Tupac and Biggie: Would They Survive in Today's Rap Game?

Today’s topic of discussion was raised during a conversation I had last weekend.  As I sat at a wing spot in Greensboro having wings and watching the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots NFL playoff game, we discussed various topics including the current state of hip hop music and who we believe are the best emcees in hip hop currently and all time.  Jay-Z is  my favorite current emcee.  An individual, who shall remain nameless, mentioned that Drake was his favorite hip hop artist.  That choice was shocking to me, but then again, I believe Drake appeals to a younger demographic.  I believe his biggest supporters are women and individuals born in the early 1990’s.  No quicker than I heard the Drake response, he asked: “would Biggie and Tupac be relevant if they were around today?”  I had to catch myself because I had the Ed Lover “C’mon Son” facial expression.  Then I thought to myself that everyone is entitled to an opinion.  In response, I said “the more important question is: “would Drake be relevant if Tupac and Biggie were still around?”  I believe Drake and other contemporary emcees were indoctrinated into the hip hop game at a time when there was a serious lack of creativity.  In short, it created an opening for new artists.  Drake stepped in and helped fill the gaping hole in the hip hop community.

Tupac Shakur

 

Biggie and Tupac were larger than life characters when they were alive, and have maintained, if not elevated, their respective statuses posthumously.  Both Biggie and Tupac experienced unrivaled success with respect to records sold.  Tupac’s estate released many posthumous albums promoting Tupac’s lyrical skills.  He was more than an artist; in many respects, he was a movement.  Tupac allowed life’s contradictions to run rampant throughout his music.  One day he made a song uplifting his people and the next day he might make a song expressing the anger, and frustration of being a black man in America.  I believe the duality of thought displayed by Tupac epitomizes what most people feel from day-to-day.  The biggest difference is most people will not verbalize their feelings.  Think about it.  Some days you may wake up and have positive feelings about life.  The next day, you may receive the worst news and feel downtrodden.  I believe the duality of thought is natural; yet, musicians consistently fail to expose the good and bad through the lyrics of their songs.  Nobody is perfect.  I also believe Tupac was one of the artists respected by all sectors of the hip hop population i.e., “the backpackers,” “the hard core contingent,” and “casual listeners.”  Tupac surpassed generic labels such as “hip hop artist,” or “emcee.”  His talent and passion elevated him to a status with all time great musicians.  He was not confined to a specific genre of music.  Would he have survived in today’s rap world?  Absolutely.

Notorious B.I.G.

Biggie Smalls flourished during an era when lyrics, storytelling and the art of “emceeing” were all that mattered.  He emerged from talent rich New York when a catchy hook or good beat were not enough to garner respect of peers and fans alike.  During the early 1990’s, being a good emcee and making quality music were keys to success.  Let me be abundantly clear—success does not necessarily equate to respect.  Drake is successful, but is he well respected in most or all circles of hip hop?  No.  Certain people love their crafts and would do it for free if they had to.  Love for the craft has been corroded, and in some places, lost forever because of the lure of making millions of dollars.  Do not get me wrong, I am not mad at anyone for using their talents to make money.  However, I am more impressed and respect artists who make music with passion; basketball players who play the game for the love of the game; and attorneys who are passionate about helping their clients.  I apologize for the brief tangent; let me get back on topic.  During the 1990’s the list of talented emcees seems to be endless.  Biggie, Nas, Tupac, Jay-Z, Outcast, Big L, Big Pun, Mobb Deep, Lil Kim, Mos Def, Common, Wu Tang Clan, Snoop, Dr. Dre, Ras Kass, Capone & Noreaga, Camp Lo, Rakim, KRS One, Kool G. Rap etc etc.  The list of artists is impressive but yet B.I.G. rose to the top of the game.  Why?  He carved out a niche that was similar but yet different than his peers.  He was passionate about making a better living for himself and his family.  He produced quality music and he, with the help of Diddy, infused hip hop and R & B.  That marriage spawned a style that has produced some of the greatest songs of all time.  You ask me if he would have survived during today’s hip hop game?  Without a doubt. 

