Comments on: State of a Hip Hop Nation (long post) http://divaindemand.com/2007/05/08/state-of-a-hip-hop-nation-long-post/ Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:12:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Eb http://divaindemand.com/2007/05/08/state-of-a-hip-hop-nation-long-post/comment-page-1/#comment-768 Eb Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:01:51 +0000 http://divaindemand.wordpress.com/2007/05/08/state-of-a-hip-hop-nation-long-post/#comment-768 I understand your assessment... but dont totally agree with how Oprah went about it. If she wants to have an unbiased forum on the state of hip hop then she shouldn't have only had guests on her show that make her feel secure and wouldnt take her out of her comfort zone. I would have had a lot more respect for her if she had someone like 50 cent on the show... Or if she did only want to have industry professionals then why not Shug Knight. The industry professionals are the ones that are controlling the final product and what the consumers here and not the artists, so to turn on the talented like C. Delores Tucker did with 2pac and so many others is like arguing with someone who isnt even part of the fight. I understand your assessment… but dont totally agree with how Oprah went about it. If she wants to have an unbiased forum on the state of hip hop then she shouldn’t have only had guests on her show that make her feel secure and wouldnt take her out of her comfort zone. I would have had a lot more respect for her if she had someone like 50 cent on the show… Or if she did only want to have industry professionals then why not Shug Knight. The industry professionals are the ones that are controlling the final product and what the consumers here and not the artists, so to turn on the talented like C. Delores Tucker did with 2pac and so many others is like arguing with someone who isnt even part of the fight.

]]> By: T http://divaindemand.com/2007/05/08/state-of-a-hip-hop-nation-long-post/comment-page-1/#comment-767 T Thu, 10 May 2007 17:06:58 +0000 http://divaindemand.wordpress.com/2007/05/08/state-of-a-hip-hop-nation-long-post/#comment-767 I think that a lot of these issues, from the seemingly endless adolescence of generation x to the sexual conflict and materialism associated with hip hop, are just the compound interest on the behavior taking place in the black community over the past three or so generations. I agree with charles s dutton that there is a lack of independent thought and proactivity in the current generation, but I also agree with ed and nem that this generation has been coddled and enabled, too. I think that a lot of these issues, from the seemingly endless adolescence of generation x to the sexual conflict and materialism associated with hip hop, are just the compound interest on the behavior taking place in the black community over the past three or so generations. I agree with charles s dutton that there is a lack of independent thought and proactivity in the current generation, but I also agree with ed and nem that this generation has been coddled and enabled, too.

]]> By: kitadiva http://divaindemand.com/2007/05/08/state-of-a-hip-hop-nation-long-post/comment-page-1/#comment-766 kitadiva Wed, 09 May 2007 14:45:24 +0000 http://divaindemand.wordpress.com/2007/05/08/state-of-a-hip-hop-nation-long-post/#comment-766 I also want to point out, that back in the day EVERYTHING was played. It was a good mix of R&B, slow jams, good SINGERS, hip hop artists who talked about a variety of things (getting OUT of the life, out of the GHETTO, being positive, looking out for each other, having fun, Just sex, what they have, who they are better than, why they love the ghetto, or even the drug selling ie. the trap like these folks are doing now. That is the real problem. We became the caricature and don't know how to be real people any more. I remember when "I Wish" by Twista came out. E'rybody loved that song. How about Kanye and "Jesus Walks", loved it. Now what is playing- "Buy you a drink" - T-Pain. WTF? It is cute, but all these songs talk about the same thing in a round from radio station to radio station. Have & have not has become a battle in the black community now. The have nots are pissed off because they feel disrespected, and they kinda are. How and when did this crap happen when your granny and great grandma washed clothes and sacrificed, and your grandpa and great grandpa bust their backs so that you can get where you are but so many of us look down on those same folks doing those same jobs today I have no idea. Mutual respect is missing. We ARE weaker because of that. Our older generation thought that money would be the race equalizer and pushed at us to obtain it, but it is not. Real Respect is always the REAL equalizer. Money is a tool to use to get what you want, but it does not necessarily make your life better, or create harmony. Our music sets our mood, tells our story and reminds us to do better and to hold on to hope & lifted our spirits - or at least it used to. Now it is simple bs. I hope we make it back to what it was someday. I also want to point out, that back in the day EVERYTHING was played. It was a good mix of R&B, slow jams, good SINGERS, hip hop artists who talked about a variety of things (getting OUT of the life, out of the GHETTO, being positive, looking out for each other, having fun, Just sex, what they have, who they are better than, why they love the ghetto, or even the drug selling ie. the trap like these folks are doing now. That is the real problem. We became the caricature and don’t know how to be real people any more. I remember when “I Wish” by Twista came out. E’rybody loved that song. How about Kanye and “Jesus Walks”, loved it. Now what is playing- “Buy you a drink” – T-Pain. WTF? It is cute, but all these songs talk about the same thing in a round from radio station to radio station.

