One ought to be very careful when using the old gun HIP HOP. We need to re-define keeping it real. As the saying goes: perception is not reality. Am tired of listening and receiving below par rhythmic nonsense in the name of keeping it real. It’s about time we combated these lyrical fraudsters.
I stand corrected but as much as the golden era of hip hop is long gone there are some ill brothers and sisters still doing it right. Truth be told: this is not the material making it to top 10 playlists. As a head still stuck in the essence it is one of the reasons I don’t fancy the new school shit. As Nas put it: “hip hop helped raise us up” was a source of knowledge, wisdom generations passed on to each other, voiced the truth, real issues (political /societal) but with commercial success it’s all about materialism, criminal minds and a dark cloud lay over a culture, beliefs, struggle held dearly to many souls . Our kids are being mentored by Souljah Boy; we grew up on Public Enemy, Rakim, Krs one… we were taught to respect our women, now it’s all about the different bitches in different area codes. No respect for family values. Can hip hop ever reclaim the glory?
Hip hop dead?
To those who care to listen, hip hop is alive and very well in Kenya. I have no issues with a writer or presenter in line of duty exerting their freedom of speech but I insist the information being served to the public ought to be well researched, accurate and free of bias. Misconception of hip hop is not a new omen, it has been with us since times immemorial with the market drive being sales, ratings. It’s no longer facts. Even have a genius who conned a phrase “hip hop is dead” which has taken the misconception to a whole new level of ignorance and mere idiocy. It’s wrong to force and rub personal opinions on other people, especially when in such a position of great influence. It’s also a crime against arts to single handedly decide that a particular genre has no impact, influence, is not active, is dead, without stating facts. Radio, tv, print media are just some of the many mediums of reaching and building a following/audience, not the only.
Hip-hop is a street oriented movement, by this I mean practically alive and visible everywhere you go: the elements are alive and kicking, for example the body work you so admire on matatus is an element graffiti; the designer jeans you flaunt on weekends is another element: fashion.
mc shenzy
November 10, 2009 (10:38)
VIA FACEBOOK
Julian M. Njoroge
and that is what i call a voice of true hip hop, sober and conscious words.
Eric Orenge
conscious things is what hip hop is all about…
Julian M. Njoroge
I do think that Nas was wrong when he said hip hop is dead, i dont know whether his aim was to try and get artist to think more about their lyrics but given his influence saying something positive would’ve had a greater effect.
Sam Gachamba
concious hip hop head, ni lyfstyle. Julian skiza tht track n album agen.. n understand whutz it al about
Julian M. Njoroge
I’ve listened to whole album, but realize that not everyone will listen to the album in order to get what he really meant even though they really should.
Mbogo Bonco
what has made hiphop a bad culture to follow to many people is the dirty lyrics which some of the artist use though Nas was not wrong to say its dead because he meant the upcoming artist are the one destroying the hip hop culture but it will never die infact many people are liking it
Aidah Goko
Hip hop is dead…NAS…meant real truth family values.,what we value as the true essence of humanity is dead .,its no lönger bout lyrics d beats …its bout our lives our culture our reason 4 being.,our morality our humanity is dead…so its true hiphop is DEAD!
Sam Gachamba
‘if hip hop shuld die ..i wake put an extended clip under ma AK go to every r.station n murder tha dj’ – simply for tha misguided songz thy playn for tha pple, not educative at all, they resemble no love
Michael Elhassan
Like I always say… Hip Hop is not dead.. It’s just hidden in the underground! This is a concious that builds inside of those who understand what is true and what isn’t! The voice of Hip hop itself is hidden in the Underground.. But the Voice just isn’t enough, Because the voice that speaks about anything today- is cheap, because the expense that literally costs is at the action!
Lambert Julia Winnie
Lambert Julia Winnie
Man tz cool,da hip hop aint dead aiight…i lyk how u put t n da battle continues!
dlinkwent
November 11, 2009 (18:28)
Kenya is mad hip hop and has always been. Check out the javs(matatus), ask any kenyan who Lost boyz iz and they know. I mean we know hip hop brahh. Whut Nas was doin was raisin consciousness that in fact hip hop could be dead. By sayin that its dead was a wak up call that hey…”HIP HOP could die if keep doin this bullish crap.”
thahighpriest
November 20, 2009 (14:22)
Well i dont think hip hop is dead,its just not out in the open anymore as in u cant find it on your fm ecxept in rare cases like mwafs show.but it lives on in the hearts of the true mcess n hedz,but for me basically am stuck in the 90s most of the hip hop i dig is from that era i mean i can listen to moment of truth or blackstarr like every day n wont get tired of that ish,but for how long can u listen to crank datr souljah boy.
eric orenge
January 2, 2010 (18:53)
rap can die but hip hop will never ever die…..its a lifestyle,meaning if it does die we all die too…hip hop is all alive…..we need to focus on other elements too…what bout deejaying,graphiti,etc etc?
Angola's illest
January 9, 2010 (02:00)
Us in Africa more than anywhere else should keep hiphop conscious bcoz of the realities we live. Hiphop aint dead, but conscious hiphop is, lets resurrect it.
Bionic
January 30, 2010 (23:27)
God bless the day Hiphop came through. I see where you draw from. What you talk about is from the heart. I see all around how people are acting ”keeping-it-real”…even some of the ones we (used to) trust Hiphop with.
Msalame
November 17, 2011 (20:51)
Well, well, well if Hip Hop is dead get ready for it’s come back coz it’s resurrection time