Hip-Hop: The Bigger Picture

Kanye vs. 50.

In this corner we’ve got the outspoken, passionate underdog; the backpack wearing, Louis Vuitton Don of overindulgence, who will never produce enough albums to explain his humbleness/greatness. In the other corner, we have the instigator with the laid-back gangsta swagger; Gorilla Unit’s ringleader, who will offer to pay child support before the kid’s born. It was one of greatest and least violent hip-hop battles in recent history- Martin would have been proud. Hyped by ego and fueled by sales; yet there was much more riding on this battle than that. In the balance lay the fate of hip-hop.

So I present to you an argument that I thought the urban culture intellectuals (i.e Michael Eric Dyson, Cornell West) would have started weeks ago, but it looks like I’m gonna pop this one off right here myself: What does Kanye’s “triumph” over 50 say about the state of hip-hop today?

For starters, a good fight (and a little bit of press) always attracts a crowd. Buying either one of these albums was like placing a bet on hip-hop. In any case, the record industry doesn’t care how it goes down because at the end of the day, a sale is sale.

Next is the issue concerning musical content and character. Strictly on principle, I used that $15 iTunes gift card I got for Christmas last year to cop Graudation, then I downloaded Curtis from LimeWire, just to throw salt in his game. For me, what Kanye represents to hip-hop, though doesn’t always present very well, is an intelligence that reaches far beyond rhyming gat with black. I respect 50 for his hustle, but in his shadow are a bunch of nobodies trying to hustle the same formula. If music is the small dot in the Seurat picture, then the larger picture is a reflection of the morals of today’s society. In the process of the hustle, a younger hip-hop audience degenerate their cultural morals.

Does Kanye’s apparent victory mean that there is more to mainstream hip-hop than the illiterate, instructional dance shyt we been jamming to since ‘01 (please note lean with it, snap your fingers, and Soulja Boy Crank That- if this ain’t a bit of some new millienium hokey pokey than I don’t ‘know what is)? I sure hope so. Even though XXL has deemed Rich Boy (eat something) Lil Boosie (sounds like a woman), Gorilla Zoe (who?), Joell Ortiz (never heard of you either) Crooked I (what letter is that really?), Papoose (still tryna make it) Young Dro (one hit wonder) among the “Leaders of the New School,” one can only hope that Kanye’s album sales proved otherwise.

With that being said, truth be told, I had higher expectations for Kanye’s latest effort. “Stronger” and “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” were appropriate singles, while “I Wonder,” and “Flashing Lights” were instant classics for me. However, the rest of the album fell a little flat to me. Gone are the comedic intros which made College Dropout and Late Registration both musically and comedically genius. But you’ve got it give to Curtis for its consistency; hoes, money, hustle are the same popular themes he’s been pushing since Wanksta. His product is wanted and he’s smart enough to provide.

However, if 50 holds true to his word, than Curtis is it for him; and Kanye’s apparent victory proves that educated cockiness indeed trumps thuggery.

N

Seven Simple Words

This is my introduction to The Collective. For the past few days, I’ve debated with myself as to what I wanted my introduction to all to say. Yet, as I’m learning, that with which we need comes to us when we are patient. And my inspiration came to me this morning 7:47 a.m. in a text message from my soror:

WEAR BLACK TODAY TO SUPPORT JENA 6*

So here goes:

I missed New York Fashion week, so I found myself heavily anticipating the showcase of "Black" fashion on the A-train this morning. I couldn’t wait to see my people dressed to the fives in support of this throwback injustice (we save the nines for church and the club). Disappointed and disheartened, instead I saw the usual rainbow of colors: pin-striped suits with pink button downs, purple chemises with charcoal grey skirts, red scarves, brown pumps, etc. . .

It’s ironic that I live in a city where people pop off at the mouth about any and every possible type of injustice; and rightfully so in most cases (and the list goes on). However, today, where no sound was needed to make a statement, few took a stand. I counted four on my rush hour train this morning: two black men, a white woman, and myself.

The question today is not whether the situation in Louisiana is wrong or how it will be resolved. The question remains why as a nation of mistreated minorities do we fail to show our unified support for each other?

Is it because we are ignorant to the plight of our brethren? Or because we don't really care about black people?

N

*If you're reading this and thinking "Jena what?," click here

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Daily Data

Every morning I fulfill my regimen of reading web based news sites. I meander through AOL, USA Today, MSN and MSNBC to get the near mandatory scoop on all the worlds new statements, gossip and policy. As I browse these publishings and on-demand videos, It’s my natural tendency to disregard the articles that don’t have juicy titles and gravitate to the ones that provide sustenance for the mischievous voyeur in every one of us. Stories about O.J., tasered college students, terrible weather tragedies, and University shootings have now become a palpable accompaniment to ones morning coffee and muffin. These shattering chronicles seem but a mere reflection of the “real world” to those warmly nestled behind their desks at their jobs. We see technological, educational, and economic gaps increasing within our borders, but do we feel a personal inclination to actually try to help those conditions? They say it’s a recession when your neighbor is out of work but it’s a depression when you’re out of work. So I ask, has the plethora of information distributed and consumed by the public made us jaded and impervious to the strife of others? As I stated before, this is truly and information age. One statistic states that a person living in the mid 1800’s would receive as much information in one year that is available today in one issue of the New York Times. Has all this processing of data not given us time to be as empathetic as we should be as concerned citizens and human brethren? I think so. My advice is to fight the battles you can win everyday. When you can personally help and enrich someone’s circumstances by giving a dollar, holding a door, having an opinion, or (even more dangerous), voicing an opinion, you will prove the fading perception that there is in-fact intelligent life on Earth. Peace.

Thinking About Getting an Ipod? Now is the time.

Apple released so many new Ipods last week that it's hard to keep track of them all. I will review everything except the shuffle which is the same as the previous one but with a new brushed metal finish.  This article is focused on the Ipod Classic, Ipod Nano and the Ipod Touch.


Let's start with what everyone wants to know about. The Ipod Touch, available later this month, it is essentially the iPhone without the phone. This new Ipod contains the usual Calendar, Clock and other small apps. But now, with this Ipod, you have the ability to browse the web at any Wifi hotspot, which is awesome and very useful. Sure other products can do it but nothing ever has done it as beautifully as this. And of course you have the smooth touch screen interface, and, you can shop the Itunes store right on the phone or watch you tube videos. It's available in 8- and 16-gigabyte models, for $300 and $400.

Ipod Classic now has a brushed metal finish and comes in a HUGE 80 or 160 GB drive version. This is good for audiophiles who have a CD Collection of 40,000 Songs that they want want to back up. Some may think the Ipod touch is nice, but the hard drive space is hardly hold much in comparison.

The Ipod Nano now has the ability to play video on on it's 2.5 inch screen. But it's a little wider now, which makes it stand out a bit from its brethren.

So here's the run down: Whether you like tiny size of the Shuffle or Nano, high storage of the iPod Classic, or the touch screen wireless Internet features of the Ipod Touch, there is one to satisfy everyone's need.