MSN.com published their “Inside Music: The Best of 2006” feature on their website recently and there were some interesting Hip Hop appearences on the list. The Top 10 Albums and Top 10 Singles both had Hip Hop artist listed. That in itself isn't that suprising nor particularly interesting. What I found interesting were that in this Dirty South ruled Hip Hop market there weren't any of those southern artists on there.
In the Top 10 Albums of 2006 category, MSN listed numbers 2 and 3 (behind The Beatles #1 listing for Love) as Lupe Fiasco: “Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor” and Nas: “Hip Hop Is Dead”; respectively. In the Top 10 Singles there is one Hip Hop title listed and that's Lupe Fiasco: “Kick, Push”. Personally, I think that's dope. That's not hate, just a personal preference and respect that the writer is listening to something a bit different than the copycat music running wild on the radio.
The most interesting listing that prompted me to do this writing is the following
Top Five Hip-Hop Albums Explicitly About Dealing Cocaine
1. Clipse: “Hell Hath No Fury“
2. Ghostface Killah: “Fishscale“
3. Ghostface Killah: “More Fish“
4. Young Jeezy: “The Inspiration“
5. Rick Ross: “Port of Miami”
I'm liking this writer. Is it me or should we have a problem with someone being able to label Hip Hop albums this way? I mean on the real people grow up. Our community constantly has a problem with how people look at us, label us or take our situation for granted yet someone is able to actually make a list of the Top 5 albums that come out of our community that are “Explicitly about dealing Cocaine”?
Don't snitch but tell everyone how many kilo's you and your boys push. Yea makes alot of sense to me. Now to be fair, I haven't heard any of these albums so I'm not making a judgement on whether or not they are any good or that track number 5 on the Ghostface album was classic or not only on the fact that MSN has listed them as such. Which would give me reason to assumed that the writer has listened to them.
Hip Hop was all up in an uproar over a Hip Hop Task Force in the NYPD and other Police Departments. Recently SOHH had an article about a Label Owner filing a $900 Million Dollar lawsuit against “against the government of Canada, the State Department, and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for “wholesale profiling” of rappers and African-Americans.” The suit is initiated by the label owner and Detroit Hip Hop artist Jerome Almon aka slickfordays, of the band Blakkattakk of…wait for it…..wait for it…… MurderCap Records!! Almon alleges that for over a decade he has been turned away from performing in Canada due to racial profiling, alongside the likes of DMX, 50 cent, etc. Umm…sorry if this hurts but Slickfordays WHO? $900 Million? Publicity stunt? Slickfordays Slickfordays Slickfordays Slickfordays. Happy?
Listen people, like C-Murder surprised that he's in court for a murder trial talking about “it's just a name”, don't play the victim role when your whole persona is cocaine dealing and violence and the police think maybe they should see what all the hoopla is about. Or a country doesn't want you bringing that negativity across their borders; and if you do bring a $900 Million dollar lawsuit you better not be representing something called MurderCap. Schizophrenia mean anything to anyone? How about “have your cake and eat it too”? This isn't something to be proud of, it's a child's tantrum.
I'm so tired of Ignorance trying to getting over on Common Sense. Side note: I have a mic too. Just throwing that out there if you're offended and think it's safe bet to get on wax.
Debate me please. Forrest Gump's momma said it best, “Stupid is as stupid does.” Don't blame Oprah for not wanting you on her couch when you release an excellent movie for the people like Barbershop yet at the same time talking about I'm bringing gangsta rap back; yes Cube I'm talking to you. Don't get it twisted, I'm a big fan of Cube and give him much respect. NWA is one of my favorite groups. What's that; the sound of screeching tires from my contradiction mobile? Not if you actually listened to NWA. They had something to say, yea it was raw and uncensored but there was substance. Ice Cube after NWA…please I dare you not to label the Lynch Mob stuff he did some of the dopest stuff that came out at that time. Again, something to say. So you aren't the new NWA or an extension thereof. You must be at least this high to ride the dick, slick.
People it's real simple. If you aren't part of the solution you are part of the problem and a problem is something that needs to be solved. So don't complain, whine, litigate, cry, call the ACLU or just generally bitch and moan when you are called out on your sillyness. Hater? Who me? Or is it you who is hating on my hustle for a better life. One without this drama or cultural stigmatism. Misery loves company and your company is spewing misery to those who are actually living it. You however visit, then go back to the penthouse and yell from the balcony to the those kept out by your security team to keep it hood.
Come on people, grow up. Negativity breeds negativity. If your image is brought forth from that then that is what you are communicating to the world. If your music cosigns that image, that's what you are speaking to the world. So don't be surprised when the world takes you at your word.
Related article links:
MSN: The Best of 2006 – The Year in Review
Label Owner Files $900 Million Lawsuit Against Condoleeza Rice For “Rap Profiling”
Rapper: I'm target of border unit
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