Melle Mel says he appreciates Macklemore including him and fellow Rap pioneers Grandmaster Caz and Kool Moe Dee in the video for “Downtown,” which has received criticism.
“He’s a good dude,” Melle Mel says to XXL. “He’s a real dude and he’s a friend to Hip Hop.”
The former Sugar Hill Records emcee says that Macklemore was the only rapper to reach out to the legends.
“I know for a fact that J. Cole or Kendrick Lamar or Rick Ross or Jay Z or any of these cats, they would not have done it, ever,” Melle Mel says. “They would not have done it. It took him to do it. And all those other so-called ‘real cats,’ they should hang their heads because somebody should have done it by now. They could have reached back to any of us. If you’re making records and you say you’re Hip Hop, you’re supposed to have a connection to what Hip Hop really is. And nobody made that connection until Macklemore made the connection. And I’ve had this conversation quite a few times since everything happened and had that little controversy of, yeah, the White boy, using the OGs, or blah blah blah. And like I said, none of those other guys would have ever done it. And it’s a shame that that’s the reality of what the game is right now.”
Last week, Kool Moe Dee detailed the collaboration to HipHopDX and said that Macklemore reached out to Big Daddy Kane to get the rappers together. Kool Moe Dee said Macklemore anticipated the backlash for the track.
“I think it was just a masterful, smart kind of move,” Kool Moe Dee says. “He knew he was going to get some kind of flack from it. In his mind, there’s always going to be haters no matter what. There will be a segment of the population that will just be happy to just see us and say that was a good look and a good move. Then there would be people that would even look at us as sell-outs or him as reaching. They’re going to put their spin on it. What they do. He was very, very cognizant of what was happening. Once we had that conversation, I’m like, ‘I’m with it.’ We talked for two hours before they even played the beat. That’s how serious they are about making sure that we knew what we were talking about or what we were doing.”
For additional Macklemore coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
WaaaaWaaaa waaaaa
Fuck you loser
Black rappers hang ur fuckin heads in shame you greedy selfish bastards
PLEASE FUCK OFF CORNY SUBURBAN CUNT . Thanks caps off
ok old nigga. if a new rapper wants to pay homage, fine. but dont expect hand outs. Jay Z came up in the 90s, he dont owe you niggas shit. None of the other guys do either. Nobody wants to hear you 60 year old niggas rap no how.
The old pioneers are being bamboozled*old asses can’t peep game*it was a very smart strategic move on mackelmore’s part to bring the old heads on board*hip hop came down on him after no fault of his own when he won the grammy over k.dot*so how do you get back in good grace*fill in the blanks*one damn song & now he’s a better rep for rap then j.Cole/lamar*FOH*
Um, Saigon and Big Daddy Kane? Nas and all of them on Where Are They Now remix? Read before you speak.
what is this dude talking about? These dudes can reach out to whomever they want to reach out to! It’s their art! Much love to the forefathers and old school but I hate to see when they jump on the new school as if the new school owes them something. The new school owes nothing but to pay homage. and that doesn’t mean with features.
The new school owes those that came before them RESPECT. Paying homage is just one form of respect.
Didn’t Kendrick have Mc eight on his label debut? didn’t kendrick put george clinton and ron isley on his last album?
Exactly what i was going to say. Not to mention he always makes references to legends in his verses. Mel just being salty feeling like he’s entitled to shit. I got respect for the old school but not the ones who say shit like this. What do these dudes expect? Everytime a new rapper makes it big they supposed to do a song with them? fuck outta here.
If Pac was alive all these rappers would be eating. He planned on signing Big Daddy Kane n a lot of these NY n putting dough in their pockets
LIES!!!
I appreciate Hov above every other that have touch the mic except BIG but he have stayed clear from every other rapper except he want to make records and after that his done with them. i don’t blame Hov because a lot of the so called hip hop heads criticized Jay when he was spitting those real shit and not saying guns and all or have guns or blood on the front cover of his album. and to spite him, they all said nas won the beef knowing fully well Hov won. so with that he stayed away from them and did his thing and look at where he is today but he need to put all of it behind and connect with the OGees. thanks
Nas won that “beef” fair and square. And not because of the reason you said. Nas was the underdog who was the sleeping giant. Plain and simple. Jay thought because of his status, money, fame, celebrity, connections, he couldn’t fail or be wrong at something. Classic case of the bigger they are the harder they fall. Jay got humbled as man, and y’all got to stop being sour that he had to eat that humble pie. Nas showed him that Hip Hop isn’t about your bragging rights. It’s not about the money, fame, women or celebrity.
