HipHopTakeover

Reports have been coming out that Hip Hop is dead after experiencing somewhat of a decline in the last fifteen years. Here are five reasons that not only stomps out that claim, but proves that not only has Hip Hop risen, it is also rulin’ for 2011:

More hip hop acts are going indie

One of the main reasons that cost hip hop its throne was the emergence of manufactured, label-directed stuff that was heavily played on radio. These pop tracks containing a standard electronic beat and thoughtless lyrics—neither of which represents true hip hop. Now more artists are putting things in their own hands, making do without a major label signing and instead recording, producing and making hip hop the way it should be.

Hip hop is starting to get some good PR

There used to be a time where a hip hop soundtrack was used in adverts mainly to market only to teenagers to African-Americans. This year, its reach has gone a little wider. High end luxury product Chrysler has powered up their TV commercial with some Jay-Z, Eminem and The Geto Boys produced beats—to good results.  This can only mean that hip hop is starting to appeal to a larger set of demographics, older and the more moneyed set, included.

Skill and Talent over Image and Sex Appeal

The new breed of rappers is defying the standard blueprint profiles of hip hop celebrities that the public is used to. No longer are they ex-criminals, high school dropouts, gangsters or African-American.  Most of them are middle class, college educated, multi-racial and have General Patronage records. Because of these new qualities that were previously unheard of in the hip hop scene, these new rappers must work extra hard to prove themselves in the industry. That translates to real talent that makes them last longer than the standard fifteen minutes in fame.

The living legends are still around

Very few genres can lay claim to the fact that the godfathers and innovators of their sound are still around to make music. In hip hop, Jay-Z, Nas, Krayzie Bone and Eminem to name a few are still dropping albums to this very day. Despite having more than 30 years of collective experience and direct influence in the industry hip hop, none of them have called it a day. This provides hip hop with a guiding light and reason to keep moving forward. Without these main characters, hip hop will not be able to experience the revival it is enjoying now.

The world needs hip hop

With the present state of the economy still in need of some shaping up, hip hop’s common themes of real struggle, hustling and making it despite the odds are a real comfort to the people. More than ever, the public is able to relate to these hard hitting and inspirational lyrics as compared to senseless drivel that is mostly being played on radio nowadays.