Talk about a blast from the past. Your favourite R&B girl group of the 90’s, TLC, are currently touring Australia and New Zealand ahead of their first album release in about 14 years, which is now slated for early 2017. Chilli and T-Boz hit the stage in Sydney, complete with that studded denim and some slammin’ choreography that had us all too nostalgic.
TLC 2016 AUS/NZ tour dates
Tickets available HERE
Thursday, November 10
Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington
Saturday, November 12
ASB Bay Park Arena, Taurang
Wednesday, November 16
Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Tuesday, November 22
Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide
Wednesday, November 23
Palais Theatre, Melbourne
Saturday, November 26
Vector Arena, Auckland
Photos: Dani Hansen/Howl & Echoes
Basketball and hip-hop have been integrated for a long time, and much like hip-hop, it is said that the 90s was the golden era of basketball. It started a long time before the 90s, but that is when the relationship between the two really started to have an impact on both hip-hop and basketball culture. It doesn’t come as a surprise when you take into consideration that a lot of rappers and NBA players have grown up in the same areas, come from the same streets, probably even played basketball on the same courts. Basketballers Allen Iverson, Stephen Jackson, Carmelo Anthony, and LeBron James, to name a few, are all from quite rough neighbourhoods; on the hip-hop side, we have rappers like N.W.A, UGK, and Big L from similarly rough neighbourhoods. Hip-hop is considered an outlet for the struggle and issues faced in these neighbourhoods and basketball is seen as a way out – both offer opportunities for a better life for them and their families.
Every rap album tends to have at least one basketball reference on it, and every NBA video game has a rap soundtrack. Rappers idolise NBA stars, just as NBA stars idolise rappers. The earliest reference I can think of dates back to 1979, when The Sugarhill Gang released Rappers Delight; they rap “I got a colour TV, so I can see/ The Knicks play basketball.” This was just a couple of years after the NBA and ABA merger. Players like Dr. J, Connie Hawkins, Kareem, Tiny Archibald, who had grown up playing street ball on the now famous courts of NYC became mainstream and were paid big money, comparable to the rappers of the time such as Run D.M.C., Kurtis Blow, and Sugarhill. But not only were the players now on the TV regularly, but the more flashy ways to score points (the three point shot and slam dunk) were now NBA norms, which really appealed to those still out at the Rucker Park street court.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcCK99wHrk0&nohtml5=False
This was all happening around the same time as the b-boy era, where people would walk around with their boom boxes and play music during the street ball games, and everyone would either be dancing, playing, or just hanging out. Hip-hop brought a sense of community to those wanting to play basketball. I can’t tell you how many CDs and cassette tapes I’ve lost to a missed shot bouncing off the rim and landing on my stereo. Hip-hop was the soundtrack to the ballers, and because of hip-hop always being background music, it was only a matter of time before the two merged language – such as the word “baller”. It has come to mean someone who has ‘made it’ to the big time, but was originally a reference to someone who played basketball. Now, every rapper thinks they’re a baller. The trend has crossed into the rap music videos as well, and most rappers at one point or another have worn an NBA jersey (like Biggie Smalls in Juicy, who wears a basketball inspired Bad Boy jersey, and P. Diddy’s Bad Boy for Life where he wears a throwback “Pistol Pete” Maravich jersey).
https://youtu.be/3Yd4GG3bed0
In the mid ‘90s, Allen “The Answer” Iverson joined the NBA, and was last week voted into the NBA Hall of Fame. A vote that some thought wouldn’t happen – many NBA officials decided long ago that Iverson didn’t belong in the NBA, but his impact on the game will forever be remembered. From the start, The Answer refused to be something he was not. His general attitude, the way he dressed, and his undying loyalty to the Newport News community that raised him came as a shock to the basketball community. He brought a hip-hop mentality to professional basketball; he’d emerge from the locker room wearing throwback jerseys, oversized sweats and flashy jewellery. On the court, he wore baggy shorts, had his hair cornrowed and sported sleeves of tattoos. At one point, he was nearly suspended due to the lyrics from his sub-career as the rapper Jewelz.
