Hip-Hop's Blue Collar Spitter
Age in Hip-Hop: Bridging the Gap
Does anybody recall that Cam'ron diss song against Jay-Z where he says:
"You talk bout you a 80's baby... You 37 years old, you was born in 1968..."
That made me wonder: When should age make a rapper hang his mic up? I mean, even if you can still sell records, once you turn 35, are you just irrelevant to a Hip-Hop audience? That's what BET, MTV and mainstream media suggest, as well as a host of 18 to 20-something year-old artists who seem to revel in their youth as they disrespect their elders with lines like:
"You 38 and you still rappin'? Ugghh!" - The Game, "It's Ok (One Blood)"
I mean, damn: is the grandfather clock really ticking for rappers? Why not singers? Or rockers? Or any other genre of music? It seems to me that all of the really good rappers [even today] are 30+ years-old: Kanye, Eminem, Jay-Z and the list goes on.
I fully understand that Hip-Hop is so exciting because it's cutting edge, urban and youthful, but, the older I get, the more I realize that youth is truly a mentality and not a physical attribute. I know 20 year-old women who are lazy as hell with bad backs, and they think that everything in life has happened to them already. On the other hand, I have met 45 year-old women with legs like Tina Turner and asses like Beyonce who have unparalleled ambition. I've seen 18 year-old rappers give up after two years of shopping a demo and say, "This some bullshit. I gotta make a mil by the time I'm 22." I've also seen Rick Ross win because of his 12-year, everyday "Hustlin." Is this why more and more rappers prefix their names with words like "Lil" and "Young"? I ain't dissin', but damn... Are we being more immature than youthful at this point?
Where did those one million Public Enemy fans go? I just finished a tour with A Tribe Called Quest. In one month, we rocked crowds of 3,500+ people a night in over 17 different cities. Whose marketing towards them? If they'll buy a $40 ticket for a Rhymefest/ATCQ show, I'm sure they'll buy a $9 album from Best Buy.
Oh my God... I just realized this is the first time that Hip-Hop has ever had a generation gap.
The Wu-Tang fans hate the Jeezy fans. Kinda like your Pops saying, "That's not real music!" So, now, the young strike back by referring to a golden age Hip-Hop head as old. You know... out-of-touch a/k/a backpacker. However, this also seems a bit contradictory when you think about the fact that Dr. Dre is still on and poppin', Ice Cube sold 500,000 records independently and LL Cool J might still be good for another one.
All I'm saying is, at some point, we have to stop the age discrimination and focus more on good music, which is sorely lacking in today's climate. By the way, I'm 29.
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What up Fest? I feel you bruh, these youngins don't respect the foundation that's why hip hop is full of garbage. Young cats don't know about diggin, or even black jazz greats like Miles & Coltrane. It's due to a lack of wanting to know. In the era we came up in, we were thursty for knowledge & to be original. Nowadays these kids just turn on the TV and immulate everything they see. From young girls whoring them selves out with tight little clothes, or these young never touched a gun or crack vile gangsta wannabe's. It all starts at home, if the parent allows a child to be absorbed by the Tel Lie Vision & gives no true guidance that child is pretty much doomed! My solution is for cats like you & me to educate through the music & inspire the youth to be truth seekers!
HOTEP
What up 'Fest. I'll be the first to tell you, the answer is "NO" as in no it doesn't matter what age you are in my opinion. If you can still wreck a mic stand and you 50, by all means do it. It just goes to show you the state of mind that hip hop is in. I never understood why our music is the only music that lives by this. I mean, you look at other genres, how many times have you heard of a "Rolling Stones" or "U2" concert NOT selling out? These guys have to be in the 40-50-60 age range. Ozzie Osborn? The dude can hardly walk and will still wreck a concert like it's nothing. So why is it when it comes to OUR music, fans are like "ah man you old, move on,"but will be the first to scream "Grown & Sexy" (I really hate that phrase). I'll tell you why, because the artist are still trying to live their youth. It seems to me that this hip hop makes them feel younger. Listen to "Legend of the Fall Offs" on that new Busta. Most of these old artists aren't talking about topics that suit them or the people that grew up listening to them. They try to keep with the latest trends and that's where they get caught up. Everybody gives Ice Cube a hard time because he's "changed," but really, what emcee can be taken seriously if they're 35+ years talking about things they were doing 10-15 years ago? It's like that "old man at the club" not that he's old, just too damn old to be in this 18 and older club.
I grew up listening to HIP HOP(Wu, Boot Camp, Hiero etc) so I'll always be a fan no matter what. I'm 25 years old, still a youngin in the eyes of some, but ask me what's in my cd case (yeah, I still BUY cd's too!). You're not going to see too much of the new age stuff, because most of it is what I call "life filler," just stuff that's out there until a real hip hop banger comes along, and even THAT'S starting to get few and far in between. You can keep your Bow Wow's and Young Dro's, I'm riding with my ATCQ's, MF DOOM's and Ghostface's, got it? Now, YOU talk to ME.
