what it used to be. I listen to all most every album that comes out at least once to get an opinion on the artists that based on his music, and not his back story or gang affiliation. I couldn't give a fu*k about how many people you claim to have shot. How many ounces and pounds you push and cook up. How many times you've been shot or how gangsta you are. With me, if you put out good music thats about something and it's not just you talking about the same sh*t that the next man was talking about, I'd listen to you. That's why I enjoy listening to people like Kanye West. People don't like Kanye West because they say things like he's a fag for wearing this or wearing that. He's a bi*ch and he's not street. Who gives a fu*k!!? Kanye over his career has been more consistant in putting out not only good but great music than anybody else that I can think of at this moment. But people hate on him because he's not talking about selling drugs, or he's not going to jail every 3 months. The same people that say "Graduation" is garbage are probably the same people that say "Thug Motivation" and "The Inspiration" are classics. Do you know hip-hop? Do you know what the definition of an actual talent is? You can find any nigga to babble about cocain for 60 minutes, but it'll be a lot harder to find someone that can put together 45 minutes of actual music. Not just rap....I'm talking about MUSIC! Music that you can feel...music that speaks to you....music that gets you through the bad times....music that'll make you bob your head to a beat that is berely even noticable over the artists that rapping.

I haven't bought too many albums lately because I'm not about to waste my money on bullsh*t. So upon saying that, I don't understand why these artists are suprised that a song like "G-Slide" aren't generating sales for your album. We know you don't have sh*t to say, that's why you're first single is so dumbed down. So why would we buy your album? It'll make a nice download if I have time to do it, but nothing more than that.

I want to open up the floor to get others opinions on whats wrong with the game and what it may take to get it back to the level where the music actually meant something.....

Originally Posted by DTownPistonsFan

WE killed hip-hop. The fans. Yet, we're the ones to point our fingers at D4L and Soulja Boy. If we didn't ACCEPT the bullsh*t music, it wouldn't be made. Just like how rappers say if they made videos that were educational and wholesome, BET and MTV wouldn't play them; if we weren't requesting these songs and videos and buying these albums, artists wouldn't be making them.

I don't blame any sh*tty artist one bit for putting out their sh*tty music. They got families. They got desires. They want money and they want the "American dream." They're actually smarter than "us." They're smart enough to exploit the system. They know that the stupider their music is (but the nicer the dance that goes along with it), the more money they'll make. They don't even have to sell albums. Their ringtones alone make them plenty of money.

I completely blame the "fans" of hip-hop for its current state. When we stop supporting ignorant music and dancing around like some fu*kin step-n-fetch-it's, the music will stop being made. That's my little rant. Have a nice day.

Originally Posted by Santoro

Look at how the east coast and west were in the 90's. Yeah their were beefs here and there, but most crews got along. Most would jump on a song or be in the studio while others were recording. Now jump to the early 00's when the South was getting big. What did you see? Unity. Crews working together and everybody all up in every bodies videos, just like the 90's.

People want to say its because wack music is being put out. There has been wack Hip Hop since the 80's. I think it all has to do with unity and people just being about themselves. For fu*k sakes people don't even work together in the studio anymore. They send tracks to the artist then the artist sends them back. You can't even blame beefs really, because there have also been rap beefs since the 80's. If you notice when the coasts are the most successful its because they're unified. Look at Miami, Texas, Atlanta, New York, Chicago and LA. They all had their phases and during those phases they were united as one coast. Just my opinion.

Originally Posted by Bogey_J

i remember reading on another board something along the lines of 'i grew up with hip hop but hip hop didn't grow up with me' and I agree somewhat. Hip hop just doesn't have the same affect on me now as it did in my youth. I'm not checkin for anything now...sh*t, I can't really fu*k with anything past '01. All is that bravado is transparent to me now. Just can't connect to it. My views on music has expanded past hip hop. Nowadays I need more substance. Hip hop is pretty much irrelevant to me now.

Originally Posted by DjInfamous804

As we all discuss in here the problems with hip hop right now....no matter how many threads we make....but real talk......for this one.....Which ONE .....damn it...ONE....is your answer to why the industry...and life of hip hop has taken a downfall ? As I said we can talk about all day...but if u could really voice your opinion so that it could be heard seriously...whose fault is it.......?

