THATS REAL TALK CORNEL AND U AND MICHAEL MAKE A LOT OF THESE RAPPERS CHECK THEMSELVES CAUSE ITS ALL ABOUT THE BLING N THE CREAM THATS WHY PAC IS MISSED CAUSED THE BALANCE IS GONE IN THE GAME MAYBE NAS N THATS IT.

I love Pac, but other rappers bring balance Dead Prez, Immortal immortal Technique., Common, Kalib, Saigion, T.I. But I admit its like comparing candles to a forrest fire. To tell the truth I love B.I.G but I blame him for all the bullshit, he blew up talking about cars clothes and hos, and its just starting to fade. I heard an interview with Pac saying that was really why he was so mad with B.I.G, he destroyed everything he set out to create

Maliktude@yahoo.Co.Uk

m.e.d. i dont like this dude for some reason……….he a MARK

brilliant minds…pick up the jewels these dudes drop…they should run for office. i’d vote for them.

I second that!

Hip Hop used to be our own private faternity…Now it just seems like every other frat house…We should have kept it real w ourselves and known not to trust the white man w anything…

Brilliant men. Besides Obama, the black community needs more gentlemen like these two and continue to dispel the negative stereotypes of Black men.

y”ll know tha hip hop has changed,lookin back at lyrics in the 80s,90s n now u release things has really changed.rappers dont really care bout wha they say any longer cus it seems to be all about sales right now.but i luv hip hop so im with cool with it but thank God we still got rappers like Nas,Talib Kweli,Common,Mos Def,Jay Z,Q Tip,Jada and some mcs still holdin their grounds.

yo ghost i feel you on that but the thing is that with th at balance stuff yea more likeley every single artist to come out for hip-hop & rap have their bling, cars money, ho’s, cliks and all but b.i.g didnt always rap about it, nas did it also same with pac and jay and every other artist/ mc but they also have their other side of just storytelling, things about life, love, politics and all as technique, nas, pac and every other artist. which you can tell from the real mc’s and the wanna-be’s. which ONLY talk about money and hoes.
Im not sure if i made sense right there but i tried my best lol

yoo hippop has really change we love the style and the potentials of the music.everyday thousands of people listen to hip pop music.not forgetting kayne west nelly ludacris rick ross khaled wayne and many many more.we loved hip pop till we die

GIT BEATS Feat.LADYBUG MECCA & Cornel West “AMERICA VIDEO”

MYSPACE.COM/GITBEATS

RIP 2 PAC N BIG ITS A SHAME HOW THIS END IT THEY WHERE CLOSE FRIENDS. HIP HOP IS NOT ABOUT WAT U GOT N NICE CARS OR CHAINS IS ABOUT THE LOVE FOR HIP HOP?

First let me say, much love and respect for Mr. Dyson and Mr. West. We as a Hip Hop community are very blessed to have these brothers on our team. The knowledge they bring is too powerful to ignore. If we want to keep Hip Hop, then we all have a responsibilty to know the history and never forget the history.

That’s wassup. Peace to those brothers. Check out How to Hustle and Win: A Survival Guide for the Ghetto and Rap, Race, and Revolution Out in April 22nd, 2009 http://www.HustleAndWin.com

you are so good i need to meet you !!

one of the major problem of that bling stuff, is that in countries, like portugal (where i’m from), the young black comunity, starts thinking that to fight for emancipation is achived only becaming rich anyprice. and, of couse, that´s what we recived in europe, from mtv and so… here, in th latest 80s there was a real hip hop mouvement (social, politic, and artistic), but very suddenly the major labels start offering money, that wasn’t even similar of what the white artists recived at that time, and that destroyed completly the mouvement.
some of us try to rebuilt it, but is anytime more dificult.
everybody knows (???) tupac and public enemy, but only a few know dead prez or other intrervention mc’s. in france we can see a strong hip hop mouvement, that is present in every social fights, but in portugal, in our days, people doesn’t speak french, only a litle bit of englsh, and that´s why, everything that comes from usa as a major influence.

