As defined by Allmusic.com, Alternative Hip-Hop is, "Hip-Hop groups that refuse to conform to any of the traditional stereotypes of rap, such as gangsta, bass, hardcore, and party rap. Instead, they blur genres - drawing equally from funk and rock, as well as jazz, soul, reggae, and even folk". Ain't that quaint? I'm not writing this to give some long lecture about the history of underground hip-hop (not this time anyway) but just to point out a trend I've happily noticed and quite enjoy. I think it's official, alternative hip-hop has officially taken over hardcore/gangsta rap as the culture's sound of choice; and IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME!!!
Look, I'm 5'8, skinny and grew up in the suburbs of Bergen County, New Jersey. While I may have worn sagging baggy jeans, Tim's, oversized jerseys and (to this day still) rock ALL my hats with a slight lean, there hasn't been a hardcore or gangsta bone in my body. I'm a smooth brotha, a bit of an artistic nerd so to speak, but still a proud member of the Hip-Hop Culture. For far too long has my love for 50's blues, 60's soul, & 70's classic rock, 80's hair metal and pop, and 90's alt. rock been viewed as laughable and corny in comparison to just listening to the mainstream hip-hop of the past two decades. I mean is it wrong to to know all the words to "Juicy" and "Elanor Rigby"? Can I not get looked at like I suffer from multiple personality disorder when my iPod shuffles from DMX to DMB? That's all I'm lookin' for.
I'm not saying that "self-snitching" (yep, that's what I call drug/gangsta rap now - think about it) doesn't still sell in the hundreds of thousands (rarely does anything sell in the millions anymore, thanks Steve Jobs!). We still have guys like Jeezy and the Bawss Ricky Rawss, but the number of outlandish iced out chains (for those out of the loop "iced out" = lots of diamonds, welcome to the loop), and jeans 8 sizes too big are slowly giving way more and more to fitted jeans and brightly colored shirts, jackets and sneakers made by designers from Japan we won't hear about for another 5 years. But more importantly than alternative hip-hop taking over the look of the mainstream, it's taking over the sound as well.
Artists like N.E.R.D, Kid Cudi, Lupe Fiasco, B.o.B. and Kanye fuse elements of funk, jazz, rock and classic soul into their music, picking up the torch and moving forward from where their predecessors such as De La Soul, The Pharcyde and A Tribe Called Quest had been walled in by major record labels and mainstream media. Breaking through the ceiling that once held their brand of the culture in the bassmeant {see what I did there ;)} with music critics, college kids and hip-hop's hippies. These new princes & princesses of rhyme are going far beyond using the standard issue kick and bass beats as the canvases for their musical masterpieces. Artists like The Knux fusing alternative metal or Wale blending in DC go-go music to create their signature sound show that hip-hop isn't meant to all sound like it came from one or two places. Even Dem Franchise Boys do their part (however small it may be) by bringing the ATL snap sound into the forefront.
But it's not just the new young pups that are running in this pack of progression. Alternative Hip-Hop O.G.'s (Out-Of-Loopers, Original Gangsters. Yes I know this may sound hypocritical in language but just go with it) are looking to re-make their mark in the movement. Common (formerly Common Sense) was just another struggling rapper from Chicago trying to show that lyricism and social conscience had a valid place in the "Straight Outta Compton" hip-hop America. Now he's got multi-platinum albums to his credit and stars in really bad romantic comedies with other hip-hop legends. The Roots, a guaranteed head on the Alt. Hip-Hop Mt. Rushmore, have gone from stringing moderately successful mainstream singles from album to album to now being the house band for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (don't count the host against'em, it's a hell of a gig). Hell even the "King of New York" Jay-Z keeps himself rel event by making himself more alternative. He creates a hip-hop concept album (American Gangster) a feat never thought possible in hip-hop, on last years "Blueprint 3" he stepped out of the conventional comfort zone to work with artists/producers like MGMT and Mr. Hudson, and in regards to his next release he's already come out and said:
"... it's not gonna be a #1 album. That's where I'm at right now. I wanna make the most experimental album I ever made."
We've even gotten our alternative little fingers in other genres with acts like LMFAO taking over electronica/dance with their Grammy nominated album "Party Rock" and of course the progressive culturally influenced hip-pop record from M.I.A. that gave us the hit "Paper Planes"
Just as the party rap of the genre's inception gave way to rhymes with a message by the likes Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five or Public Enemy, which gave way to gangsta rap of Tupac, the Circle Of Rhyme continues to spin. We have now reached a time where hip-hop is this new fresh blending of styles and sounds breaking away completely from what was; into what can be. So my non-gangsta brothers and sisters let us pick up our arms, or better yet Ghetto Blaster. Feel free to enjoy your Eminem and your Elvis Costello in peace and harmony. No longer shall we be nervous to create a party mix with Huey Lewis & The News, Grizzly Bear, and Method Man. Go forth and wear tight jeans (just not hipster tight, that shit still ain't cool), high top sneakers with color combinations that no one ever thought possible, hell even go get a high top fade with a couple parts in the side, apparently even those are coming back. OutKast's "Speakerboxx/The Love Below" being the best selling rap album EVER (11+ million copies) and Kanye's "Graduation" first week ass whoopin' of 50 Cent's "Curtis" have made one thing clear, OUR TIME HAS COME!!!
Peace Up, Peace Out
No comments:
Post a Comment