Through The Telescope: What is “real” Hip Hop? Part 1

You’re probably viewing the aforementioned with the notion that you do in fact already know what “real hip hop” is. Yet when asked to truly define that statement, and juggle this with the abundance of hip hop tracks being pushed out in terms of mainstream and underground, your opinion becomes stagnant. Before I delve into the subject at hand, I’d like to say that I’ve listened to countless albums and have been studying the Hip Hop art for quite some time (I’m sure some of the people reading this article have as well), and only to a degree can I describe what “real” hip hop is.

For those who may be newer to Hip Hop, I’d like to go over some slang quickly. A “Purist” (in Hip Hop terms) is generally a Hip Hop head who listens to majority of the classic Hip Hop and quite a bit of modern underground, they feel strongly about what they think “opposes” the initial visions of the culture. A “Backpacker” is generally someone who enjoys participating in the “hardcore” aspects of Hip Hop, generally listening to alternative or underground Hip Hop. This term can be considered derogatory depending on who you ask, however in context of this article I’m using it to describe a subculture. Nothing less, nothing more.

I know “Purists” and “Backpackers” may approach this topic as menial and instantly conclude that “real” Hip Hop is in fact Hip Hop music that lacks the “guns and money” appeal. However, I instantly see the flaw in that observation due to the fact that “original hip hop” did contain this sort of content. Look at Kool G, his mafioso approach to Hip Hop essentially spawned the gangster rap you have now, even including the “I get paid” appeal that is overly perpetuated in current Hip Hop trends. So for these same purists to say that “Kool G Rap” is “real” Hip Hop, it seems contradicting considering his content, does it not?

Before I get the artillery fired at me for comparing Kool G’s masterpieces to “modern mainstream” Hip Hop, let me elaborate: How is it that Hip Hop heads can say “I hate how 50 Cent promotes gang life” yet I know these exact same heads turn around and listen to Jedi Mind Tricks - who promote not only “gang life”, but hatred of other religions and dealing with others through heavy use of violence - and tell me that they’re “real”. How does that work? I know the obvious response will surface: “Jedi Mind Tricks lyrics are much better then 50’s are”. Of course, however Jedi Mind Tricks still oppose the initial points AND “original” essence of what most consider “real” Hip Hop, thus only getting it’s leg up from the perceived skill level.

So again I ask, what is “real” Hip Hop? Drawing back from my initial points, Purists and Backpackers - or people who consider themselves to fall under such categories - are an odd bunch. They tell you this song is bad, or this album is “negative”, yet I find for every song (mainstream wise) they say is “bad” or album that is “negative” they’re listening to something in terms of “underground” that falls under this same description. Now, before I write an elaborate description of “why”, keep in mind I look at Hip Hop as a “whole”. In other words, if I hear a “mainstream” track that catches my ear, I don’t look at it as “good in terms of mainstream”, but good in terms of the whole culture.

It seems like Purists more so then Backpackers (yet Backpackers follow the same ideology), disregard anything “mainstream” for the simple fact of the word; they feel like being mainstream is tainting the original “essence” of Hip Hop. However, these same Hip Hop heads are tainting Hip Hop by disregarding certain aspects of the culture - such as the mainstream. I myself was under this category at one point, not recognizing pieces of Hip Hop because I knew they were “mainstream”, but eventually I opened my eyes and realized I can’t disregard that sector of Hip Hop because it’s “commercial”.

One point I want to make clear is that I don’t believe ALL Purists and Backpackers are like the examples posted above, however I feel that the word “majority” isn’t overstating anything in that context. Now that that’s settled, Onto the other scale of things: “mainstream heads”. These are the listeners that disregard all other forms of Hip Hop and only look to the commercial side of things. Their definition of what they consider “real” Hip Hop would be a long the lines of “If they sell they’re good”. I’m assuming had you read this far, you understand that this is another flawed statement.

If it isn’t obvious enough, these listeners shun the efforts of underground artists because they aren’t making their ways to the charts and haven’t been featured in their XXL magazine numerous times. However, a variation of the mainstream head may also include SOME underground Hip Hop, but only because they know that underground Hip Hop artist is going to become very popular quite soon. Yet they don’t realize that without the abundance of Underground thriving the few artists that get their shine into the ever-growing mainstream wouldn’t be around without that Underground background.

So far, I’ve given you two extremes of what “certain” Hip Hop fans consider to be “real” Hip Hop. So of course there is the “third pillar” approach I find fewer and fewer people are taking, which is listening to all aspects of Hip Hop. This in my opinion is a prefference, and I won’t divulge into this one because It will feel irrelevant to the question at hand, “What is real Hip Hop?”.

Check back later this week as I conclude this segment with “Part Two”, in the meantime feel free to discuss in the comments section below of what you think “real Hip Hop” is.

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Posted by LostMoniker on September 21st, 2008 :: Filed under Through The Telescope: Hip Hop and Society
Tags :: backpackers, dj premier, fake, hip hop, jedi mind tricks, kool g rap, mainstream, purists, real, underground
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