I sit here staring at my computer screen in awe right now... This could be from a number of different things, but some contributing factors today are the situation caused by hurricane Katrina, the rising gas prices, as well as the numerous annoying adds from a certain search engine advertising their music downloads 24/7. Regardless of all that, there's a purpose to my blatant rant today...

Hip-Hop purists vs. Rappers is an on-going never ending debate in today’s music world. Regardless of your position as an Artist (like myself) or as an avid fan (I fall victim here as well). The typical diatribe generally posted about this never ending cycle usually contains one distinct element from one or both sides of the coin... Elitism. Frankly, I don't give a... wait, no I actually do care.

See, here's the fundamental problem of this debate. Hip-Hop purists firmly believe one or more of the following:

1. True Hip-Hop is about lyricism and depth through metaphorical wordplay.
2. No 808's dogg, just a raw beat with dirty drums, nice samples for a melody, and some nice cuts.
3. Fame and Glory isn't "real Hip-Hop", I can rip any commercial emcee in a battle and "keep it real".
4. True Hip-Hop is underground, and when the commercial industry catches on, real emcees will get to shine.

Now, since I'm debating with my imaginary backpacker friend here, let me counterpoint those fallacies.

1. Hip-Hop is what it is... It's what we make it. It was created by the people, for the people, for entertainment purposes. I don't ever remember hearing Kool Herc say "if you don't spit something deep and meaningful with four layers of depth for listeners to weed through, it's not Hip-Hop". It seems that a large amount of people think that the originator of Hip-Hop would be disgusted with today’s scene... But on the contrary, I'd beg to differ. It's highly documented (do some research, please!) that in the birthplace of Hip-Hop (the Bronx DJ parties) that almost anyone rhyming on the mic at the time, was doing so to get the party moving. Keeping the crowd stimulated meant saying rhymes with shout outs to crowd members, and keeping a tight rhythm with the break so the people could dance... Thus the ultimate contradiction to a Hip-Hop purists point of view (dun dun dun...) Hip-Hop was born with the intention of being party music. Sorry to disappoint some of you.

2. By now I'm sure you've heard the critique of many of today’s top mainstream producers which usually states "Them 808's is tired man... Can't Lil Jon make a beat without em?"... Well, much to my surprise, he can, and has, and has been producing for many many years without them... But now we want to hate the dude because he found a signature sound and he's getting paid for it. Now, I can't and won't speak for Dangermouse, MF Doom, or any underground purist producer... But if you were making $250K minimum on a simple 808 drum beat with some synths, claps, and hi-hats, would you do it? Oh I know... you'd "keep it real" and stay broke because you're in it for the "luv", I forgot. Moving on...

3. Some Elitists.. err, I mean "purists" feel that if you can't battle, you aren't an emcee, and you're definitely not Hip-Hop. I mean, battling is almost as old as DJing. Africa Bambaataa is often considered the originator of battle raps, as his conformed street gang (Black Spades) turned Hip-Hop crew (Universal Zulu Nation) would often battle other crews on the mic to forego violence. Battling in it's own right has come full circle now that the new generation of "B-Rabbit's" has hit the internet. However, I don't remember the founders of Hip-Hop ever claiming that you couldn't MC if you didn't battle. Here's some questions I'll throw out, and yes they're rhetorical. Why do we as emcees have so much pride? Why can't we "get over it" when people don't like our music? Why is the man who walks away from a diss, considered the "punk"? When will congress investigate Hip-Hop's use of ego steroids?

The flipside of the battle coin reveals some interesting debate as well. Why do underground battle cats feel like they can rip any commercial emcee? I've heard so many cats say "I'd murder 50 in a battle, dude is weak..." when I stop to think, "Have you heard his mixtapes from before he got signed to Shady/Aftermath?" I mean, dude was sick lyrically speaking, and he practically made the mixtape scene what it is today. Just because a commercial artist makes music for the clubs and party scene, doesn't mean they aren't as lyrical as they once were. Of course you can argue the "Piggybank was weak" card (which it was) but, I don't doubt for a minute that 50 could (and would) rip a large portion of these underground heads in a battle. Cam' is a great example of someone who makes horrible commercial music, with tired lyrics, who made his name on the battle scene. Really, I appreciate the undergrounds confidence in their skills, but don't underestimate the major league players. Let's move on...

