1. Who the fuck are you? (Alias, oldness factor, place I should avoid if I never want to see you, etc. . .)
Tek the intern (@tektheintern). Producer, writer, and avid thinker. 26, Born in the Bahamas, grew up between Philly and New York, currently living in Orlando.
2. Describe hip hop in one word, then explain your word choice.
Influential: Everyone knows at least one rap song, can you say that about any other genre of music? Simply put, everyone wants to be in it or apart of it.
3. Favorite MC (current vs. all time)
Right now definitely between Royce Da 5'9” and Lupe Fiasco. As far as all time I’ll never have one because growing up a really followed producers more than rappers.
4. Why the fuck do I care? What qualifies your opinion on the subject?
You really shouldn't care, that's why "your taste in music sucks". I'm only qualified for what I put in my head... and its usually the best stuff out there.
5. If you had to boil what hip hop truly is down to three albums, what would they be? Explain.
I only need one. Ready to Die - Notorious B.I.G This is one of the most complete albums of all time. Not only do you get great beats and lyrics, you get what most rappers lack these days, and that's story telling. It also gives every emotion all the way down to suicide, everything is just simply relatable. It’s an album you can listen to on any given day
6. You may not be Dave New York, but I still wanna know. . . How do you feel about radio hip hop?
I stopped listening to the radio in 2002... seriously.
7. In your opinion, are hip hop and rap the same? Are the words interchangeable? Why or why not.
No it's not. Plain and simple, Hip Hop is the culture. Break-dancing, graffiti, etc. Rap is a bi-product of the culture (or the soul of it more less).
8. Best producer in the game?
This is a very tough one but I'm gonna have to give it up to NOTTZ & Black Milk. They’re always underdogs, but they both have some seriously dope shit out there.
9. What's your guilty pleasure in terms of music? The stuff you wouldn't want ANYONE to catch you listening to.
I don't have any, if you see a black man rollin' around skipping from Incubus, to Coldplay, to Kev Brown, to Slum Village, that's who I am. I love music.
10. Do you like Jay-z? If so, for the love of god, explain why.
Jay-z is honestly one of the only rappers who can choose to be either a rapper or an emcee. But the reason I respect his craft is because he does both pretty well. He's not making "Exhibit C", but he's also not making, or even featuring himself, on songs like "Swag Surfin”.
11. Who is the one rapper out right now that you feel does not deserve the success they have? Why.
I honestly used to have a book full of people, but then I realized no matter how stupid the lyrics, or the entire song, those people are putting in there share of work, no matter how you look at it. Even if its bullshit (and a lot of it is), denying their success doesn't make them go away, but ignoring their entire existence might just do it (in my opinion).
12. Who is the one rapper out right now that deserves more success than they have currently? Why.
This kid from LA by the name of "Tiron". His music is just dope and very relatable. It’s that kind of music you wish you heard everyday. Look him up if you don't know about him.
13. "I'm tryin' to be one of the best, period. Not just one of the best with breasts and a period. . ." -Invincible - How do you feel about the fact that you are being interviewed by a girl that thinks she knows more about hip hop than you ever will?
I think its great. Hip hop has kind of a one-sided rep, so it good to see females standing out saying, ‘hey I'm a hip hop head too’… and I may know more than you.
Blogger commentary: Some of these answers were a little sus... but, whatever.
For some reason I don't WANT to like this kid... I mean, what the fuck kinda name is Yelawolf? Then again... what kinda name is Ol' Dirty Bastard? Oh yeah, an AWESOME one... plus. . . he kinda looks like Travis Barker. That's not really good or bad, it just... is. But, I can front, I kinda like this track. The beat is nice. Okay bye. Yelawolf - Deer Mama (via ONSMASH)
So, I was talking to someone recently about what I wanted my next article to be about, and they suggested I write a piece on my feelings about Nicki Minaj. . . Now, if you know me at all, you already know, I don't like Nicki Minaj... that being said, my reasons for disliking for, and your reasons for disliking her... or rather, the reasons you may THINK I dislike her, are probably different.
Let's just take this from the top, shall we? Good then.
