Will the true emcees please stand up? Everyday there is more controversy to any true positive energy that is being displayed. Why is there so much verbal anarchy going down in our Hip-Hop community??? These are just a few of the questions that I wonder about when I observe my fellow emcees and their lifestyles... This probably sounds like another Tupac/Biggie analysis, doesn't it? But, the true question is, "Haven't we learned?" Just a couple of days ago, I found myself in a heated discussion about who was better Nas or Jay Z, and I do emphasize the word "heated". I found myself practically at war with my fellow brother about the lyrical skills and paper stacks of two of the games most profound Hip-Hop pioneers, and I asked myself, why am I putting so much into a subject that has no substance? --Or does it?
The present question that I have to ask the masses now is, Why are we at war? Hip-Hop is not a melting pot for destruction- it is a prime symbol of revolution sprinkled with evolution...Hip Hop is the floor for diversity and expression, it is the symbol of the first amendment...so why are we losing focus? Many people fail to see how Hip-Hop has such a phenomenal impact on the world as a whole- Hip-Hop is the door to freedom, but so many of our emcees are blind to the power they possess.
(Here are just a few examples) Rock music is flooded by Hip-Hop, a genre of music that was only appreciated by Blacks and Hispanics is now spilling into the homes of white Americans, and they are relating. We are learning about our cultural make up through Hip-Hop. Our style of dress is not just flowing through our hoods, but now it's emulated on the runways of Paris. Our background of Hip-Hop history is now being understood and even captialized on, as many marketing tactics target our communities for consumer participation....(I know this sounds like some textbook sh*t, but this is what we sit upon).
So now I go back to the question, "Will the true emcees stand up" Why fight amongst yourselves as your fans suffer? Why destroy the path that was laid by your Hip-Hop forefathers by wondering "Who's Who Of Hip Hop?" Use your talents for what is needed. Make albums that relate to your listeners...Anybody can make a commerical album and sell millions. Anyone can star in a movie who has money to back it...But, who's using their blessings to the fullest?
You brothers and sisters produce albums about how you buss ya' guns, and how much coke you flip, who's b*tch you f***ing, or how deep your pu**y is, and who you ride or die for. But, as soon as another emcee strikes at you, it becomes very necessary to spit fire back until you are on the front page of the Daily News dead, or in jail for attempted murder of your fellow artist. So, when will it end?
These personal gripes with other emcees ain't helping nobody...For those who forgot, no matter how much you pass off the subject, you cats are role models to everybody who listens to you. Your mic is a powerful instrument to the individuals that you touch. Stop shrugging the responsibility off and recognize your talents. The music that you make is not just a verbal piece with a heavy a*s bass line that makes your head nod. If you recite a verse that relates to a particular person, you have a follower to your cause no matter what it is.
I remember when my Uncle got murdered I listened to nothing but Tupac. When I was finishing up my last two years of college Nas's song Big Things from his album I AM, was in full rotation in my dorm room. And when my best friend got locked down, I played the hell out of Jay Z's You'll Understand, from the Dynasty. These were my theme songs for the situations that influenced my life....they were lyrical therapy. But, now with all the mud slinging you cats are doing, you are forcing me along with my fellow listeners, to choose a side and get your guns ready for a war...Why?
With all the bullsh*t going on around us, why now? In this game there is no Best...No Greatest...It's only opinions. Not by the emcee, or the journalist of the Vibe, XXL, or The Source, it's the fan. The brother or sister who is taking that extra 14.99 out of his or her paycheck, allowance or hustle money to buy your album (or to even cop the bootleg). The people who are standing in line for 3 hours at a time to purchase a ticket for your concert. Those are the people who admire you, those are the people that count.
So why waste your energy on blasting at another emcee or wondering who's the greatest, when in this game no one can be crowned the King? You can only be a Leader to your Individual Movement and whoever is on that road with you is your achievement in this industry. So be who you are, grow up and take responsibility. You are the parents of what you put on DAT...nuture it. Grow your influence up on something resourceful. This ain't grade school no more.
Written by: Tamyhilfga
Tamyhilfga is an 88HIPHOP community member Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her views do not necessarily represent 88HIPHOP or its staff.