• » Name: Andres
• » Location: Cali
• » Member Since: 04/18/07
• » Bio: Through Hip-Hop, this writer learned to build and guide the future. Through DX, this writer hopes you can do the same.
• » Contact Me:
• » Syndicate: RSS

• » Skills
• » Respect the Technique
• » Not Again!
• » Oh, There They Are!
• » Crooked. Royce. Joell & Joe

• » HipHopDX.com
• » 2dopeboyz.com

• » Gear
• » Hip Hop News
• » Money Money Money
• » Politics

The Hip-Hop Nerd Speaks!

Does Scarface Suck?

"You ain't live it. You witnessed it from your folks' pad. Scribbled in your notepad and created your life."-S. Carter

Scarface was wack? Crazy, right? But in today's rap world, there would definitely be mad people saying that. There'd be a cry for the facts. Who is Oliver Stone? Was he a drug dealer? Does he have street cred? What does he know? Matter fact, who's Ben Hecht and who's Howard Hawks? While those seem like absurd questions, the same questions are asked of other kinds of writers: rappers.

Reality is seen as a major component in a rap career. If it ain't real, it ain't worth it. That seems to be the way the tables are rollin' nowadays. After this Rick Ross fiasco, everybody was quick to point out that dude was not real as if that's all that mattered. Now, I agree that lying about your past is enough to make heads shake, but is it wrong to spit rhymes that you didn't actually live if artistry is displayed and no claims of factuality are made?

Nas is arguably one of the greatest emcees ever. He wasn't some crazy kingpin druglord running Queens. Sure, he's rhymed about some insane stuff including the shoot outs, the drug game and made a theme for thieves. Jay accused Mr. Jones of watching the tales unfold from his folk's pad. That project window. But was it wrong of Nas to, let's say, not partake in the pitfalls of street life to document and create his artistic interpretation of the ills in The Bridge? Afterall, he's created some of the most profound rhymes in the history of the genre and some of the most creative and influential records the mainstream game has seen. I don't know Nasir like that, but if he did just write in the book of rhymes about what he saw, and not actually what he did, is it that bad? So what if "Undying Love" never happened-It doesn't make it any less ill. And if Ike with the Iverson jersey did not exist, would it change the symbolic usage of him in the songs? I don't care if he never drove while inebriated, "Drunk by Myself" is still a dope song. The artistry of it all means something important.

Now, I'm not saying reality doesn't play a role. "Dance" and "One Love" for instance, are just two examples of Nas digging into his own life for inspiration. Those songs, based on true events, allow for a deeper understanding of the artist, his life and his pain. True personal introspective connections are vital to the genre and the lyrical excellence within it. Don't get it mangled. Reality matters, too. But it shouldn't be the end all be all that many kids think it is. Kids think that if you didn't actually kill a man, you have no right to rap, which is sort of killing the game right now. Not only is being real in, it's being real crazy that's in. (On a sidenote, I can't stand when rappers work too hard to prove they are telling the truth. "Nah, I'm real." Saying that is about as real as a politician saying he/she don't lie. Go home with that.)

But, Nas isn't alone in this. See, I don't care if Sasha Thumper never actually stared at the stars above. I don't care if Face never sat alone in a four cornered room staring at candles, or if LL actually sometimes sat and stared at the walls, while his conscience called. I care less if Jay's parental unit got it on under an actual Sycamore Tree or if BIG actually handled a ball player's girl. None of that (in terms of whether they actually happened or not) means anything to me. But, they all made for some good music. Art.

In the end, that's what should matter most. Not who got the fattest vests or the illest gats. Not who got the nicest change or the dopest Range. Too much is made of that. Perfect rhymes. Perfect beats. Make the cipher complete.

Peace.   

Comments             

Your Name: (Required)
Friends Email Addresses: (Comma Seperated)
Message:
Verification Code:

Loading Comments…

Name:(Required)

E-mail Address: (Required but won't be displayed)

Your Comment:

Enter verification code:
Note: Registered members are not required to verify posts. Click Here to register. Some BBcode and HTML may be stripped.