Good lyrics that tell a story, awesome beats to back up the track and a beautiful angle. Most songs strive to send a message across to their audience, but like in every art sphere there is an amount of division somehow. But where does this division take place in the hip hop industry? It all boils down to commercial versus underground.
Some people prefer to listen to underground hip hop because they feel as though it is more raw, cuts through the throat and rather quite real. It is not all about the glitz and glam but rather about that raw element from the beats to the artists who tell real stories about life using hip hop.
Then of course there are people who prefer the commercial side of things. Just dancing along to the song with catchy rhymes and not having to think too hard about what the lyrics have to say, as long as it sounds good.
Has hip hop turned into an element of having to dumb it down when it comes to content just to make more money? We have artists like 2Chainz who started out with the underground element back then, moving to the commercial world and making tons more money.
So what happens to the underground cats? Do they end up having to evolve and switch over just to get recognition? Truth is when it comes to hip hop it is all about variety. Although an element of unity is needed in the hip hop game, it shouldn’t be about having underground having to compete with commercial.
Both artistes from those different sides should tell a different story that will send a positive influence. Collaborating and bringing both two different versions into one element. Not only will it bring that togetherness in the game it will also produce a fresh new flavor which is always needed.
Yes hip hop artists have to pay the bills too, but when you make music it should take passion as well it is not always about asking where is the money at? But instead what story can we offer to the fans?
Keep your eyes peeled for the Feb/Mar issue of HYPE where we dissect this much further in our most conceptual issue ever! One for the history books.
By: Nomsa Motale