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the industry killed it.
more people bought shit that involved little to no thought.
so record companies began selling more shit, because they knew we'd buy it.
and they were right, and now we all suffer.
but really, all anyone needs to do, is go out and cut a record.
you want conscious rap back? bring it back.
Conscious rap is very much alive. Y'all just sleeping on the underground.
Underground isn't all conscious rap. It is mostly GOOD rap, but that doesn't make it conscious.
Conscious rap is very well defined. It isn't just underground hip-hop, it's a style of MC'ing with emphasis on social commentary, and politically engaged. Examples, as usual: Public Enemy (who's the only group doing that thing till nowdays - Hell No, We Ain't All Right), Boogie Down & KRS, Ice Cube and 2Pac's early phase...
immortal technique
akir
hell razah
i had an arguement with sum friends about rap, these guys are all 50 fans and listen to bow wow stuff and all that crap. (i put up with this shit every day) the arguement is that i always complain about these rapper being shit and them jus being popstar. Almost everytime i get the same response if wu tang were so good why dont we hear about them today, times have changed so you should change stop listening to that crap cause its old.
commercial rap works we must except it, was it a rakim interview about why he split with aftermath, dre wanted rakim to rap about guns, cars and hoes. A conscious rapper making it to the top and impacting the business will never happen with the way commercial rap has embraced the stupid people of this world (theirs a fukin lot of dem) at the end of the day its all about money, conscious rap will never sell as much as commercial rap. record companies dont want it then.
the people who are afraid of it killed it - the MC became too powerful
example
in the 80's when RUNDMC made my addidas, addidas then became extra popular around the world and made the company millions of dollars
then around 87 KRS -1 said this in his rhyme the song is "Dope Beat" on the Criminal Minded album
" ....I don't wear addidas cause my name ain't RUN, got Nikes on my feet and to be complete i can rock an american or reggae beat...."
people took off the addidas and got them some Nikes -
KRS did the same to PUMA when he dissed Shan who was known to wear Pumas -
the corporations saw the power in the words of the MCs and began to dilute the Word and the Drum -
True Story
You need to think about the environment where most people listen to music and also what is most accessible to them.
Conscious Rap has almost no chance of comin back its 85% Of those people who are deaf, dumb, and blind and if the 85% spend all their money on the bullshit rap and the the 10% do the same, because Cash Rules the Industry will never care about the 5% of us who listen to the conscious Rap
Michael Jackson killed it. and raped it first though
what u talkin about Public Enemy is still in the game
rebith of a nation... is siiiick
"Paper money was the death of Christ....."
Everyone knows you can't get bitches by talking conciously. You have to be a thug with a chain and rims. It's not dead, but I would say greed, lust, and envy killed it from being on tv and radio.
Why did Kanye give Common so called good beats but he didnt sell as well despite having a critically acclaimed album...yet Kanye sold millions with his album using the same kind of beats? Yeah Kanye can get conscious on his tracks but he mostly flossing.
Well..like couple dudes said it aint dead, u still got Nas, Common, Mos, Talib and couple others that spit that shit. Wu, despite being gangsta at times, can get real conscious and philosophical on niggas.
What has happend is the whole bling bling shit and since corporate world has got more of a foot in the hip hop culture, you find that the music has been directed at those that can push the coporation's mantra. The truth must be told, white kids buy alot of the so called rap albums now-a-days , how many young impressionable white kids (please note not all are like this) in America really going to buy hip hop that shouts black power and living a righteous life as a muslim or rebelised hip hop chrstian centred artist...yes they want to hear about the struggles...but they want to hear about the sex, drugs, killing and million dollar flossing by fake ass wannabe niggas
Peace,
The reasons why the real hip-hop is getting little to no recognition have been stated i the earlier pages. Lazy and stupid listeners that don't want to do anything but dance for the most part. Not to mention an industry that doesn't welcome the likes of KRS-One, Immortal Technique, Non Phixion etc. The main problem y'all, and don't get mad at me, comes from us. The true school heads that know what this music is, where it came from and it's ultimate purpose to uplift the mind and spirit of it's listeners. Your average whips are always blasting nothing but this tired, watered-down garbage music. So, I suggest mind terrorism. If you got a car, blast your music the same way they do. Put your speakers up to the window in your house, and get mad ignorant with it.
People have to know that there's a serious resistance out there, and we ain't switchin' sides for anybody.
Me, I grew up with The Geto Boyz, Cypress Hill, Run-DMC, etc. But when I hit Jr. High School and heard Enter The Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers, that was it. It devastated me, cuz I had never heard anything like it. I know we can all agree that there will never be another Wu-Tang Clan, however, it's still up to us to not only continue to play OUR music as loud as we want, but terorize radio stations and music channels as well. Ask them why they don't play "Rappers Delight" or "The Bridge Is Over". "Bring The Pain" or "Shimmy Shimmy Ya'
If you write lyrics or DJ, then you REALLY need to get on the good foot and start, or continue if you have already began, to market yourself, and do the damn thing. I'm only 21, but hip-hop is in my very bloodcells. It makes me angry every time I turn on the radio, and someone is saying, "your #1 spot for hip-hop" meanwhile, nobody knows what the 4 elemens of the ulture are, no one is delivering a nice verse, and all the DJ does is wave his jersey in the air like a fool.
Bottom line y'all, observe the enemy, and give 'em a taste of their own medicine. The way they diss a culture that they call themselves repesentin' is enough reason for anyone that loves this music and this culture to get mad and complain, but you gotta take some kind of action. If it's doing no more than takin' a spray-can ans taggin' "FAKE" on a 50 Cent billboard, start speakin'.
One Love
Peace
Pop Rap and Gangsta Rap destroyed Conscious Rap. Kids nowadays don't give a f*ck about educatin' the listeners, they just want THOSE b*tches or THAT car from 50 Cent's latest video...