(www.myspace.com/venomoustechnology)
I agree 100% on what my man Rhymefest is saying....age ain't nuthin but a number (after all, ain't that what a young artist in the hip hop/r & b world (r.i.p. Aaliyah) said?)...These young bucks nowadays don't recognize the essence of hip hop and how it got to where it's at today...Myself, I thank artists like KRS, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, Marley Marl, NWA, (the list goes on) for influencing artists like Jay Z, Nas, Wu Tang, OutKast, etc...then you got their offsprings like most of the young artists that are out now like Lupe, Rick Ross, Jeezy, Game, etc.....now like 5 years down the road, would those young upcoming artists would like to be labeled "old school" or "washed up"??? Hip hop is hip hop, since when age had a relevence? Mic skills don't see age, neither does production skills. If the music is hot, should age matter? Wake up young world!!!
too $hort is 40 years old n "Blow the whistle" aint even his last album. Not too mention Ice-T who's 46 n droppin a new album "gangsta rap". I dont think theres a genration gap, its more jus the age has become more stretched, Rappers are lastin longer and commin in earlier therefore u have bow wow at 18 with 5 albums to his name, n some niggas at 30 with they debut soon commin. Im 16 years old n i have full respect for the OG's and pioneers, although we youngstaz are in a rush to come up(i am one who wants to brake through b4 i turn 19) I am happy for dukes to rap aslong as there bringin hot shit, but when they do go sour, someone has to be there to tell em, jus so happens its the young niggaz.
Peace
Good blog topic 'Fest...funny this is the second time this topic came up on SOHH today. In reality, people who complain about a lack of lyricism in today's hip hop should NOT compain about the age of the rappers spittin' today. If Jay Z has accumulated enough experience and knowledge in his long life and chooses to share through his music, I'd let him speak!!! (if what I want is lyrical content).
Simply put, more older rappers have a wealth of topics to speak about while the young'ns haven't quite diversified from the usual topics.
Side note: Unfortunately, after hearing Jay-Z's first two "leak" tracks its apparent that age hasn't helped dude's corny ass - his favorite/only topic is still his own greatness...redundant
Right on point my friend...and it's funny cause the older cats fall into it too...I was JUST telling a friend last night that Jay-Z is genius for calling himself Young Hov...Dude is NOT Young!! But when he says it, you forget that he's 37!!! And I'm not hating...I'm 29 myself, and still hoping to make my mark one day...I really mean it when I say that is a genius move on his part...he know's that these young cats think 37 is washed up...A lot of them have parents that age...if people think you are young or closer to their age, they feel they can relate to you...I'll never lie about my age, or throw young in front...but I understand...I understand.
I feel you a little but really do you remember when you were 18 or 21 and thought that 27 or 28 was ancient. You can't hate on the new generation for having that same attitude. I'm 27 now and when I was growing up I didn't wanna hear the furious five, kool moe dee or even LL because at the time they seemed old as hell and out of touch with me. Shit to some of my homies LL still ain't cool. But that's beside the point. Maybe the older heads don't relate to Dipset, D4L, and Southern Hip Hop because it isn't for them. When we were coming up the holy trinity was BIG, Pac and Hov. Before it was KRS, Rakim and Kane. Now it's TI, Wayne and Jeezy. Every generation has their own preference. Plus older fans don't buy hip hop anymore. Cube just dropped, Ghostface dropped and Busta dropped a hot joint but how many "true hip hop fans" went out and got those cds. It's music out there for all ages of hip hop fans. It's just that when you're 18 you think you're invincible and you don't wanna hear all that knowledge dropping. 18 year old white kids don't buy the rolling stones cds their parents do. So maybe someone should start marketing old school hip hip to old school fans. Man, reality is nobody is waiting for a fugees reunion, the next cubin linx or fat joe to drop busta proved that. Dudes need to bow out gracefully and play to their audience like Cube did or fall to the way side.
Your' right about the 18 year old rapper shopping a demo for 2 years and giving up. Thats what I love about my boy, he been doing it for over 6 years and he still does it. Age shouldn't matter, as long as you love what you do.
If the Rolling Stones still have sold out concerts, then there is no way that a rapper/ hip hop artist can ever be too old.
Music is ever-evolving. If it wasn't it'd be the same old sh*t. As long as you can reinvent yourself while staying true to yourself, and connect with your audience (whoever it may be) you'll be in the game for a long time. This goes for emcees, producers, and just about anyone else who creates. Innovate don't trace. There are things I hate and love about the old and new school of hip hop. I love how the old school created music that was real to them for the fact of making music and not cheese, however I hate how stubborn they are and how quick they are to say what is hip hop and what isn't. They hate the people going left when they were once those people. The new kats are open to fresh ideas as to what hip hop is. The sad part is, a lot are dumbing down their music, and the ones in it for the loot are following because it's whats currently selling. Regardless of age, just do you! Oh and on a side note, not everyone was born to rap and make beats! Why does everyone think they can? There are more artists than fans.
as long as you can bring some real shit to the table, keep spittin that fire.. just be sure to change the subject matter from what a 19yo kid would talk about..
and to 'bridge the gap'... let some of these older rappers take a step back and look at themselves when they were 18-21, and instead of hating on the new generation, try to guide them into what some of those old heads have become: grown ass MEN.
age aint nuthin' but a #......
aaliyah.
that's real talk. by the way, i'm 22 but cats swear i'm much older.
Yes the clock is ticking for rappers and r&b acts. Why? They are doing songs for the moment-getting paid now. There's hardly any acts doing quality work with substance. I.e. Bob Marley's work is still relevant to this day and he dropped out in '81.
There's nothing wrong with partying and b.s. but how long can you do that when there are newer generations with newer voices coming up. You make quality music such as yourself Rhyme and ATCQ and your fan base grows with you, cops albums and finds the venue. They will literally grow with you-despite promotions or record label.
