Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Despite the fact I laid down some hot shit Friday night, I'm finding that when it comes to your lyricism as an emcee nowadays you're basically Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don't.

So many words are spilled about stagnation in lyrics these days...whether mainstream or underground. Rapping about thuggin', rims, money and girls will have you labeled as "ringtone rap", and if you're underground pretty much everyone who actively participates in this culture has heard every punchline, and seen so many "wack emcees get slayed" it's become hard to make anyone care.

Say you go the opposite route, and eschew speaking on the popular topics of hip-hop in either:

a) an earnest attempt to do something different

or

b) being weird for the sake of being weird (i.e. hipsters)

then stuffy heads are gonna say "Nah son, that's not hip-hop." So if I wanna make an asinine fucking song about Orange Juice, I'm violating some sort of unwritten rule of Hip-Hop? Whereas if I came out rhyming about battle rapping, or wack emcees or staying true to hip-hop...I would be "not breaking new ground."

(Speaking of which, if Hip-Hop is gonna have some standard code of ethics in which we're expected to abide by, why is there no Bible, Qur'an, Torah, etc. to spell it out clearly for us? Because heads will ever be able to get on the same page...just like organized religion!)

I don't really care if you're "mainstream" or "underground", if you're "simple" or "deep" with your lyrics, I just wanna hear some well-executed music. I don't want the same thing all the time (my mood changes almost hourly) so I really feel there is room for everybody who's dope. THAT should be the standard...Dope or Wack. I can enjoy Master P with the same ears I enjoy Madlib.

Frankly, I don't even know what the fuck is or isn't hip-hop anymore...and I find myself caring less and less. I'm gonna make the music I'm gonna make. I personally feel it IS hip-hop. If you feel the same, come on board; I'll bust my ass to entertain and educate you cause I appreciate the hell out of you. If my brand of music isn't your cup of tea...keep this blog as our free gift to you.

Just quit sniping back-and-forth about "This is hip-hop" or "This ain't hip-hop"...Hip-Hop will not loan you $10 when you're broke, or come to your funeral...so who ultimately really gives a shit? Get off your ass and MAKE some music that you enjoy, and let your fans decide if they like it or not.

If you'll excuse me, I need to do just that.