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ANOTHER THOUGHT PROCESS EDITION:
THE ESSENCE
Written by: Kelvin Loney
Hey, I have a question for the mind. Did Hip-Hop lose its Essence?
When I say essence, I'm talking about the foundation that today's hip-hop
stems from. Don t get it confused with the statement, Is Hip Hop Dead?
Because to all those that have eyes and ears can tell that this is definitely
not true. But based on the quality of music and the effects of its influence,
the hip-hop of today proposes this legitimate question. Now, I'm not saying
that this is wrong, but it certainly isn't 100% right either.
Although I'm not the oldest person, I still remember growing up on Michael
Jackson's "Thriller", the "Kid n Play" dance, and
Biz Markie s "Just A Friend".
Because of the evolution of hip-hop, the culture is being embraced by
much younger generations and rightfully so. I've seen carriage-bound babies
rockin Air Jordan baby booties with an oversized fitted baseball cap and
four-year olds leanin' n rockin' , snappin' n poppin' and shaking more
than just their tailfeather.
This past summer, I had attended a children's birthday party. The kids
in there seemed to range from 10-years old on down. Between drinking and
conversation, this one kid who couldn't have been no more than 6 years
old came up to me to compliment my pink Lacoste polo shirt, mainly because
he was wearing the same one. In my response, I said something to the effect
of "Thanks shorty" and in return the kid gave me one of the
most convincing man-like pounds I ve ever received from a 6-year old.
The point that I'm trying to make is that the youth of this generation
is born into hip-hop. It's all they've ever known. Therefore, it is expected
of them to be unaware of the beginnings that shape the culture that they
live so effortlessly by today. And because of this fact, they seem to
be out of touch with the true essence of hip-hop.
Yes, it is all well and good to get Crunk with Lil John or Chicken Noodle
Soup it, but at the same time it's a shame that most of them in this generation
don't know or don't care about Tupac, Public Enemy or Run-DMC. To their
credit, they might know who they are, but they don't know why they are
important. They do not understand how their message and influence affects
the hip-hop that they listen to today. Just because these type artists
don't have a gimmick to attract their interest, does that make them wrong?
What about the children? Does that make them ignorant or any less apart
of Hip-Hop culture because they weren't given that knowledge? The answer
is No. The answer is no because without both entities there would not
be a whole. In other words, if Tupac wasn't as honest and relatable as
he was, would we still regard him as the greatest Hip-Hop influencer of
all-time? If Public Enemy didn't vocalize the importance of unity and
righteousness over discriminating authority, would we have ever realized
the absolute power of the masses led by a voice over a microphone? And
what about Run-DMC? By crossing music barriers, would hip-hop have ever
been able to earn enough respect to attract worldwide acceptance as a
legitimate genre? These are important events in Hip-Hop that today's generation
needs to acknowledge because they are what drive the marketability, longevity
and evolution of the culture.
The sad reality is that hip-hop is now a monetary commodity, but at the
same time, without this exposure, hip-hop would not have become the culture
that it is now. Yes, it's true that money makes the world go round, but
does that make it right? The fact is that corporations strip the truth
from hip-hop and in most cases buffoons it, so that those who know little
or nothing of the culture can gravitate toward it. And because this mass
appeal is what generates the revenue, those that are your influencers,
(i.e. rappers, popular figures and industry honchos), want a piece of
the pie, therefore they milk the cow for what it's worth, which usually
results in half-truths. ( i.e. half-ass, popular culture gimmick music)
Hey listen, don't get me wrong, everybody wants something that they can
go to the club and dance to, but for any true fan of Hip-Hop, you can't
help but want to hear the real , and that is music with originality, creativity,
lyrical skill, individuality and staying power; the basis of the truth
that Hip-Hop music was built on.
Whether good or bad, or even better, for balance, hip-hop is now in one
of its most flourishing stages. Even though influence and money go hand
and hand, it is still very much important to keep the true essence of
hip-hop in the heart. This is where all truths reside. As long as today
s generation and the generations to come can continue to uphold these
truths by understanding or at least recognizing where it came from, only
then can we maintain the very true essence of Hip-Hop music.
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