In the wake of Pop Smoke’s murder earlier this week, many artists have provided their various takes on the tragedy.
On Wednesday (February 19) – only hours after the news broke — dead prez MC stic headed to Instagram with his own “RIP” post alongside a unique perspective on the state of Hip Hop culture. The veteran artist suggested Hip Hop is no longer recognizable in its original form.
Instead, he said it’s become a culture where negativity is consistently celebrated, a stark contrast from the early days when Hip Hop was intended to uplift and inspire.
“As a culture in Hip Hop, broadly speaking, we seem addicted to glorifying supporting perpetuating and celebrating negativity,” he began. “We support and celebrate misogyny, self hate, fratricide, homicide and genocide, and we do it with pure arrogance and ego, in almost everywhere you turn in mainstream and social media. Rappers have become the joke of the culture, spitting out nonsense in flashy and catchy ways for the chance of fame and financial gain. Every major radio channel amplifies it.
“Men and Women accept and participate in the negative atmosphere. All in the name of money, notoriety and glorifying the cliches of the streets. We have watched the same cycle breed death and cause harm in numerous ways over and over and over and over again. Your favorite rappers will speak out when a fellow rapper life is cut short due to the same nonsense mentalities that most of their own music perpetuates. It’s not that we don’t know better by now. It’s a choice.”
stic continued by pointing out the people who co-sign the negativity are just as responsible as those who make the music, although he acknowledged he’s supportive of the younger generation of rappers getting paid — as long as they don’t squander their opportunities.
Bigger Than Hip Hop: How dead prez Is Improving The World
“And those of us who keep supporting the same are feeding the flames of the foolishness,” he wrote. “Of course we are happy to see the young ones getting to the bread and be in positions to make a difference but too many times all that potential goes down the drain because of the atmosphere that surrounds the success. I know solid cats like Malcolm X and others were killed for their voices as well but in this day of age, we have completely sold out our culture for popularity stunts and we have become a tool of our own oppression.”
The RBG Fit Club mastermind added, “Everybody wanna act cool and look the part and talk greasy and not enough are willing to embody real values and represent something helpful for our communities. For me hip hop has lost its true heart and traded it in for poor values, negativity and fools gold. If we want a better world and life for our community, families children and each other, we have to be willing to let this corny ignorant weak self destructive bullshit die.”
He concluded with, “#RIP to all the BS and let’s live like REAL ONES FOR REAL REASONS IN REAL WAYS FOR WHAT REALLY MATTERS.”
Pop Smoke was only 20 years old at the time of his death and is yet another young life taken by violence, drug overdose or suicide. As stic suggested, “If we want a better world and life for our community, families children and each other, we have to be willing to let this corny ignorant weak self destructive bullshit die.”
I hate rap but I love hip hop!!! Sclass
Honestly speaking what’s the difference. If anything HipHop is ruining Rap music. Because hiphop is the so called culture. Which has changed for the worst. RAP to me is simply Rhythm And Poetry(RAP) So I don’t agree with your comment.
There is a difference between hip-hop and rap. As you know hip hop is a culture, it started off as local communities coming together to create parties where different types of artists (rappers, dancers, graffiti, deejays and others). It was to promote positivity, inclusion, knowledge, growth, exchange of ideas, etc etc and these parties were also in a way to keep the kids away from the streets/gangs. That’s hip hop.
Rap is just one element of it. The DJ element of hip hop was the bigger in the early days of hip hop. The rap side has grown so big now and in all different directions/styles/etc, the DJ side has also grown big now, not as big as the rap side. The DJ element of hip hop has had a massive impact on the music world. That’s not to be ignored.
Also the other element of hip hop – visual art/graffiti also has had a massive impact on the fashion/design / clothing world.
Then, take the 4th element of hip hop – dancing/breaking, which has also had a massive impact on the world – just look at all the talent shows/ events/videos etc all about dancing ( all influenced by hip-hop)
So that’s the difference between hip hop and rap. The younger people may not know the difference as the two terms have been wrongly used interchangeably.
Plus stic from dead prez explains it better than me.
So you basically making my point. The culture sucks now All of the elements that made the culture great back then is not the same now. The culture now is why artists rather have a certain image instead of putting together great music.
Facts.
Get ready for the “old head” comments.
If u don’t like it…find a new trick
I think you misunderstood my statement. I support his stance on the current state of Hip Hop. I was just preparing everybody for the “old head” comments.
This isn’t the old heads’ soapbox. This shit is true. I realize some of you like to joke. I do too, sometimes, but let’s get the message str8, this shit has to stop somewhere. Well, maybe it doesn’t, but YOU, my friend, are the fool to not want it to stop.
Straight facts…like it or not. Some of you can stay ignorant.
REALEST SHIT ANYONE HAS SAID IN HIP HOP SIMCE PAC DIED!!!!!!!
