"One hits, they do their little do for just a day or two but then they never last/ Ringtones, the labels cashing in they think they gonna win from this phenomenon." --Q-Tip "Work It Out"
Q-Tip recently sat down with SOHH to speak on a few things, including his upcoming album The Renaissance, and of course, hip-hop. Everything Q was saying in the interview was recycled--just expressed in a more articulate manner-- but what caught my eye was this:
"We [America] are the benefactors of this great world, but are negligent to it," Q-Tip continued. "It shows in our choices -- like the fact we can vote a blithering idiot back into office for another term because we're shook. It's like f*cking with the bully, like 'I hate this n*gga and really don't want to f*ck with him but I know he's going to duff everybody out.' That's the wrong approach to me."
Real talk. This is the first time I've actually seen an interview worthy enough to spawn some intelligence. Most other interviews are all the same...different rappers on the other end of the receiver, of course. Why publicists set up multiple website interviews for rappers anyway is beyond me; it's not like the sh*t ever helps them move any units. Am I the only one that notices e-publicity is only good for message board material?
Click here to listen to Q-Tip's "Work it Out." I mean, I love A Tribe Called Quest. I respect Q-Tip and what he does. But this is no "Vivrant Thing" or "Breathe and Stop." The only thing that stands out about this song is those two bars I posted at the top. But I always support hip-hop. So good luck.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Can't disagree with this one:
"So with everything thats goin on in hip-hop….Nothing seems suprising anymore…Nothing is really makin me say "damn I cant wait for that album to drop" or "I gotta hear this"…It's becoming boring and the lil teases we do get are only enough to wet the toungue. I was reading somewhere they said Dr Dre aint dropping till the summer of 08′…Dr Dre was only an additive when hip-hop was ill and Rap was creative…But for people to wait for him to drop as if he's some kind of savior lets me know that these are the worst times in history…..And we sit around waiting like some malnourished spectators waiting for something to pop…"
...Got damn, son. L Boogie saying something insulting is rare, but when he does, it hits hard. And I do mean hard. I'm glad I could give a two sh*ts about Dr. Dre.
I'm out.
1
Problematic
I think that the problem with hip hop is a small part of the bigger problem of Black Awareness in America. We are constantly caught up in the conundrum of attempting to keep it real and selling out. Hip Hop which as I have stated before was born out of struggle, the blood, sweat, and cries from the ghetto fueled the music that kept me up late nights when I was supposed to be sleeping and I was listening to Red Alert. It was new and exciting Hip Hop has been the music that defined the youth. The problem today is it doesn’t have an identity, it doesn’t clearly represent you and I. I get money but not 50, Jay or Wayne money. The life these rappers portray isn’t even reality for a larger part of the rappers who talk it; so how can it be reality for us? Calvin Klein played Jay Last week on the radio and pulled Jay’s card, but he also in fact just spoke into reality what all of us really know today Rappers = Actors. Rappers used to be the reporters of the happenings in the ghetto but as of the recent 6 or 7 years it seems they all work for FOX news. Certain rappers tell you what you need to know but they don’t get the lime light because they go against the grain of popular thought or so we believe. In reality we all need to hear what these conscious rappers are saying but we need to hear what the “real†street vets are saying also. Because in the end we are all just trying to feed ourselves or our kids, but where are we as a people when we sacrifice dignity for a buck? When you compromise yourself to just put product out you are prostituting yourself. When your doing songs with dudes you don’t respect on the Microphone you’re a whore, when you let the label take your product and edit it before you even put it out to the fan base you’ve been pimped. Fact is we’re all stripping for someone but these rappers are telling you they love you but giving you the clap, they’re walking it out down to coon boulevard and selling your dignity to a audience that believes that your most valuable skill is making music and dancing, playing sports and selling drugs. I am not defined by the misogyny, the drug dealing, the gun clapping, the death. I represent you everyday. I move like your life depends on what I say; I read, speak in verbiage that makes Yale students put their books down, I speak that revolution throw your fist in the air talk, that give it to the system jargon, what are you doing worried about the Hottest Emcee MTV list? Nigga are you fuckin kidding me? Your whole culture is in a state of genocide and this is what niggas are blogging over? Don’t give me the whole what do you want me to be mad all the time B.S. excuse. Yeah I do Coward, don’t give me the what do you want me to do speech either start your revolution and someone will recognize it. We are dying for a lack of movement. MOVE YOUR ASS. “Stealing us was the smartest thing they ever did.†Saul Williams. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSR7H580e5U
@ BIG SUN I THINK DA PROBLEM IS ALL THESE DUMB ASS KIDS ARE ON DRUGS NOW DAYS. I THINK IF I WAS ON SIZZURP AND VICODIN RITALIN AND POWDER WEEZY, AND JEEZY WOULD SOUND GOOD TO ME ALSO. THEY ONLY LISTEN TO DA WACK SHIT WHEN THEY FUCKED UP.
