6 responses so far ↓

• 1 DLO // Nov 14, 2008 at 11:34 am

  change is cool. but only when the current state of affairs sucks.

  while I agree it’s kind of dope that mainstream hip-hop endorses obama, and hip-hop heads listen. but I’m still a little concerned about why people endorse obama. do they really understand what he stands for? or do they just support him because he’s black? my guess is a little bit of both.

  but I agree, it’s good that hip-hop is talking about something meaningful again (even though Jeezy drops “my president is black, my lambo is blue”).

• 2 mikekarnj // Nov 14, 2008 at 5:51 pm

  This article is pretty dope and sums up all my points nicely…

  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/11/AR2008111102957.html

• 3 Jerri Chou // Nov 17, 2008 at 11:34 am

  It’s not just Obama (though he might be the impetus and rallying point). Hip hop is offering mass commentary and ideas on the state of society to a huge audience of fans ie: fanatics. Those kids mouthing lyrics on the subway…they’re committing to heart and reciting messages that analyze and comment on the current state of affairs. With a few exceptions, it’s the most revolutionary music to happen since the 60s.

  That ish is illy

• 4 DLO // Nov 17, 2008 at 11:43 am

  in mainstream hip-hop, there’s hardly any insightful social commentary. there’s a very specific reason why people think hip-hop is only about cash, money, and hoes. that’s what a lot of kids mouth in the subway. “my president is black, but my LAMBO IS BLUE”. I mean Young Jeezy talks about Obama, but he also talks about his excessive money spending and dealing coke. so let’s not get it twisted. hip-hop WAS revolutionary. but in many respects, the culture and music lost it’s path.

  the interesting thing is that hip-hop has always been a strong reflection of the values in society. in the same way that obama rose up and decided to be the voice of change for american society, it hip-hop culture needs a new revolutionary voice of change too. and it can’t be nas, jay-z, jeezy, lil wayne, TI, or kanye…

• 5 mikekarnj // Nov 19, 2008 at 11:37 pm

  You’re underestimating the power of Nas, Jay-Z, and Young Jeezy. No matter what anyone says… they are the voice of a whole culture and pretty powerful. Jay-Z drops a verse about Cristal and that company blows up. If he drops a verse about Obama, think about the influence that will have on a culture that used to be apathetic about politics.

  Music isn’t all about lyrics. Even if Jeezy talks about his blue lambo, his one line will make politics “cool.” Something no one else can do.

• 6 DLO // Nov 20, 2008 at 1:51 pm

  My point is that while it’s great and inspiring, just because they rap about Obama doesn’t mean that hip-hop has made politics cool again. Jeezy rapped about Obama, but he doesn’t necessarily rap about politics. Just because kids think Obama is dope, doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to now all of a sudden choose to watch CNN instead of ESPN or BET. It needs to be more than just a few songs or videos to change culture. It needs to be a fundamental change in hip-hop to inspire hope and influence culture for the long-term.

  Hopefully, once the Obama hooplah fizzles, mainstream rappers won’t continue and rap about the same bullshit. If they continued to rap about politics, then yes, there’s a chance that kids will listen and stay involved in positive social change.

  But I just don’t know if that’s going to happen. It’s why I think we need a new revolutionary voice in hip-hop that will actually rap about society and the important things in it. People thought Mos Def and Talib Kweli were those new voices. But to a certain degree they dropped the torch.

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