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Monday, May 24, 2010 | 10:42pm
Now Nas Says “Hip Hop is… Un-Dead”
Cut it out and have a backbone You’re selling statements to whoever will listen to move the soundscan needle. Disgusting
@Nas @damian_marley_ #hiphopisdead
While effectively drawing attention to his new crossover album with Damian Marley, Nas has continued his campaign of head scratching interviews. Before he was talking “baby language” and now he’s trying to undo his life’s work. Entertaining but very sad.
I don’t need to remind anyone about Nas’ most profound 2006 proclamation that “Hip-Hop Is Dead”. The statement drew equal support and criticism as Nas took center stage speaking on behalf of most of the Highbrid Nation by stating what was at the time abundantly obvious.
But a lot has happened since then. For Nas he got married, had a baby and later divorced. America is weathering the storm of one of the wort economic meltdowns in modern times. As a result music sales, even for the most established artists are but trace percentages of what they once were. Today Facebook has made 6 degrees of separation, 1 friend away and Twitter has conquered the news print industry 140 characters at a time. We’ve elected a black President and he’s still alive. Things are drastically different so what does he think about those comments now?
The emcee recently told the Wall Street Journal that Hip Hop has pulled a Lazurus and rose from the dead. While confirming his thoughts back then, Nas says hip-hop is back now?
“It died several times, but I do believe in the heartbeat of it right now,” Nas said. “There are a lot of new artists, and artists that have been around, who are kicking a** right now. I just wanted to give a boost to people and to myself, to push people to go harder. It’s a different world now.”
Bro! Hip Hop isn’t a cat…it doesn’t have nine lives. What is he talking about? What evidence does he have that the game is any better than it was four years ago? If someone can show me evidence please do so. He for sure hasn’t gotten any better? Was B.I.G., Big L, Pun and Pac get exhumed along with Hip Hop?
Its pure foolishness and Nas knows it. He’s trying to raise a media storm behind his statement in promotion of his Marley project but isn’t seeing the bigger picture. He’s that coked out former sprinter pawning his gold medals for a fix. Come on Nas, stick to your guns. He coined the phrase “Hip Hop Is Dead.” It was a profoundly controversial but historic statement. Its is fodder for debate still to this day. Nas just proves all that metaphysical mumbo jumbo he speaks really is just that.
In my mind he was right. Hip Hop was dead and still is. But Nas stumbled upon that. He didn’t realize what he was saying. People tend to forget Hip Hop is a culture. While that culture has evolved, the music that characterizes it today isn’t the same as what spawned it in the first place. That music, that Hip Hop is dead. We have but the black and white photos on the mantle in which to remember it by.
RIP Hip Hop
1979-1999
FILED IN Editorials, Music
With all do respect Senor Juan, I think you have a misprint on the dates of Hip-Hop’s life. The truth is The Blueprint dropped 2001.
Yeah I was debating the date too. I figured if I went earlier rather than later it would draw more debate. If I said 2003 no one would argue with me. But 1999 was the advent of the shiny suit era. Wooof!
I did some research because of this post, and I was looking for one thing, D4L!!! 2005. I remember I was in basic training at FT. Benning, and we were totally cut off from society for 10 weeks. The only time we heard anything from the outside world was when were on the bus, going to one of the rifle ranges. It was the highlight of my day, me being the avid Hip-Hop fan that I am. So my thirsty ears anticipated everytrip, but every trip they were poisoned by that audible cyanide “Laffy Taffy”. SMH…The onset of the “SNAP”. The great schism in Hip-Hop followed shortly.
You’re right, Juan: it’s all about record sales. Not surprising, tho. People do all kinds of things to peddle their product.
I think Hip hop is on the incline, it is definitely on the come up from past years…There will never be another Big or Pac, that is why they are the greatest… If you listen to some artist now, they are bringing back the substance of hip hop… Words with meaning, not just punch lines and Patron and weed…I listen to Lupe, B.o.B, J.Cole, Joe Buddens ( Buddens is a beast when he wants to be) Jadakiss, Styles P, Kanye (the Truth) … As a whole hip hop has work to do but i agree with “Nas the gimmick artist” for saying it is coming alive again… The reason why i use to listen to Nas was because he was very creative as a artist, he lost that intellectual and creative flow, his last album (NIGGER) was trash…. He really lost me, when he signed with HOV, i’m like wtf… I’m just saying you dissing each other hard and i understand you can put beef on the skillet and cook it, but if you really hate someone you don’t want to associate with them at all… it was another Gimmick by Nas to stay relevant and sell albums, just like when he said Hip hop is dead in 2006, and named his album HIp hop is dead, and it dropped two weeks later…
I agree auchamp, but hey wit $55,000 a month in child/spousal support…you gotta do what you gotta do…that why I blame Kelis for the fall of Nas…lol
He went after that milkshake and got stuck in her yard!
hip hop has died a few times. from 1992 to 1995 you were only listenin to death row and bad boy. hiphop picked back up from 1998 to about 2002. then we went into the crunk and white tee, and snap yo finger rap. to some thats not dyin but to most of us its been hell. now weved picked back up a little bit. krs-one also said he seen hiphop die a few times in his tribute to nas song. i co-sign
also who dont have a gimmick to sell records? i didnt see anybody complaining about jay-z sayin autotune is dead
Hip Hop is dead as far as I’m concerned. It is no longer and hasn’t been an Alternative Music or lifestyle. It has blended well into the mainstream. There is nothing wrong with that but it still isn’t what it was. Saying Hip Hop is dead is a strong statement but they’ve been saying Rock ‘N Roll is dead for decades now, too.
yep disco died