That Hippity Hop

I had a freaking flat tire yesterday and because I live in the boonies, I have no way to get to work, so I am sitting at home listening to music since nothing is on TV. Today, I am East Coast Lyrical Hip-Hop.

Now, like I have said many times... I am not the biggest fan of mainstream music.... especially the new stuff that is on the radio now. However, I have always been and probably always be a fan of East Coast Lyrical Hip-Hop, especially like Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Lupe Fiasco, Common and the like. I even like more mainstream East Coast Lyricists like Nas and somewhat Jay-Z.

I love it when people have nice beats and have words to go with the beats. Anyone can produce a nice beat, but it takes an artist to make you hear the words too. It is very easy to block nonsense out, but it's harder to block meaning out. Why does it seem like the only region that has important to say is the East Coast, namely New York? Seriously though.... West Coast is about getting high and parting and Down South is about partying and strip clubs. Now I am not saying that some East Coast rappers don't rap about this stuff because they do, but it isn't what they are known for. Anyway, I digress, I was trying to say that I think people just don't make meaningful lyrics because they are just in it for the money and chicks. People don't get into the game to be heard anymore, they get in it for the fame... this has got to change people.

Also, they WAY one spits over the beat is very important. I think what is also lacking today is the fact that these new school rappers have no signature style... better yet, no style at all. People like Nas, Mos Def, Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, and dare I say, even Too Short (lol) all have distinctive ways that they flow OVER beats... not with the beats. If you took out each persons distinctive voice intonation and just listen to the way that they set up words you could tell who it was. These new school people just seem to get lost in the beats... the beat just overtakes what they are saying because there is no thought behind the process.