I know what you’re thinking. “Really, Tang? Hip hop is dead? I’ve heard that before.” So, I want to clarify at the start by saying that this is not how I feel. However, someone who I regard as being one of the great hip hop/pop cultural commentators of our time, Jay Smooth, has declared the death of hip hop. And when Jay Smooth says hip hop is dead I don’t take it as lightly as when I hear that noise coming out of other people’s mouths or, as in this case, blogs. Now, you might be asking yourself “what caused Mr. Smooth to make such a bold claim?” It was this:
“Hip-Hop was irreparably destroyed by the 25th Anniversary remake of ‘We Are The World‘”
It is with a heavy heart I must report that on the evening of February 12th, 2010, Rap Music died once and for all. After battling a long illness, our beloved Rap was too weak to withstand the overpowering shame of that We Are The World remake.
And so, out of respect for this tragic passing, I am joining rappersiknow.com in shutting down my website forever. I simply cannot go on in a world where that rapping choir happened.
Really, Jay Smooth? I think it’s funny as hell to imagine that the 25th anniversary remake of “We Are The World” could destroy hip hop in one fell swoop, but it’s not true. I agree that this was a horrible, horrible, attempt at music. But, for real, this isn’t hip hop. This is pop music – at it’s worst. Just because some “rappers” appear on the song and make straight asses out of themselves it doesn’t mean that hip hop is dead. Those dudes are all pop rappers anyway – even if one or two of them were the shit or could actually rap at one point. And, number one, this is actually one of those rarest of moments when all these pop culture symbols of all that is wrong in America actually get together to do something for a good cause.
I’m sure it’s just a joke, but In all seriousness I hope that Jay Smooth brings back the original Ill Doctrine. It’s really not that bad, man. We still have all the real hip hop after all. I mean, did you see Jay Electronica, Talib Kweli, or Nas up there? Exactly. And those are just a few of the more popular names that I can name right off the top. What about all the hip hop happening in our own backyards? You know the kind that doesn’t require a Quincy Jones or Lionel Richie, or a Timbaland or Neptunes behind them to make music that actually sounds good.
Shit… I was just kicking it with Khingz at the homie Toast’s house, and listening to Khingz, who happens to be Haitian and one of the illest MCs out of the 206, talk about the international community’s colonial style take over plan of Haiti and the post-disaster scurry to “rebuild” Haiti into a Western-style resort/colony, my sentiments were only reaffirmed. Hip hop is alive and well, and it knows what’s up. It’s not just some mindless mutated pop version of what it once was. It’s actually smarter, more aware, and better than ever. You just gotta find it’s real voice coming from out the underground, where it’s always been.
In the meantime, I’ll continue to follow Jay Smooth at nildoctrine.com
Update: It was a joke. Rappersiknow was back online the next day, and Jay Smooth continues do his thing over at nildoctrine like nothing ever changed. These people obviously do not think hip hop is dead. I’m a dumbass. Please disregard the above rant.
i know you aren’t talking shit about ll cool j bro! he will menacingly lick his lips at you! no, but seriously, i haven’t even tried to listen to this we are the world update because it’s so crass and commercial and way more of an excuse for celebrities to think they are doing something productive and helpful when they’re really just shining up their brand. and it is weird for jay smooth to give so much credence to what is essentially an oddity and a relic (i.e. the massive celebrity sing-along) that is nowhere near as culturally defining as the first one.
krieg
14 Feb 10 at 10:38 am
Nice to see everyone sharing the love. Keep it hip-hop people!
Jeremy Buchannon
28 Feb 10 at 9:50 pm