Successful v. Respected

What is success?  The dictionary defines it as: “the favorable outcome of something attempted.”  How is success measured with respect to the hip hop industry?  Record sales?  Platinum chains? Other factors?  What is respect?  The dictionary defines it as: “an attitude of deference, admiration or esteem.  How is respect measured?  Street credibility?  Subject matter?  Lyricism?  Being successful and being respected are not necessary the same thing.  In fact, in many instances, they are polar opposites.  For instance, I believe Nelly is successful because he has sold millions of records.  However, I also believe he is not respected by true hip hop heads impressed by lyrics, production, subject matter, presentation, flow, etc.  On the other end of the spectrum is Mos Def, or Black Thought, who are both widely respected as lyrical emcees.  Neither artist has sold albums at the rate Nelly has, but I would be willing to bet that they are more widely respected for their skills.  If artists are measured strictly by record sales, maybe these very talented artists are not successful.  In a perfect world, artists would prefer to be respected and successful.  Unfortunately for them, and for fans of true music, it is difficult to accomplish both.  It almost seems that artists must sacrifice one to accomplish the other. 

Opening in Hip Hop

During the past 5-7 years, there has been a huge opening in the hip hop game with respect to creativity and quality music.  Hip Hop staples such as Nas and Outcast were not recording nearly as much music.  Also, the crowd who grew up listening to those iconic artists matured.  The young kids and young adults who were diehard fans in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s had become professionals and had families.  In short, the hip hop generation matured and there was an untapped market—14-22 year olds who were not as connected to the aforementioned hip hop legends.  That generation yearned for new super stars.  In came Drake, and a few other artists.  So, if Tupac and Biggie were still alive, much like Jay-Z, they would still control the market of people 25 and older.  Because of their talent and influence, they would also impact the younger generation.  In short, it would be business as usual for Tupac and Biggie.

What do you think?

Peace

Kobe Bryant: Last of a Dying Breed

Whether you love him, loathe him or do not have an opinion of Kobe Bryant, he is a first ballot Hall of Famer.  Even at his age, 33, he is still arguably the best player in the game.  He is the oldest player in NBA history to record four consecutive 40 point games.  He also happens to be the last of a dying breed of NBA players who play through injuries in an effort to entertain fans.  Obviously, no reasonable fan wants a player to seriously injure themselves in the name of entertainment.  However, we do expect players to forge through minor discomforts as we do every day at our jobs.  Might I add that we do so for a fraction of the salaries NBA players command.  Not too long ago, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone and Reggie Miller played in the NBA.  I do not recall a sprained ankle, or a headache keeping them from playing.  In fact, Influenza could not thwart Jordan’s ability to play the game he loves.  Nowadays, NBA players miss game for almost any reason.  The bevy of excuses NBA players use nowadays is frustrating to me as a fan of the game.  Kobe Bryant is a player who is determined to play the game he loves no matter what the cost may be.  He is truly the last of a dying breed.      

Kobe Bryant was drafted in 1996 by the Charlotte Hornets.  He was drafted number thirteen overall.  Wait, you mean to tell me there were 12 better players drafted ahead of Kobe Bryant?  YES.  However, at the time, Kobe was a high school player and many of the players drafted ahead of him were college basketball stars and were thought to be safer picks.  I find it rather funny that Kobe had the foresight and maturity as an 18 year old to broker his way out of Charlotte but failed to sign a prenuptial agreement with his wife a few years later. I digress.  If Kobe was drafted thirteenth overall, who were the players drafted before him?  The class of 1996 was special indeed with Allen Iverson, Steve Nash, Ray Allen, and Stephon Marbury being a part of the class.  Of these great players, only two remain in the NBA (Ray Allen and Steve Nash), and Kobe is clearly better than them both.