I GUESS ILL SAY 2ND BITCHES
DAMN! THESE JOINTS I GOT TO COP>>FINDING FOREVER, GRADUATION, EARDRUM, GET BACK, THE RENAISSANCE>>>>
Pamoja!!!
OK, if hip hopaint in crisis check dis. between 1992, and 1999 we had these albums
Ice Cube, Amerikkas most wntd
Tribe called quest, low end theory. outkast-aquemini. Biggie ready to die. Biggie- life after death. Wu tang clan. 36 chambers. ghostface- ironman. raekwon-only built for cuban links. gza, liquid swords. tupac, all eyes on me.Nas, illmatic, mobb deep, the infamous. Jay-z, reasonable doubt. Big punisher, capital punishment. Outkast, atliens. The roots, things fall apart.CNN, the war report. Dr dre, the chronic 2001. Snoop doggy dogg, doggystyle. Dr dre, the chronic. redman, muddy waters. Mobb deep, hell on earth. These are quintesential albums, not even including outkasts other albums released in that period, or dmx's albums or the lox's 1st album, or pharoahe monche. the list is endless.
now we go to another 7 year period. 200-2007. what albums? kanye, late registration, jay-z, the blueprint, common, be. Nas, stillmatic. scarface the fix, little brother, the mintsrel show. 50 grodt. these are our modern day classics?? SHIT, nigga is right, some niggas is waitin on that detox, like fiends, and I aint surprised. the quality of the past 7 years been ridiculous, producing barely 3 classic commercial albums. If it aint dying, it needs mouth to mouth
all i have to say is support real hiphop not by blogging but taking your money and going and buying these peoples cd's and not the bootlegs you bastards go cop that common finding forever and that pharoe monch and get that keith murray while you at it!
Big Sun on point as usual.On my way to work bumpin finding forever...harder than BE if I may,they say everything goes in cycles...real hip-hop still exists just doesn't get played on mainstream radio.We all saw the approaching signs of this mainstream rap so now we gotta live out that only the chosen adage...face it we didn't take control of our creation and as usual somebody else came thru and milked the cow....its sad but I'm glad I experienced raw hip hop BEFORE it became this lil wayne is the hottest rapper or lil boosie lil berg or yung whateva bulllshit....
Peace
damn, Big Sun is on point. people are scared to get mad about the current state of our people because they aint puttin nothin in there minds but bs. If you are constantly listening to the bs then you are going to let the bs from the other side slide.
You want to spark a revolution go buy 200 common cd's. Make Nas plat. Call the radio and request "real" hip hop. Or Just get off the computer and make some since you're so outraged. If you're noy the solution you're the problem.
sorry bout the errors
things always change. for better or worse. nas should've said rap is dead not hip hop. so many wanna be rappers and not enough emcees. the new generation don't know bout that real hip hop: blackmoon, buckshot, mc lyte, marley, krs-one, nas, jay-z before he bit biggie style, wu tang b4 the money, yo I can go on and on so we'll leave it at old skool hip hop. but we need to pull out of that mantality of killin our peoples and start uplifting each other like we used too. drugs and alcohol is a major factor that gets people thinkin its a way of life but when the feeling goes away what are you left with. do it wisely and not from pressure, that's the problem with these young niggaz. it takes our nation to help raise the youth not let them watch videos & listen to garbage and think its a way of life. get active and get at these politicians who just laffin at us cuz we confused wit no leader.
I'm here. Let's not start giving everybody work yet. That's not what we came here for.
Understood. I'll make sure our other networks don't make any offers.
Anything I can do to help?
Yeah. You run your sites and stay out of this.
Shelly's right. Just host your site.
Why don't I ever get to do anything important? I can handle it.
No you can't. Anyway I have to go. We'll talk again soon.