Amen brother, I’ve been a fan of Hip-Hop for about 30 years and it’s never been anywhere near as hateful and negative as it is now!! How many of these artists have to die out here before something changes?? Shit has really been testing my fandom and loyalty to the culture for the last few years!! #RIP-SMOKE
YEah I read this website but I rarely listen to this garbage. 95% sports talk radio
Welp, someone had to say it. Quick question (for those who consider themselves to be Hip-Hop Heads). (From its creation, to now) How long would you say that the genre was about positivity, before songs about violence (from the perspective of a participate), drugs, sex came into play?
The decade of 2000, was the decade that, The D Boy, took over HIP HOP. The 2010’s was the year , The Ratchett FUCKERY Came in…
it doesnt matter…its self expression…and other genres of music talk about the same stuff…how come Hip Hop has to maintain a higher standard?
False equivalence. The fact is that stic is correct.
Straight Outta Compton was released in 1988
I need a Workout 2 album
NYC told people once too many white people and shitty downsouth artist star making music hip hop will lose its soul no one listened.
That’s the dumbest shot I’ve ever heard
No it’s not…you’ve heard this shit many times before, anything negative in the black community has a connection to the fault of white people somehow. It’s just the mentality that’s been instilled, and most ignore it now unless they need a vote of some sort.
Yeah, black people create the music, but it’s white people’s fault… fkn dog.
everyone wonna be a hood star everyone wonna be a rock star every body wonna be a gangsta everybody wonna be a shooter everyone wonna be a drug dealer everyone wonna pop pills everybody wonna be like somebody everybody wonna claim bullshit that they dont own, lats look at life its self every one copies somebody everybody say the same shit in different ways some ppl is wonnabe’s in this generation there is no real niggaz the real loyal niggas is dead and or locked up the fact is prez is right hip-hop is dead the so called rappers is just that so called rappers rappers now days are a joke facts rappers now days are the joke after the punch line im happy to say when i was growing up i had real music, i had a selections of music rap, hip-hop rnb real rnb that sold i love 90’s real rnb thats all i listen to know and 90’s hip-hop hell im a huge fan of master p and eminem lil wayne and late great 2pac that makes ppl think like the song brenda like master p is there a heaven for a gangsta lil wayne i miss my dawgs so i dont give a fuck what fuc nigga gotta say if u a fan of hip-hop and so called this generation of rap then u understand prez
Shitting on the all rappers is not constructive but feel free to comment.
PREACH!!! I’m sorry but the fans are the ones who need to change. This is the music business at the end of the day, they gonna sell us whatever they see working. And without a doubt, the world loves to see our destruction…
count me in on being one of the ol heads… and Hip-Hop hasn’t been part of today’s Rap for years. Bumpy Knuckles said a long time ago that as a Hip Hopper you will include the four elements of the culture into everything you do. Very few artists do this, thus the fall of what we all know (& loved) about Hip-Hop.
Peace goes out.
I been into this since the 80s and can say I am a bit more open minded than others when it comes to the music but personally I like the DPZ, Roots, Common, Tribe, Brand Nubian, Public Enemy, BDP, Paris and Movement Ex but thats what I like and I realize that some just like the more commercial ignorant stuff. I like the political, anti-establishment type rap and I don’t force it upon others but I realize some might like stupid stuff; I mean back in the day we had NWA, AMG, Geto Boys and 2 Live who were ghetto as hell and make the guys doing it today look like pussies. Even in the 70s you had one of the Last Poets do Hustlers Convention, a record about a pimp. So its always been out there, so all those who say “back in the day we were Saints” Im like, oh really? When?
It not the Lyrics, its the fact that every rapper is nearly a carbon copy of the next.
Same look, same types of film clip, same flow, same Balenciaga sweater, same content, same catch phrases or words “Get the Bag, secure the bag, Young King, Drip, Swag, prevail,Extendos, Extra Clips, Choppers,Drako, ‘No cap, Hold this L’ You dont want smoke, Clout, Clout Chase, All this ice, shining like Diamonds, Yayo, Arm and Hammer, Trap, Trap House,
Is he already being attacked by the CNN social media outrage mob for his comments? He is obviously a Trump supporter attacking the black community and hurting their feelings. He might speak the truth but that doesn’t matter. Only our feelings.
I don’t think you can really blame rappers anymore. If you have fans with low standards and an attention deficit then unfortunately you’re going to have rappers spitting ABC rhymes. It’s the fans that have decided that passion and skill is out of fashion.
Nah B… you can blame the rappers! Like homie said, “it’s a choice!”
And ppl wonder why im still bumping the old hiphop more than the new..i like some of the new stuff but i cant listen to that materialistic shootem up shit over and over everyday
It was plenty of shoot em up in the 90’s, but I admit it was more balanced on a popular level.
the people with heart compete and dont build, the people with agendas stay unified and make moves spreading poison. colonized minds
Hip-hop today has become a joke.
It’s not about the music anymore
There’s no appreciation of hip-hop anymore
Everyone wants to be negative
And ignorant.
The culture of hip-hop is full of negative people
And it’s dead.