The NBA league introduced a dress code not long after, which is widely believed to have been implemented after he influenced players to wear T-shirts, do-rags and fitted hats during postgame press conferences. As fashion in hip-hop has changed to a more ‘formal’ outfit, it is interesting to wonder if the NBA’s more strict dress code had an influence on this. Hip-hop and basketball culture was so entwined that the streets were not the only source of inspiration and culture.
https://youtu.be/2skYVPGExgY
It wasn’t just Iverson who was a rapper/NBA player; it seems dozens of players have had backup careers as rappers. The most well know rapper/basketballer, and maybe also the most successful (which isn’t very), is Shaquille O’Neal. He released four studio albums of varying success and recorded with some of hip-hop’s biggest names: Notorious BIG featured in Can’t Stop The Reign, The RZA and Method Man on No Hook, WC and Ice Cube on Connected, and Common and Black Thought on In The Sun. Was his success due to his rap skills? Well… more likely it was the massive mutual respect between hip-hop and basketball.
https://youtu.be/-SKjB_mk_so
During basketball halftime shows, hip-hop music is often played and the camera occasionally even cuts from the action to show Drake or Jay-Z in the front row, rapping along. Hip-hop is even seen in the ownership ranks of the NBA, with Jay-Z being a minority owner of the Brooklyn Nets. Some of the NBA’s biggest names are huge hip-hop fans. Before games, Lebron James pumps hip-hop through his headphones, and is said to blast the music in the locker room. During NBA’s All-Star weekend, many rappers are asked to perform and many are seen at events. Many years ago, Kobe Bryant, one of the absolute legends of basketball, performed at an All-Star weekend. He performed his one-hit ‘wonder’ K.O.B.E. which featured Tyra Banks. It was, as you’d imagine, a flop, but that didn’t stop him from becoming the greatest player in the NBA and going on to be mentioned in numerous hip-hop songs. Now that he is one game off his retirement, the tributes have been rushing in from the hip-hop community.
https://youtu.be/cl_WkTiH6-Q
Hip-hop is undeniably the soundtrack to basketball. The two have long been linked, and these days, it is near impossible to imagine one without the other – hopefully, we never have to.
Image: Streetball.com
Gene Simmons of the once-glamorous hair metal band, KISS, recently shared his disdain for rap music in an interview with Rolling Stone, saying that he was “looking forward to the death of rap.” In an effort to discredit THE ENTIRE GENRE, he said: “A song, as far as I’m concerned, is by definition lyric and melody…or just melody. Rap will die. Next year, 10 years from now, at some point, and then something else will come along.”
Being passionate about the music you like is one thing, but the crux of Simmons’ statement isn’t the music he likes, it’s the negativity he tries to throw towards a legitimate art-form because he just doesn’t understand it.
The damaging thing about this is that it fuels people to spend time hating on music they think they don’t like and all that’s achieved is a spill of ignorance into the cracks where great music dwells undiscovered.
Simmons isn’t the first old-time rocker to angrily shake his guitar-shaped walking stick at the gosh-darned, fast-talking whippersnappers either. An NME feature titled “The Razor Tongue of Keith Richards: 17 Artists He’s Slammed,” details the Stones guitarist’s opinion that rap is only impressive because it shows how many tone-deaf people exist. The article could be renamed “17 Times Keith Richards Was A Bit Mean For No Reason.”
I’m fully aware that Simmons gets the “music business” more than I do (mainly because I’ve not tried to get it on with the entire music business – KISS condoms anyone?) but his prophecy that “rap will die” is only ignorantly wish-based, and given that rap has been ingrained in popular consciousness since the likes of Grandmaster Flash and Grand Wizard Theodore pioneered still-utilized hip-hop DJ techniques only forty years ago, its a relatively young genre of music, and it’s continuously growing. Whether it maintains its mainstream success (which it almost certainly will) isn’t really relevant to the fact that people will continue to love it.
Gene Simmons: A Beacon Of Musical Knowledge & Reason. Image: CNN
The two examples mentioned above, of what should only really be described as closed-mindedness by big players in the rock world, aren’t irritating simply because they are closed-minded. For one thing, it’s totally insulting to the millions of genuine rap fans when someone who could be considered a respectable musician completely ignores the fact that real people, with real ears, and real feelings of positive association LOVE rap and hip-hop — and for good reason, too. That passion isn’t in place because a few businessmen decided to sneakily slip it into the collective subconscious. The passion isn’t in place because rap fans are all idiots who wouldn’t know a good song if it smacked them in the head. It’s in place because so many people identify with it on countless levels, whether as a way to express themselves or to witness other artists express themselves, whether it tells a story they can relate to, or one they can aspire to or fantasize about, or, simply, because it’s fun, or complex, or just good for a dance. Whatever the reason, hip-hop is just as intricate, expansive, meaningful, fun and expressive as any other form of music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4o8TeqKhgY
There wasn’t any cheating involved in the rise of rap music. It didn’t lie or steal, it certainly didn’t rob rock ‘n roll of its spotlight. The fact that rock had to share some of the attention was only a small price to pay for an increase in diversity, and whenever older rock stars bitch about it, that’s all it really is – unwanted bitching.