@TRayne u’re a girl right? so stay that way oochi wally wally. but before u do, let me help u out, this is what you will do. listen to music and don’t skip through it when u have done that come back here n don’t say a word because in hiphop girls are what they call them go ask miss Rosie Perez
I have to agree with the greats when they say Jay, Kendrick, J. Cole etc wouldn’t probably do a track with some of the originators and that is pathetic. It’s a slap in the face to those who opened the door for their voice to be heard. Without trying to make it a race thing because I don’t give a fuck about someone’s skin color when it comes to music. However why does it seem like the white boys are holding it down even better then their larger counter parts? Do they have it right? Too many white MCs to name but so many of them do the mic justice and it’s odd cause it should be the other way around, since Hip Hop is predominantly a black art-form.
You sound retarded as fuck.
Seek help.
We have a white infiltrator pretending to be black. “So many of them do the mic justice” BAH! Name one besides Eminem? Macklemore? Are you for real, he’s TRAAAAASH! Sit down white boy.
Unfortunately, Melle Mel is 100% right. Us black folks are the only ones who dismiss, disrespect, cast off, throw away, and make fun our pioneers and icons. Until they die, then my people want to act like they care. And that’s the only time my people all of sudden want to acknowledge and highlight the “founders” and fore fathers of Hip Hop. There would be no Jay Z’s, 50 Cent’s ect….without these guys. Had the Afrika Bambadda’s, Sugar Hill Recs ect… not did what they did for the genre, these “rappers” now would not be the business and money men they are now. They sample these dudes music. They benefit and profit off of the work, foundation, blood/sweat/tears and mistakes these guys did, so their ignorant dumbed down behinds could be more successful and make better decisions than they did. And yet, we decide to disrespect and disregard them like they’re nothing. And then wonder why Hip Hop/R&B and black music as a whole fell off the way it did. Ironically I’m a woman and I know more about what’s real in this ish than the so called men who are suppose to be real Hip Hop. And these record companies think feeding me someone like Drake or Fetty Wop is enticing and alluring/attractive to me. Not at all. They’re so corny and clownish it’s not even funny anymore, it’s sad. Heck, WTF is a Fetty Wop? Huh? This isn’t about being old and bitter, cause we all get old. Just like we’re all gonna die one day. We age every darn year. Nobody stays 18, 21, 25 forever. This is about preserving our legacies and the flat out disrespect of what came before us, just because we’re hot right now. What’s funny is, half of these new breed rappers can’t even stay around one year. They’re cold less than 6 months and nobody even remembers what song they released 24 hrs ago. And all they have to offer is social media hype (cause nobody cares about their music or what they have to say, other wise their albums would be selling right now). But the old school is mad and bitter. What happened to us and our culture?
Allow me to rap a little sumthin sumthin: what can i say / niggas is gay
I think you’re being a little dramatic here. Besides a few platitudes, and pointing out some rappers you don’t care for (don’t necessarily disagree with you on all of that), I think you’re painting a very bleak picture of hip hop that’s doesn’t comport with reality. Like I said, what Macklemore did was nice, but it was a cameo. And btw, I don’t recall the pioneers of hip hop praising James Brown every second they got, if at all. Everyone just needs to get off their high horse.
let it go……Hov the same one that gave Big Daddy a set to do in the Barclays
Big Daddy Kane was the one that put HOV on. So he owed him.
Drake respects the legends, that’s why he’s done songs like “Show me a Good Time” where he shouts out JDilla and ATCQ, and “Wu-Tang Forever”. Brings Outkast and Diddy to OVOfest. Has Raekwon perform at his album release party. Sponsers battle rap tourneys. Kendrick and Cole should be ashamed of themselves.
Nobody believes you, fangirl.
LOL wu tang forever? Bruh he was fucking singing a love ballad on the shit, that wasn’t paying homage that was butchering a classic title…
Also drake does that because he lacks respect in the game just like macklemoore shits corny tbh
Is this some sort of joke? How Mel gonna say some stupid shit like this…. Let me speak on Kendrick because i follow his career very closely. The dude constantly pays homage to the greats. Mc Eight, Dj Quick, Dre, Nas, Biggie, Pac, Ron Isley, clinton, Kurupt, Big Daddy Kane and the list goes on. What do you expect? Every new successful rapper to put you on a song just because you were around the early days of the music? You ain’t entitled to shit, be thankful that someone reached out. Not a good look. You just look bitter and jaded.
I wonder how much wackomole paid this man to say this shit.
aint none of these old ass god fathers of hiphop niggaz made moves like jay 50 diddy dre em sit yall old ass down dont nobody owe yall shit and futher more jay always paid homage to the greats kendrick and j cole did to
You sound stupid. All these rappers stand on the shoulders of giants before them. Do some research before you talk shit.