Alright.
Let me do something.
If you're going to stay here and talk to yourself, let Stanuele route you under a guard IP.
No can do. We don't have any IP's to waste.
Oh well. You heard the Stanselor. Go find something else to do. I have to go.
dat q-tip is garbage
Big Sun Says...
but where are we as a people when we sacrifice dignity for a buck? When you compromise yourself to just put product out you are prostituting yourself.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That's what I tell people around me everyday. The whole mentality in the world now is get money, get money, get money by any means necessary. I thought it was "by any means necessary" but for something else(remember Malcolm X). Anyway go BUY that Common if you want to hear a breath of fresh rap air.
@ Tru2it,
These kids nowaday have no respect 4 the vets in the game, it's like everytime somebody who's established speaks out on the state of Hip Hop, 1st thing these suckas wanna say is "He just mad b/c he broke" how do U know what these cats have? just b/c a rapper fronts like he's Donald fucking Trump, that don't mean shit, like the God said about Jay gettin put on the spot, these rappers became actors, once big business started investing their money in2 the music of OUR culture, the positive aspect became irrelevant, which is why U have ignorance in the game now, all mu'fuckas wanna do is stunt, hate on each other, disrespect women & get fucked up 2 the highest of fuckstivity, what happened 2 using Hip Hop 2 teach about history & awareness?
Finding Forever is a breath of fresh air 4 Hip Hop
Fuck a ringtone!!!!
Shouts 2 The Real!!!!
Just want to shout out Big Sun, that was on the money kid. We do not own this shit anymore, and that is what commercialism does. When we stopped doing this shit for the love of it, it was over. It was over the first time the establishment paid for it. The same way it was over for the Indians the first time they started taking payments for manhattan. Stay strong people.
Deez Nuttz says...
dat q-tip is garbage
August 3, 2007 9:58 AM
Tell us Y Q-Tip is garbage?
We came on last year talking the same shit about lil niggas not respecting the game. I don't think that shit will ever change. I've read niggas on here fronting about what they have, calling rappers broke, saying this one flopped and that one isn't shit. I've watched niggas talking that NY vs South shit and it never changes.
A famous emcee once said, "mindless music for the masses makes ya, think less of the one that hates ya". These labels are only doing what we pay for. I can't go down the street, sit in my office or go into any public or private setting without hearing a ringtone. If it's such a problem, stop buying that shit. You see, actions speak so much louder than words. Why would I as a businessman hypothetically cut off my throat because a few people feel like I've sold out. Think what you want is my thought process, I'm getting this guap. Now, I'm true to the game and I'll never sell out but if it's between feeding my family or someone's opinion of me, I'm taking the first option that gets me there the fastest.
We need to stop being so wrapped up in the problem and start being a part of the solution.
Last then out, Ny is the center of hip hop. Real hip hop heads respect it and aren't so concerned about number more than we are quality. I'll say this though. To all you Ny'ers that feel down about your current state of music, Chicago has your back. We respect your part of the game and we'll carry it until you guys step back to the plate. It's kind of like Barry Bonds in a slump but the rest of the lineup is winning around him. When your swing is back together again, we'll be here supporting you all the way......
Common, Ye, Twista, Rhymefest, Lupe and the many underground cats we have here have much love for NY.
Peace to the real
Why is everybody depending on a man, a rapper, a actor to save something. Get out and do something yourself and don't let these fake ass rappers dictate whats hot and whats not. Live your Life by your standards and don't worry about the next man. Everybody crying oh he needs to spit about this he needs to spit about that, if you feel you need to hear something differnet, pick up a book and read it and let the boy who came up in a broken home, the hood or whatever have you tell his story. If you didn't live this person's life then how can you comment on what they should be doing, You do it and get yourself right. As for dude putting Jay-Z on blast, then why did he take the rap for a case they suppposedly caught together. I say Jay was the smart one he didn't end up in jail, he ended up the President Bitches. Aight Den, Nuff Said.
NYC Stand The F Up!
I agree with what Q-Tip and a lot of the posters are saying. Now days, people don't want to address the state of Hip Hop, because they'll be called a hater. It's always looked at as complaining. But we can't sit here and act like the music hasn't taken a turn for the worse. Honestly, I believe there is a disconnect between the younger generation and the older one. The gap is so wide, and people aren't working on coming up with a way to close it. When it comes to Hip Hop, I do my part. Heck, I was birthed in it. But one person can't do it alone. It's not a regional thing either. We really need to work on bridging that gap. Actually listen to or support something you like for a change.