Rap obviously has had its questionable moments, but so has rock, in exactly the same ways. And Simmons is really contesting the power of say, Kendrick Lamar’s 2015 masterpiece To Pimp A Butterfly?
Lamar spear-headed a huge project that ended up resonating commercially, critically and personally. It won 5 Grammys, it blew (and given how dense it is, continues to blow) minds all over the planet, it helped inspire Compton’s Mayor, Aja Brown, to gift the rapper with the key to her city, and the hook from the track “Alright” was chanted at a protest that stopped a Donald Trump rally from taking place in Chicago. Lamar is (in my opinion anyway) a great example of how incredible hip-hop can be, but it’s a genre full of artists bursting at the seams with original ideas and energy. In other words, its a far cry from what Simmons and Richards perceive to be just talking over a simple drum-beat.
Certainly on a lyrical level, it’s ridiculous to suggest that Simmons’ music has any more depth and validity so some hip-hop.
Let’s take a look at lyrics as a point of comparison.
Is the alarmingly forceful,
“You need my love baby, oh so bad
You’re not the only one I’ve ever had
And if I say I wanna set you free
Don’t you know you’ll be in misery
They call me (Dr. Love)
They call me Dr. Love (calling Dr. Love)
I’ve got the cure you’re thinkin’ of (calling Dr. Love)
And even though I’m full of sin
In the end you’ll let me in
You’ll let me through, there’s nothin’ you can do
You need my lovin’, don’t you know it’s true”
And the poetic, inspired,
“I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day
I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day
I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day
I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day”
Really more legitimate and important and relevant and worthy of existence than this song or this one or this one? Of course, we’re aware there’s a lot of horrible, pointless and downright offensive rap music out there, but there’s also a lot that’s really fucking interesting and insightful.
Gene, we’re not saying there’s no time or place for Kiss, but maybe you should get an education in what hip-hop can entail, before slamming the entire damn genre.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-48u_uWMHY
Furthermore, Simmons claimed that one of the reasons he doesn’t understand the genre is that, “I don’t have the cultural background to appreciate being a gangster.”
Don’t worry, he clarified that he realizes you dno’t actually have to be a gang member to understand the genre. “Of course that’s not what it’s all about, but that’s where it comes from. That’s the heart and soul of it. It came from the streets.”
The Rolling Stone writer went on to question Simmons, pointing out that Kiss came from the very same New York streets as some of the greatest rappers in history.
“Sure, but other than Kiss, which plays stadiums around the world, there’s no other New York band that was ever able to do that,” he responded. “Ramones never had a gold album until some of them died. We took Anthrax out on one of their first tours, but we’re talking about stadiums.”
Firstly, that’s straight up just not true. Secondly, huh? That has nothing to do with the question. What on earth does playing in a stadium have to do with understanding the importance, or at least the necessity of a genre like hip-hop? Once again, Gene Simmons proves that he is, well, a misguided fool. Since when does selling out stadiums imply cultural importance? By that token you could argue that One Direction are more important than The Beatles.
Potentially the most annoying thing about this is that Gene Simmons seems to be unable, or unwilling to acknowledge the fact that guitar music is very well represented throughout the modern popular music landscape, on scales large and small. Arctic Monkeys are so successful that Alex Turner’s rumoured net-worth is $22 million, Dave Grohl alone is worth close to a quarter billion, Radiohead just sold out their stadium tour so fast that Thom Yorke himself has had to personally take a stand against ticket scalpers. Even younger bands, like Twin Peaks and Hinds, are completely taking the world by storm just now – using their guitars.
Just because it doesn’t have as big a slice of the pop-music pie as it once had, it doesn’t mean that “rock’n’roll” is dying, and this further highlights the ridiculousness of comments that pine for “real music” to come back. Real music is still around and thanks to the progression of technology, it come in pretty much every shape and sound you can possibly imagine.
Real music exists – in rock AND in rap. You just can’t be fucked looking for it, Gene.
Words by Greg Murray
Originally published on Indie News
Image: Genius
When the Wandoo Reintegration Facility, a minimum security prison facility in Western Australia, opened, they set up a unique music program to help ensure that they didn’t see any familiar faces back behind bars. So far, it’s proving to be working with the re-offending rates within the facility sitting at less than half the state’s average.
The program is called Rap’N’Radio and is run by Scott Griffiths, also known as MC Optamus, from the group Downsyde. Griffiths teaches participants in the program about “Aussie hip-hop”, facilitates writing sessions and mentors participants. Soon enough, program participants will be recording a CD which will be produced by Griffiths.