Hip Hop community of today has unequivocally become a marketing tool, which surrounds the ‘CREAM’ persona of so called rappers i.e. Lil Wayn clearly mentioned by Cornel West to pefection. The game is losing its appeal and originality; rappers are not allowed to express wat they feel to spit on the mic, therefore A and R’s and business leaders are taking over the industry, and most importantly the music industry as a whole. the game has changed since Pac. although we got a limited artists such as Akir, Pharoache Monch, Dead Prez, Bilal, Lupe,Crooked I, Nas, Talib, Common, Royce, Bone, Ice Cube, Canibus and some in the underground scene. the rest need to stand up and forget the ’so called riches’ they possess. Need to be real, or the game is going to deteriorate. but what can i say, money is the object that makes the world go round.

Yall neerd to be talking to James G Spady, the authur of the hip hop book called Tha Globel Cipha.
They not down with hiphop,Yall the hip hop magazine and you don’t know that.

Yall need to be talking to James G Spady, the hip hop authur of Tha Globel Cipha.
They not hip hop. Yall a hip hop magazine and you don’t know James G Spady. Come on man.

i like site

I love the fact that we as a people have begun to unite! I’m a young black man in recovery from drug addiction. A lot of my dreams are becoming more tangible now that I have a president that demands change…all we need to do is follow; be steadfast in all of our endeavors and love and trust the God of your understanding! Sisters…u are the Earth and I love yall please don’t ever settle for less…….Peace

i didnt really hear shit on my computer

I love yool

I agree with everything that was said. As far as the subject of materialism goes in hiphop, I think that there will always be interest in it from listeners. I say this because it’s a fact, as Cornel West pointed out, that people want to distance themselves from their troubles or misfortunes. By indulging in the fantasy of fancy cars, clothes, etc. that is created by the materialistic lyrics of today’s rappers, listeners can do just that. That is the purpose that this monotonous type of music serves, and why most continue to support this type of rap music.

that shit is good ass hell yall keep doin wat u do

i luv it

We have came a long way, STOP!!!! Right NOW!!! at this moment and observe what we are discussing, analizing, and seeing with our own ears and eyes. EVOLUTION baby, This nation of color is not transparent anymore. No more of the old reality, we are living in the new dream, therefore we r the future, the present, the IMAGINATION. We as a people has put our struggle in a choke hold. SO, NOW BECAUSE WE DOMINATE BOX OFFICE, PENETRATED FRONT OFFICE, AND SATURATED THE STAGE OF THE GLADIATOR ( Professional Sports) , there is smething wrong. Hip Hop is good as long as its putting bread on the table. The streets feel what they feel you can’t recreate a strugglin mentality, when we where taught to DREAM BIG, Use Our Imaginations, and THE MOST POPULAR ONE= YOU CAN BE WHATEVER WANT 2 BE- HOLLA!

LOL, aND THE oNLY timE THERE’S A WRONG SONG IS WHEN THE RADIO IS NOT PLAYING YO SONG- HOLLA))))

Very elloquent and well spoken men with great insight.

Damn, I started this comment talking about the first video clip, but damn that second video clip just took it to a whole nother level. Wow! All Three men Cornel West, Michael Eric Dyson and Chuck D. went super hard in the second video. I was really feeling Eric Dyson’s breakdown on Hip Hop’s over abuse of the emphasis of lyrics that talk about material wealth. And especially the affects experienced on the community as he said “beefs between thiefdoms as opposed to coalitions between neighborhoods”

“We don’t wan’t to dismiss the legitimate quest for capital to relieve suffering. But most of that accumilation of wealth has lead to an increase of suffering” Then he totaly broke it down and even tied it together with a very pertinent quote from Biggie’s (The Notorious B.I.G.) Warning.