Melle Mel I AINT NEVER HEARD OF YOUR NAME BOY. Dude. Theres a fine line between legend and old school. Your OLD School. Nobody owes you nothing. Your not Dre your not an Isley, your not Bill Clinton or James Brown get outta here, your nothing special. Just because you rapped in the 70s or 60s with your old ass doesnt make you a legend and your not entitled to shit. Stop adding names like Jay, Kendrick, Cole & Ross to fuel your fire just because they aint work with you doesnt mean they disrespect the Old School Rap. Your not Dr. Dre who can rap at 50 and made an Amazing Album far better than your ass’ lifework in Compton. Leave it be your nothing special thats why nobody is reaching out to. Why the hell are you pictured with the grammy behind you.
before you say im dickriding Dre Just know without him there’d be no N.W.A, Snoop Dogg, 50 cent and his crew, Eminem, The Game, Xzibit, D.O.C and Kendrick Lamar!!! His Impact is to the core of Hip Hop he’s a legend in my eyes.
Melle Mel has arguably the best verse in hiphop history on the message, but yeah he does sound like a bitter old man. Dre isn’t even a rapper and uses ghost writers so yeah, im guessing your really young.
If you’ve never heard his name, you shouldn’t comment.
Melle Mel is one of the architects of hip hop.
You’re super wrong about mel bro..do your research “the message” is a hiphop classic #youngdumblilniggas
Without songs like the message, there would be no mainstream hip hop as we know it today. Do your research #youngdumblilniggas.
What this old bat fails to realize is that a lot of these new rappers are waaaay younger and some of these rappers favorite rappers are ppl like Wayne. Maybe they dint all listen to you Melle Mel and maybe you didn’t inspire all these new people or even like u enough to have u on a track .
The disrespect shown towards these cats in the comments section is a jokem yes he sounds like an asshole dumb ass but don’t act like these ogs didn’t do shit for hip hop.
These oldies are what hip hop is all about,you can’t rule them out,it’ll be wicked,you guys think jay and em and all these cats made moves,fuck they all do shit so they can make money out of it,these oldies laid the foundation,they did it for the love,they did it when it wasn’t paying much,watch yo mouths kids or I’ll come cut it off you
That’s bullshit.. Em has stayed real. He’s rich as hell but he never sold out for money. His integrity to hip-hop is pure. He could be a huge movie star and mogul if he cared to be. Kendrick is the same. He’s about the art & culture. Jay sold out long time ago.. Nas stayed real.. Hip-hop in general sold out, but that’s cause black culture worships money over artistic expression every day of the week.. Respect should always be shown to the OGs of the game but let’s be real, they just salty they didn’t make any money. They’d sell that respect for $5 bill if they had the opportunity..
look at all the stans tryna defend against an honest statement.
Macklemore is pop too like the other 3.
Some of you weirdo corny ass clowns don’t know jack shit about Hip Hop you skinny jeans wearing suckas, Melle Mel is a pioneer how dare you disrespect this man….you are the same fuckers that think Lebron the greatest player of all time and Lil Wayne is an all time great, get off of social media, stop tweeting and go outside and politic with some old heads what none of you weirdos have fathers, uncles or older brothers…Kane, Rakim, G Rap, KRS, Master Ace etc would destroy these garbage ass rappers are you serious and I rock with J. Cole and K Dot they’re not on that level lyrically so shut the fuck up and pay respect!!!
A few things. Respect to the Pioneers but who told Mel to put Ken and Cole in this they pay the utmost..just a theory but #Whitewashiphop… No dispect love all yall Weirdos
Macklemore is gonna go down in history as one the G.O.A.T.
Let’s get one thing straight. DRAKE is a actor first.
Sounds like Macklemore is the newest slave master.
he’s bitter because non of the names he mentioned wants to do a track with’em.It ain’t a must they do a track with you so that they can connect to hiphop history.I mean you ain’t the only hiphop legend in the world.
First of all it’s good that Macklemore recognize the pioneers of hip hop but it was still done for recognition in the hip hop community and I mean I no disrespect when I say this but please don’t feel or think someone owe y’all anything because they don’t because you do something like that to show respect and to help y’all as the pioneers financially and can be beneficial to someone to say that group or rapper is real hip hop now because you don’t see people giving people respect for starting sports, TV or acting, singing because it’s when they have awards ceremony for accomplishments for what they have achieved in their career but that’s it so that’s why I nobody owe anyone anything now it good if you show that love but that’s merely it.