It is thought that the benefit of the Rap’N’Radio program comes from the process of self-reflection that the participants go through. “One of the transitions you see in the program is guys writing primarily what we call yard talk, or tough ego-driven lyrics, but then after a certain amount of time they write reflective lyrics. They’re looking at the fact that they’ve separated from their children, separated from their partners and they also look at the journey here and the journey out.” As one resident (as they are called a Wandoo) said: “For me it’s like talking to somebody and getting problems off my chest….It’s about the expression and I feel so much better after. They’re personal lyrics about my time in here and my family that have supported me through it and are waiting for me. That it hasn’t been all for nothing.”
Despite the negative rap that hip-hop still seems to endure, that a program such as Rap’N’Radio is successful in it’s aim is not surprising. Griffiths, who has done a lot of outreach work, says that the program is about engagement and self-expression.”Once people get drawn into it they realise it supports people being able to be expressive and it doesn’t have to be negative.”
It isn’t the first, or last, of it’s kind. Recently Kendrick Lamar has announced his “Be Alright” Scholarship, which encourages students at a New Jersey high school to demonstrate some of the positive messages and impacts of hip-hop. Meanwhile, Danny Brown and RZA are bringing poetry and chess to classrooms to promote positive self expression.
Programs such as Rap’N’Radio have been proven to be successful time and time again. Outreach and youth workers who run hip-hop programs outside of that prison environment agree that hip-hop culture (not just music, but dance, graffiti and everything else that comes with it) is often unfairly thought of as negative, aggressive and disrespectful. In reality, it works to promote social inclusion and connectivity. It has opposite outcome of what many people still believe listening to and engaging with hip-hop results in: violence and incarceration. Having worked in this environment in the past, I can agree that there are many positives to such programs, but I say so while acknowledging that they are still lacking in a few fundamental areas.
One of the biggest problems with programs run to engage young people in hip-hop is that by their very nature, they tend to exclude large numbers of the population, which is a huge drawback for everyone. In my time working with youth music programs, I have encountered facilitators who have spoken of the many young women and members of the LGBTQI community who feel excluded from hip-hop programs. This was despite the fact that they were created to cater to everyone and anyone who wanted to participate. Most often, they said the reason they felt unwelcome to participate was due to their gender and/or sexual identity.
This is a problem doesn’t just affect those who feel excluded. By keeping the door closed to these large and talented sections of the community, the young men who are involved in such program miss out on socialising, engaging and connecting with people from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures.
Working towards reducing the re-offending rates is no doubt an incredibly positive thing, but there also needs to be more done before things get to that point. More than that, there needs to be more done to include the minorities who are left behind.
The presence of the hip hop album cover has blessed us with a plethora of iconic images over the past few decades. Nas gave us a sneak pic into his childhood before becoming a staple of the New York rap scene, while Jay-Z, T.I, Eminem and Fabolous set the scene for their own albums depicting the mean streets that birthed their unique sounds.
If you’ve ever wondered where your favourite album covers took place, you need look no further. With some keen detective work (and Google Maps), the fine folks over at Mass Appeal have put together the second instalment of a wide array of real life locations accompanied by their album cover equivalents; revealing the truth behind the music.
It’s almost unnerving to see these real life locations; to think what inspired the artist to capture a decrepit street corner, a run down pawn shop or a city monument. Location is vital to hip hop; the identity and sound of an artist is moulded and defined by the areas that they grew up in. Kendrick Lamar, Game and Dr. Dre recount endless tales of the struggles as a youth in Compton, while 50 Cent reenergised the New York rap scene with his gritty pop infused retellings.
There is a simple beauty behind capturing moments such as this, to encapsulate a memory and freeze it in place. Album covers do not tend to command the same respect as they once did, and current generation albums are not often judged at all for the aesthetic that accompanies them, so it is all the more important to inform the next generation of hiphopheads of the locations and figures that shaped the rap landscape as we know it.
Data analytics and the power of the internet have allowed rap fans and nerds alike to breathe new life into previous generations of the genre, even compiling the statistics behind the most successful rap labels of all time.
If it takes a digital medium such as Google Maps to educate the new breed of fans, so be it.
First there was a Kanye West-themed classroom for fourth grade students, and a Kendrick Lamar-funded high school scholarship. Now, the hip-hop education scope is broadening, with a pop-up book using Kickstarter to raise funds. The project has been launched by Natalie Romero, and is seeking $50,000 for it’s initial publishing, marketing and delivery costs. It actually looks pretty cool.
Set on the backdrop of 1970’s New York, the book follows “the young B-Boy Bizzy Biz 136, his older brother and budding DJ, Kev, his school-mate (and secret crush) Foxxy along with many more of his neighbours, friends and foes as they all take part in each of the four elements of Hip-Hop!”