4. I'm not sure how many times I've heard this argument, not to mention how many times I've likely stated the same while trying to get my foot in the industry. But let's take a look at our beloved "Rap Game" and see what has truly taken place... Underground DJ's provide breakbeats for MC's to rhyme over, to keep party goers moving on the dance floor... The first commercially successful rap record is released by "The Sugar Hill Gang". This spawns an uprising of many more party records to come, with rap lyrics at the forefront (come on, even Blondie got in on it). Soon, the underground battles started spawning commercial battles like LL Cool J vs. Kool Mo Dee and KRS-One vs. MC Shan. During this time period, more and more people began using the art of rapping to talk about the street life and crime, and what was taking place in their hoods. Thus the birth of NWA and similar artists throughout the late 80's and early 90's. From Ice Cube and Eazy-E, to Treach, Two-Short, and 2Pac...  The industry soon became obsolete for people like Father MC and Big Daddy Kane. But during this period in the early 90's, the underground was abuzz with sounds from an artist who called himself MC Hammer (don't front, you've still got the tape cassette) and soon enough, the industry was back into Party mode. The oddity here, was that the industry now made room for party rappers as well as gangster rappers, as it recognized the market for both... Oddly enough, all these styles originated in the underground...

Do you see where I'm headed? The industry always conforms to the underground movement. The industry follows trends, it doesn't set them. Everything you hear on the radio today, was being done in the underground a couple years ago. It's the way it works... Purists who are waiting for the industry to catch on to the underground will never get to shine. Why? They can't see the forest through the trees. They're too busy waiting for the industry to recognize their art form that by the time it finally does, they're upset because it's become "commercialized". It's a vicious cycle, and one reason (in my opinion) why we have so many disgruntled underground emcees.

Now, I've spent most of my time here bagging on the flawed viewpoints of the purists but, don't get it twisted. Some of these party rappers think the only true purpose of Hip-Hop music, is to get paid. A lot of them think that they can forego any technical skill in rhyming (bar structure, rhyme scheme, internal rhyming) to cash in on a paycheck if they're "hood" enough. It's time we put this rumor to rest... We have the power in our hands, to not purchase the lyrically weak records out there. Especially those promoting a thugged out lifestyle of pimping, drugs, and violence. Let me introduce a newsflash to all you rap fans... Your favorite rapper doesn't move weight on the block to get paid. If you actually believe that crap, then you deserve the consequences of that lifestyle. When was the last time anyone saw 50 Cent on the corner in Queens pushing rock? When was the last time anyone saw Young Jeezy pushing flakes in the hood? It doesn't happen folks... They get paper off of album sales, and touring. Not from moving birds.

Let me make this clear, I'm not questioning the credibility of these artists past lifestyle at all. I myself come from that lifestyle and know it firsthand. However, I am questioning the content of their lyrics promoting that lifestyle as a viable solution to getting paid. It's odd to me, that we live in a society where we praise the people telling our youth to push drugs and pop rounds by rewarding them with celebrity and wealth. All the while, it's nearly impossible for an emcee (like myself) who promotes a way out of the street life through their lyrics to get any kind of shine. Since when is getting an education and finding a legal hustle such a bad thing for our youth to hear?

Now don't get me wrong, I love the rugged underground Hip-Hop and I even make some of it myself. I frequently listen to people like Mars ILL, Pidgeon John, Aesop Rock, MF Doom, One Be Lo, and many other unknown underground heads. I truly enjoy the music. But I also love the music for the hood, and the people in the street who are dealing with the very things I've dealt with in my lifetime... Murder, gangs, and poverty. My position in this ongoing fued is basically a go-between both forms of the art, while recognizing both forms as valid representation of what Hip-Hop is. I spend too much time being pulled by my purist friends to join their side of the debate, as well as being pulled by my street hustlas to continue to make the music the hood can feel... Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you all, but I'll continue to make both. I am both, and I am an artist who has found a way to meld the two forms together, to where I have both groups purchasing my albums and enjoying the music for what it is...

I am Hip-Hop, won't you join me?