Kobe has been called selfish many times during his career.  There may be a hint of truth to the accusation.  However, not even the most unreasonable critic can say Kobe does not want to win.  His competitive nature has been compared to that of Michael Jordan.  Obviously, Michael Jordan is the greatest to ever play the game, but Kobe has a similar competitive nature.  To that end, if you watch him carefully, he wants to guard the other team’s best player.  He does not want to wait until the fourth quarter or crunch time to do so either.  He wants to guard Ray Allen, Dwyane Wade and other great shooting guards from the tip off until the final buzzer sounds.  How many bonafide superstars or even marginal players compete at that level on both ends of the court the entire game?  I’ll wait.  Basketball is a team sport but in the NBA, superstars win championships.  If Kobe Bryant outplays Kevin Durant, the Lakers will likely be successful. With that said, I believe there is some validity in superstars winning individual matchups during games. 

Just a few short years ago, people questioned Kobe’s place amongst the all time great players because he had not won a championship as the focal point of the team.  I disagree with the school of thought that makes winning championships the most important factor in determining the worth of a great player.  If fans adopted that logic, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Patrick Ewing, John Stockton, and Reggie Miller were not great players.  The entire idea is ridiculous in my opinion.  During his first three championships, he was the second best player on his team.  He was the second best player to Shaquille O’Neal when he was in his prime.  Kobe never liked being the number two guy and that separates him from some of his contemporary competitors.  He was determined to win a ring as the clear number one guy.  He accomplished that feat not once, but twice, and solidified his place as the second best shooting guard in the history of the game.

Kobe Bryant was so athletic and explosive when he entered the league.  He regularly appeared on Sportscenter highlight reels because of his athletic dunks, blocks, steals and open court, one-on-one moves.  At that point of his career he was not a consistent jump shooter.  He was so talented that it did not matter and he could get all the way to the rim at will.  That last line sounds eerily like the current version of Lebron James.  Now, Kobe is 33 years old and a relative elder statesman in the NBA.  His game is not predicated on athletic ability nearly as much as it once was.  Instead, he relies on superior balance, experience, skill, and intellect.  His footwork in the post is impeccable.  He also has the best up-and-under move in the game.  His fade-a-way jumpshot is indefensible (sound like another player later in his career?).

The Sports world is infatuated and determined to crown somebody as the next Michael Jordan.  Players such as Grant Hill, Vince Carter, Lebron James, and Kobe have been compared to MJ.  This type of comparison can certainly bring great pressure upon a player to measure up to the athletic accomplishments of Michael Jordan.  Kobe is clearly the closest player to MJ even though he is still nowhere near as dominant as MJ was.  Michael Jordan won six championships in his career and won the NBA Finals MVP each time.  That means that when the season was on the line, he rose to the top to ensure victory for his team.  He did not play with a dominant post player at any point of his career.  Kobe had Shaquille O’Neal and Pau Gasol.  Michael Jordan was the best offensive and defensive player on the court each time he entered an arena.  I do not want this to turn into an article about MJ, but I believe the point needs to be cemented that there is only one Michael Jordan and all others pale in comparison.

Kobe Bryant is a great player and he deserves respect from people for his on-court talents.  I could care less about what he does off the court because he is human just like anyone else.  Kobe will play through injury and pain because he loves the game that much.  He gives maximum effort when he is on the court; he is truly the last of a dying breed.

Peace    

Mixtapes 2012: Fab and Ross

Recently I have been listening to a bevy of good music.  From the looks of things, 2012 is going to be a good year for hip hop and we may even have a good, old fashioned hip hop battle on our hands as well.  Fabolous released “There is No Competition 3 (Death Comes in 3’s)” right after Christmas 2011.  Rick Ross released “Rich Forever” a few days ago.  Rick Ross’ mixtape is my favorite and that includes T.I.’s mixtape. 