Written by Grandmaster Caz the book focuses on four components of hip-hop: breakdancing, DJ-ing, graffiti art and emceeing.It’s about Hip-Hop culture, and the history of hip-hop and at it’s core is a piece of art dedicated to the culture that the creators love. Its format though, as a pop-up book makes the book seemingly kid friendly. It begs the question, why aren’t we using more hip-hop themed stimulus to teach kids? Lyrics are just a kind of poetry, right? And there is a hell of a lot more going on in a Biggie song with metaphors, similes and wordplay than in the Celine Dion my parents played for me as a kid. One New Jersey teacher had the right idea, teaching his students Kendrick Lamar verses – maybe we’ll see something similar on a wider scale in the future.
I for one embrace our new hip-hop curriculum. Let’s ditch the stuffy textbooks, thug up the classrooms, and have designated b-boy recesses. It’s almost enough to make me wish I was back in primary school. For those that feel inclined, you can donate via their Kickstarter.
Hip hop and homophobia have an interesting relationship, one that is intertwined against the backdrop of cultural difference and a reluctance, particularly in America, to discuss the nature of these issues in any way, shape or form. While society has progressed in leaps and bounds in comparison to other generations in terms of acceptance and tolerance, there is still an overwhelming reluctance amongst the hip hop community and culture to acknowledge this shift in cultural significance. While there are key figures such as Frank Ocean bravely pushing forward the LGBT agenda and raising vital awareness, the industry itself is lagging behind the rest of the U.S., with the Supreme Court decision constitutionally validating same sex marriage. Hip hop has long been associated as an alienating and misogynistic art form, one that has left many demographics out of the picture completely.
Why does this relationship exist? Why must rap music be synonymous with such blatant alienation and vilification? In order to better understand this unique set of circumstances it is wise to examine hip hop culture as a whole. The rap industry draws its roots from suburban life; violence, crime, and a lifestyle that relies heavily on a “gang-banging” mentality, and maintaining a stoic figure to protect your reputation. Homosexuality has never been a part of this lifestyle, and has unsurprisingly been shunned in these environments and neighbourhoods. Education and tolerance regarding these issues and individuals is scarce. As you start to follow the path back through hip hop and its subject matter, homosexuality and misogyny sit hand in hand, and this is one of the most significant causes for the industry we are left with today.
It is horrible to think that even in a modern contemporary context we could have figures at the forefront of the music industry speak out with such vitriol and condemnation specifically towards the transgender community. Chris Brown and Snoop Dogg have a far reaching social impact, and their opinions (be them expressed on social media or not) are directly relayed into the hands of the youth, whose minds are still susceptible to molding. To openly label Caitlyn Jenner as a “science experiment” across their social media platforms threatens to undermine the invaluable progress that is being made throughout the western world, and is quite frankly a disgusting way of voicing their ignorance. Sadly the issues are much further ingrained within the culture; even lowly rappers will happily voice their displeasure at the growing acceptance of transgender culture, with little known artist Erick Sermon going as far to say that hip hop “will never accept transgender rappers”.
We can look back decades and examine the use of derogatory lyrics within hip hop. N.W.A blasted homophobic lyrics out on their iconic Straight Outta Compton album, “I got a boyfriend/ bitch stop lyin’/ dumb-ass hooker ain’t nothin’ but a dyke”. The Beastie Boys even wanted to name one of their albums “Don’t Be a Faggot”. If that doesn’t scream how rife homophobia is deeply ingrained within the culture, nothing will.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHaOul8gVVc]
The word “faggot” has long been a staple of hip hop language, and often serves as an easy and convenient insult for rappers to undermine their rivals; questioning their affinity for women directly impacts their credibility and stature. This is a culture that embraces an objectification of women, lauded are the achievements of men who sleep with a multitude of women. You only have to look at the subject matter of a staggering percentage of rap music; women, sex, money, alcohol and weed. I’m sure you are familiar with that all too famous rap slogan, “pussy money weed is all a n*gga need“. To openly acknowledge homosexuality seeks to discredit the mantra that has been so heavily ingrained in this lifestyle and culture. Even upon examining the battle rap scene, a niche market in itself, faggot is still the insult of choice, and is always greeted with a snickering response as someone’s masculinity and manhood is questioned for all to see. Artists such as Chingy have had their reputations in the industry tarnished by rumours of relationships with transgender people, and such rumours are now resurfacing and attempting to discredit the mainstream appeal of Tyga. In this day and age, should we really care who a rapper is romantically involved with? The hip hop world is still rife with transphobia; look at how the Tyga story is being reported, “Is Tyga cheating on Kylie Jenner with a Tranny?”. Click bait or not, this is frankly disgusting, and sickening to think that even the media catering to the hip hop industry cannot remain impartial and tolerant.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2hA1Zej5HY]
Much of the criticism of the hip hop world has to be attributed to the persona that it attempts to create. In this modern context, it is just not acceptable for artists to maintain a fake public persona at the risk of alienating and discriminating against such a large portion of the population. I’m sure that there is a way to flaunt your masculinity, your wealth, and your love of alcohol and marijuana without having to degrade anyone else and call them a faggot.