I want to start out on a positive note, and even defend Miss Minaj a bit (I know, what? Me? Defend her?! Fuck outta here... but seriously). I think that, in a society full of females trying to pass themselves off as something they're not (how many 'models', 'actresses', 'singers', etc, do you see on whatever social networking site you frequent that you look at and say 'yeah the fuck right'... I'm just sayin'), Nicki Minaj is one of few who is actually doing a job being what she is... now, whether what she is is a good thing or not is up for debate, but at least she is keepin' it a hunnid.
Barbie. As much as that term is viciously abused by heinous girls/women all over the world, it does represent something. It represents a plastic doll. Nicki Minaj refers to herself, and her legion of... females... as Barbies, Barbz, Barbie bitches, etc... In my opinion, that's the perfect moniker (dictionary.com it punk ass) for her. Barbies are fake, they're plastic, and they serve a purpose: to look good and entertain people... simple minded people, but people none the less. On those grounds, I think Nicki Minaj calling herself a Barbie is perfectly logical, and I commend her for that. I take that as her way of telling the world, 'don't take me seriously, as I am merely here for your most base level entertainment'.
That being said, I want to further defend Miss Minaj and her use of the term Barbie to refer to herself. I have seen a lot of talk lately from people bagging on Americas favorite Barbie bitch for (purportedly) having had some plastic surgery to enhance her bust and/or ass... Can I just say. . . WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU EXPECT FROM SOMEONE WHO REFERS TO THEMSELVES AS A BARBIE? She has named herself after a plastic doll. . . is it REALLY that surprising that she has turned herself into. . . well. . . a plastic doll? I mean, honestly. . . do you people know what a Barbie is? What it represents? She would be misrepresenting herself if she didn't have plastic surgery to obtain what is in her mind the perfect body. . . let's be honest here; if Nicki Minaj looked like Jill Scott, no one would listen to her music. . . and they CERTAINLY wouldn't stand behind the use of the term 'Barbie', because Jill Scott and her image do not accurately represent a Barbie. Nicki Minaj, in many ways (in terms of current standards of beauty) does.
That being said, I also want to throw this thought out there: What does having plastic surgery have to do with your ability to rap? Everyone seems to be so up in arms about the fact that her ass and tits are fake, and thus they don't want to listen to her music. . . why? Does silicone decrease your ability to write a solid verse? I was under the impression that it didn't, but. . . I mean. . . I could be wrong. I guess.
The point I am trying to make here is that. . . well. . . you people hate Nicki Minaj for all the wrong reasons. . . Her calling herself a Barbie, though annoying, and obnoxious, and. . . stupid, is still accurate, and one has to give her points for being honest with everyone. Also, like I said already, what does her plasticness have to do with her ability to rhyme? Build a bridge, put your Heelys, and skate over that bitch, cause that really shouldn't even be an issue. It's my opinion that people who dislike Nicki Minaj because they think she has had plastic surgery are probably just mad that they don't look like her/can't get a girl that looks like her, in which case, that's on YOU. Step your fuckin' game up, don't hate on her for that...
That being said. . . I personally hate Nicki Minaj's music. . . and I am not all that fond of her as a person either, BUT... that doesn't have an effect on how I feel about her music. Let me preface this by saying one thing: In terms of her actual rap 'skills', she's not bad. . . she is better than many fake internet rappers/McDonalds fry cooks. . . but being able to rap is only half the battle. . . to be a truly good rapper, you have to be able to rap, sound good, and have subject matter that. . . well, isn't horrible. . . it's in the last two categories that Miss Minaj fails in my opinion.
"These bitches so cranky, give them a hanky...
But mami I'm cold, give me my blanky..."
Like I was saying, in terms of content and sound, this bitch fails at life. . . The word blanky and hip hop are not two things that go together. . . it's like another rapper that Rhymes 'quail' with 'jail'. . . *cough* Hov *cough*. But that's not the only thing Miss Minaj and Jay-z have in common. . . in fact, I like they are quite similar, which is probably why I like neither of them... Follow my logic here for a moment. Nicki Minaj is a cocky, mildly talented rapper who does nothing but rap about how amazing she is and how shitty you are... Who doesn't that remind you of? The only difference between her and Hov is he doesn't it by talking about all the shit he owns and his broad. . . she does it by talking about how much better looking she is than you... But, its the same premise. . . these two individuals tell you how good they are, how they are a better rapper than you, how they are better than you in general, because of what they own or how they look. . . and you listen to that message, and never question it. Nor do you question their musical abilities, which is beyond me, but whatever.
