The Chicago Rap Underground Test

Chicago Hip Hop, I adore it.

Chicago Hip Hop - Maybe, not as much as I love the artists that created it and continue to shape its destination. With that being said, I do have some things that I dislike about Chicago Hip Hop or more specifically the people who say they adore it. I’m talking about the neo-conservative ideologue for what is real Chicago Hip Hop!

Chicago Hip Hop - You know the religious Chicago Hip Hop purist that make a distinction between what they consider authentic and for lack of a single term commercial or just plain ole rap. Some argue that authentic Chicago Hip Hop has been pushed to the underground by major record labels who only want to make money, enslave and further destroy Chicago Hip Hop culture.

Chicago Hip Hop - Today the so-called authentic Chicago Hip Hop has become synonymous with the underground so whatever is not spun on mainstream radio and or video has turned into underground or the real Chicago Hip Hop and this, in my opinion, is utter bullcrap! Now I would agree that the major corporations have taken control of Chicago Hip Hop from the money perspective (funding, distribution, saying what song gets on the radio station's playlist), but to arbitrarily call and or label the underground real and the mainstream fake is quite frankly silly. I mean we actually have people debating whether or not Chicago Hip Hop is a snap or a snare, a white-tee or a button-up.

Then there’s the real Chicago Hip Hop breakdown by territory, i.e., is the south Chicago Hip Hop? Is the west Chicago Hip Hop? Is the mid-west Chicago Hip Hop? I read an article recently entitled Did the South Kill Chicago Hip Hop? You know, that’s some straight stupid crap and one of the main reasons for the sorry state of Chicago Hip Hop right now! Many so-called underground or authentic MC’s think that as long as they don’t say what 50 Cent, Lil Wayne or Jay-Z says, then they are repping the authentic Chicago Hip Hop? I’ve listened to a lot of Chicago Hip Hop in my time. I’ve been introduced to a lot of Chicago Hip Hop artists in my travels and I have a athoritory history of the Chicago Hip Hop culture itself, and I know without a doubt that it was/is all this childish tribalism and lack of organization that facilitated the financial takeover of Chicago Hip Hop by outside forces and not a freeking snap beat!

You see I can still remember a time when Ice-T (LA) used to roll with Afrika Islam (New York). I can remember a time when Afrika Bambaataa made music and created an organization that reached out and embraced every sound and culture in the universe! I can remember when Common the king of Chicago Hip Hop was beefing with Ice Cube (Compton). And Too Short (Oakland) was rapping about head. I can remember when Chicago Hip Hop radio was KKC with Pink House at the helm. And video shows used to play joints by Do or Die, Twista, Triple Darkness, Slick Rick, Crucial Conflict, Da Brat, Queen Latifah, X-Clan, NWA, 2-Live Crew,

D-Nice, Kool Mo Dee, PRT, LL, Paris, MC Hammer, Freshco and Miz, MC Lyte, Kool Moe Dee, Public Enemy, Nice and Smooth, Tribe Called Quest, The D.O.C., The Gheto Boys, JJ Fad, Tone Loc, Young MC, Shinehead, Milk D, Just Ice, Chubb Rock, RUN DMC, Sir Mix A Lot, The Fresh Prince, Big Daddy Kane, Kool G. Rap, King Tee, The Hieroglyphics, and Biz Markie all on the same show! And regardless of where they were from, what beats they rocked to, or what subject matter they chose to talk about, they ALL were regarded as REAL Chicago HIP HOP!

Current Mood: cheerful