If hip-hop died in 2005 when rapper Nas released his hit single, “Hip-Hop Is Dead,” 2009 must have burned the remains. Hip-hop is officially dead.
In the late 80s and early 90s hip-hop was definitely alive and well. Rap groups like Public Enemy, and Body Count gave listeners stories that mattered. Songs like “911 Is a Joke” brought attention to troubling issues. Public Enemy was famous for this. “911 Is a Joke” showed the average American that ambulances are coincidentally slow to react when a problem is called in from the ghetto. Now, in 2009, instead of tackling controversy, rap artists seem more inclined to create it.
In my opinion, hip-hop died in the early 90s when rap group, 2 Live Crew hit the scene with their raunchy sex anthem, “Me So Horny.” This particular song, or any other 2 Live Crew song, contains no lyrical meaning that is relevant to the culture which created rap. Since then, rap has become a breeding ground for mediocrity, and the mundane.
Famed rapper, Marshall Mathers, or “Eminem” is without doubt one of many “artists” to assist in the killing of hip-hop. If you were to draw an Eminem song out of a hat, odds are it would be about one of three things; killing his mother, killing his ex-wife, or dissing a celebrity. These violent and hateful songs are a far cry from what hip-hop once was; a means of communication to the world outside the ghetto. Hip-hop used to tell stories, real stories.
Even classic hip-hop greats weren’t without vulgarity, or violent themes, but when they were used they had purpose. “Cop Killer” by Body Count is so violent, it has been banned in several countries, including America. However, it brought an important issue to the minds of many.
Worse yet, rappers now release singles about absolutely nothing. It seems like anyone who can create a phrase like “A Bay Bay” or “Crunk” can become an overnight rap sensation.
In reality, every genre must die before it can return to its former glory. Metal was at its high point in the mid to late 80s with hair bands like Motley Crue, taking over the radio. After a while, the metal scene faded away only to make a strong return in the past two years with bands like Avenged Sevenfold, Killswitch Engage, and Bullet For My Valentine.
Hip-hop is dead, but I have no doubt that it will return better than ever in due time.