As a DJ, I was happy to hear Chuck D (on the phone) mentioning the breakdown of Hip Hop’s original elements, Deejaying, Breakdancing, Emceeing, Graffiti and clothing styles, realizing that lately only One element is really garnishing all the attention and that is the Emcee or “Rapper” I believe the fall of the fully integrated Hip Hop culture started when Record labels started putting their two cents into the mix and didn’t quite understand the full movement of Hip Hop. The labels were thinking “why do we have to pay the DJ as part of the group? He just plays records in the background.” Rappers began using Dat tapes instead of live DJs for their shows. It started to lack part of the live element that once was an integral part of Hip Hop. Because of this many “Hip Hop” songs started to move away from the whole party vibe that existed in the late 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s. The Break dancers all but disapeared from Hip Hop and moved to become elements of other cultural movements that still had a party vibe and good rythms to break to like the Rave scene or simply found DJs that still played “Breaks and Oldschool Hip Hop” Graffiti migrated with the breakers and those forma all still co-exist together but it does seem as if Rap and the way of the Emcee has lost it’s way.

Not as much emphasis is placed on the DJs as far as public image goes. Yet in the background the industry knew it still relied heavilly on DJs to get their music out. This was further emphasised by the grossly arrogant, misguided R.I.A.A. lead wrongful arrest of Mixtape giant DJ Drama and Cannon. This gross miscalculation shed a little light into the dark crevaces of Hip Hop where the DJ had been pushed into living. The industry knew they counted on DJs, mixtape and nightclubs to push songs that weren’t yet getting radio play, and to help give street credibility to both old and new artists in pushing their new music and bringing back classics.

The music industry knew DJs and mixtapes are a cheap and effective marketing machine that gets results. But the R.I.A.A. wanted to scapegoat the failing music sales on someone they could physically blame. Not realizing they were targeting music’s biggets allies, the DJs.

In the video clip they talk about the changes in Hip Hop musis and it’s current focus on material wealth, Hoes and Flaunting. I believe falling sales are expected when you don’t have substance in the music anymore, and when you continually contribute to the dumbification of American youth and youth worldwide, by pushing only what I like to reffer to as Junk Food Rap. That is Rap music that is easy to digest, that doesn’t make you think vs say a filet mingon rap of say a Ludacris, Roots, Talib Kweli, Jay-Z, Common etc…

Ludacris is a perfect example of a versatile MC that has intelligent lyrics but can speak on bling, hoes etc.. and still use intelligent lines to do it, then also hit you with a conceptual song about empowering yourself to actually achieve wealth or something that educates people about a subject. I.E. “Tell It Like It Is” and “War with God” off his release Therapy album where he rips his lyrical counterparts in the industry a new one as he also educates them about what they are doing wrong as music artists/entrepreneurs. He also has social issue songs like “Runaway Love” talking about the problems faced in extreme situations of child abuse etc…

KRS One is another great MC that always spoke on social issues, same with Chuck D of Public enemy (The guy on the phone in the video clip above)

Going back to the 4 elements of Hip Hop, If you already have a perfect recipe and then remove or dilute certain elements or ingredients and focus solely on one ingredient only, the dish becomes bland and boring or over saturated with only one flavor. Hip Hop as an artform is currently dieing a slow painful death, because too much emphasis has been placed solely on the shoulders of the MC and only that person is being paid to represent Hip Hop. If Hip Hop is going to continue to evolve and survive it will need to revisit it’s original formulas and bring back the “Coca-Cola Classic formula” it Once had, that being all four originalelements the Emcee, DJ, Graffitti and Breakdancers and the fifth that many exclude which is fashion.

- DJ Emir
http://www.djemir.com
Real DJs Do Real things
Hip Hop Mixtapes and More

I THINK IT WAS A VERY GOOD STORY. HOW THEY TALK ABOUT THE GANG S N ALL THE OTHER TYPICS BECAUSE THERES ALOT OF INFO THAT IS NEDED TO BE GIVEN TO THE YOUNG PEAPLE

i love these two spokes man. they got there game together.
the thing is never ever in history people with good hearts and a helping hand, got all the attention, it’S always the bad guy the terrorist, the thug thats what sels and get’s attention. the ggod die young. well i hope one day a saviour for Rap will be bron again - just like tupac was one! peace out from heidelberg germany