Who is L Boogie?
LMAO I run this site. I get blogs dedicated to me. Ahh man, I'm a star.
Real Talk says...
LMAO I run this site. I get blogs dedicated to me. Ahh man, I'm a star.
August 3, 2007 11:48 AM
LMAO I love it. I know how 50 Cent feels. 50 I feel your pain. When you're on top they hate. LMAOOOOO. Lmao @ fat fake faggot lmao. I need my own blog. SOHH sign me up and you'll have more hits than ever.
If you say Real Talk, I probably wont believe you.
If your hero is Andre 3000, you're gay.
"The only thing that stands out about this song is those two bars I posted at the top. But I always support hip-hop. So good luck. " - Reckless
Bitch are u dumb!? did anyone catch that contradiction she just made? If those are the only 2 lines of the song that stand out, how is it still "hiphop". Keep in mind that Reckless (and most of NY) is notorious for saying "ringtone" rappers are "not hiphop". Explain this to me Reckless. If a nigga drop 3 versus of nonsense and drops 2 lines of wisdom, that makes it hiphop?
Real Talk says...
LMAO I love it. I know how 50 Cent feels. 50 I feel your pain. When you're on top they hate. LMAOOOOO. Lmao @ fat fake faggot lmao. I need my own blog. SOHH sign me up and you'll have more hits than ever.
August 3, 2007 11:54 AM
Lmao the funny shit is unlike all of you here including these fake bloggers who act like they're in the streets, I can verify everything about me through the bK dudes that be on this site but I DON'T CARE TO. It's a fucking website. The fact that you lames take it seriously is very amusing. This is like my coffee in the morning.
Real Talk says...
If your hero is Andre 3000, you're gay.
^
If you think having someone make fun of you on a blog on SOHH constitutes "being on top" than you're for sure catchin T-Bags.
If you think that someone who deletes EVERYBODIES comments about him in his blog and then wakes up in the morning to respond is NOT the loser, then you must be him posting under aliases. Hey Eighty, hows your new job coming along? LMAOOO. This faggot dreams about me, how do you wake up with a blog all pre-scripted for me. lmao
Real Talk says...
Lmao the funny shit is unlike all of you here including these fake bloggers who act like they're in the streets, I can verify everything about me through the bK dudes that be on this site but I DON'T CARE TO. It's a fucking website. The fact that you lames take it seriously is very amusing. This is like my coffee in the morning.
August 3, 2007 12:00 PM
Real Talk says...
If you think that someone who deletes EVERYBODIES comments about him in his blog and then wakes up in the morning to respond is NOT the loser, then you must be him posting under aliases. Hey Eighty, hows your new job coming along? LMAOOO. This faggot dreams about me, how do you wake up with a blog all pre-scripted for me. lmao
August 3, 2007 12:02 PM
Lmaooo @ multiple postings. Matter fact if you're in NY and you want to get at me you can see me anywhere in FLatbush from church ave to the 90's. I don't go by real talk but ask for that name and someone will direct you. If you in queens by sutphin ask for me, if you in harlem or dyckman ask for me, if you in LA I'll be at the Jordans in 3 weeks. Get at me.
yall wildin' Q-Tips my man rite there.
Plus, Superhead said the nigga be packing. So yall just jealous
Shouts to the real
Dre the superhead excerpt was fake. Someone made it up at wack hip hop and then it ended up on a bunch of sites. Go read it in their forums.
LMao Eighty is pussy. He deleted me and "ones" comments about him. He does that shit all day and thats your hero? LMAOO...I told that lame to see me in the J's when I'm in Cali and he deleted the comment so he can act like he sonned somebody. I'm from NY and hold more weight in Cali than the "cali" blogger. LMAOOO
Real talk:
4real? Something smelled fishy about that broad(no pun-intended). I always knew that gorilla 50 was packing, and no way young buck got Ray J beat, real talk
Shouts to the real
NIGGAS. ALL Y'ALL ARE A BUNCH OF NIGGAS I THE TRUEST SENSE. YOU'LL NVER REACH ANY WHERE.
BILL O'REILLY IS ABOUT TO SHUT ALL OF Y'ALL NIGGAS DOWN!