That being said, there is one difference between Nicki Minaj and Jay-z. . . and no, I don't mean her implants. . . I mean, Nicki Minaj is always going to be questioned more than Jay-z simply because she is female. . . this is an inevitable fact. As women, whenever we enter a typically 'male domain' (such as hip hop), we are always looked upon as secondary. . . a guest if you will. What I mean by this is, Nicki Minaj could have the exact same skills as Jay-z, be loved by just as many people (she has a lot of fucking fans), etc, but, she will NEVER be taken as seriously as Jay-z, because she is a female...
I don't know if you have noticed this trend when it comes to female rappers, but, for the most part, female rappers usually go one of two ways. . . they are either overtly sexual (Lil Kim, Trina, Nicki Minaj, etc) or they are particularly masculine (for whatever reason). . . Now, there have been a few exceptions to this rule. . . Lauryn Hill for example, who, in my opinion, embodied the best possible balence for a female MC. . . but we see where she is now. My point here is that, it feels like, for a female to succeed in this game, she has to either get herself to a point where men look at her as. . . well. . . one of them. . . or, as extremely attractive in a sexual way. Now, it seems like, from my experience, the former get more respect from males, but don't get as far, while the later, the forwardly sexual, go much father than their masculine counterparts, but are never taken as seriously. I think that someone female MCs think they can use their sexuality as a way to get their foot in the door, but unfortunately, when people come to expect something from you. . . you sort of have to deliver on that to keep their interest. This is why, if tomorrow Nicki Minaj kept rapping the exact same way, but started wearing cardigans, khakis, and loafers, she would lose her whole following. With her, it's not about her skill... its about her image.
To me, that's unfortunate on two levels. One, people will like her whether she is good or not based on how she looks. Two, people will dislike her whether she is good or not based on how she looks. In my opinion, this is bad business. I am not saying that for males, image has nothing to do with it. . . but, um. Well... lesssssbbbbiiiihhhhhoooonnneeeesssstttt... MANY male rappers are unattractive. . . yet it has absolutely no effect on their level of popularity. . . If Nicki Minaj looked like a female version of Biggie, none of us would have even ever heard of her. . . if we are talking about real life here, then we all have to agree with the fact that a man can be ugly and succeed in the rap game. . . a women, not so much. For not so provocative and/or attractive females who want to rap, this is a problem, and it's not fair...
Now, there is a flip side to this problem, and that is, attractive females with huge boobs and a nice ass (real or not) are not only accepted into the game. . . but in some cases, they are held to a lower standard. . . There are SO many problems with that... being pretty does not make you a good rapper, and it certainly shouldn't give you a pass on being annoying... You want to be honest? Let's be honest. Nicki Minaj is annoying, but she can rap, her verses just suck because they are about stupid fake shit that no one should care about and her voice makes me want to slit my wrists. . . but she looks good in a bra and panties and not much else, so people are embracing her. . . they are saying 'Meh, she's cute so. . . fuck it, let's let this shit go'. That line of thinking is wrong. Period. It's wrong. I don't care if she wants to walk around naked with the words 'fuck me' painted on her body in chocolate... if the conglomeration of hip hop is going to embrace her, it should be on the basis of her skill alone.
If she does have fake breasts and a fake ass, why do you think thats the case? Do you think that was for her own edification? Probably not. . . I am guessing, her lady parts enlarged because she knew all about the point I am trying to make here. . . that she was only going to become popular by appealing to the publics sexual desires. . . not their musical ones. For that reason, I both respect and disrespect her, because. . . I mean, mission accomplished. You really can't knock her hustle. . . she makes horrible music and everyone loves her, how can you really look at that and not respect it (I don't mean respect the music, I mean respect that fact that she has made a name for herself)? She didn't just luck up either. I think all of this, everything that she is, it was all very strategic, and in that regard, I respect her. On the other hand, I would respect her more if she came to the table with some amazing skill showcased on some amazing tracks (big tits or not). . . so in that sense, she took the low road in my opinion, and that's kinda wack. . . don't get me wrong, if you are a sexual female, that likes to be provocative, etc, I don't knock that. AT ALL. But, have something more to offer than just that. . . that's my point. Especially when you are trying to pass yourself off as a rapper. There are enough garbage rappers in the world, just because you come in a prettier package, doesn't make you any less garbage.
