HipHop Isnt DeadBut Its DyingHeres 10 Reasons Why

1. Everybody wants to become a gangsta

There was previously all sorts of MCs rhyming about all areas of life. Hip-Hop was previously fun. Hip-Hip was previously social conscious. Hip-Hop used to political and militant. Hip-Hop used to be grown and sexy before Jay-Z made the phrase popular on his song, "Excuse me Miss".

Hip-Hop is definitely gangsta. Many credit Schoolly D with making the first Gangsta rap record, "P.S.K." Ice-T came out with "6 N in the morning". Boogie Down Productions released "Criminal Minded". And how could anyone neglect to mention "the most dangerous group", N.W.A. and their infamous classic record, "Straight Outta Compton".

What I'm saying is that Gangsta rap isn't new & most of the so-called gangsta rap acts nowadays all sound exactly the same (regardless of where they're from) and are not nearly as good and cutting edge because the pioneers of that sub-genre within Hip-Hop.

Bottom-line: Hip-Hop needs to diversify by time for its true tradition of telling stories that reflect various perspectives and not just the same ol', same ol', "shoot 'em up, bang, bang" mentality and lifestyle.

2. Hip-Hop is driven more by commercial success than cultural integrity

Hip-Hop is no longer a culture, it is a business. Nevertheless, you Hip-Hop is definitely a culture that has been commercialized, therefore, compromised. Corporate America, whether you're discussing corporate-owned record labels, magazines or cable channels, are in complete control of Hip-Hop.

Hip-Hop is big business and is making a lot of people big money. But how many of these who benefit from Hip-Hop are in fact true to the preservation of the culture? And how much of the profits are increasingly being recycled back the communities all over the world that gave birth, raised and praise the culture such as a proud parent?

Bottom-line: Hip-Hop, as a culture, has to be resurrected and moved forward in having a direct effect on the world socially, politically, religiously, economically and not just exploited to create greedy opportunists rich.

3. BEEF

Let me start out by saying that there is a huge difference between "beef" and "battling". Beef is what goes on on the streets and even in the boardroom. Battling is competition; what happens in sports for example not to mention Hip-Hop music. Battling is the foundation of MC'ing.

Battling separates the thorough MCs from the "Sucker MCs". There have been legendary "battles" throughout Hip-Hop history; KRS-ONE & BDP vs. MC Shan & The Juice Crew, L.L. Cool J vs. Kool Moe Dee to mention a couple.

But beef is another whole can of "words". Beef can (and has) spread beyond records and onto the streets. Beef, real beef, is about more than words. Beef can be dangerous and should be studied serious. Beef is dangerous to Hip-Hop since it damages the culture's credibility and hinders its true intent. Hip-Hop as a culture and rap as a kind of music had not been founded on "greasy talk" and violence.

Important thing: Beef may garner some publicity and sometimes, tragically claim lives but it does nothing to uplift Hip-Hop culture and the communities it represents.

4. The most used MCs are often probably the most overrated

It is possible to ask today's average fan to list their 10 favorite MC's and at least half of the people they name are average at best or downright wack. The MCs who obtain the most attention in radio, print and television are often not MCs at all; they're rappers, or I guess you can say, entertainers that rap. Your favorite rapper may have a hit song getting 100's of spins a day on the radio but that doesn't indicate that he / she is really a true MC.

Most rap songs played on the air will be the weakest lyrically. Most of the elements of Hip-Hop are completely absent from the music videos that serve as a visual for the songs. These entertainers benefit from a range of factors that put them at the forefront of Hip-Hop. But often lyrical prowess is not one of these brilliant factors. Meanwhile lots of the best MCs that have mastered the art of MC'ing (see #9) receive little to no promotion from corporate America and their great talents are heard and witnessed by few.

Important thing: True MCs who are in the game for the love of it should be more visible and the popular MCs who dominate the charts and grace the covers of magazines should challenge themselves and become challenged to step their rhyme game up.

5. Hip-Hop journalism must step their game up

I'm a writer. I grew up a devoted reader of Hip-Hop themed publications. There was a time when I thoroughly enjoyed reading these publications waiting anxiously for the brand new issues going to the newsstand or be delivered in my mailbox.

But the last 5 years or so, the "Hip-Hop press" has let the culture down. For example, the two biggest and most successful magazines (I won't name them. You understand...) for me have perpetuated, instigated and contributed to pushing on-going beefs between rap crews. And these publications themselves have engaged in on-going beefs between one another!

This doesn't happen in other publications unless you're talking about the tabloids. And if it does happen within other publications, the ramifications aren't as detrimental to the overall well being of the "profiles" featured within their pages or the readers of their publications.

Plainly, the Hip-Hop press includes a responsibility to the culture it covers. It will challenge the culture while celebrating it. The Hip-Hop press shouldn't lower their journalistic standards or "dumb down" merely to sell magazines. I hate to say it, but some of the greatest pieces I've read on Hip-Hop have come from mainstream publications which genuinely have no authority to speak on matters of Hip-Hop.

Bottom line: At times, the Hip-Hop press results in cartoon-ish and for a lot of us that grew up in Hip-Hop, we expect and deserve better. Younger generation of Hip-Hop desperately need better (even though they don't realize it). There are great writers in your culture but most of us must present Hip-Hop in a shining light while being objective. The Hip-Hop press has a credibility problem (and I ain't talking about street cred).