Eminem is another stark reminder of the homophobic lyrics that seep into the music industry. 2013 saw Eminem burst back onto the scene with his hard hitting Rap God. The song was a return to the speedy spitting of Marshall Mathers we are accustomed to, but it was not without controversy. The word “faggot” was included in the track, and the term “gay looking” was used as a derogatory insult. Eminem, in an interview with MTV only reiterated the deep seated issues that are still so heavily ingrained in the culture, “I never really equated those words…it was more like calling someone a bitch or a punk or an asshole”. It was not the first time Eminem and homophobic tendencies have been mentioned in the same breath. 2001 saw Eminem come together with Elton John for a rousing rendition of Stan, in order to quash the growing belief that homophobia was rife throughout his music. For such a polarising mainstream figure to be embroiled in such a controversy only highlights the severity of the issue, and the need for greater education on the matter. Should we really be okay with the word faggot being placed into a song in 2013 for no good reason other than to use another word for bitch or asshole?
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiHgjmqRP_8]
While it would be easy to write off the hip hop industry as dismissive of any sort of social and political change, this could not be further from the truth. We have seen the ways that groups such as Run The Jewels have pledged their support behind equality and political agendas, while we have seen Kendrick Lamar openly speak out against the corruption of the youth with drugs and unhealthy practices. Depression is an issue that was untouched for what seemed like an eternity, but now we have seen the ways that mental illness is given a platform for discussion amongst the musical world. So the question is blaringly obvious: why hasn’t acceptance and recognition of homosexuality received the same significant shift in opinion? If Kanye West can dedicate his heart and soul into music such as New Slaves, which is arguably one of the most politically outspoken tracks in recent memory (detailing the rise of consumerism and the seemingly brainwashed state of society) then surely we can dedicate some more effort into pushing forward other agendas.
Sure, we can sit here and recount countless examples of older hip hop icons voicing their criticism of the LGBT agenda, but perhaps it would be refreshing to look to the future, because there is a resounding sense of hope. Frank Ocean perhaps took the bravest and most vital step in recent years, penning a beautiful letter in July of 2012 announcing to the world that he was bisexual. Knowing that there would be some backlash, it is an empowering statement to embrace his identity within the public sphere. Fellow label mate and friend Syd tha Kyd is also flying the flag for homosexuality, open declaring her own sexuality. Fellow Odd Future member Tyler, The Creator has also thrown his support behind his friend and peer, even snapping back at critics on his track, Rusty, who believed that he himself produced homophobic music, “saying that I hate gays even though Frank is on ten of my songs“.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yS1ay045B4]
The aforementioned poster boy for voicing stupidity over social media, Snoop Dogg was back at it again when addressing Frank’s status within the industry, “Frank Ocean ain’t no rapper. He’s a singer. It’s acceptable in the singing world, but in the rap world I don’t know if it will ever be acceptable because rap is so masculine. It’s like a football team. You can’t be in a locker room full of motherfucking tough-ass dudes, then all of a sudden say, ‘Hey, man, I like you.'” These archaic and ignorant views are a mainstay within the hip hop community, although these days we are more likely to see some artists and their fans celebrating the growth of society, and this new found acceptance that is slowly seeping into our culture. Take Tyler’s “Golf Pride World Wide” movement, a subtle play on the “White Pride World Wide” slogan made infamous by neo-nazis and white supremacists. What better way to ignite debate and spark controversy then by celebrating the advances in equality by tweaking such a hateful slogan and symbol? The antagonistic figure that Tyler is, would stop at nothing to bait those groups who alienate others; “What if a black guy wore this logo on a shirt? Would he be promoting self hate? Would he be taking the power out of a shape? What if a gay guy wore this on a shirt? Would he promoting Homophobia?” The results are a powerful statement and an important message:
It has to be mentioned however that Tyler, never one to shy away from controversy, has himself been guilty of lyrics which arguably incite homophobic behaviour and tendencies. Questioned on the subject matter of his mixtape, Bastard, Tyler echoed the sentiment of Eminem when defending the use of the word faggot:
“That’s just a word, you can take the power out of the word…Frank is gay and I use that word all the time. He doesn’t care because he knows me. He knows when I say that word I’m not thinking of someone’s sexual orientation. It’s just another word that has no meaning”.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGhlkhNCh_w]
While it is a positive sentiment to hear that Tyler is not preaching a homophobic way of life, it begs the question of the necessity to use such a word at all. There will be always be negative implications and connotations around the use of the word faggot, and although Tyler is seemingly here to shock and entertain, there has to be a point where the use of homophobic words is done away with. We are seeing a direct contrast in the ways that artists are portraying themselves in public as opposed to their on-track personas. What message is it sending to audiences that Tyler is seemingly supportive of the LGBT community, but could perform tracks from an album that reportedly uses the word faggot over 200 times? It is almost as if some rappers and musicians are afraid to take that final step in terms of tolerance; perhaps they feel that their true acceptance of the matter is something that they need to cover up and hide from no matter how socially and politically inappropriate it is shy away. The word may have no meaning to Tyler, but I am sure it has significant meaning and personal insult for many homosexual people who have been subjected to violence, discrimination and hatred. This is the lesson that the younger generation must take into account, shock value is not worth insulting a large demographic for a quick headline or some new fans.
