why do people think hip hop is dead?

would anyone say any genre of music ever really dies?

I only really know my stuff about Metal, Punk and Alternative, so apart from borrowing analogies from them and applying them to hip-hop I’m a little lost.

When I read about subcultures for a presentation I had to give in front to the class what struck me as odd was the way a subculture was originally identified. Now subcultures in relation to music are very important, as often the music you listen to defines what subculture you are a part of or want to be apart of.

You may dress like it, act like it or listen to the music of it but whatever subculture you desire to be a part of you’ll do something that tells other members so you can be identified yourself as a member.

I forget the name of the centre that officially identifies subcultures…but they do it by identifying the point where that subculture first caused some kind of panic in the media and was featured as a story.

What was Hip-Hop’s first big news story that sent the media into a panic?

Absolutely_Daone wrote:

Well i guess he might not of killed it for the techno fans but it’s dead to me. LOL yea techno to me is in a suit stiff in the casket

hehehe, to be honest I wouldn’t know what Techno actually is, I’d probably get it confused with House/Hardcore/Trance etc…

listen to this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIe0G2nJYhs

Because it has no soul anymore, no sentiment – its mostly all materialistic. Master P started it with "Make Em Say Ugh" & sh*t like Soldier Boy is keepin it goin.

Anything can be catchy b/c most ppl dont try to find good music – they let the radio stations do it for em. Unfortunately in the music business you have to recognize this and go along with it or wait years for the scene to come back around.

Hip Hop IS dead – nowadays rap is about dancing & actin gangsta – not about soul, funk, & the stuff that inspired the mentality of the real OGs. Its basically transformed itself back into a new-age breakdance/booty type of music. Whatever makes the girls dance makes the scene keep going, the money flowing, & everyone stays happy.

[quote quote="cheekymonkey":3to8liim]
One thing i never get is, why is it up to one person to decide what "true" hip hop is?

If I like Will Smith am I going against "real" hip hop?

It kinda reminds me of people trying to define what black is[/quote:3to8liim]

Its called "Collective Conscious". Just like someone might have different views on the values of right & wrong – one person might think its right to kill innocent people on the street whereas the majority of people know thats wrong. Look at the definition of Hip Hop on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_hop). I didn’t read that before but thats what I would have assumed because I’ve gathered that info collectively over the years because…….thats what hip hop is!! Yay!

As for the artists I listed – I also know from reading the post that he or she for the most part would probably like those artists if they were looking for newer artists that still express that same image of true hip hop.

I can call a chocolate bar & a freakin’ hamburger if I want to but that wouldn’t be to smart would it? I like a few Will Smith songs too. But you wouldn’t say Radiohead or Nirvana is Metal would you? – because its a separate genre.

yeah it does seem to be very r n b these days depends where you live thought theres loads of underground hip hop clubs

styles wrote:

2 pac was a legend like love his stuff

Tupac also had a strong work ethic unlike most of these other rappers out here who thinks hip-hop is all about money these days. There’s more to hip-hop than just beats and words, right?

Hip-Hop ain’t dead its fine just people ain’t searching for what Hip-Hop fans call "Hip-Hop". its all to do with how much radio play has on making an artist. That doesn’t just apply to Hip-Hop but it has had a massive affect on the industry, making it harder for an artist to get out their. That said to get a song out their nowadays their are certain things you need theses are two of them;
A catchy Hook – this sells the song most of the mainstream hip-hop has this
A Dance or can dance to it – Now you ain’t gonna dance to any Immortal Technique in a club are you
This is what happened with Soulja Boy those reasons are why it is so big.

Also a new selling feature of Hip-Hop is The Diss track to say 50 Cent has masstered this is true he has, people don’t understand what he does with them he doesn’t do them because he doesn’t like the rapper/person he does it because it is massive publicity which everyone will talk about.

At the end of the day you while people sit on their computers saying Hip-Hop is dead and *enter famous rappers name here* is the best ever and their will be no one else with the skill, your the main reason their isn’t because your not looking for the rappers that don’t have the publicity that these rappers have. Immortal Technique is a great example now i am not gonna say he is the best because he is not but he is good but i respect what he has done, after his first album droped Revolutionary Vol. 1 he created a massive buzz and Sony wanted to sign he said no he never wants to sign to a big label. His second Revolutionary Vol. 2 was made all for under $7000 normally an album on an indie label will cost $250,000 so with people like this around making music people can relate to which is what hip-hop is about not about how many girls you can get in a club how much money you got thats why hip-hop ain’t dead for artists like this and their are hundreds of rappers like that.

I choose to mention Immortal technique because he has become quite big in the Hip-Hop scene now so you proberly know of him.

Hip hop isnt dead its just gone underground, theres plenty of hip hop round my ends

i think that title was a direct dig at everyone who sold out.

i just wish someone would put the likes of fiddy pence down with an "ether" type track, didnt he say he was gonna quit and who the fuck is paul jewel? i dont pay the charts no attention but someone showed me him and told me he’s the next big thing.

no!!! i dont consider myself dope but i shit all over that man as do all my peers making real hip hop for real people.

hip hop isn’t dead. sorry.

yazza187 wrote:

Hip-Hop ain’t dead its fine just people ain’t searching for what Hip-Hop fans call "Hip-Hop". its all to do with how much radio play has on making an artist.

That’s why a lot of big name artists from way back aren’t dealing with record companies these days due to an image conflict. Most of them are underground or have created their own label to be their own boss. The majority are under cooperative command who goes by what the higher ups say what goes and "what people want" clearly isn’t what people want.

Dr. Dre bought in gangsterism and rappers followed the same formula. Either Def Jam or Cash Money were first to bring in money, cash and girls and every other rapper followed that formula also. Now it’s to the point that all of the elements that’s used aren’t preserved that most people out there are mentally vomiting because these rappers go by what the big guys says what is good for the general public. You also have to understand that most DJs go by a list from, yep, the big wigs, to see what is played on the radio so you can’t murder the DJ on that one.

[quote quote="cheekymonkey":gp1ot1t5][quote quote="T!6ER":gp1ot1t5]In fact Hip-Hop ain’t dead
It’s old but not dead
We can still listen to 2Pac, KRS One, NaS, Eminem, NWA, Ice Cube, etc (I had some tracks of M.O.P. n they were great)
So It might be old but not dead[/quote:gp1ot1t5]
How long can we listen to them before we get bored?
We need fresh artists talking about the world today. Listening to the stars of yesteryear aint gonna cut it for long[/quote:gp1ot1t5]

good music should be timeless.
the problem with hip hop is that it has all become trends and fashion, making it instantly disposable.

no other genre has this issue, other than say pop music.

the beatles, elvis, etc etc, all have huge followings decades on from their splits or death.

music should be about mood and emotion, not trying to sell latest product, or following the trends.

this is why 2pacs music will stand the test of time. because it is still as relevant today as the day it was recorded.
(as well as many other artists that were concerned with quality music)

V.V.