What up 2KC. Peace to the nation. I gotta tellz ya, with the economics, “it ain’t black and white,” as they say. You can have social programs without resorting to Communism, a facet of the modern day slave trade–keep it real. I hear what you’re saying. Reagan and Bush were pieces of shit that got away with a lot of fucking bullshit, particularly directed at your people (although, as Americans, they are my people too). But you forgot about the devilishness of Clinton and Barack. I know Clinton’s the man uptown, but that’s no excuse. Signing NAFTA sent many jobs overseas. The lower classes were the first ones hit. Let’s face it fellas, these bums we have now in Washington are robbing the whole world blind.

Internationalism? Please. Sounds like international police brutality. How can you have nationalism with a world made of inter-nationalism. The INETRnationalists are ANTInationalists. Think about it.

I was happy when Barack won. Yes, I voted for him and even worked on the campaign. I usually favor the left for their economic polices, but nationalizing life and death is going to far. Do you really want the g with picking the winners and losers of evolution? So, I’m not hating on him ’cause of his skin tone.

Nor do I think you should back a candidate only for that reason, though I can understand giving him the benefit of the doubt. I myself am a Jewish man and I don’t support that fucking Bloomberg and I’m not buying Rahm Emmanuel–the token chosen by the DNC for my people. (shouts to PE) I do like the positive hip-hop referenced. What about KRS-1? Any plans on a comeback? The organizing is a good move, but fuck that anti-American shit. People flock here to escape persecution and oppression–keep it real. I’m not denying or excusing America’s warts or misadventures.

With regards to corporate greed, let’s not forget about the greed of the People’s Republic of China, where the citizen’s live in cells in factory sweat shops making cell phones for our consumption. I’m sure you can’t stand the materialism of hip-hop, but their is an upside. As Chuck put it, he was able to go to Europe. These super capitalist rappers are positive role models for the youth, because they hand down lessons about success. Most importantly, owning the labels is a great example. I would still rather here consciousness.

Yes, there are a lot of Wall Street douchebags running around the streets of New York like Gordon Gekko (curious to see the sequal). How fucked up do you have to be to look up to Gekko, the fucking Bernie Madoff of the 1980s?

Speaking of which, Chuck I think the nation has some good teachings, like about lifestyle, but you gotta get new leadership. I’m not biased or anything…

I heard some words drop about the decline of moral fiber and babies having babies. Let’s keep it real. The republicans (independent here) are closer to it, these days. Liberals tend to promote the whorishness in pop culture more, because it’s what sells (or maybe to justify their nasty lifestyles? Fuck Roman Polanski.). The right wing has all those church folk.

Corporations can’t be allowed to get too strong and now they are way too powerful. It’s the same with government. So how do we really bring power to the people, the everyday people? SEIU has many black members, but the leadership is corrupt. I don’t know the story on AFSCME’s leadership, but they have many black members. These could be tools of positive social change, thanks to their organizational capacity Why even wait to join? You can start your own union–so what do you think about that? People together can force positive change by holding our leaders accountable and throwing out the bums.

Hip-hop may be an even bigger vehicle to achieve positive social change. To do so, freedom of speech must be protected. The hip-hop police were created during Bush years and it continues. Barack said he would withdraw the troops and they remain. Democrats and republicans are the two faces of Janus. Do you realize that steps have been taken to open detention centers for non-violent illegal aliens in the US? I wonder why they want to hold them? I guess what I’m trying to say is POWER TO THE PEOPLE NO DELAY!

“You people” dogging the song C.R.E.A.M. are keeping the black man down. You call yourselves teachers and leaders and you’re against a song telling young blacks to get paper? That’s the key to success in this land of the free, not welfare rackets like ACORN. “I like Nike, but wait a minute. The neighborhood supports, so put some money in it.” Sound familiar? Materialism is shallow, no doubt, but it’s a good value for people who don’t have any money. Can’t ever get any with the competitive drive EXTINGUISHED on the 1-15. What’s REALLY good?