Personally...I'm a dj...and my answer is directed straight at record labels...because they are signing artists as if their is a shortage to represent their label.U got artists thats been in the game for a while and gotta take back seats to rookies when they aren't hot.....then you got music thats sittin on shelves in the company that hasn't seen sunlight for rotation...reason why radio stations suck.......but that comes to what ever market u live in...

Originally Posted by Krs ones nose

Materfact, I won't say hip hop died. But it got fu*ked up when the source started fu*kin up. Back in the day u heard every rapper talkin about gettin 5 mics, or saying some sh*t like the source should give me 98 mics or some dumb sh*t. But my point is, gettin a good review in the source was rappers motivation to make a great complete album. Once all the politics came in the game, like niggas buying their mics, and the source jerkin niggas because they had beef wit them. Thats when sh*t got wack. Niggas don't even take reviews serious anymore. What yall think?

Originally Posted by pa_general

Man I remember 93 - 01 . . . beautiful years in rap/hip hop. You actually had to have some sort of SKILL to be considered great. . . niggaz took their time on albums. . . production was fire. . . albums were selling. . .

This s**t just ain't what it used to be. . . now we have a fukkin bushel of ringtone "1, 2, 3 Simple Simon Says" ass niggaz who could give a f**k about the art form or anything else. . . and if you complain about it you're "hating". Trash ass niggaz like Plies, Wayne and even Soulja Boy.

Now, I'm not mad at any of these young brothers for making money. . . It's good to see anybody over coming a negative situation to get paid. . . but I'm sorry there's no excuse for this trash ass rap now a days.

I really fear that within 15 years the art form of rap will be no more or close to dead if it isn't already.

I really don't get the same feeling I got when LOX dropped an album, or DMX had his latest single playing on the radio. You could tell them niggaz took their time with their s**t!!!

s**t man, I know I can't be the only one feeling this way! And a nigga is far from old Im in my mid 20's!!!

It's a sad day in rap when a Glad Trash Bag nigga like Gucci Mane is one of the most anticipated artist!!! lol wtf is going on?!!!

And don't hit me with that Hip - Hop is evolving bulls**t either!!! lol This s**t is dying and niggaz know it!!!

Originally Posted by Twinn

people dont wana hear the clubbing music but on the flip side who wants to hear people rapping about the struggle or watever all the time? why cant we just let them rap about enjoying themselves? why do so much people rather hear them rap about sad times? its not meant for radio imo

Originally Posted by TRAGIK

REL HIP HOP ISNT REALLY DEAD...ITS JUST NOT GETTIN SHINE...THE UNDERGROUND IS WHERE ITS AT...IM JUST WAITIN FOR PAPOOSE TO DROP HIS sh*t...HIS 45238976587 MIXTAPES JUST GOTTA LEAD SUMWHERE AND I HOPE DEY DONT DRY DAT NIGGA OUT...BUT IF U KNO ABOUT HIP HOP U DONT HAVE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT IT BEING WAKK RIGHT NOW...CUZ IF U LOOK IN THE RIGHT PLACES YOULL FIND GOOD MUSIC...IF PPL LIKE DA BULL COMERCIAL HIP HOP DATS ON DEM...NO ONES FORCING U TO HEAR IT

Originally Posted by Nyuzi

Maybe the industry generally targets towards a younger or more ignorant group of listeners that prolly don't care about serious problems or use of deeper lyricism when it comes to hip-hop. Maybe too many rappers are going about they music the wrong way. Maybe the people that listen to hip-hop push radio singles and club sh*t too hard. Maybe too many people are too stubborn to listen to more conscious topics discussed by certain rappers. Simple or ignorant lyrics and repetitive topics are usually the main complaints of today's rap listeners.

Originally Posted by Fatt Kidd

Think about.......
when older people like yo parents or grand parents heard you playin Illmatic or Wu Tang or NWA they were thinkin that music was dead. Cuz they wasnt ready for the change. I think that same thing happened to anyone that thinks hip hop is dead. It didnt die. You just turned into that old person that doesnt like the change and generation.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/3065588fdb493f/

and if you send me hate yo kids gonna catch chicken pox

Originally Posted by Opprobrious

people like the music of their ERA...
thats what hes saying.. so.. just like 80's rock and freestyle..
hip hop will be oldies.. but forever bumped for the greatness