Fab’s mixtape is the third installment in his “there is no competition” series.  The mixtape is good and he definitely provides witty punch lines, as usual.  Although “There is No Competition Two” is probably my favorite of the trio, the third installment is good.  This mixtape definitely sounds and feels like a mixape and not like an actual album like  J. Cole’s critically acclaimed “Friday Night Lights,” or Elzhi’s “Elmatic” mixtape.  Unf*ckwitable is one of my favorite tracks because he seems to exclaim how he feels about his lyrics and his crew.  He boasts “24/7 365 how the game dead when I’m still alive.”  In another line he rhymes “You’ll would never measure up using my ruler, you more soft than a second year high schooler, my n*gga Hov told me finish my breakfast and now I’m looking at you n*ggas like breakfast.”  I am not sure if the line is directed at anyone in particular, but it is one of my favorite lines.  Then on Lord Knows he went in on Plaxico Burress and called him Cheddar Bob for shooting himself.  He also addressed the Ray J situation in comical fashion.  He rhymed “you don’t want them n*ggas in your house though, trying to see if you got indoor/outdoor.”  This was in response to Ray J calling into a New York Radio station ranting and sounding like his name should be Ray J Shakur.  Fab was at his best on BET trading verses with Jadakiss and the Ghost, Styles P.  Listening to this track makes me want to hear another Lox album.  The Lox is one of my favorite hip hop groups and they have not released an album in a very long time.  She Did It goes hard as well though and he rhymes “You a G but that letter don’t fit you the best, girl you got all them curves so girl you an S.”  I can respect that he has the hard tracks for the street but also shows love to the ladies.  Overall, the mixtape is dope and I think he definitely created a buzz for whenever he drops another studio album. 

During my Christmas break, I had a conversation with a child hood friend who works in the music industry.  We discussed Rick Ross, amongst other relevant hip hop artists, and he said, and I agree, that Rick Ross makes great music and it is all about entertainment.  It does not matter that he does or does not live the life he portrays in his music.  One thing I will say about Ross is that he makes quality music each time he puts out an album, mixtape, or verse.  I cannot say that about many artists nowadays.  You can tell that he loves music and is passionate about his craft.  This is refreshing to me in an era where some artists seem to care only about the next single or ringtone.  “Rich Forever” is a serious mixtape and it sounds like a studio album.  Triple Beam Dream might be my favorite track.  As much as I like Ross, I like Nas even more and he killed the track.  I think people will learn one day to not go after Nas when he is focused.  He rhymed first on Raekwon’s Verbal Intercourse and as good as Rae and Ghost performed, they were a distant second to Nas.  He came out strong and rhymed “a project minded individual criminal tactics, us black kids born with birth defects, we hyperactive, mentally sex-crazed dysfunctional they described us they liars, the end of the day, we f*cking survivors.”  DOPE.  I am also feeling the Rich Forever track featuring John Legend.  It is pretty dope that he enlisted John Legend to lay vocals for the track on a mixtape that he gave to his fans for free.  This track rivals the Triple Beam Dream track in my book.  He starts off talking over the track and telling a story of how he came into the game with Hustlin.  Then, the beat drops and he rhymes "Ciroc, no glass, smiling women in my presence, tall supermodels always fall in my possession, Atlanta Housewives taking pictures in my section, but I only have affection for young [women] with aggression."

Stay Schemin is a nice track featuring Drake.  Ross was focused on this track but I could have done without French Montana’s verse.  The real reason the track is so heavily discussed is because Drake responded to Common’s So Sweet diss track.  I have to give Drake some credit because his verse was dope.  He rhymes "That's why I see no need to compete with nigg-s like y'll, I just ask that when you see me you speak up nigg-s that's all, don't be ducking like you never wanted nothing, it's feeling like rap changed, there was a time when it was rugged, back when if a nigg- reached it was for the weapon, nowadays nigg-s reach just to sell they record"

Although his verse is hard, I think he must have neglected to research his opponent.  Common went at Ice Cube on The B*tch in You.  If you know anything about hip hop, you know that Cube is one of the best battle rappers of all time.  Common started his rhyme off using Drake’s song, Motto against him.  Then he drops the dopest line of the rap battle thus far when he rhymes “I’m taking too long with this amateur guy, you ain’t wet nobody n*gga, you Canada Dry.”  I think the game needs a nice battle that will stay on wax and is all about competition between two emcees. 

Peace