"A yo', I was on the plane with the Wayne
You can call me Whitley, I go to Hillman
Listen, I'm the baddest in the school, the baddest in the game
Excuse me honey, but nobody's in my lane..."
Really? REALLY? In what world is that 'good' hip hop? Have the standard gone down SO LOW that we will just accept anything as being good? As long as someone just isn't piss poor at spittin' rhymes, it's all good? This broad is like the female Gucci Mane, accept, I think she is actually a better rapper! But in terms of content? Get the fuck outta here! I have listened to several songs of hers, and it's all the same Harajuku Barbie Bad Bitch BULLSHIT over and over again. . . Either the mainstream American musical audience is really fucking stupid, or something isn't right here.
When Nas said hip hop is dead. . . this is what he meant. There is no standard anymore... ESPECIALLY for women. . . and there will continue to be no standard until we create one and start holding artists to it.
Like I said before, it's not her actual rhyming abilities that are horrible, it's her sound and here content.
Please tell me her voice doesn't make you want to slit your wrists. . . PLEASE TELL ME THAT. I mean, for a singer to be considered talented, they have to sound good. . . including of course, their tone. . . maybe not to the same extent, but this goes for rappers as well. . . and in terms of sound, I honestly cannot see how anyone can stand to listen to this broad. I mean really. . . really? She sounds like she has the accent of a white girl from LA. . . combined with a black chick from Jersey. . . that's just really obnoxious.
Also, her content. . . I mean, content is personal, and so lot of discussion is not needed here. . . if you can relate to a woman talking about being a lesbian, riding a good dick, wanting to be named after a woman who sucked the presidents dick, and a whole host of other crazy, nonsensical, bizarre, and, yeah, annoying, shit. . . then God damnit, Nicki Minaj is the rapper for you! But I, even being a female, cannot relate to that. . . and I certainly don't see how any male could find that at all appealing. . . but whatever.
"And they be thinkin they can spit, spit shine my shoes
You know I keep a bad bitch, let me sign ya' boobs
I'm the only thing hoppin', like a kangaroo
I mean the only thing poppin', like a can of brew..."
Ummm. . . Yeah, okay. DOOM could TOTALLY get away with that. . . in an alternate universe. . . if there were no other living beings in it. . . and he couldn't even hear himself say it. . . Really though, it's garbage, like pretty much everything else she says. . . which is actually a shame because, if her voice didn't make me want to end my life, and she talked about something. . . anything. . . other than what she raps about now. . . she could actually be pretty legit.
I guess in summation. . . Nicki Minaj is not a bad rapper. . . per se. Her music IS terrible, but she can rap. . . maybe she just shouldn't. I mean, just because you CAN do something, doesn't mean you SHOULD... I'm just sayin'.
I get called a hater so many times a day, it has lost any sort of sting. . . and/or amusement it might have once had. Now I am just left wondering, why the fuck does everyone think I'm a hater? Let's examine this shit.
The definition of 'hater' when dictionary.com'd is the same as 'hate', which is as follows:
Hater - 3 dictionary results
–verb (used with object) 1. to dislike intensely or passionately; feel extreme aversion for or extreme hostility toward; detest: to hate the enemy; to hate bigotry. 2. to be unwilling; dislike: I hate to do it.
–verb (used without object) 3. to feel intense dislike, or extreme aversion or hostility.
–noun 4. intense dislike; extreme aversion or hostility. 5. the object of extreme aversion or hostility
There, now that we have cleared that up, we all have a fuller understanding of what a hater is. Or do we? I mean, if that's the definition, basically, someone who dislikes something intensely, aren't we ALL haters? I don't know one person. . . nan nigga. . . that don't dislike some musician intensely. Let's be real, there is some rapper, or beat maker, or fake ass wannabe rapper/beat maker, that, if that mothafucka walked in front of your 91' Toyota Tercel, you might be tempted to run they ass over. I'm just sayin'.
