Smartphones have literally taken over the world. Everyone has one, everyone wants one. Hip hop has moved from the record store to the web on your smartphone. Having moved from the basement to corporate society, Hip hop is quickly 'moving with the times'. Dance music has been blended with Hip hop, so much that famous diamond status artists have taken the genre to new heights. Now, for an authentic Hip hop loving fan like me, this new age sound can get a bit annoying. What happening to the art of Hip hop? Is it really all about the bling, explicit lyrics and clubbing? I honestly enjoy classic Rap joints that allow b-boys and b-girls to hit the floor and boogie down. So, it is time for Hip hop to get back to its essence; being an entity of its own. We do not need to ride on the wave of electro or house for us to keep growing.
Solution? I say genuine hip hop lovers should create an even greater community online. There must be an unofficial Hip Hop appreciation day where artists and fans alike network and celebrate diversity through music. Unsigned artists need to collaborate i.e African Hip hop artists collab with American, European and Asian Hip hop artists. Through intergration, Hip hop shall remain in the hands of talent-driven musicians with the tenacity to propel it further than what it has reached in recent times. Dance music is a genre on its own. Rather collab and call it Dance, than Hip hop. Ressurect Hip Hop to its glory. Let the beat live on within us. Oneness