Hello Everyone out there.
I hope this finds you fantastic.
Great day on June 24th....Lots going on here with The Intergalactic Golf Revolution.
Awesome progress with the folks I am talking to and the deals on the table baby...YE Yeah.
I am really close now and so very happy about it.
The long road has been smoothed by my lovely girlfriend and the assistance she has given me.
Never would this have been possible without her.
As always, please click the title of this blog, HIP HOP AINT DEAD, to see an awesome video of some of the youngest DJ's in the world.
These little people know how to get you on your feet and dancing.
So yes, I want to comment on a phrase that has been circling for some time now.
"Hip Hop is Dead"
Now, if you are a hip hop artists and you promote this phrase, what does that say?
This says you are pissed off about something.
I think a lot of people do not understand NAS when he said, "HIP HOP is DEAD."
I know this is an old conversation, but it was recently brought to my attention, again, and I thought I would say something about it.
I dont know NAS, but I imagine he is pissed off because he has lost the power in the music he makes.
Imagine how drastically life changes for a rapper who leaves the streets and enters the big leagues of international stardom.
He begins being told what sounds good and what will sell, rather than just making the songs that flow freely.
He is now a computerized system for making money for corporate.
But that is the life of a Mainstream Artist.
This can be very, very hard.
When the kids are on the streets practicing, this is what they want more than anything.
Freedom, success, notoriety, riches.
But when you need other peoples money to fund your art.....things happen and your art, in some cases, doesn't necesarily stay yours.
Hopefully these guys are really smart and have great accountants who stash their money away cuz I know you have heard what it is like to live in the hip hop lifestyle and game.
When the records stop selling, there better be money in the bank to support the family.
C'MOn Now...Hip Hop doesnt need any bad PR.
Negative Propaganda in this form and Fashion just aint fitting Folks.
Hip Hop is living and the artists are recording and promoting their records all over the world.
Hip Hop is ALIVE and WELL.
It seems to be tied in with youth culture and current trends in a major, major way.
How amazing that some musical form can have an impact on society as a whole.
Hip Hop ingrained itself in the threads of our life and wove itself into human beings needs.
Now, it just seems normal to care about who is where doing what.....kinda like the PEOPLE and US WEEKLYs publicizing celebrity.
After delving deeper, one comes to find out what it means when people say HP HOP is DEAD.
Individual beefs amongst rappers are one thing, but when comments like these are made, no body wins.
In a way though, it was NAS who broke the story, for if you understand what is truly meant by HIP HOP IS DEAD, then you would say it takes some guts to speak out on the topic.
Yo, Hip Hop isnt dead...its alive and stronger than ever before.
What Hip Hop needs though, is some increased structure and youth development.
Just like in Youth Sports, the record labels and equipment manufacturers need to think about what happens next.
They need to invest in communities and give children reasons and inspiration to create great music.
It shouldn't rest solely on the individual to ask how and seek knowledge becasue not everyone is turned on to the same sorts of things growing up.
Think about this:
How does a kid in the Midwest learn about DJing?
Shoot, I know if I could have learned how to do this at a Young age, this would have been my preferred mode of musical expression.
Instead I sang and played the piano.
What happens when all the Super Stars we got right now are gone?
What do we do to infuse new energy and excitement into both the hip hop industry and music in general.
Its a big question with a very likely answer that you can find if you read through this blog.
Hip Hop will never be dead as long as record companies think about inspiring new generations of youth with artistic creativity and not just a bunch of BC chain and gang promises.
The record lables need to take active roles in the communities that support them.
Rapping and DJing is artistry that must be cultivated and while I am not a rapper or DJ, my friends are.
I appreciate the art and skill behind making music and believe this sort of work requires development.
I feel if youth were taught how to DJ and given opportunities as youngsters, then there would be more DJ's and more live music wherever we go.
My friend, DJ Evil E of Ice T's Camp has been at it for over 25 years now and whoa, you cant outdo goodness like that.
So hey, a shout out to the Music Industry officials.....sure your industry is a game and most the time you enjoy playing it...but I bet if you all put more time, energy, and money into Youth Programming and Outreach, you would see a huge difference in the attitudes of current hip Hoppers and those coming up.
Sales could increase and you might have yourself a basket full of golden eggs like you never expected.
The future of the music industry relies on creating role modles andshowing youth the background stories and personalities of musicinas. Then, Kids will continue saying, "When I grow up, I want to be just like that guy with the gold chains and diamond encrusted grillz."
Record Labels, listen up.
Rap is a form of expression which means its an art.
You call your employees recording artists, so lets remember where the inspiration for these songs come from.
They come from hard core street scenes that most of you have never, ever experienced or could experience.
The really great rappers of the world have not died out and can still produce no matter what age they are.
Depending on the genre of hip hop you want...Gangster, Crunk, Dirty South, or Conscious....there's a little bit for everybody out there.
Take it easy and enjoy your music.
Its meant to create pleasure and relief from the stresses of daily life around us.
So yo, enjoy what you've got going on and dont forget to Tee it Up...cuz the answer is found on The Greens..
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