My point in all this is, enough with all the fuckin' hater talk. Why don't you, next time you decide to act like a little school girl and call someone a hater, instead, act like an adult, and have a real conversation with them about whatever it is ya'll disagree on. If they think Lil Wayne is a waste of space/oxygen/dreadlocks/facial tattoos/etc, and you think he is the second coming of Christ, why not, instead of screaming 'HATER' and then stomping off with a false sense of accomplishment, why don't you say 'hey there motherfucker, why don't you like Weezy? Cause I think he is the cat's pajamas!'. Then. . . you guys could do this weird thing nerds sometimes do. . . you could have an intelligent conversation. WOW. Then. . . and this is the REALLY shocking part. . . then you could hear what they have to say, and they can hear what you have to say. You guys might end up changing each others minds, or learning some new things, or just gaining respect for an opinion that's different than yours. Imagine that! Or. . . you could just call them a hater and go on about your unreasonable and incredibly annoying way.
So, sure. Maybe I am a hater. Maybe I'm a hater because I don't think Jay-z makes good music. . . or because I think Gucci is a talentless hack. . . or because I don't get what everyone loves about Drake. . . or whatever. . . But, maybe, just maybe, I have good reasoning behind those opinions. . . in which case, am I still a hater? If simply disliking something makes you a hater, we should just stop calling people haters all together, because it's about as appropriate as telling someone they're alive. . . like, duh, I know.
I think we should reserve the term 'hater' for those who dislike something intensely. . . but for no apparent reason, other than that they just do. Hate with no logic, reasoning, or. . . well. . . sense. . . that constitutes being a hater. No wait, that constitutes being an asshole. Honestly, I am starting to feel like this 'hater' terminology is veritably useless.
Actually. . . and this literally just dawned on me. . . do you want to know who the REAL haters are? People who walk around calling everyone haters. If you own a 'Hi Haters' shirt, or you walk around saying shit like 'You aren't really a success unless you have haters', you should just come to terms with the fact that you, my friend (that was a lie, we ain't friends), are a fucking HATER. You hate on people for disagreeing with you, or because they don't like your shit, then not only are you a dumb ass, but you are actually the reason the term hater exists. So. . . listen. . . let's try this. . . the next time you are about to call someone a hater. . . for whatever undoubtedly stupid reason. . . instead of saying to them, just walk over to the nearest reflective object (like a mirror) and repeat after me: "I'm a hater". That will make everyone happy, trust me. Or. . . it will make no one happy, but I won't have to listen to you call me a hater so. . . who really cares if everyone is happy, cause I will be.
I guess the intended outcome of this rant was for you to understand this: I'm not a hater. You're taste in music just sucks. . . I'm sorry that it hurts, but calling me a hater doesn't change anything. . . That is all.
Blogger commentary: None of this 'hater' talk applies with sports, this is Hip Hop oriented ONLY. I am free to hate whatever sports team I want for whatever reason. . . or no reason at all. Those are the rules. Google it.
I am as guilty of this as anyone else. I sit on my couch, I channel surf, I find music videos, or an award show. I watch. I complain. "Why is mainstream hip hop such garbage?". "Can't they come up with a more original idea for a music video? I mean, ass shaking is great, but c'mon son!". "Is that? Did he just? What the fuck?!! I HATE THIS SHIT."
We have all been there, watching, or listening to something, that we knew damn well is garbage, and not worth our time. Our response? Do we stop? Nope. We continue. . . we just complain endlessly about it.
This wouldn't be such a problem except, A. I hate hearing people complain, and B. As long as we continue watching, we are showing support for whatever it is we are complaining about, whether it be inadvertent or not.
Let's think about this shit. When you watch the BET awards, or the AMA's, or the MTV video music awards, or music videos, etc, even though you may think that all your nasty comments the shows and how stupid they are 'mean something', they don't. The reality of the situation is, while you are burning up your time on something you purport to disdain, you are lining the pockets of the exec's of the companies putting on these monstrosities by sitting there and continuing to watch them. . . even though you. . . ummm. . . you know, hate them or whatever.
I don't know about you all, but I don't like handing money over to organizations and/or causes I supposedly have no respect for, dislike intensely, think fell off, etc. I also don't like wasting my time consuming that same shit. . . so this begs the question. . . why? Why do we do this? Why do we watch and listen to this shit that we claim we can't tolerate, and then proceed to talk shit about it endlessly?
