Hip hop 2006
(There is no way to develop a review of the hip hop genre in 2006 without acknowledging the return to home of J-Dilla. Rest in Peace sir, we will never forget.)
The question surrounding hip hop at the close of the year concerns its supposed death. Was hip hop actually dead in 2006? Or did it resurge?
On one hand, values such as tremendous materialism, sexual exploitation, and exaggerated machismo continued to dominate radio and video airplay. The stated values were expressed through unoriginal, asinine lyrical displays and combined with up-tempo, radio friendly tracks in an attempt to gain as much commercial success as possible. There was no profound resurgence of originality, lyrical expertise, or social critique.
On the other hand, 2006’s hip hop output was somewhat substantial. Considering the releases of Fishscale, Game Theory, Impossible Mission, The Shining, Hip Hop is Dead, Chrome Children and More Fish, ’06 was arguably the most prosperous year in hop’s recent past. We definitely didn’t see enough real hop music to balance the output of subpar rap music, but the previously mentioned albums did provide enough sonic pleasure to make the year tolerable.
The truth is: hip hop was alive in 2006, but dying nonetheless. The notion of hop resurging is somewhat misleading. Indeed, ’06 produced lyrical and musical gems. But a closer examination will show that each was a creation by an artist or by artists whom are established, and have been established since the 90’s.
The death of hip-hop is imminent because there aren’t and have not been any new acts creating hip hop music. 2006 did not produce an artist who was at once original, properly marketed, lyrically or musically gifted, and debuting (save for Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor). Hip hop did not die at the end of the 1980’s and early 1990’s due to the development of the “new school.” Nas was released. Wu-Tang was created. Redman debuted. Hieroglyphics and the Alkaholiks were introduced. Outkast emerged. Native Tongues flourished. The point is, new emcees and producers with original and creative rhyme and instrumentation styles were developed and marketed to the public. What we witnessed with hop in 2006 can be paralleled to a grown man who has no son. That man may achieve substantial amounts of success late in his years, but ultimately, his legacy will end when he dies because he has no son to carry it on.
Hip hop was not dead in 2006. Yes, the image of hop as “the minstrel show” was manifested throughout the year. But too many profound albums dropped during ‘06 for the music to be considered deceased. However until we see an emergence of a new, artistic school of hop artists, hip hop will remain on life support, and eventually flat-line.
The established acts that produced the 2006 gems will not be able to save the genre by producing albums. What hip hop needs is for these established acts to take on a more executive role in determining what is promoted for the public’s consumption. They need to not only operate on the mic/boards, but also from behind the desk. A concerted effort must be forged to find new talent. These same established acts must demand that the new artists be original and actually talented, not just the beneficiary of extensive marketing schemes. Lastly, the proper marketing must be given to these “newer school” emcees and producers to ensure that they are successful and the messages of true hip hop are maintained. Peace.