Still, the hope remains. The track Same Love is an important milestone in the tolerance and recognition amongst homosexuality and transgender issues within the music world. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis gave the world a heartbreaking anthem that detailed the internal struggles of the LGBT community. This is perhaps one of the most glaringly obvious insights into the homosexual community that has been blasted through radios and television sets non stop. To have a hip hop song grace the mainstream community for such an extended period of time was a refreshing moment, one that gave much hope for the future. It would appear that acceptance, regardless of colour, creed and sexual orientation is a train of thought that is slowly gaining momentum amongst this new breed of hip hop star. Even serial female canoodler A$AP Rocky has pledged his support behind equality, urging his fans to follow his mindset of “treating everyone as an equal”.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlVBg7_08n0]
It would appear that this new hip hop collective is slowly but surely becoming a microcosm of the acceptance and tolerance that is forever gaining momentum and traction amongst the western world as a whole. While the older generations are less likely to have their views swayed, this younger generation preaches a subject matter that is far more open to equality and tolerance; one that is not entirely built upon misogynistic views and practices. While Snoop and Chris Brown are content with their blissful ignorance, there are a few legends of the genre that are attempting to drown out some of the stupidity that their peers preach. Perennial voice of reason within hip-hop and all round nice guy Talib Kweli has voiced his own support for the presence of homosexuality within hip-hop, saying, “There just needs to be a gay rapper- he doesn’t have to be flamboyant, just a rapper who identifies as gay- who’s better than everybody”. DMC, co-founder of your parents favourite rap group, Run DMC, delivered his own rallying cry to the hip hop community, urging the industry to band together and finally do away with this alienating behaviour which is tarnishing the image of the genre itself.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcCxH71IZZQ]
So where do we go from here? How far away are we from seeing openly accepting rappers and a plethora of openly homosexual personalities in the industry? Until the culture is changed completely from the ground up it may be several years until we can see an abundance of acceptance and change throughout. Education appears to be the key; as long as this new generation can preach a mindset and establish a culture that is based upon a foundation of acceptance, we are on the right track. The work of many budding artists is now an inspirational tool to assist troubled youths and remove them from systems which can do them harm. The younger demographic that is now represented in hip hop, through personas such as Chance the Rapper, represent the majority of younger mindsets; we simply do not care about sexual orientation, or the colour of your skin. We are just here to enjoy the music, and at the end of the day, isn’t that all that matters?
Rap beefs, the greatest of verbal jousts. Maybe it’s because, between two brilliant wordsmiths, they can get absolutely titanic. Maybe it’s because somehow two human beings dripping with gold and diamonds, driving around in Maseratis and Maybachs with enough money to leave me weeping uncontrollably at the thought, can find something so petty to get mad about about that they enter into personal feuds that last months, even years. It’s astounding.
Drake and Kendrick are the two most recent stars rumoured to be embroiled in conflict, which would be absurdly one-sided given that Kendrick is a lyrical genius.
And Drake is a pantomime of sadness
I’m praying for their beef to become a thing. Here’s some other unintentionally hilarious rap feuds that actually happened:
5: Azealia Banks vs Iggy Azalea
Taking out the ‘Nobody Gives a Flapping Fuck’ award are the Azaleas (Iggy at least got the spelling right). This never-ending monstrosity kicked off with Banks crying plagiarism, saying that she had a song called Pussy before Iggy ever did. Which is akin to angrily insisting you had a raging case of the clap first. Shit got catty real quick. Twitter catty:
‘*Kanye shrug*’
Who Won: They’re equally as talentless and equally adept at completely bastardising rap music, but considering the hysterical nosedive of Azealia Banks’ career plus the fact that she will find a reason to start shit with Absolutely. Fucking. Anybody. Fuck, we’re giving this bout to Iggy with a polite request to also just stop.