In my opinion, it comes down to a few options: 1. We don't hate this shit as much as we claim to. Maybe you are crying 'Weezy sucks' while on Twitter. . . all the while bumpin' 'The Carter III' on your lap top. I have noticed that it has become 'cool' to be a hater. . . of things you don't even real hate. . . this concept perplexes me, because, if you don't REALLY dislike something, why claim to? Why do you give that much of a fuck about what other people think that you can't even be honest about what you truly like and dislike? I'm just sayin'.
Option 2: We're all just a bunch of whiny bitches that derive pleasure from subjecting ourselves to basic bullshit that we can't stand. This seems like it could be a fairly viable option as well. Americans love to complain. We have this sense of entitlement that allows us to go around acting like all this bad shit is being forced on us, when half the time, we put it upon ourselves. Think of it like this. I happen to think whole milk is gross and is the equivalent of drinking clumpy liquidise fat. Just looking at whole fat milk disturbs me, and I haven't had any to drink since I was about 8, and even then, it was because my parents forced me. That being said, let's just say I were to roll over to Safeway and pick up a gallon of it. Then let's say, I got home, poured myself a nice, big, tall, frosty, gelatinous glass of the shit, sat on my couch, got on Twitter, and tweeted all about how much this glass of milk disgusted me as I drank it. Why the fuck would I do that? How much of a fucktard would doing that make me? Subjecting myself to something I damn well know I am gonna hate, and then complaining about it endlessly. See the correlation? I'm just sayin'.
Now, it would be a different situation if I went to my fridge, poured myself a glass of what I thought was nonfat milk, and drank it, only to find out it was whole milk, and complained endlessly about that. That shit WOULD be foul. But just like the fucking award show situation, if I know full well what I am getting into beforehand, I have no one to blame but myself for my unhappiness with the situation, and it would seem that I certainly have no right to complain about it.
Alternately, if you know that you hate some of these things like award shows, and whole milk, gremlins, Drake, the smell of popcorn, facial tattoos, etc, and you decide to not have anything to do with them, THEN you can complain. Because you aren't willingly participating in something you supposedly can't stand. I, as it were, can talk about how much whole milk disgusts me. I won't. . . well. . . anymore. . . because I don't want to come off like any more of a whiny bitch, but I would be fully within' my rights as a sensical individual to do so.
On that same token, by not consuming something I dislike, I am saying much more with my actions than I ever could with my words. Example: if all the people who claimed they hated BET stopped watching BET, BET would probably go out of business. . . If we all aligned our actions with our words, half the things we complain about on a constant basis, especially in entertainment, would more than likely no longer be an issue. I think people fail to realize that the entertainment industry is all about money. If money is being made, then things are going to continue as they are. Why the fuck wouldn't they? Here's a little hint: If you really hate BET, and you really want to fuck them, don't talk about how bad a station they are while you sit there watching 106 and Park (I actually had to go look up the name of a BET show, CAUSE I DON'T WATCH BET. How awesome is that?), because that ain't doin' shit. Either admit that you love them, or stop watching, and really fuck them over.
Anywhos. . . (c) DOOM. In looking at these two options, the first being total dishonesty with yourself and others about your preferences, and the second being whiny bitchassnesss, I am not sure which is worse, or more prevalent, or. . . well. . . anyway. Sidebar: don't think I don't see the irony in the picture I used for this post. . .
I just want to say this, if watching these lame ass award shows (your words in many cases), and bitching to your hearts content gives you some sort of bizarre pleasure, even though you claim it does nothing but make you hate. . . you know. . . life. . . or whatever, for the two hours they're on, do your thing. Who am I to judge? BUT. . . if you are on some 'I have to act like I hate Young Money because liking Young Money means I have bad taste in music' type shit. . . grow a pair. If you like something, you like it. Period. And truly, you shouldn't give a FUCK what anyone else thinks about you for that. Yeah, I may think you are a loser with bad taste in music, but, who the fuck am I? And yes, maybe you are a loser with bad taste in music, but at least be one that stands for something. Don't be a coward who conforms to what people think is acceptable, because in the end, you're reppin' you, not them.
