{February 2008}

Hip-hop is not dead. In fact anyone who believes the propaganda started by Nas’ sub par album, is a potential hater. Now I’m not going to talk about hating as that was last blog’s rant. What I will talk about is the whining and bickering that has been going on about the state of hip-hop. I was so surprised when I heard that the self-proclaimed “God’s Son” (another blasphemy) was going to name his album such a dumb title. But what pisses me off most is that people, being the idiots that they are, believe everything they hear. So now a lot of others are walking around squawking “hip-hop is dead.”

Hip-hop is not dead — it’s just evolving much like everything else in this world. It’s like the artistic world runs on its own form of karma because things keep coming right back. I know at one point people said, “Yo, Mohawks are out of style.” Well look around, there are tons of people sporting Mohawks from all different walks of life. You can find the Mohawk at a hip-hop, reggae, pop, rock and even an R&B concert, whereas before it was just a punk fad. Cross-colors, from the late ’80s to early ’90s went out of when everything went simple with the white Air Force 1s, blue jeans and white T style. Now in 2007, everyone walks around looking like a bag of Skittles with multi-coloured hoodies and rainbow co-ordinated shoes. Also — don’t get too excited — but I was at an event about a month back and I saw a man walking around with a high-top box-cut/cameo. Hip-hop is not dead!!

Hip-hop is not dead, but the idea that it could be is to be blamed on haters. If a major label took one of those whiners and offered them a couple million to make an album that’s a little more industry acceptable, every one of them would take it. So why the hell should they hate on the next man for doing what we know they would? Rapper Common is the perfect example. Rather than be a crybaby, Common adjusted while still maintaining his own artistic integrity.

Hip-hop is not dead. How can it be dead with so much money involved in the game today? The music may not sound the same, but give it it’s time to evolve and it will come right back to where it was. My home girl once told me that if you tie a dog to a tree, it will bark and damn near choke itself trying to get free, but if you release it, it will run around for a bit then come right back to that tree because that’s where it was for so long and had grown comfortable. I feel the same way about hip-hop. Let it go, let it run free and grow. When it grows tired of all the new makeovers it will eventually want to return to its roots, except that when it comes back it will be more experienced in other styles of music that will hopefully bring a new flair to that true school sound we all long for.

Instead of getting mad and trash talking an artist who made a song that you don’t like, go listen to something you do. I hear, “I could write a song like that easily” or “That’s so simple, yo. I can make a commercial hit,” all the time. These people obviously don’t have a sense of reality because it’s no easy task to make and put out a “hit song.” There are thousands of artists across the U.S. (never mind Canada) that have great songs they think could be hits. You don’t see all of them for a reason though, because there is only room for the best “entertainment” songs in this industry today. If you can’t get one million people doing your dance and singing your song like a 17-year-old Soulja Boy can, you’re not as talented as you think. You might think emcee so-and-so is shit, but that artist is selling and people like it. If you are going to hate, hate the people who are buying it ’cause if they didn’t make artists feel their music is good, the artists wouldn’t be making it. This is how the entertainment industry works. So don’t hate the artists, hate the consumers. Haters! Hip-hop is NOT dead!

Kyron "Kidnapp" Clarke
Grindin' Editor

{January 2008}

Listen — I drink. Not religiously, but I drink. I love an Appleton and apple juice or a Grey Goose and cranberry. I can even enjoy a cold bottle of Evian. But one thing I would never drink — not even on the hottest of days — is HATERADE!!!

I can’t begin to overstand why people hate on other’s successes. Whether they lie, cheat or steal to get their money, they’re doing their thing so who are we to hate on that? A lot of people lie, cheat or steal for nothing! At least somebody’s getting paid for it. Shit! If someone told me to lie bout my life to make a couple hundred thou’ I’d do it too. Then I’d take some of the money I made and write a book about my big lie and make legit money by telling the truth to reverse my karma. Reality TV sells, so hell, why not a reality book? Does that make me a liar or a hustler? Stop hating!

The reason for this reckless rant is a situation surrounding Canadian rapper Belly, and his success. Now I’m not the president of the Belly fan club, nor am I a member, but I do respect his work ethic and the fact that he was able to (with his own money, or not) get himself out there to the point where everybody is talking about him. Regardless of the fact that all the talk is hate talk, his name still seems to be able to spark a heated discussion and the talk is doing great things for the Canadian entertainment industry. Our industry has been lacking money, so bringing business through collabos with notable American artists on reputable labels is a great look for the future of the industry North of the border. Stop hating! It’s disgusting to hear all the negative attention being given to Canadian artists. For years Canadians hated on Kardinal Offishall because they didn’t agree with the image and sound he gave Canadians. Let’s be serious: Kardi is the only Canadian artist to have as much crossover success as Belly (even more), when it comes to bridging the gap between America and Canada’s entertainment scene. But in Toronto, since we support what everyone else likes, don’t be surprised if you hear people start to praise Mr. Bakardi Slang now that he is rubbing shoulders with heavyweights Akon and T-Pain. Either that or we will get more ignorant diss tracks calling him out for not being “street” enough or for his music being too commercial. Stop hating!

What all the haters fail to realize is they are fueling artists’ fire. Why should they even pay for promotion or press up shirts when haters are spreading their name for them? Just look at the Belly situation: all these people going directly at him gave him the upper hand to pull a Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson move by titling a track “Smelly” — the nickname given to him by haters — and turning the “diss track” into free promotion for himself.

He’s making fools out of y’all! There are people who did not know about Belly before the disses started. Those tracks exposed his name to bigger circles, starting a chain reaction that he is using to further piss off his angry opposition. Don’t get me wrong, I’m ’bout Toronto, and our artists (some of them) are definitely real street cats repping the true street grind. However, truth be told, a lot of artists are haters and it’s not making them look good. Stop your bloodclaat hating!

I don’t drink Haterade. I mean, I hate a lot of rappers and think their music is trash but I don’t let it affect the way I walk. If my movements are based off of another’s then I am no longer in control of my actions. So hate, but don’t be a hater. If somebody wanna lie, let them lie. As long as they ain’t stepping directly on your toes, then let God sort ’em out. Instead of hating, let’s go at the labels for not putting money into the truly talented artists who’ve lived through what they preach and deserve a chance at success.

Real grinders make money; I don’t know what other people do. All I know is if you’re making money go ahead and do your thang. Get some paper and take care of your family and your people — don’t listen to the negative remarks about your character. I strongly believe that every man/woman has the freedom to do what he/she wants to do. Who are we to judge or regulate anyone’s life and play God? If they’re getting money and you don’t like how they are doing it, go find a way to make money for yourself and stop concentrating on what a fake emcee he or she is. They can be as fake as they want to be. Their money is still real and so is the fame they are getting from doing them, not doing you. Stop hating!!!

Kyron "Kidnapp" Clarke
Grindin' Editor