“D” is Never Dirty, “MC” is Mostly Clean
written by Doesn't Matt R'
written by Doesn't Matt R'
Run DMC was added to the ballot this year for the Rock ‘N Roll Hall of Fame. If they are voted in, they will be only the second hip-hop act after Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five to be inducted. Obviously, this is a big honor. It’s nice when people finally get their due. I hope they get in. I wish them nothing but success. Hopefully, they sell a ton more of their records and some kids will know “Dumb Girl” without having to learn it from Jigga. But is this as positive as it seems at first glance?
Nowadays the idea of Run DMC seems pretty tame. After years of gangster rap, their shtick may seem soft. Every group from that era tried to get in on the new gangsta attitude (including Hammer) and their “Never let a punk get away with murder, gunshots, gunshots, all you heard-a—OOOH, whatchu gonna do” was a far reach from their classic tracks. But these guys were the sh*t. Today, Run is not known as the bad motherf’er whose house we’re always in, rockin' Adidas, and Walking This Way. He’s the semi-goofy, reverend/reality show Cosby carbon copy, who is constantly engaged in some sort of shenanigan. He’s a good role model, so let him stay on TV and make his money. But hip-hop is a counter-culture. Or was one.
Is there anything more mainstream than a Hall of Fame? The very essence of it revolves around the approval of so-called experts. The problem with experts in these genres is that they mistake the ability to catalog music (or movies, or art, etc.) with the idea that their taste is more valid than somebody else. Yes, it is impressive that you can commit facts to memory, but it does not make an opinion any more valid on an aesthetic level. I’d much rather listen to an album myself, than listen to someone else’s reaction. Especially since these days it is common practice for reviewers to “skim” an album for their review. But that is a story for another day.
Hip-hop’s initial appeal was that it didn’t have the mainstream approval and didn’t seek it out. It gets very sad when in later years it can appear that the only reason it didn’t care about approval was because it wasn’t getting it, whereas had it received a thumbs up immediately, it would have been a lot more forgiving of Hammer’s actions (aka Selling Out). It seems like there are more and more artists who are celebrated for the same practices that Hammer was crucified for. Endorsement deals, getting paid vast sums of money for “popular music” over true hip-hop, novelty soundtrack songs. And don’t tell me that it’s a quality issue, because there wasn’t much change in the overall quality of his music before and after. It was just easier to like him before the mainstream reaction was to reject him.
Where is the artist who is going to stand up to the approval and not be afraid to look ungracious? Some of these guys aren’t afraid to look ignorant, uneducated, perpetuate a criminal lifestyle. So why is it so hard to say, “f- you mainstream. I’m not being ungrateful here because I worked damn hard for this. And I’ll be damned if I let you make my art form a commodity. I’m still gonna get paid, but not on your terms.”
Punk rock started off the same way. It was a counter culture that became an industry. And what happened? People sold out, others “bought in.” The true artists declared it dead because it no longer stood for the values of which it was formed. A new generation took over, uneducated in its true meaning and corrupted it to their own agenda (racism, hatred, neo-Nazism). Now today, it isn’t totally gone. There’s a small underground scene and every once in a while a new band will come out with “punk influences.” The new hip show will make it cool for high school kids in 2008 to listen to 70’s punk, totally invoking the spinning in graves of anyone involved in the actual original scene. Is this where we are heading? Are we there already?
Congratulations to Run DMC though. It’s just important to keep in mind that there is always more than one way to look at any given situation. We write the history of these events after they have already unfolded, once the outcome has been established. Then most of the other plausible outcomes slowly drift out of memory.
4 comments:
now this is a mf'n post!
Its tough because on the one hand, i am proud of Run-DMC's acceptance into the Hall of Fame but on the other, i understand what you mean about the problems with becoming "mainstream".
But its a different world today than it was when hiphop was created. hiphop wasn't originally created for the "mainstream" - it was a way for young poor kids in the hood to express themselves.
No one knew it would blow up to the point that it did. When you got white kids in the suburbs wearing doo-rags (still laughing at that)and baggy jeans, Hip-Hop became something much more.
So Hip-Hop is only mainstream because the mainstream couldn't get enough of Hip-Hop. the same demographic that didn't care about the kids in NYC are now fighting tooth and nail to be just like them.
So yeah, since they want us mainstream I think we deserve everything that comes with it, the endorsements, business opportunities - everything. I'm proud what Hip-Hop has managed to accomplish. More kids that would have normally been lost on the streets have an outlet that can actually secure their futures. Will there be some corny ass, "sell out" music? Sure. But i'm willing to accept that as long as brothers are getting jobs.
So if this entrance into the "mainstream" is further validated by Run-DMC's Hall of Fame nomination then I'm fine with that. And tell all those others to make room cuz we got a bunch of brothers that are gonna need a spot in a few years.
I know it's pretty much just an expression at this point about "white kids in the suburbs", but is it any more credible to be a black kid in a suburban neighborhood who acts and dresses like that? Is there more leniency/legitimacy there? Is it a matter of economics or race and economics? This isn't any kind of attack, its really just an honest question. I don't really have any problems with the listeners (rich/poor, race, religion) because music is supposed to bring enjoyment. I'm talking about these older gentlemen who seek to legitimize something with their stamp of approval when nobody is asking for it.
nah its not more credible for a black kid who lives in beverly hills. I was just making a visual point because the white kid from the suburbs is the polar opposite from tbe black kid in the south bronx.
Cuz you have the Em's of the world who grew up poor and in black neighborhoods and they are just as hiphop as anyone else. i was just making a singular isolated point.
Obviously you and I have history so I'm basically referring to those rich kids in Little Neck who walk, talk, dress and act like they live on Linden Blvd. Hip-Hop became so mainstream because "that" demographic wanted to be involved with Hip-Hop despite it not being in their immediate environment.
Hip-Hop is one of those rare musical genres that are tied to a specific cultural, socioeconomic background. Because you have the music but you also have the culture behind it. Anyone can pick up "Reasonable Doubt" listen to it and love it but there is a fundamental difference in the relationship that a person has with the culture of hiphop based on their environment. There's a thin line between being a fan of Hip-Hop and being Hip-Hop and I'm gonna try my best to articulate that in the near future...
I see a post coming.
Man, it's difficult to comment on this one w/o making a whole post, but here goes...
See, here's the thing about "art." We want people to take notice of our work and appreciate it for the art that it is instead of trying to write it off, but we don't want it to become so popular that the art feels like it's no longer ours. We can't have it both ways (nor have I ever seen it both ways). This post rocks, yo.
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