If you truly hate these award shows, music videos, mainstream radio stations, etc, turn them off. It's really not that hard to do. They are not being forced on you, and plenty of people have managed to get through life without them. By not consuming them, not only are you saving yourself from severe unhappiness, but you are breakin' them for they scrill! What could be better than that? BUT. . . if you can't seem to manage that, then at least, do us all a favor and stop complaining about them. It doesn't make you look cool, or above it. . . it makes you look like YOU THINK you're better than what you are consuming. It's a desperate form of self praise, and to quote one of my hero's, John Madden, "Self praise is for losers. Be a winner. Stand for Something.". On that same token, like I said from jump, I am guilty of this at times as well, and this article was written to check myself, as much as it was written to check others. All I'm sayin' is, let's think about what we're doing, who we're supporting, what we're saying, etc, and it's literal effect. That is all.
Something that myself and most hip hopists don't have in common is that, well, you like Hov. . . and I don't. I have had many an argument on many an occasion about Hov, why he is awesome, or in my opinion, an ass hat. . . etc. . . But I had a conversation with someone this evening that clarified my distaste for the artist formerly known as Jigga, and it went a little something like this: Me - Why do you love Jay-z again..? Them - Cause he is the greatest rapper alive. . . Me - Riiiiight. . . but, why? Them - Because he says he is the greatest rapper alive!
Fail. This seems to be the same conversation I have had with numerous people on numerous occasions. The conclusion I have come to is this: Jay-z is a walking logically fallacy. A tautology if you will. . .
Tautology: repetition of meaning, using dissimilar words to say the same thing twice, especially where the additional words fail to provide additional clarity and meaning.
"Jay-z is the greatest rapper alive because. . . Jay-z says he is the greatest rapper alive. . ." Oh, word? Well who the fuck died and made him Jesus? Alternately, since when did we start taking rappers at face value when they say that they are the greatest rapper alive? Jay-z isn't even the most popular rapper alive! And he CERTAINLY isn't the most talented rapper alive. . . so how the FUCK is he the best rapper alive? Is it because he ain't as disturbing looking/sounding as Lil Wayne? Or because he is better than Gucci Mane? (I didn't mean for that to rhyme, I swear) What is it about this ass hat that makes you believe him when he says that he is the best?
Winning the by default does not make you the best, it makes you the winner by default. . . the best is some other asshole that got disqualified, usually for a stupid reason. . .
It would be great if one person could tell me why they think Hov is the best rapper alive. . . I get that he's got the hottest chick in the game wearin' his chain. . . I get that he's got a million ways to get it. . . choose one. . . I get that he is big pimpin' baby. . . spendin' cheese. . . I also get how incredibly LAME all of those lines are, much like most of his flow (in my opinion). . . But, what is it you ACTUALLY like about him? I'm really not trying to tell anyone not to like Jay-z. . . really. . . just because I don't particularly care for him, doesn't mean you have to hate him. . . all I am saying is. . . can you have a reason for liking him. . ? Please? PLEASE?!
The only things I can gather that people might truly be feelin' with regards to this douche bag are these three things: 1. His, and undoubtedly your, belief that he is the greatest rapper of all time. 2. His cockiness. Maybe you like cocks. . . I'm just sayin'. 3. The fact that. . . he's not. . . bad. . . I mean, there are much worse. . . his accent is kind of annoying. . . but you know. . . whatever. . .
All I am saying is this: In my opinion, hip hop should not be a popularity contest. . . but if it's going to be a popularity contest, let it be based on one's popularity because they can bring some amazing shit to the table. . . or shit, cause they have cool face tattoos. . . whatever. . . but not because they talk about Louis Vuitton boat shoes and that makes you think they are cool because you have never held anything Louis Vuitton in your own bare hands, and you can only imagine what boat shoes are for. . . and CERTAINLY not because they tell you they are the most popular. . .
At this point, the only difference between you and I is this. . . Hov tells you he's the best, and you believe him. Hov tells me he is the best, and I don't. . . if you can tell me WHY you think he's the best. . . other than that he says that's the case, please do. Otherwise. . . shut up about it. . .
And yes, in case you were wondering. . . I can tell you exactly what I DON'T like about that ass hat. . . but I'm not going to. . . not until you tell me what you like about him FIRST! Ha! The burden of proof isn't on me anyway. . . ya'll are the one's running around screaming that he is the best rapper alive. . . I am simply disagreeing with it. . . That is all.
You probably won't like this blog, so I'm not even going to bother describing it. . . In fact, fuck you for even reading this - don't you have some work you should be doing or something. . ?