4: Nelly vs Chingy
When actual rappers Biggie and Tupac feuded in the 90s, everyone (rightly) worried that someone would get hurt. By the time 2004 rolled around and these two hip hop punchlines started cussing each other out, nobody even looked up from their Blockbuster-rented copy of Napoleon Dynamite.
One’s biggest hit was an ode to removing your clothes in the face of intense humidity, Hot In Herre,
TRANSCENDENT!
The other’s was a wonderful little ditty about the exact location of where he enjoys the way you do that entitled Right Thurr.
GAME-CHANGING!
Aside from a mutual penchant for the letter ‘R’ at the expense of the entire English language, these two hail from St. Louis, Missouri, where there was apparently not enough room in town for TWO abysmal rappers, hence the beef.
Who Won: Utterly pointless, but considering nobody has danced to Right Thurr in their right mind in a decade while Hot In Herre somehow still gets requested in sweaty little dive bars the world over, we’re going Nelly. Sorry Chingy, wherever you are now.
I can still hear his voice on the wind…
3: 50 Cent vs Floyd Mayweather
Mayweather isn’t technically a rapper you say? Watch this and tell me how ridiculous you feel. These guys used to be thicker than thieves. Here they are, all business on their money stack phones:
Still more battery life than an iPhone 6
But it ended after Mayweather went to prison and 50 claimed he owed him $2 million (roughly 35 stack phones). Their quarrel seemed to have died down but then shit got real this year, leaving me in a mix of stitches and this:
Fiddy used his ALS ice bucket challenge as a platform to question Floyd’s reading ability, offering to donate 750K if the welterweight could read just one page of a Harry Potter book. Considering the brain injuries associated with professional boxing, this had some rather dark undertones. Floyd took it a step further with his response though: publicly taking 50’s son Marquise under his wing as a father figure. This was after some shockingly abusive text messages from 50 to his son had been leaked.
Who Won: Seeing as 50 Cent would smoke Money on the mic, and Mayweather would murder Fiddy in the ring, it seems to be a draw, but we’re giving it to 50 because any man who can be shot nine times and survive is clearly a T1000 Terminator and not to be fucked with.
2: Ice-T vs Soulja Boy
Ice-T was a grizzled ex-Crip of your dad’s age who once had a song called Cop Killer and looks permanently this stern:
“Did you finish your homework today, motherfucker?”
Soulja Boy was a 17-year-old malcontent whose only achievement was glorified ringtone Crank Dat. Clownfuck awful in every single aspect, it still enabled him to now live like a king on royalties, because 2008 was a time when we lacked any semblance of a conscience.
Pictured: not a shred of remorse
Hearing that steaming puddle of horsepiss on the radio, Ice-T decided he was having exactly none of this shit, inviting the upstart to get the fuck off his lawn by publicly announcing that Soulja Boy had singlehandedly killed hip hop and threatening to invoke the wrath of every OG on the West Coast if he continued this assault on street poetry.
Soulja responded by telling Ice-T to grow a hairline and fight his grandfather. Two responses you would expect from someone who once told the youth of America to ‘Superman dat hoe’.
Who Won:
Really?
1: MC Hammer vs Jay-Z
The David and Goliath of rap feuds, only if David showed up holding a rubber chicken and was also insane. After pissing away all of his Hammer Time money, MC Hammer went from purveyor of parachute pants to preacher. Meanwhile, Jay-Z continued to spend the last two decades releasing platinum record after platinum record and living life as though it’s a video game with God-mode unlocked.
It’s beyond unfair.
Jay-Z poked fun at Hammer’s bankruptcy on his verse in 2010 Kanye song So Appalled. Seemingly unable to endure a joke that had been told since before Jay-Z had even released Reasonable Doubt any longer, Hammer proceeded to lose his mind quicker than his millions; taking to YouTube to call Jay-Z a Satanist ‘hellboy’ and an Illuminati, then putting out a diss track so unbelievably, pants-pissingly cringe-inducing it defies reason:
Holy shit. Hooooooly shit. I’m cutting my ears off and clawing my eyes out, maybe give them a Viking funeral to counter even the most infinitesimal chance I might hear that abomination of a song or see that miserable clichè of a video ever again.
Fuck.
Who Won:
