The South Invades Hip Hop
Did the East and West coast get out of touch, due to the lack of creativity or did young Hip Hoppers fans stop developing? I remember in the 1990’s we had a serious revelry between the East and West Coast as the two coastlines dominated Hip Hop Industry. Though the revelry was good for business it was bad for a few big named artists, should I mention Biggy Smalls and Tupac?
Back then Rap Music was to be taken seriously as they were very territorial as Crips and Bloods made serious statements that were heeded. Then you also had rappers who not only made statements, but were educators. I was never a serious Rap fan, but back then you had to respect these artists as serious poets.
Now the South has come to shine. The southern mentality has to be reckoned with. Now Hip Hop has become a serous business to southern rappers. Do get me wrong the southern rappers for the most part talk loud and say nothing. For example take the Cash Money Crew, they are hotter than hell, slinging total garbage; I mean lollipop bitch ass shit. However they dominate the airwaves both in the South and East Coast. I listen to Southern radio and all I hear in Lil Wayne, Drake and Nicki Minaj, and then in the intermission you might hear P Diddy or Jay Z. But when I listen to Hop 97.1 from New York, it is not the other way around, still it is Lil Wayne, Drake and Nicki Minaj. Why is that, you would think New York City would represent its hometown artists?
I think it has little to do with talent, as East Coast rappers tend to be more lyrically talented, dealing with contemporary issues and all. People like NAS cannot be denied for his lyrical talent, so why don’t the south play the east but the east plays the south. Perhaps these country Negroes are hungrier. People down here are often forced to start there own businesses to survive and build their own homes to live in. This develops a more business savvy mentality, whereby often the east coast Negro rapper is often forced to live in large project complexes. Living in the projects can create a laid back mentality (lazy people), I know from experience.
If you ask me the south rapper is a member of the arrested development society lyrically, but they will pay to be played and work hard on nationwide tours by bus if necessary. While they sling drugs and music is often a front, they invest in equipment, while the east coast is still stuck on Air Jordan’s. So P Diddy, Jay Z, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and the rest do not be haters be congratulators. Because your sorry asses handed the industry over to these punks, starting at 97.1 FM.