It’s not about owing anyone anything, and that’s not what Mel means with all due respect of course. It’s the blatant disrespect, dismissal, and throw away of the foundation that these guys laid down. But the new generation still benefits and profits from the sacrifices the OGs made. Yet the young ones now just buck and disrespect for no reason half the time (even when the old heads are not saying anything), just because they’re hot right now and making fast money with short lived attention. All without acknowledging what paved the way for them. You see the ignorance in this very comments section. Us black folks aren’t about preserving our legacies and keeping something for who we’re raising and bringing up now. It’s actually sad that the white boy knows and appreciate our history and foundation more than ourselves, while we continue to be the ignorant clown circus. That’s what Melle Mel is talking about. These young ones sample, borrow, and steal from these dudes music, spit over, remake and remix their ish all without researching, studying and acknowledging where it all came from. That’ the type of ish Melle Mel is talking about.
@TRayne when did this supposed disrespect occur from Hov, Cole or Kendrick? You sure you ain’t burning up off the gas? Come on, man. Respect is paid in many ways. And it was nice that Macklemore put them in a video. But unless I’m missing something. All he did was give em’ a cameo. A nice gesture, but let’s just relax here…
what a bullshit. just because his fame is gone, he can´t expect others to lift him up.
in other genres everybody would laugh about this. image metallica getting dissed for not working with the beatles or a edm dj gets critisised for not working with old cats like kraftwerk?
ridicolous!!
You’re an absolutely disgrace, and a retarded one. You clearly don’t know the difference between cultures. The hiphop culture is very unique and basicly founded on knowledge, and love for originators and the forefathers of this game! Saying these guys is washed up because you don’t hear them on the radio is ignorant. You clearly don’t know their history and what goes on behind the scenes.. These guys have been here all the way, it depends on what “media” you seek too.. And you sir, your source is only hiphopdx and that’s a damn shame for you.
Respect to Macklemore for doing this move, i don’t listen to his music, but i respect any friend of hiphop who shows love for the originators of this culture and music. Without Caz none of this shit would be here to day.. Without Kool Moe Dee and Melle Mel, it wouldn’t have envolped into the big thing it is today.
Love and respect for everybody! Jay-Z is a known culture vulture.. It’s sad to see a talented dude like him, not respect tge culture. Anyways, i won’t speak more of it, because i know the IQ of most people on here.. And it’s not worth it. Stick to your subculture of tight pants, techno beats and weak rhymes.. Peace y’all!
And for the record, you can’t compare Metallica and Beatles. Two very different genres, and also – Rock and Roll was created by the black man, so none of your references is relevant.
How exactly is Jay-Z a ‘culture vulture’? Because he got rich off Hip-Hop? If he was broke, but made the same music, would he not be a ‘culture vulture’? Boy, Jay-Z is 50. He’s one of the pioneers, he doesn’t have to prove anything. His track record speaks for itself. On top of that he’s a dope MC. Rich or poor, old or new, ANY MC will admit that Jay-Z is one of the all time greats. The only people that ever try to make an argument against Jay-Z are people that are mad about his money. It’s the truth. Jay-Z had handled his career and his success with class, and has been a respectable spokesman for Hip-Hop the whole time. He never makes a fool of himself or Hip-Hop. He wasn’t some pretty boy taking his shirt off to sell records, or tap dancing for some label that was jerking him, or trying to make pop records. Jay-Z paved his OWN path, with his funny looks and his squeaky voice and his unorthodox style, and STILL transcended every era of Hip-Hop, brought the old into the new and made the new respect the old. And here you are talkin’ shit about him when you should be glad that someone of his character is the ambassador of Hip-Hop. He doesn’t need to wear a shirt that says “I am Hip-Hop”. He just IS.
@Sensaye Sixkiller you’re the only person observing that’s hip-hop is all about that what who ever that is into it should embody. these fools on here just type out of contest and ignorantly tell how they don’t know shit. people should respect Hova because he respect him self and the game which should be it and i agree with you that Jay Z is the only true rapper/hiphop person doing it for what it is through his verses that these fools on here will never understand.
These naggers a bunch of house naggers for real.. Master Macklemore gonna crack the whip on they back if they ain’t gonna do what he wants
How does he know who Kendrick and cole have shouted out? Brought on tour or brought out at shows? Yes he is a legend I understand that, but really just because he’s not on they’re song or video doesn’t mean the respect isnt there. I know for a fact that k dot and j cole shouts out and give love to legends all the time….he shouldn’t be hurt because they didn’t say them personally.
HHDX is the only website where the editors are more absent minded and know less about hip hop than the fans, and the fans can disrespect hip hop royalty without real life reprocussions. Cowardice on steroids.