AGE DON'T MATTER.BUT FEST I'M FROM CHI AND YOU ABOUT 36 SO KEEP IT REAL.POINT BLANK
YoFest,
Hit me Panch NYGZ
Like Hotep said earlier and I hate to be co-signing so blatantly, but like Hotep said, knowadays so-called current music is devoid of sampling that comes from diggin' in the crates. One of the few issues that kept the hip-hop[/rap music scene alive (when Republicans were trying fiercely to ban the artform and anything to do with it) was the fact that long forgotten artists' music was being revitalized and introduced to upcoming generations who would otherwise would not have ever been introduced to timeless grooves that are innumerable and yet the back-bone of the hip-hop upon which today's rappers like young Jeezy's fames are built. Age truly means nothing because Jeezy is, Young Jeezy has got to be 40 years-old, yet he and others of the same careless genre act their shoe size rather than their age. The sensibility that comes with age (even from rappers that were scaling the age-old mountain of aging in the the 1990s) is what allowed me to embrace and come to love hip-hop as more than just a passing phase, but a milestone of knowledge that gave me an edge on older folk years ago.
Older folk feed the economy of young crack-dealers when they should be teaching their dealers otherwise about having to sharpen their scope on life so they won't have to sell crack all of their entire lives. So you see age means nothing when you look at it from an objective standpoint. Dumb old crackheads (that continue to be apart of the exploits that become the inspiration of young crackdealers that feel their way of life is the best and livest way to live) and youngsters that never change their drug-dealing, big white t-shirt- ways nullify age as being any reason to count a person out of the rap game.
May infinite knowledge continue to renew the truly wise mind. Peace Out.
WHOA!!!!!!!! I need to start reading the other SOHH blogs. I totally didn't see this one. Dare Lewis and I were having a conversation about this, and we were talking about what it would take to bring New York back. I guess the quote I got from Remy Ma and the same exact quote from Cam (the one you used) made it look like I was swagger jacking your blog, but I wasn't. My bad.
I said in today's blog that older cats (not all, most) need to move aside and let the younger cats do them, but I'm thinking now, that we most definitely need the old school influence to keep rap music quality, but some of the older cats themselves just can't seem to pull it off. Either its because the younger crowd isn't familiar with the "real" style of hip-hop because of the radio playing that garbage... well I can go on and on so im gonna cut it off. But yes, I'll say all in all that I can't totally agree with Rem, but some of these older cats hit 30 something and become washed up so with that said, SOME need to leave the mic alone after a certain age.
I don't think there's as big of an age gap as we think. I think it's the influx of new fans to hip-hop that are the difference. Hip-hop used to be made for us in the hood, because we were the main consumers. Then white Amerikkka became the biggest consumers, but at least they wanted what they thought the hood wanted. When a rapper like say, Vanilla Ice got exposed, he was through, because the hood said he was through. Nowadays in the post Pac/Big era, rappers pander to the people in the suburbs, and don't even really care about the hood at all. I don't know too many people over 20 who listen to hip-hop mainly anymore. BET is seen as something that dumb kids & suburbanites watch. Ten years ago, there was mainstream stuff for everybody Pac, Big, Tribe, Nas, even Ras Kass put out a major label debut. Now, there's no diversity in hip-hop. I think had Def Jam marketed that Lupe song "Kick Push" the right way, that could've energized the "real" hip-hop buying base, but they f*cked it up. That southern snap/crunk stuff is only good for clubs with big booty girls. That's why nobody's selling this year. One platinum artist for 2006? That probably hasn't happend since Run-DMC were the only ones going platinum. Hip-hop aint dead, but it's damn close.
i agree with u, fest. I'm a 19 yr old white-rapper, whos had meetings with execs at columbia records and atlantic, and ive performed in alot of showcases and competitions and havent really had too much respect. and im doin REAL HIP HOP. i did a showcase last night, Melle Mel was there, which was fuckin crazy man. none of these other dudes there could have even pointed him out. he said that dudes gotta come with somethin different than everything they see on tv...but the guy that won the showcase didnt stand out at all, i dont even remember what he did or what it sounded like. so, ive thought to myself, "how long can i go thru this bullshit before they look at me like im an old white dude still tryna make it???" but after thinking alot, it doesnt matter, as much as i love hip hop, or as much as any other artist loves hip hop, we should always do it until we die. the older dudes in the game can set the trend right now, just keep comin out with new shit. look at DOOM, Q-Tip, Dre, Ice Cube, Eminem, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, etc.....
btw my myspace is www.myspace.com/daojones1 if u wanna check me out. lol figure i might as well throw it out there if u like what im sayin.
thats for real...i also think its due to the fact that the main target market for hip hop (or is it nowadays?) are a younger audience. i was at a meth concert last sunday and it was crazy seeing older cats and modern day kids jus celebratin...the medias one thing, coz jus seein meth perform with like 2 generations (give or take) was dope. not that im sayn dude is old which he aint, but sooner or later these cats dishin out the age punchlines will have to deal with the same scenario down the line...
Alicia Keys will be able to sell out concerts 25 years from now. Look at the content, why wouldn't she? What she sings about will still be relevent! Gospel acts don't sell nearly the amount of CDs upon release, but Donnie McClurkin is still sellin' 'We Fall Down', because although it wasn't relevent to some, it WILL become relevent to everyone at some point. Hip Hop has to take notice, and radio should allow more relevent rap to hit the airwaves. Be blessed...
