TRU HIP HOP VS INDUSTRY HIP HOP

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Permalink Reply by Shux Wun on October 30, 2009 at 8:07am

I definitely think "Hip Hop is something you live, but rap is something you do..." like Kris Parker famously mentioned. I don't think that you have to know Hip Hop to be a good rapper, but I do think you need to know Hip Hop to be a good MC however. I think what we need to focus on is separating the MC from the Rapper. Every MC can rap but every rapper can't be an MC. The rapper and MC are different in regards to lyrical content, delivery, and reasoning behind what they do. However, whether you're considered a spoken word artist, poet, rapper, or an MC... they all are part of Hip Hop culture.

What I mean is... Hip Hop culture involves ALL of the good, bad, and ugly involved with each element and branches of each element that exists, from the dances to the musics, to the language arts and visual arts... so just because it's not about positive messages or the traditional 4 elements doesn't mean it's not Hip Hop. We've grown bigger than that... I stay dedicated to promoting traditional elements because it's what I like personally, but just because I don't like a certain style of rap music or fashion trend, or dance craze... that doesn't mean it's not Hip Hop, it just means I don't prefer to promote that interpretation of Hip Hop... regardless of my opinions the fact remains that's it's still part of the culture that birthed it.

I think we should more discuss what's good with the Hip Hop that we personally like, rather than focus on what's bad about the stuff we don't like... our energy is put to use only by those who want to work with it.

P.ositive E.nergy A.ctivates C.onstant E.levation