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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.
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