I, too am sick of this bullshit "young man's game attitude in Hip-Hop. These young fools have no idea how much they are shortchanging themselves with that shit. They are pretty much giving themselves an expiration date. Just look at that SOHH NYC post ("CLEAN HOUSE"), where the fool sites a quote from REMI MA of all people as an example of why old fools need to quit. "All rappers who is over thirty should not rap. I think there should be an age limit. I got five more years to go..." This after her album bombed and the only hit she ever had (as a guest in Fat Joe's "Lean Back") not doing enough to make the album sell. People always blirt out 2pac's "old niggaz tryin' to advance" line, but I keep asking myself if these same people would have the same respect for 'Pac if were still alive (by the way, he'd have been 34!)
By the way, SMOKY: Republicans weren't the only ones trying to ban Hip-Hop. Demacrats have made just as many efforts to ban rap. You know those PARENTAL ADVISORY stickers? That was the bright idea of Al Gore's wifey, Tipper Gore, who often targeted Ice T and the 2 Live Crew in her attempts to stifle free speech. Neither party can be trusted.
Spoken like a true hip hop head. I feel the same way. Being that this is not just music, it's a culture, a culture in which most of us grew up in and is pretty much all we know, what are the older heads supposed to do? Hip Hop is who I am, are you saying I should no longer participate because I'm 34? It was more than just a fad to me, more than just a phase, it is me and I am hip hop. I will be hip hop until the day I die, and I will continue to criticize those that don't respect it as a culture and an art form. I will criticize those that don't do their best to preserve hip hop's integrity. Hip Hop is soul and the soul never dies. Shout outs to Rhymefest for continuing to be the voice of reason.
man...i could have written this blog...Fest I agree with every word in this blog...I always wondered why we as a people cry about the aparent racism and economic disparity our people face on an everyday basis, but will turn around and cut off our own collective foot by giving hiphop a cut off limit...this is simply a way for us to make money to feed our families and express ourselves....If you got the talent to rock the mic and say something substantial...i dont care how old or young you are....but if it's clear that your skills are declining the older you get then yeah drop that mic and go do something else...but that goes for the young mcs too...if you aint nothing to say the stfu and let us real emcees step up and fill the void...by the way...i'm 35...come test me
Thats fresh right there.I agree with all the post up for the most part.Age shouldn't matter,skills are skills.
Holla bac.peace.
Ps.Ballllllllllllllllin!!!!!!
To the dude (?) that made the remark about not wanting to hear Furious Five or Kool Moe Dee back then, you can't compare that to now. I'm your age but think how much rap had evolved. The older heads from back then had styles that couldn't stand up. They couldn't lyrically or musically compete with the Snoops, Nases and Wu-Tangs that had showed up.
That's not true now. Eminem, Nas, Snoop, Jay-Z etc. can still stylistically rap as good as or in most cases BETTER THAN the new niggas like Papoose, Juelz, etc.
P.S. The holy trinity when we were growin up was PAC, BIG AND NAS not PAC, BIG AND HOV like you said. Let's not forget, Jay-Z didn't reach that level until Pac and Big died. Jay-Z is really more of a contemporary of DMX and The Lox's generation.
I see what you mean about the age gap in hiphop. I think people are too hard on the South though. I'm from va and its like a border from North and South and down here its spread out and not as close together as some places so we always go to house parties or some bullshit like that so dancing is something to do. So that's why alot of music relflects it. Personally I don't think its a bad thing I think with anything its good in moderation but everyone can't do it and it be good after a while its just another one! Samething with age group. My Fav rapper of all time is Pac then Nas. I like the fact that he speaks on relevant topics. I'm 24 yrs old. My sister is about to be 16 this month and she likes Nas because between my brother and me we make sure she gets the goodstuff but all I hear about is Lil Wayne. I don't think he that good. And honestly I think Gille helped formulate his style he showed him being a cat from up north how to do that flow. but Carter 2 don't touch one. But back to my point is if a Wayne fan ain't getting to hear they Fav rapper cause Nas, 50, Jay, Mobb Deep etc taking their air play time you gonna hear about it.
Also the problems are age and people not letting the new cats through. It seems that people dont' want to hear new ideas that is people in charge at radio stations and DJ's and A&R's. Like two snap songs come out and all of a sudden its hot and rappers who have been on the shelf for years say hey I wrote a snap joint and they like this gotta sell and boom.
it's crazy how no matter the arena this always comes up. whether it be hip hop, politics, the church or the civil rights leaders the younger generation always wants the older to move on. nothing but youthful ambition i guess. i don't think it's a generational gap just a lack of mentoring going on. youth has never been accused of having too much wisdom. as young people we should be trying to balance our ambitions with what guidance from an older generation can give us so that we don't repeat the same dumb ass mistakes. thats why some rappers still have legal woes and church leaders moral issues conflicting with their position of authority. lets stop letting society determine what it means to be old. just because a person has aged doesn't mean they are not relevant. talent and purpose do not stop with age. anybody that wants to push another person out because of age lacks an essential understanding to what life really is meant to be.
it's crazy how no matter the arena this always comes up. whether it be hip hop, politics, the church or the civil rights leaders the younger generation always wants the older to move on. nothing but youthful ambition i guess. i don't think it's a generational gap just a lack of mentoring going on. youth has never been accused of having too much wisdom. as young people we should be trying to balance our ambitions with what guidance from an older generation can give us so that we don't repeat the same dumb ass mistakes. thats why some rappers still have legal woes and church leaders moral issues conflicting with their position of authority. lets stop letting society determine what it means to be old. just because a person has aged doesn't mean they are not relevant. talent and purpose do not stop with age. anybody that wants to push another person out because of age lacks an essential understanding to what life really is meant to be.
