Self-Destruction, Ya Headed For Self-Destruction!

Any purveyor of my blog knows that I sometimes refer to myself as a "Hip-Hop purist". For anybody that doesn't know what a Hip-Hop purist is, I'll give a short definition and some examples. A Hip-Hop purist is a listener or producer of rap music that feels that Hip-Hop has been tainted by corporations. They feel that the lyrics have become a less important part of rap music. Now I'll give you some examples to see if you are a Hip-Hop purist. If you ever referred to Raekwons "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..." as "the purple tape", you may be a Hip-Hop purist. If you sit in front of your computer and wait for the next Ghostface Killah joint, you may be a Hip-Hop purist. If you call rappers by their given names, in a condescending manner, you may be a Hip-Hop purist. If you refer to listeners that have a serious favorite rapper, that they constantly listen to or try to imitate, as a "Stan", you are, without a doubt, a Hip-Hop purist. If you refer to 1988 through 1995 as the "Golden Age" of rap music, and 1996 through 2000 as the "Jiggy Era" or the "Bling Era", you may be a Hip-Hop purist. If you still have debates with your friends on whether "Illmatic" was better than "Ready To Die"(no arguments, but "Illmatic" was better), you and your friends may be Hip-Hop purists. If you ever referred to the kids that rock 80's gear as "pseudo-backpackers", you may be a Hip-Hop purist. If you had the same feeling as Nas when he dropped "Hip Hop is Dead", you may be a Hip-Hop purist. If you've ever said that over 50% of the rap music played on radio or television is not the "real", you are definitely right, but you may also be a Hip-Hop purist.

Now that you know that you are a Hip-Hop purist, know that you are one of the reasons that Hip-Hop is tainted. I know that the Hip-Hop purists, such as myself, have blame corporations and record companies for the current state of Hip-Hop. Now, lets be a little realistic, corporations and record labels base their preferences on the listeners preferences. When more people want to hear Soulja Boy than Aesop Rock, the record executives are going to promote Soulja Boy more. I know that you're asking, "how is this my fault?", well you're not helping the "real" Hip-Hop get it's recognition. Instead of buying these emcee's albums(I applaud the support for Talib Kweli, Common and Kanye West), you'd rather post their songs on YouTube or your Hip-Hop purist blog. Why would somebody buy these emcee's albums when they can just download it off of one of those Internet share sites. I know that I'm a perpetrator of this crime just is much as anybody else, but I've at least came to realize that I am at fault. I visit the web for my "real" Hip-Hop before I ever go to Fat Beats, I'd download off LimeWire before I ever step inside A-1 Records. But unlike most Hip-Hop purists, I don't think I'm better than the Diplomat Stan or a Lil Wayne Stan, I just have a different preference. I never brush off a rapper because he makes music to sell records(it is the recording business). Maybe the Hip-Hop purists should get down off their gold laden thrown, they assume they inherited from Rakim, and point fingers at themselves. When that new Little Brother drops(I know you already got the leaked version), maybe you should hit up BestBuy and cop it. Instead of all the Hip-Hop purists writing blogs(I sound so contradictory right now) or making podcasts, lets get out there and make it known that we are disgusted. Lets start making things happen, instead of sitting around throwing a tantrum.

Peace, I mean WAR!