Welcome.

You really wanna know what happened...Mc Donald's,The Gap, 106 & Park, Joe Claire leaving rap city, No More MTV Raps, Clear channel, The deaths of Tupac and Biggie made a huge whole that the dirty south filled with BS music resulting in the idea that being a real lyricist is a bad thing and selling drugs and being inarticulate can make up for not having much to say. we as a community also forgot what hammer did to get pretty much dismissed from the game (Now when we make up songs and dances like Laffy Taffy or shoulder lean it's acceptable.) Our worst mistake was considering most of this shyt hip hop and confusing these rap bastards with real m.c.s. then we started buying music based on street cred (I got shot nine times sound familiar). Then on top of that we forgot to play by the hip hop rules the original pioneers set for us to follow. Then we let these second hand thugs from the suburbs tell US what it's like in the streets. Then we have these misdemeanor thugs with no priors lie to us about what being gangster really is. On the real I am a convicted felon for burglury and possession with intent however that doesn't give me a right to use that as a crutch or a gimic. I rely on skills and content . Then to make matters worse we started gettin money and letting it blind us to our social responsibilty therefore the game became more about fashion and fiction than lyrical artistry, poetry or social commentary. Last but not least we dumbed down the content creating an atmosphere kind of like affirmative action for the lyrically challenged. Hallaa...luuuuuuuuya.
can I get an amen from the true hip hoppers left.
In closing we (real M.c.s and D.J.s) need to stop being passive with this live and let live mentality because it is going to lead to the death of what we all love..It's time to go at these wack ass characters because if we don't I promise you that hip hop as we know it will be forgotten in 15 years...by the way when my joint drops I'll be addressing this bullshyt with extreme malice..and you ain't gotta go buy it..I'll send it to you for free

empri330 wrote: ...confusing these rap bastards with real m.c.s

I love that line!

8-)

empri330, I really liked your response! I am one of those clueless Caucasians from the suburbs and I've never quite understood the black experience that hip-hop and Rap is supposed to educate us to? And I think it is largely because of what you have stated? It sounds to me that your content might help clarify things? I have elected not to record any rap or hip-hop, because of some of the senseless and misogynistic lyrics, like you mention. I'd be interested to hear what you're lyrics have to say. I hope you change the rap and hip-hop music scene. Just like Motown was able to prove that people could be united through music. I hope you do the same with your music and endeavors.

Nice to hear somebody like you.
Ms. Remy Ann David

and those post will inspire me to put it all out there on the album. I'm poring all of my frustrations out there and dispelling all of the fantasy that has been put out there. for instance On my joint true highland hood story i'll go into detail and explain what goes through a man's mind when he's about to commit a serious crime along with the circumstances that lead to said criminal activity. On "Get Off Da Gas" we'll share a little of the prison experience (That's where they put thoughs of us who really acted a fool). On "Protect and Serve you'll get to hear about police brutality and the anger, fear and resentment it has generated in me ( I was a victim too). it's a little harsh and extreme at times but it's poetic and thoughtful and at times very reflective. It's a very "human" album. This record is me the normal, tormented, conflicted, moody, observant, outspoken me and none of this would have been possible without you guys teaching me and giving me tips on everything from what equipment to buy to my final mix technique. Thank you all..I had a vision when I fisrt embarked on this journey and you guys are helping me gain perspective in that vision.

That's cool and beautiful to hear! I can't imagine going through what you've gone through. Glad you're here with us! Keep on keeping on!

One week in the poky was enough for me.
Ms. Remy Ann David

I have one quick comment on this topic, I have recorded a bit of hip hop now, and I have had the privilege of working with some very talented artists. However I have also had the miss-fortune of working with a few individuals who, to be blunt, had egos bigger than their talent. When you combine this gangster idolization (somewhat what hollywitya is referring too) with this over grown ego you a get a recording client that is hard to deal with. I have had clients throw temper tantrums and attempt to damage mics and walls.

This kind of thing happens in all types of music; however IMO the gangster idolization intensifies the problem in people. Personally, I think that to make good music, whatever it is, attitude is not required.

I agree too many pre - Madonna's not enough artistry. Hip hop is a linguistically pugilistic art form with that being said there is some bravado to be expected however ...like our pugilist counterparts in the worlds of boxing and martial arts sometimes we get what is called a paper champion ( There are alot of these in hip hop these days). For example Paul Wall (The Peoples Champ?) T.I. (The King ?) Lil' Wayne (The Greatest Rapper Alive)...WOW! WTF! All of these titles are self proclaimed and people being the lemmings that most of us seem to be at the moment buy into this B.S. O.K. I feel that I'm VERY skilled because I've been rhyming since i was 10. I never wanted to be a Gangster and I grew up in a home with my mom and step father and two sisters and both of my parents worked (dad did construction and mom worked in a automobile factory)...I never Planned to be a gangster...I either wanted to be a comic book artist, a Real Estate Agent, a Pro basketball player or an M.C. I studied hard but chose to get paid as quickly as possible by doing my thing in the streets...I was an artistic person before I decided to be on some hoodlum shyt. and with all this being said I rhymed through every phase of my life... sharpening my skills and expanding my vernacular. Me...I'm not arrogant so for alot of these new dudes (who just started rapping in 95 ) to be egotistical a>>holes and make it difficult to work with them is a slap in the face to you and me and I apologize for them for they know not what they do. I'm Sorry Link555. I'll make a note to address that in an interlude skit. These dudes you are dealing with are not real gangsters because REAL gangsters have class
and use discretion. Real gangsters believe in protecting their investments and studio is an investment. Engineers are an Investment in quality product. You can tell who's really a Hustler too...because hustlers try to avoid doin anything that will endanger the quality of the product because the product is the profit and if the product sucks then a hustler is reduced to an average joe blow with a whole lot of nothin to offer. Hallaaaaaluyaaaaa.

empri330 no need to apologize, like everyone else I live and learn. I try to give people a fair chance, but if they repeatedly cause me grief, I move on. I have been given many chances from other people over the years, and I have made my mistakes too. The past does define who you are, your day to day actions do.

You sound like the real deal; I would like to hear that interlude skit. as I am sure many of us would!