Wisdom come with age so why would we want our favorite Mc's to hang it up when they young...THey really say nuttin sensible until they get older....MYSPACE.COM/BOTTLESBABY
At 34 I've seen most of hip hop. When KRS One say 50 years down the line we can start this... I had that ALBUM. I remember hearing Run DMC on the radio for the first time. The Fresh fest concerts, Salt & Pepa and Kid & Play. When 4 finger rings first came out and MCM sweatsuits with Gucci kicks. This whole culture is about to turn 30, so most of you can't know about the old school, you weren't even born. That doesn't mean you shouldn't know, just means you need to ask someone about it.
Most of the new artists are in the same boat, so they're listening to what we listened to in the 80's the same way we listened to music from the 60's. When I was 15 or 16 I didn't want to hear Smokey Robinson, EWF or Marvin Gaye. Give me some Kane, Run DMC, Biz and De La and I was tight. 20 yrs later and I spend days hunting down Coltrane, Rose Royce, Sarah Vaughn and Etta James... but someone had to introduce me to it...
So you can't expect the kids from today to want to hear Stetsaonice, Diamond D or Brand Nubian... they want the newest thing.
What we need are more ol school radio shows that play " They Symphony", " You gots to Chill", "The Bridge is Over" and "Night of the Living Bassheads". Then the ol heads can sit with the young ones and bring up on what we listened to...
Then we can start to bridge the gap and show the young ones how what they're doing is just continuing the tradition.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I agree with dude! I always say that we're so used to and brainnwashed by how the radio is we forget that's not how it's supposed to be and how it used to be.
We should here old school, middle school and new school all mixed in naturally. You should be able to hear Grandmaster Flash, Rakim, 2Pac, and T.I. all in one hour between commercial breaks on the regular. That shit would definitely go a long way towards balancing it out and erasing the myths.
Yo Fest what's good b. Yo on your next blog (if you want to of course)you should talk about how all these fags keep talking about bring New York back this bring n.y. back that, I say fuck N.y. Chicago is here and holding it down with that real hip hop. We got you, your album is dope by the way, we got Lupe his shit is tight, Kanye is always tight, Twista he's still raw not like he was but he still tight. What you think of that? But i'm just tired of these niggas saying bring n.y. back. Theses niggas haven't even went anywhere. So if you can holla on the subject. Chi-Town baby. Maniac.
I think that the age gap in hip hop is the same as in any music. Out with old in with the new. Just because Cyndi Lauper had a hit Cd in the 80's doesn't mean she can cut into Britney Spears sales. Mike Jackson was the greatest but he didn't sell like he did once upon a time. Usher is the Mike Jack for a new generation. Doesn't mean Britney or Usher are better but just that they're what Mike and Cyndi were to new music fans. Rakim was great but his disciple Nas is who I swear by. Chuck D was the shit to some but his disciple Pac made me proud to be black and strong. Kane was smooth but Jay-z is the epitome of cool to me. KRS was tight lyrically but BIG was fuckin untouchable. Man to some Paid In Full is the classic of classics but to some illmatic is and to others let's get it: thug motivation is. Man don't hate because youngins don't wanna hear older rappers. The youngins have the classic cds in there collections but nobody wants to hear a washed up meth or a fake tribe. Shit, even the vets be droppin wack shit.
Good topic Fest. Being an 80s baby I agree with most of the posts. However, what I don't get are the ones saying the older heads need to step aside and let the youngins come up. Nas, Jay-Z, The Wu, LL, and any other artists from the 80s or 90s are not stopping the next dude from getting on so what's the problem? How are they in someone's way? You're talking about artists that have built legacies so why should they stop, just because someone else says so?? Please, if old ass Mick Jagger can still tour, sell record and rock a crowd there is no reason a real hip hop artists with legit skills can't do the same.
Well being that Im a 60's Baby(born in 66) I can tell you that age stuff is BS.
I'm from the original Hip Hop Generation, and I'm middle aged. I was born and raised on Hip Hop, there was nothing else (No R&B, no Disco, NO Rock,..the only music I listen too on a reg is Reggae/ Dancehall). I still buy records (new artists and Old), I mean most of my sons didn't like After Taxes by Shiek Louch, I thought that was a helluva an album because it touched on grwon man topics, not a bunch of childish ish. The problem is that even some the older cats are trying to target the youngins when they need to show growth and target their own generation. I somewhat agree with Cam and Game, because for real if 30+ (actully 25+) you really need to drop some of the 'hood stories (at least the ones about being on the corner/in the trap slinging packs) and maybe write about how you USED to sling, and now are raisin ya family. There is a lot of releveant music that can be written for the older Hip Hop Generation, we just gotta do it!
