Will Hip-Hop EVER Reach its FULL Potential? Diezel P

FROM STORY TO GLORY

By Diezel P

Don’t let the title of this column fool you, I can’t say that I only have a positive definition for this blatant headline.  Hip Hop definitely is a story OF glory, given that during its early existence and interchangeable styles through the 80’s and 90’s era, that many thought it would be just a story to tell their children or even grandchildren rather than the glory filled success story it is today.  Now that our Big Brothers have laid the foundation for the most influential, imitated, and demanded culture on earth (Yeah, I said it “on earth!”), some may feel that our generation has tainted the inherited culture that our Microphone checkin’ ancestors worked so hard to empower and solidify its popular status. 

            I must admit that I am definitely one of those critics that believes over the years commercial Hip-Hop has lost it’s substance and creativity to trendy dances and repetitive concepts, but the main reason I feel Hip-Hop has been tainted is its transition from storytelling to glorifying negative aspects of their community and personal lifestyles.

            Hip-Hop originated in poverty stricken and highly drug and violence infested neighborhoods, places where many of our credible artists are from today.  In the beginning stages, Hip-Hop was used as a tool for artists to voice their stories of criminal activities, rough upbringings, and discrimination that flourished in their environments, in an attempt to make a change and better their communities.  Somewhere down the line the ones committing the violent acts and drug distributing in their communities got a hold of the up rising music and told their own glorifying tales of illegally earning money and sexual deviance.

            A combination of popular demand and media fueled controversy seemed to filter out the mainstream rotation of positive uplifting Hip-Hop, leaving us with masses containing highly influenced youth and striving artists trying to duplicate the successful careers and shallow lifestyles of some our most famous rappers.  In return this causes poor morality and sense of priority amongst the lower and middle class people.

            I encourage the already powerful, successful, and respected artists who own the monopoly over hip hop to stop glorifying the flaws of your personality, history, and community.  We as up and coming artists need to absorb your story by learning about your achievements, mistakes, and path taken towards success to motivate and better our chances as artists and people in the urban community. 

In the real world crime never pays in the end, which is acknowledged and demonstrated by these ex-cons’ and criminals’ jump from life of crime to legit music careers.  To all my striving artists trying to make it big, I suggest you quit the mockery of the mainstream media lifestyles, for these millionaires did not become successful by sitting in jail cells, selling drugs, killing each other or committing adultery.  They became successful by hard work ethic and the relentlessness to showcase their creativity and talent to the world.  It is shown by many in the underground scene that these same talents can be used to uplift and unite our urban culture, but we will never see the full potential of Hip Hop if we continue to enable the commercial mainstream to feed us their perverted and water down version of Hip Hop!  Let’s support the return of telling stories of our experiences to teach the ones who lend us their ears, for the youth, community, and world is depending on it!