I believe Melle Mel was the first hiphop artist to call himself an MC I salute the brother but gotdamn this nigga sounds bitter lmao. Kendrick & J. Cole keep going in yall are two of the few real remaining MC’s left. You don’t have to jump on another man dick like Mack just give us the substance that we need!!
I just have one question. Why come these new niggas always have to pay homage? I believe they should but some of these old heads act like they can’t give props to the new MC’S and connect with the present.
FUCK MELLE MEL
I just have one question. I do believe the new MC’S should recognize the legends but why does it seem like so many pioneers can’t pay homage to the new MC’S and connect with the present?
bc music in the present is fuckin garbage
Jay-Z doesn’t reach back? Nigga, Jay-Z IS a pioneer. He’s damn there 50. Jay came up with Kane, Grandmaster Caz, Jaz-O and Clark Kent. He was doing songs with them in the 80’s. They’re his contemporaries, he doesn’t have to put them in a video or on a song to prove to mothafuckas that he’s “Hip-Hop”.
Jay-Z…don’t have to make songs with the old school artist, he pays homage in his songs like girls girls, the ruler …as for j .Cole & Kendrick they keeping that hip hop feel to the new , go bark up these no frills rap artists like drake , future,& 2 chains and all the rest of these wack mcs
Jay-Z this, Jay-Z that (Jay-Z won’t hold my hand no more)
Jay-Z this, Jay-Z that
Jay-Z that, Jay-Z this (Jay-Z won’t give me no money)
Get off Jay-Z dick
What y’all niggas get front page articles, y’all mention Jay-Z name
(This thing on?) Jay-Z, Jay-Z, in Jay-Z news
I understand what y’all trying to do.
…unleash the flutes on ’em Guru.
He clearly hasn’t heard to pimp a butterfly, motherfuckin tupac was on the last song.
Nas “where are they now”. This dude is losing his noodles.
yo, if u had a better lawyer/agent/contract interpreter back then you would be…………………u know the rest.
HAHA this dude is mad salty about not getting appearances from the new artist. Melle does not respect Macklmore as an MC, He did it cus he was mad the real MCs were not giving them love..whats even more crazy is they sold themselves to an artist that was just doing it to get attention.. smh Macklemore probably never own a Mell, or Grand album/songs before he got famous. hahahaha U just sold your soul to the devil… Kendrick big up his Legends.. Cube and Dre. those are West Coast Legends.. he also big up G.Clinton and Ron Isley.. had both of them on his Album .. so i dont know what the FUC Mel is talking about .. We from the West.. i grew up on NWA, ICE T, Arabian Prince, JJ Fad, cmon.. He should mad at all the East Coast MCs that did not do what Macklemore did. .. U sold your soul to the devil Melle just face Facts.. you are suppose to respect the Legends.. the ones that made the path for rest, you dont have to suck DICK like some people to get respect lmao smh sad bro
macknmore is better then half of the crap ass femcees out there…..
fuck melle mel, he may be a pioneer, but according to history, rappers came from the bottom, not the suburbs.
Get the fuck outta here melle mel j Cole and kendrick the only 1st who are real
I respect macklemore for acknowledging melle mel, kool moe dee and grand master caz.
Fuck what these other cats are saying.
OK NOW LETS GET IT STRAIGHT….nobody is saying that the newer artist have to reach back but obviously they feel they are the ultimate talent force that has ever graced the planet….YOU GOT TO BE FUCKING KIDDING ME…all I’m saying is that rap music is the only music that treats its elders this way….NEED SOME EXAMPLES DICK BRAINS: new rock artist adore groups like LED ZEPPELIN,THE ROLLING STONES,PINK FLOYD, THE GREATFUL DEAD..ETC ETC..NOW TAKE A LOOK AT R&B , Today’s singers would have loved to work with MARVIN GAYE, STEVIE WONDER , MINIE RIPPERTON, WHITNEY HOUSTON, LUTHER VANDROSS ETC ETC ETC…same with jazz artist today, would have loved to work with GROVER WASHINGTON JR , MONK, JOHN COLTRANE, ELLA , SARAH VAUGHAN ETC ETC ETC….BUT WHEN IT COMES TO YOU STUPID ASS DUMB ASS RAP ARTIST..THATS RIGHT I SAID IT RAP ARTIST, I WONT GIVE YOU THAT HONOR OF CALLI G YOU HIP HOP ARTIST, YOU DUMB MOTHERFUCKERS GET AMNESIA AND DONT EVEN REALIZE THELIVING TREASURESTHAT ARE STILL HERE TO WORK WITH!!!!!!!