Im not really a musician, and never have been..but I find myself trying to build songs with some of my dudes thats right for my ears, which means a lot less of that fake thuggery goin on. I'm sayin some of it is cool, but lets tone it down!
crap is what u are
EXACTLY...One of the most well written blogs well thought out blogs in the history of sohh..the fact is you can barely name a handful of rappers that are relevant and "good" rappers under 30..Game, Weezy, T.I. maybe a few others but the majority are well over 30 including Cameron, Kanye, Hov, Nas, All of Wu-Tang, Bus, 50, and on an don we could probably sit here all day listing all the rappers over 30.the problem is those under 30 are quick to use age as a "condition" and correlate it to skills. Once a rapper over 30 doesn't do as well as we think he should i.e. LL, Meth, Bus, in terms of sales we quickly attribute it to "well they are past their prime and thus they should quit...Think about it this way what if Game who is 27 or so T.I. 28 or so we make a declaration that they only have 2more years of rapping left then they MUST retire or quit because they will have reached the golden age of 30....
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Fuck u nigga
great blog fest, i agree 100% wit ya
The problem is the radio stations, I think. When I started listening to q101 Chicago, the alternative rock station, I noticed that they played Nirvana, The Ramones, The Clash, Fall Out Boy, U2, Pearl Jam, and new stuff like My Chemical Romance. Hip-hop stations like WGCI have like 1 or 2 hours a day where they'll acknowledge that old school hip-hop existed. To them anything before 2000 is old school. The rock stations have a much better grasp on this, because they mix old with new all day, every day. You should be able to hear Public Enemy right before Young Jeezy. You should be able to hear a Big Daddy Kane song right after a Ying Yang Twins song, then the kids wouldn't be so ignorant. I know I wouldn't even be so schooled in rock if it weren't for the rock stations willingness to mix it up. Tell BET & radio to do the same.
Ima older dude, and i been rhymin since i was 9 years old, didnt get serious wit it til 96, got in a group in 2000 and been rockin wit my group for 6 years now, all the trials and tribulations we been through, the reactions we get when people hear our songs, thats what keeps me going, and i get amped when a new concept is presented to me or a new beat, and we always get amped to see what we are gonna come up wit next.....every time i wanna quit thinkin it wont get poppin, somebody else, leaves me a comment on myspace, askin when our album is coming out.....my family been askin me foreva why i dont give up, but its my addiction, writin to new beats and recording, thats my life, what i was put here to do, so im gonna keep gettin it in til i cant talk anymore, even then, ima learn sign language, and still bring it....age aint nuttin but a number....ima late 70's baby,lol, i still get carded at the liquor store....so im good, peace!!!!!
check out my music:
www.myspace.com/dsrdrazticspotrushaz
www.myspace.com/fearfactah
and dude i rhyme wit
www.myspace.com/06shadow
Im glad somebody spoke up about this topic....
request me as a friend and let me know ur saw this comment, peace
Mef album is hot
rhymfest
lupe
the last stand-hip hop heads know who named their album that,lol,
im done babblin, peace!!!!
Factah
black people need to start playing instruments again!
talk on this rhymefest!!!!!!
IT SHOULD BE ALL ABOUT THE SKILLS AND LESS ABOUT THE NAME CALLING, THE BLING, BLING, THE SEX AND THE KILLING. I'M INTO A LOCAL SOUND WITH TRUTH BY LK, CHECK HIM OUT @ WWW.LKMUSICONLINE.COM .HIS VIDEO - U KNOW HIM/HER IS REAL TOO.
CHERISH LIFE!
Yo Fest,
I agree with you. Unfortunately we gotta keep it real. The majority of album buyers are white girls in there teens and early 20's...they want to buy stuff from the young and hansome T I's and Juelz Santana's in the Game....and since sales translate to relevance...age does matter in a business sense...
but keep doing what it do...the real hip hop heads are listening
Peace to the Gods!
Why the fuck are y'all not deleting the "yeahhh boyyyy" bullshit off of here and blocking that square ass niggas IP address. That shit is on every blog and y'all gon fuck around and lose some visitors to y'all site if y'all don't start checking that shit in. That shit is irritating as fuck.
Well Fest! I do beleive this is the case of Hip Hop being a newer form of music! Also over-commercialization of Hip Hop is a root cause of the divide between the Hip Hop generatations. This is why I cannot stand the term"Old School"because it just insinuates that the Hip Hop artists,music and styles from the past cannot be relevant today.
Hell, this morning NY Hot 97 had a flashback Friday and played nothing but EPMD and Redman and I almost crashed my whip because the music and beats got me soo hyped up! I think this will change after this garbage hip hop falls to the background.
You can't be 30 or over and wearing baggy pants and shirts talking about "i'ma stick a nigga, smoke a joint today, I'm a real nigga, Shootin guns all day." Grow the fuck up. Rap is for the youth. Youth buy rap, youth listen to rap. I'll be damned if I'm 30 and still listening to "in da club".
"You don't want to be that old guy at the club. You not really old just too old to be at the club"
Chris Rock
30's not really old, just too old to be rapping. Get a job.
www.myspace.com/jaematches
Did You Write Jesus Walks, You didn't mention it this time? says...
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You sound stupid as hell lil' nigga. What you mean is - ignant ass rap like you described where niggas like you are talking about shit they've never done is for young niggas.
Look at the rappers that have had the most impact of the last 10 years (Jay-Z, DMX, Eminem) - they didn't even get IN the game until they were damn near 30. If they stopped at 30, we wouldn't have heard more than 2 CDs from any of em.
Go listen to Jibbs or something lil' nigga.
