hip-hop
originally written 01.16.03
as a rapper, and an avid listener of hip-hop music for a good portion of my life, i've been able to hear good hip-hop and bad hip-hop. unfortunately, in the past few years, i feel that popular hip-hop music has taken a turn for the worse, at least from where it started. it's really difficult to find good hip-hop groups like jurassic 5, the roots, a tribe called quest that make good music, and write lyrics with a deeper message than the mainstream. i do respect mainstream rappers (i.e. eminem, jay-z, etc.,...) for their talent, some of them are even great writers...but, too often the message is tainted with negativity or materialism. i've just had enough of the bling-bling aspect that has permeated modern hip-hop music...popular hip-hop music seems to have lost it's soul. if you haven't yet, please do open up an ear to groups like j5, the roots, common, mos def, etc.,...that's soulful hip-hop. but, enough with the explaination...here's the poem/verse, whatever.

hip-hop monotony
has been stopping me
from purchasing lps.
can somebody help me?
hip-hop was once
about the individual--
now it's all the same,
the image is residual.
we used to pump positive,
now it's all negativity.
i'm hard-pressed to find some
lyrical creativity.
there's only 500 mics,
and a million emcees...
seems like we're drowning in hate--
it's so hard to breathe.
style was a part of the game,
i can't deny it...
but all the bling makes me ashamed,
i must decry it.
i believe that is time
to come to a close...
women are women,
not bitches or hoes.
i remember a time
when emcees could get along,
but now all we hear
are death threats in a song.