6. Radio & TV has yet to step their game up

Radio and television programming as it pertains to Hip-Hop is wack. The most used Hip-Hop show on TV (You know what I'm discussing) may be the wackest. And it's not because of the hosts or the young, ill informed audience. The blame could be spread across the board between the producers and the corporate companies who are in charge of putting the show on the air.

I don't want to pick using one particular television show. The point is radio and television execute a terrible job of how they present Hip-Hop culture to the masses. And, frankly, advertisers don't care; all they want are the eyeballs to whatever they're peddling.

Bottom line: Radio & Television have to create more formats and programming that celebrate all of the elements of Hip-Hop so that more eyes and ears will see and hear the many faces and sounds of Hip-Hop and not simply the often negative stereotypical stuff.

7. The younger generation doesn't know or acknowledge the pioneers of the overall game

When I was a teenager, I loved Big Daddy Kane but I also loved and appreciated the soulful sounds of Marvin Gaye. I was students of music, fairly proficient in history and not just hung up on the latest song on the air. A lot of my peers were the same way.

On Nas' new record, "Hip-Hop is Dead", one of the best songs is "Keep on Tradition" where Nas challenges, "Let's see who is able to quote a Daddy Kane line the fastest." Younger generation should be more informed about Hip-Hop pre-2004. I really like fire-spittin', Lil' Wayne, or the charismatic, T.I., but there's been plenty of Hip-Hop before the new school or next school of Hip-Hoppers.

I've always said that the pioneers of the overall game don't get the proper platform that they deserve. That's why I love VH1's Hip-Hop Honors. It's not the ultimate way to pay tribute to the MCs of days gone by but at the very least the producers are trying.

Important thing: The pioneers of the overall game paved the way for the MCs that you see now. The MCs of today, radio, television, print and just the average Hip-Hopper on the road should pay homage to the legends. The culture has a history and that history may be the foundation from which the future of Hip-Hop should be built upon.

8. Live performances are loud, crowded and wack

You might be a hardcore Hip-Hop fan but you will have to admit that the live Hip-Hop performance is awful. It hasn't been this way. As a matter of fact, in its short history, Hip-Hop is well known for its performance element. There have been great performers within Hip-Hop and many of these performances were witnessed in the park before they reached the Grammy stage.

Nowadays, MCs just don't possess a clue of what it takes to satisfy an audience. There's so much wrong with Hip-Hop performances today. The music is too loud. There are so many people on stage. MCs are too cool or too tough to dance or just groove with the music. The stage show just lack true excitement and creativity. Often what you have is a couple of guys on stage as though they're sitting on a street corner. Is that the very best they can come up with? I think not.

Important thing: MCs haven't shown true Hip-Hop heads nothing should they can't put on a solid show. MCs spend lots of time on the road bringing their music to the people but they should spend more time working on their performance when they hit the stage.

9. "Real" MC'ing is really a lost art

If I had to create a percentage, I'd say that only about 25% of MCs today can actually rhyme. Some have very little skill at all. The MCing element within Hip-Hop is the most celebrated but the least mastered. Now I really like beats and I get hooked on a catchy hook, but back in your day, when I heard a record, I zeroed in on the MC. If she or he couldn't rhyme, my ears closed quickly.

Too many songs are chorus/hook and basically nothing else. The MC really is the voice of the culture. What's said and how it's said is important. A MC will be able to articulate their message clearly and skillfully. A genuine MC would not compromise their lyrical prowess to make a hit record. Jay-Z, for instance, has made many hits yet he rarely disappoints lyrically. Biggie was like this as well.

Bottom line: MCs of today should study the MCs of the past and the great ones that are still doing their thing. These MCs are the true masters of wordplay.

10. The ladies are being denied the chance to shine and continue being degraded and pushed to the backdrop.

The ladies of Hip-Hop still haven't gotten their due. We can talk about any other music genre and some of its biggest names are females. Maybe it's the nature of Hip-Hop and rap music. But to have that position will be selling Hip-Hop culture short.

If you think back, women have already been celebrated in Hip-Hop. Now too much of Hip-Hop degrades its women simply for the sake to do so. Hip-Hop rarely makes the distinction between a bitch and a lady anymore. Bitch or Hoe are two words that have appeared to officially replace what woman, lady or girl in the Hip-Hop lexicon.

Whatever happened to calling a female a chick or honey?

Some feminists wouldn't like those terms but at the very least they're spoken as a compliment to women. Most women are offended by being referred to as a bitch or a hoe. Needless to say, nowadays some women embrace these derogatory terms, seeing themselves in this manner and calling one another by these names.

But I won't simply dwell on how men treat women in Hip-Hop. That's a record that's been played many times. I agree with those who say that the degradation of ladies in Hip-Hop is influenced by society's treatment of women. But Hip-Hop may be a leading influence in changing that.

What I'm really troubled by as far as women, is the proven fact that there are just not enough females in the overall game on the mic. Who's representing for the ladies? I don't mind saying that a few of my favorite MCs are females. MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, Lauryn Hill...these ladies among others are great MCs in their own right. Foxy Brown and Lil' Kim both can go toe to toe lyrically with anybody in the game; past and present!

Important thing: Hip-Hop must uplift our women more oppose to holding them down. There should be more females MCs in the overall game to represent all aspects (not just the "baddest bitch" perspective) to be women within Hip-Hop culture.

Duane L Lawton is a freelance writer and publisher of "The Rhyme Report", a series of reports that explores the song lyrics of Hip-Hop's greatest MCs. Visit [1]