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That was me by the way
Damn, I know what you are saying. I went to the show at the Wiltern last month and the good thing that I saw was that the crowds were pretty well mixed as far as age. There were some true young fans there singing along to songs that came out when i was their age. I don't look at our youths as the problem because I have been to many shows where i expected an over 30 crowd and there were a bunch of real fans there. I saw KRS at a show and there were teenage looking kids all over the place who knew the songs. It was beautiful.
The problem, like you said is MTV, BET, Clear Channel. These entities that only feel like they have to market to a younger crowd and don't realise that alot of this younger crowd they are marketing to would appreciate some real hip hop, because it is relevent
I'm not hatin because i refused to be caught in a scheme of dividing me with my own people. But honestly hip hop today disgust me for lack of truth and the corruption that has spread throughout the whole thing. Anytime i think about whats on the radio i automatically feel the inclination to just be like "fuck em", aint got time to listen shit without meaning other than the current redundancies. If it aint about shit dealin with issues affectin us today as black people and world politics, to inspire ideas on how to notify or fix or whatever then, its' some bullshit music. I'm 19 and Rap today, if it ever was harmful it has helped to distort the intelligence of the youth into a ignant ass pestilence. I guess you can say if i was with rap earlier i woulda been with that black conscious, militant type of shit.
Age to me for the most part is disreguarded because it aint nothin but a number. i be dam, if sombody tell me i suceed in doin something that i know is right and just cower away like a lil bitch cause i got no heart. Fuck that shit, if you got a clear head with good intentions people goin respond. I think alot of the old school ppl prob is that they not adaptin to current things. Gotta remember to give a lil and take a lil; meet it halfway.
And no doubt they can't be talkin about there lil dope game and scarface fantasies if they 30+ cause that shit come off fake; even he know he can't hang with the younger crew of hustlers and fast life so just drop that wisdom you got from ur age.
MRBLACKMAN
u aint no black man son! what u talkin bout the hip hop wat? whatz bugin on the radio aint hip hop thatz pop...
To rhymefest
fam please stop with the blogz son.. age playz a role though it reachez a time when every artist/dude gatta retire from his art due to the decline in mental faculty {degeneration} that acompanies aging ..asides from that .. get on some showz fest .... get that lipz out ur mouth and put some content in ur music.
THE PROBLEM WITH RAPPERS YOUNG AND OLD
YOUNG
When you become famous, your days hustlin in the streets are over. As a young rapper you can reflect on those trials and tribulations as if they were yesterday. You just came out of the streets so you know whats going on and are therefore able to relate to hip hop fans in ways that older rappers cant. You have the image and experience. The problem here is that young dudes arent taking advantage of this influence, lyrically which is why the airways are poluted with nonsense. They are young enough to touch the audience, but for some reason they rap like they have never picked up a book. Reading is one of the main elements to becoming a great rapper. Sometime through all the drama TuPac and Jay-Z placed themselves in many social settings and were able to see differences in the world.You must align your experiences with education. Back in the day, when there were standards for acceptance into the hip-hop world, you couldn't get away with simple lyrics. People thought you were stupid and dismissed anything you said after that. Since the game has changed many young rappers or dudes that are new to the game, come in and instead of being true to themselves they copy whoever was successful before them.
Younger rappers are cheating themselves by missing the point. Those first two albums, at least, should contain nothing more than life experiences, good and bad. Depending on how good you are you run the risk of shortening your career by starting it, talking about the Benz you just got last week when you just became famous last month. By the time they play themselves out on money, cars, and females it will be too late to rap in depth about hardships. Nobody wants to hear that after listening to how hard you been stunting all this time. People in the hood can no longer relate to you.
OLD
There are many problems with older rappers. These are our pioneers mainly who have been the game for well over a decade. These dudes are hanging by a thread, still trying to make to hang on to the fame. Especially those who weren't smart enough to be recognized through other types of promotions or movies. Some have done both but never acquired the fame they think they deserve, so they are still at it. Others are old underground dudes who never got the full experience, but have recently been accepted.
The main issue here that people fail to realize is that these make money rapping about tough life experience and what they have now. The rise to fame. While this is attractive, it is repetitive. We dont need to see the old dudes doing what the young dudes are doing, just to keep there faces in the limelight. When you have said all you can say, dont keep repeating yourself. Hang up the mic and do something else. People have a problem going out like soldiers. They always want to keep coming back until they play themselves out. The older rappers are not showing the young ones anything that is going to bring hip hop back. What kills me is they know better. They were around when everything was real. In my opinion they are letting the youngsters turn hip hop into a joke. Everyone is trying to make money instead of rebuild the structure hip hop was founded on. The truth of the matter is that a young 20 something year old kid will follow the lead of someone they grew up listening to because they respect them.
MY FINAL ANALYSIS
Some people dont like 26 year old Game, but you have to give him credit lyrically and for upholding that NWA style. Look who his mentor is though, Dr.Dre. This is the real reason 50 is made at Game. Despite all 50 has done to clown the dude. Game is a young man that has refused to give in to ignorance to make money. It is not the older rappers faults that younger dudes are killing hip hop.
The issue is even deeper than that. It is the number one problem that the black community faces from all aspects of life. Unless we are all dying, we have a serious problem coming together to help one another for the good of a cause that everyone will benefit from. When will we stop being greedy and save one of the things we are most proud of, hip-hop. Older rappers should be willing to step down after a decade or century and feed knowledge to the youngsters instead of hanging around to compete. These kids need to know about Public Enemy, NWA, Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang, 2Pac.
