It’s Bigger Than…
written by K.T. aka K.Billy
written by K.T. aka K.Billy
I’m sitting in my room right now, watching VH1 soul. It’s 11:29pm and instead of thinking about what to write for Thursday’s post, I’m just writing. Justin Timberlake’s “My Love” happens to be the next set of sexually suggestive and exhaustingly choreographed images that fill the screen. So, I’m watching this video, less watching and more listening, and it suddenly hits me how “hip-hop” this R&B video sounds. That’s not really anything new though, hip-hop has been as much a part of R&B as the A minor has. Still, I can’t help asking myself – and this is actually a question I present myself often – what is hip-hop?
I mean, maybe 20 years ago, that question would have been easier to answer. But even now, as I listen to T.I. and Justin Timberlake do a song together (seeing it written down kind of makes me chuckle a bit), I am honestly having trouble with that answer. Seriously, there is probably not one answer to that query, and there probably never will be, but what do you say to someone who comes from a complete pop culture vacuum and asks you to explain it? Does it mean anything that you would have to explain it to someone coming from a pop culture vacuum? Is it a feeling or is it a true distinction of beat and lyric? One could argue that much of the music that R. Kelly put out in the early 90’s was some form of hip-hop: “Back and Forth” (R. Kelly produced it), “She’s Got That Vibe.”
I may be grabbing at straws a bit, maybe it’s just late, but I don’t think there is a clear definition of hip-hop anymore. For better or worse, it’s reached that rarefied air where it’s a lifestyle in and of itself. People have written about this before yes, but I suppose it’s not until you reach that understanding for yourself that you truly realize its implications. Hip-hop is whatever you choose it to be I suppose. That may not be the answer everyone gives, but it’s the one I am sticking to. It’s much too malleable a thing to lend itself to one definition or the other. Like rock and roll, it’s become too popular to define, too popular to support itself, so it exploded into a million different sub-genres, not unlike a paint-filled water balloon.
I love hip-hop, I’m just not always 100% sure what it is I am in love with.
Would love to hear your thoughts, though…
2 comments:
Ok so I'm going to have to go in on this one... I think the closest analogy is what a Judge said in the Larry Flint case on pornography. When asked if he could "define" what pornography is, he answered, "no, but I know it when I see it."
That's kind of what Hip-Hop is. It's very difficult to define per se but its easier for you to see something and then determine whether or not its Hip-Hop.
For example, Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park raps at on several of their songs but you wouldn't call those songs Hip-Hop, you'd call it a rock song with a dude rapping. However when he spit on his Fort Minor project, it was Hip-Hop.... So rapping alone doesn't make it Hip-Hop, you just know it when you hear it.
Milk D did "Top Billin'", that was Hip-Hop... Mary J. took the same beat for "real love", that made it R&B... so the beat alone doesn't determine whether it is Hip-Hop either... you just know when you hear it.
Mariah Carey provides the hook for Jay-Z = Hip-Hop. Jay-Z does a guest verse on her song = R&B ... Lil' Wayne and Robin Thicke traded verses on "Shooter" and it was on both of their albums, so which one was it? Hip-Hop or R&B? Personally, I feel that its a Hip-Hop record but I couldn't give you an articulate reason why... its just a feel.
Is "Player Hater" or "Hallie's Song" considered Hip-Hop songs for Biggie and Eminem respectively? I think so, but again, no idea why.
LL's "I Need Love" could have easily been a Boyz II Men song but its Hip-Hop.
Hip-Hop at the end of the day is all artistic expression where rapping and that standard "boom-bap" bass line are probably its most defining features but with the ridiculous expansion the lines are blurred. However, I know Hip-Hop when I see it, I just couldn't tell you why.
I FEEL U JUSHH
So what is itwhen articles/ TV HOSTS/ people who know nothing about hip hop, call NEYO a rapper? Or Chris Brown a rapper? What is that? I was reading an article one day and it said something something NEYO the rapper...... SINCE WHEN DOES NEYO RAP. Whats that? AND WHY?
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