This blog is dedicated to the rappers. Not the emcees but the rappers. As the past few years have gone by, you've seen rappers rise to the forefront of popularity within mainstream music. A few to be noted are Soulja Boy, OJ da Juiceman, Gucci Mane, Plies, and Rick Ross, and Young Jeezy (note, I will credit Ross and Jeezy for being lyricist at times but at the core of their artistry, they are rappers).
I will be honest, initially, I completely detested what these guys represented. It wasn't so much the content of their music, each are entitled to tell the story that they wish to tell. (And for those who knock them down because you feel their content sends the wrong message to kids, its simple, turn off the radio and BET LOL.) My distaste came to the lack of lyrics and diversity in their content. There are one of 3 things you are guaranteed to hear in their songs depending who you listen to: money (how much they have, what they bought, their clothes, the ice), drugs (weed and liquor mostly, as well as actually distributing it), and finally woman (hell even emcees rap about them though lol). Now many could argue that some of the emcess do the same thing but I counter that by saying that though it is a common topic in hip-hop in general, it is the prime source of subject matter specifically with rappers and not so much with emcees.)
Now to show that I have in good faith given rappers a fair shot (minus Jeezy, I support that dude 100% and I'll explain why later), I recently listened to Gucci Mane's new CD The State vs. Radric Davis as well as parts of Soulja Boy's iSouljaBoyTellEm. This is such that it is not believed that I'm speaking from a biased point of view and that I haven't given rap a chance but merely a spectator making comments.
Heres the thing, I have to come realize that while I will probably not be a big supporter to most rappers, I do respect them. I used to rap so I know what its like to put some emotion behind the pen and spit how you feel on the microphone, and believe me, it takes skill to convey your thoughts over a track. Thus I won't discredit anything that these guys do. Hence the name of this blog, Respect My Hustle. For most rappers, it is a hustle. You look at their background and their story, they will tell you that rapping for them was a way to get off the streets or to keep food on the table, so for that much respect is due.
Some of my friends openly distaste rappers, saying how much they suck and how they are "ruining" hip-hop. My thought is this, evolution is inevitable regardless of what your talking about, all the world turns, things change. So has Hip-Hop. I can't necessary say its change for the worst... It has come to represent the new school consumer. I don't quite know how it come to be that they got conditioned to care less about the actual words spoken and more about the music behind the voice, but it is what it is. It just so happens that rappers do a better job of making a song that you can vibe to and dance to. The lyrics suffer at times but I can't be mad because they are doing their thing and doing it well. The proof is in the pudding, people are buying it so there is something to it, though hip-hop heads will argue not much. As I mentioned before Jeezy is one of the rare exceptions for me. I give Jeezy props 100% and have bought his last two albums. He has a demeanor and delivery on a record that I can't deny, its just plain ill. Though a lot of his rhymes are coked up, he often times will come with some punch lines and metaphors and prove that he's truly a student of the game. Ross too, even though he's not quite lyrical, he does his thing. But thats just me. My boy Silas is quite the hip-hop aficionado and he digs Gucci Mane. Thus there is something out there for everyone
Though I will never understand what it is about rappers like Soulja Boy & OJ Da Juiceman (just examples, not them specifically, well ok, maybe a little specific lol) that people like, they are doing their thing and are successful at it so I can't hate too hard. If Soulja Boy was a one hit wonder then I'd have reason to hate but he's dropped several songs since Crank Dat that have been crowd pleasers through and through. All this to say, though I won't ever be a die hard rap fan, I will never knock them for their hustle. If you do what you do and you do it to the best of your ability and your successful, who am I to judge?
***Just to clarify for those who are confused, there is a BIG difference between hip-hop and rap music. Hip-Hop in itself is the culture that birthed rap. It consists of four main elements: The DJ, The Emcee, The B-Boy, and Graffiti, even these days fashion. Hip-Hop music is the cultivation of these elements, telling the stories of struggle for respect, and going from rags to riches. The difference is that Hip-Hop is more so poetic than rap. Rap more so is the commercially-glorified version of Hip-Hop.***
William the Thoughtful has spoken.