We are losing focus, people.
DAMN! ASHLEY, U R A WOMAN AFTER MY HEART. I COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT ANY BETTER. I'M SITTING HERE GETTING READY 2 GO OUT & HIT THE CITY 4 HOWARD'S HOMECOMING FESTIVITIES & LUCKILY I DECIDED 2 C WHAT WAS POPPING. I AM 26 & CONSIDER MYSELF A TRU HIPHOPHEAD. AGE IS NOTHING BUT A #. BUT THE YOUTH R SO DISCONNECTED FROM TRUE HIPHOP. JUST 2 POINT THIS OUT THAT OUTKAST & NAS WERE "TEEN"AGERS WHEN THE DROPPED THEIR 1ST CDS, & BOTH WERE CLASSIC W/ LYRICS THAT STILL HOLD TRUE 2DAY. I COULD GO ON BUT, I STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CLUBBING LEFT N. JUST KEEP SPITTIN THAT REAL. & RHYMEFEST. I REALLY HAVEN'T BEEN CHECKING 4 U. I'VE BEEN COMING 2 THIS SIGHT 4 ALMOST A MONTH, BUT NEVER CHECKED UR COLOMN OUT. ALL I KNEW ABOUT U WAS THAT VIDEO U DID W/ KANYE. BUT I CAN TELL U R A REAL HIPHOP CAT & I WILL B POSTING MORE OFTEN. PEACE.
THE KING HAS SPOKEN.
Woman Sex Harassed as Slave Sometime.
Thanks KingofNC. Its nice to know someone is having fun. My school is so damn boring.
Since everybody continues to produce the same ignornance, you are right age aint nothing but a number.
I was always taught though, that with age comes wisdom, and then responsibility.
i love what you guys are saying. i ve alot of love for what jay-z is doing,satting his family up for life. and looking at the rap game for what it is a to make money alot of it. plus he take of his close friends bleek.he is over in the mother land and thay are showing him alot of love we need more of that. im going to say this in closing only a hand full can rap in there late 30s 2 of them are dead. jay 2pac/biggie/west/cube/big-l/comman and now lupe are the only rappers in my mp3. peace out
AGE DOESNT MATTER, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY AND AN AUDIENCE TO LISTEN AND BUY IT, THEN GET YOUR PAPER. MOST YOUNG PEOPLE DONT HAVE ENOUGH EXPERIENCE TO SAY ANYTHING DEEP AND INTROSPECTIVE, SO THERE IS A PLACE AND NEED FOR THE OLDER PERSPECTIVE, JUST LKIKE THERE IS A NEED FOR THE YOUNG CARE FREE MUSIC OF THE NEW ARTIST. RAP IS SAID TO BE THE NEW MUSIC OF THE TIME BUT JUST THINK IT HAS MANY ISSUES. RAP IS DISCRIMANATES ON RACE AND GENDER. WHITE RAPPERS HAVE A HARD TIME AS WELL AS FEMALES. RAP IS SUPPOSE TO BE SO CULTURELY HIP BUT IT SHARES SOME OLD SCHOOL BLOCKING. OTHER MUSIC GENRES ARE NOT LIKE THAT. RAP HAS THE AGE, RACE, AND GENDER ISSUES. DOES THAT BIAS SOUND FAMILIAR. WITH MOST OF THE RAPPERS BEING BLACK, THEY SHOULD BE THE LAST ONES TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT OF COURSE, THEY ARE TOO YOUNG TO REALIZE THEY HAVE TAKEN ON THE PREJUDICE OF ANOTHER ERA, OR TOO UNEDUCATED. YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD TAKE A HINT FROM THE SHOW AMERICAN IDOL THAT THEY ARE STILL NOT AS MAINSTREAM AS THEY THINK, AND START DEALING WITH SOME REAL ISSUES OUTSIDE OF AGE.
If most of the older rappers are trying to fit in with the young. What is the point?
"Oh my God... I just realized this is the first time that Hip-Hop has ever had a generation gap."
Making that statement shows your YOUTH or your IGNORANCE. Take your pick. The generational gap has happened before. Rappers like Grandmaster Melle Mel still believing they got 'it'. I remember a generation of old school fans refused to believe Kool Moe Dee lost to LL Cool J. A generation of old school fans refused to believe LL Cool J lost to Canibus.
SMH
Hip-hop is a youth music, but like all music, nostalgia will eventually kick in. Look at the "Hip-Hop Honors" for example. Old School artists are now being canonized on VH1 and it's appropriate. All I want is for the music to continue to evolve. That's what gives it life. I don't care how old you are.
Two cents. On the real part of what attracted me to Hip Hop originally as a youth was that I saw me in front of the world making everyone stop stare and pay attention to what I had to say. Not me literally but when MC Lyte, LL Cool J and a slew of others are major stars at 16 and I'm the same age, that just let me know how far I could go and it validated my feelings of being a powerful world changing individual. If they could make impact then so could I. As I got older this trend just continued. Dead Prez, Common, Talib Kwali. They all started spitting about deeper concepts at the same time I began to mature. The 18 year old that was hooked on a P.E. beat began to understand the true complexity and power of self knowledge.
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the truth is timeless!!!!!
J. Henn/a "J" and some Henn/John Hennry