Have & have not has become a battle in the black community now. The have nots are pissed off because they feel disrespected, and they kinda are. How and when did this crap happen when your granny and great grandma washed clothes and sacrificed, and your grandpa and great grandpa bust their backs so that you can get where you are but so many of us look down on those same folks doing those same jobs today I have no idea. Mutual respect is missing. We ARE weaker because of that. Our older generation thought that money would be the race equalizer and pushed at us to obtain it, but it is not. Real Respect is always the REAL equalizer. Money is a tool to use to get what you want, but it does not necessarily make your life better, or create harmony. Our music sets our mood, tells our story and reminds us to do better and to hold on to hope & lifted our spirits – or at least it used to. Now it is simple bs. I hope we make it back to what it was someday.

]]> By: Amadeo http://divaindemand.com/2007/05/08/state-of-a-hip-hop-nation-long-post/comment-page-1/#comment-764 Amadeo Wed, 09 May 2007 12:49:45 +0000 http://divaindemand.wordpress.com/2007/05/08/state-of-a-hip-hop-nation-long-post/#comment-764 I agree with "I've arrived mentality" as I've argued that as long as people can drive a Benz and own a big house they don't think there is struggle. As far as the music: when you turn on the radio (and not an oldies or jazz station), if you listen for an hour you hear 90% of what will be played that day. The question isn't why do people say these things in their music. The question is why is that all that get's played. Most white kids dis those emo-rock groups, but those cats still have an audience and still get play. How come I don't hear Mos Def on the radio (BTW where was Oprah and Al Sharpton when he got locked up for doing "Katrina Klap" in front of the VMA's)? How come no one puts pressure on the labels that release this music to encourage them to diversify? As a Hip-Hop fan I can't even listen to most of what's "out" now. Not even cause of the lyrics, but the lack of actual content or even lyricism and style. I have to dig to find quality. Why should I have to dig is the question. We did like NWA and Cypress Hill, we also could hear Queen Latifah, Kid n' Play, KRS-One and Digital Underground via the same means that presented NWA...how come now all we get is poor NWA knock offs? That's the real issue. I agree with “I’ve arrived mentality” as I’ve argued that as long as people can drive a Benz and own a big house they don’t think there is struggle. As far as the music: when you turn on the radio (and not an oldies or jazz station), if you listen for an hour you hear 90% of what will be played that day. The question isn’t why do people say these things in their music. The question is why is that all that get’s played. Most white kids dis those emo-rock groups, but those cats still have an audience and still get play. How come I don’t hear Mos Def on the radio (BTW where was Oprah and Al Sharpton when he got locked up for doing “Katrina Klap” in front of the VMA’s)? How come no one puts pressure on the labels that release this music to encourage them to diversify? As a Hip-Hop fan I can’t even listen to most of what’s “out” now. Not even cause of the lyrics, but the lack of actual content or even lyricism and style. I have to dig to find quality. Why should I have to dig is the question. We did like NWA and Cypress Hill, we also could hear Queen Latifah, Kid n’ Play, KRS-One and Digital Underground via the same means that presented NWA…how come now all we get is poor NWA knock offs? That’s the real issue.

]]> By: Beloved http://divaindemand.com/2007/05/08/state-of-a-hip-hop-nation-long-post/comment-page-1/#comment-763 Beloved Wed, 09 May 2007 04:17:53 +0000 http://divaindemand.wordpress.com/2007/05/08/state-of-a-hip-hop-nation-long-post/#comment-763 I haven't read this post in its entirety ('cause it's after midnight and i need to have my old behind in bed), BUT...I have henceforth and forever more blamed Dr. Dre and 'nem's "The Chronic" (1992) for the demise of the hip hop generation. Musical genious...socially irresponsible. I'm not playing. That album got ALL of my classmates hooked on weed and gangsta-isms. I haven’t read this post in its entirety (’cause it’s after midnight and i need to have my old behind in bed), BUT…I have henceforth and forever more blamed Dr. Dre and ‘nem’s “The Chronic” (1992) for the demise of the hip hop generation. Musical genious…socially irresponsible. I’m not playing. That album got ALL of my classmates hooked on weed and gangsta-isms.

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