Trending Topiks: #howhiphopchangedtheworld
There's no way I could cover #howhiphopchangedtheworld in one blog post. However, I will attempt to generalize it and say that hip hop changed the world by giving people around the world a common language. This language doesn't come across only in dialect, but in how we communicate, what we stand up for, how we dress, how we act, how →
Trending Topiks: #5thingsyoucantdo
If you are a hip hop fan and consider yourself part of the hip hop culture, here is a list of #5thingsyoucantdo: 1. Become discouraged by the current state of hip hop • We all know that things aren’t in the best condition right now, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t get better. We just each what we can do individually →
Trending Topiks: #letsbereal
#letsbereal with ourselves and the situation. The days of the “golden era” of hip hop are no longer here and it will never be like that again. That is not to say there won’t be another golden era or that great times are not ahead. It is just to say that we need to stop looking to replicate the past. →
Why Are We Surprised By Homosexuality In Hip Hop?
Okay, maybe I know why, but I still want to break this down further. Statistically, shouldn't we expect some people in hip hop to be gay? One study in 2000 estimated that about 2.1% of the total American population identify themselves with as either gay, lesbian, or bisexual* (I'm not sure if this includes transgender or transvestites). I think it's →
Trending Topiks – #ifitwasuptome
#ifitwasuptome, entrance into the hip hop game would be much different. Before getting signed to a label, starting a label, or releasing a debut album, artists and record execs alike (along with other industry figure heads) would have to take some sort of quiz or examination to ensure that they have at least a basic grasp on the history of →
Hip Hop’s Galactic Escape
Lately, you may have noticed that there is this trend of rappers referring to themselves as aliens or dreaming of blasting off to some far away planet/galaxy, leaving all of earth behind. This has been used by artists across the board including Lil Wayne, B.O.B., Joell Ortiz, and Lupe Fiasco. Often times, this is supposed to symbolize have far above →
Trending Topiks: #threewordstoliveby
It's been a while, but "Trending Topiks" is finally back. So, let's go ahead and get right into it: I'm going to remind hip hop of #threewordstoliveby: let's get free. I know that most people associate this title with the debut album of Dead Prez and that is where the inspiration is drawn from, but this is more than a CD. →
R.I.P. Nate Dogg
Early this morning (Wednesday, March 16, 2011), hip hop was met with another blow when it was announced that Nate Dogg (born Nathaniel D. Hale) had passed away at the age of 41. Nate Dogg was a pioneer in the rise of the West Coast sound and style along with other prominent figures such as Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Tupac, and →
Hip Hop: The Fast-Food Franchise
“The industry is like a fast-food restaurant now. They are not taking the time out to develop their artists.” This was a quote from Ruff Ryders co-founder Joaquin “Waah” Dean in this month’s (March 2011) XXL issue in an article surrounding the lack of battle rappers turning in successful mainstream careers. Although the article itself was good, the quote from →
Lupe’s New Song Brings Back Old Feeling
I just got done listening to Lupe Fiasco's latest song "Words I Never Said" featuring Skylar Grey and I have to say: this is what hip hop has been waiting for! This is the same energy and force that Public Enemy and N.W.A. had, but in the style that only Lupe could deliver. The song is an attack on the current →
‘Who Killed It’ Pt. 15 – Is The Hip Hop Culture Dead?
As we come to the conclusion of the 'Who Killed It' series, let's take a look at if hip hop truly is dead and what the music is really saying about the community as a whole: “So next time they ask who killed it/tell them we did”. This is a peculiar line, especially given the line we studied in the previous →
“Commercial From Commercial” Mixtape Available!
Click picture for FREE mixtape download! Happy New Year! Hopefully everybody enjoyed bringing in 2011 and now Straight Outta Hip Hop and Hip Hop Hope Dealers are ready to provide you with some new music to get the new year started off right! We know that everybody is tired of hearing the same commercialized records everywhere they go, so we present →
Hip Hop’s New Years Resolution
My man Mark, over at Hip Hop Hope Dealers (hiphophopedealers.com), and I worked on hip hop’s New Years resolution for 2011. This is just a short list to get things started, but there's much more that we can do to make sure hip hop continues to grow! Check it out: Hip-Hop’s 2011 New Years Resolutions • Rappers claim independence (i.e. Jay-Z with Roc →
“Commercial From Commercial” Mixtape Coming Soon!
Get the New Year kicked off with some real hip hop! Straight Outta Hip Hop and Hip Hop Hope Dealers (hiphophopedealers.com) have teamed together to bring you "Commercial From Commercial"! Take a [commercial] break from all of the "commercialized" hip hop that currently dominates the airwaves. We have compiled a number of underground and independent artists that represent hip hop →
Trending Topiks: #rememberwhen
Do you #rememberwhen you fell in love with hip hop? For me it's kinda hard to pinpoint, but I honestly think it was when I bought Illmatic. I bought it years after it came out (I was only 6 when it was released) and I was just beginning to really explore the history of hip hop. To that point, I was →
‘Who Killed It’ Pt. 10: Technology Made Everything Easy
“Technology change made everything simple/Myspace is now a dude’s bio slash demo.” There is no question that technology has altered not just hip hop, but the music industry as a whole. However, just like anything that has affected the music industry as a whole, hip hop tends to get hit the hardest. What seems to have had the most effect →
Trending Topiks: #haveuever
#haveuever thought about what it would be like if hip hop really did stop existing? Scary thought, right? So often we tend to say hip hop is dead, but we rarely separate the music from the culture. Although I don't even think hip hop music is dead, the culture surely isn't. The statements that hip hop makes are statements that →
One Nation, Under Hip Hop
Being that it's election day, I thought it would be fitting to put this post up. I've been reading a book entitled "Hip Hop Matters" by S. Craig Watkins and one of the topics discussed in much detail is politics and hip hop's involvement. However, there was one thing that really stood out more than anything else: more and more →
Trending Topiks: #howcome
#howcome record labels (mainly majors) don't have programs that have their artist get involved in the community? As some of you may know, the NBA season kicked off a couple days ago and so they have been showing a lot of the "NBA Cares" commercials, so I was wondering why don't labels have the same thing set up for →
Trending Topiks: #unfollowmeif
I don't even have that many followers (you can follow me @so_hiphop if you choose), but if you do happen to be one of them, you should #unfollowmeif any of these topics (hip hop or hip hop community related) below pertain to you. #unfollowmeif: • You think that “MTV Hottest List” is legit - This list of the "hottest" has really taken the →
Trending Topiks: #thatwouldbeawesome
Remember when Mos Def posed that challenge to namely Jay-Z and other artists to do an all our MC battle and televise it? I know it would probably happen only in fantasy land, but if it ever did #thatwouldbeawesome! Just think about it. It wouldn't even have to be a one time deal. Let's do it weekly or biweekly. Do →
Trending Topiks: #in10years
#in10years, I think that hip hop will begin to level out. Just like the the economy, I think that hip hop is going through a cycle right now. Actually, maybe not even a cycle, but just another transition. It's like a weird mix between a mid-life crisis and maturation. Back in the 70s, hip hop was new and fresh, nobody →
‘Who Killed It’ Pt. 5: “Is Hip Hop For Kids”
"Did we outgrow ourselves/is hip hop for kids?" The last 'Who Killed It' entry, we sort of touched on this subject and so I want to dive all the way into it now. What is hip hop's target market? I mean with all the "bubble gum rap" that is out nowadays, can we argue that hip hop is →
