Previously posted on the Young People For Blog.
Lupe Fiasco performed at Michigan State University this weekend. The performance began with a local Detroit group, who were the epitome of what hip hop is aspiring to not represent. Nevertheless, the Lupe Fiasco performed songs from his critically acclaimed album, Food & Liquor.
What direction is hip hop heading in now? Has it returned from an absence of meaning and purpose?
I am not going to lie I was extremely excited when I found out my new favorite artist was headed to my university. I was first introduced to the beauty of Lupe Fiasco's work when a friend and I were discussing good music and the hip hop movement came up.
Called the 'official return of hip hop,' Lupe Fiasco can arguably be seen as a rebirth of true hip hop in the mainstream music culture. No more lyrics about getting women, and gold, and diamonds, and chains, and bling, and cool cars - lyrics are now about conflicts and dreams and hopes. When many of my friends think about the hip hop culture, they see a big black man in a dark, oversized, hooded sweatshirt sporting some cool shades with a big gold chain weighing his neck down, he is spitting some crap into a microphone about riding in his cadillac with some promiscuous women, but I see something very different.
At the Lupe Fiasco concert at MSU, I saw an extremely diverse crowd, extremely diverse and this reminded me of the freedom and open-ness of hip hop. When you can speak to a large majority of people, from many backgrounds, all feeling the same power of your words - that is when you know that hip hop is not dead as some might say, but that is when you know that there is a larger movement building.
Last month I watched the end of the 'White Rapper' hosted by MC Serch from Third Bass . I have to be honest I was quite dissappointed. Some of the best contestants, in my opinion, were told to step early becasue of seemingly stupid reasons. The remaining two contestants were quite different in their styles. One, $hamrock, mimiced more mainstream popular hip hop, and the other self-proclaimed 'King of the Burbs', John Brown, spoke more about issues and the roots of hip hop with great lyrics. The last show was their last chance to perform. The 'King of the Burbs' laid down some words on problems in society and $hamrock rapped something lame about women, etc. - been done before.
I was very dissappointed in the end when Prince Paul and MC Serch announced the decision from the panel. The 'King of the Burbs' who was bringing light to issues was told to 'step off!' The panel had sold out to the mainstream crap to be able to make a profit off of $hamrock. John Brown had superior lyrics, but supposedly appeared nervous. There is an argument that current mainstream rap/ hip hop music isn't about lyricism - "it's all about a hot song," says Clinton Sparks. No one wants to buy music about the issues right? Then how is Lupe Fiasco so successful?
These two popular and public events make me wonder about the future of hip hop. The rappers of the past choose profit over power, and yet the 'official' return of hip hop is all over the place on a world tour with just one hit album. Is this just a meer daydream? Will we see more inspiring hip hop in the future or just more "hot" songs? I'd like to see more hot songs with meaning. Songs that teach the masses about conflicts and issues that people face, songs that educate, motivate, and inspire. That will be more than a daydream.