LMAO!

"BEEF"
At its best, it creates great music and influences new generations of rappers.  At its worse, it cost us the lives of two of Hip Hop's most influential figures.  I, of course am referring to the deaths of Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur.  What would it really mean to Hip Hop if they were still alive?
My answer is "EVERYTHING".  They knew the importance of selling records but they also knew the importance of remaining true to the art form.  I believe that Hip Hop would be reaching new heights as it is now but "within" the culture.  What I mean by that is that artists wouldn't have to stray from their sound to make catchy jingles for radio play.  They were almost like unofficial referees since they set the bar and never hesitated to speak their minds politically or musically.  They both had a passion for keeping Hip Hop "underground" and "raw".  They both truly loved Hip Hop as opposed to nowadays where some rappers(i.e Waka Flocka) are bluntly admitting that they can't rap and are after a paycheck.  I'm not against anybody feeding their families but I wish that the passion was still there.  With these two still alive, I have no doubt that these values would still be upheld.  RIP
ps- Biggie is the greatest rapper of all time making him the better rapper between the two...WORD!
LOL

The art of tattooing is a ever popular trend in Hip Hop culture today.  It seems as if nothing is off limits as some are tattooing their faces as well.  Full sleeves and torsos are now common.  Ink in Hip Hop has its roots in the nineties as some starting expressing themselves through the art representing their allegiance, making political statements as well as personal ones.  Here are some of Hip Hop's best pieces then and now.

                                           The Hate U Give Little Infants F$%^ Everybody

                                                                       Life/Death

                                        RIP on one arm. His daughter on the other. Life/Death

                                                                               

                                                                             

                                                                             

                                                                                 
                                Just some examples....male or female, tattoos don't discriminate.
                             
                                http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xji73r_mm-on-nyink_webcam
                   check this vid out...The Wu Tang Clan has a very diverse and dedicated group of fans.

Hope you guys enjoyed my last post because this will follow up!  Many are probably thinking "having these chains seem dangerous if there are people after them, so why risk it?"  The answer lies in how they see things socially.  You have to understand the urban landscape where many are not fortunate enough to have the finer things in life.  This results in many doing whatever to get the finer things and whatever to keep the finer things when they do achieve it.  These chains are representations of the finer things.  As a result these chains are seen as a sign of respect, losing yours equals losing your respect. 

With that said I enjoy the older, more old school chains because they were more than just chains.  With many people wearing African/Egyptian-inspired jewelry, it was more of a statement reminiscent of the black Kings and Queens draped in gold of our ancestry, at least to me. Nubian and black pride in Hip Hop was increasing.  Ironically, when that era of Hip Hop came into full spring, gaudy chains were replaced with red, black and green medallions....for now though back to the gaudiness lol

nefertiti ring

RIP 2PAC

To follow up on my last posts, one constant in Hip Hop has been the chains.  From chains, to "ice", to "bling", the names may have changed but the flashiness, size and amount of chains worn have not.  Jewelry remains important to the culture as it is viewed as a sign of stature, wealth and respect, things that many are willing to do anything to protect.  Respect because since the beginning of Hip Hop, as long as jewelry has been involved, there has been people trying to take that jewelry.  Being able to keep yours was and is still very important, for better or worse.  Here are some old school jewelry

Above is rapper with rapper Run is Slick Rick, a rapper known for his jewelry, even back then. like...

  

They can go from gold to platinum and back but the opulence remains the same.

One focal point of Hip Hop is fashion.  It has evolved a lot over the years.  The early days of Hip Hop saw rappers dressing more like rock stars in flashy costumes.

Over the years, that changed as Hip Hop started portraying more of their real identities.  The first real fashion icons in Hip Hop were Queens rappers LL Cool J and Run DMC.

Ll cool J, known for his Kangol hats and Run DMC for their allegiance to Adidas brought more of a street style to the culture.  This was pivotal as both iconic groups/rappers were reaching milestones as far as Hip Hop being more accepted.  They brought those styles to America's living rooms.  Hip Hop saw a break away in costumes for a more realistic look.

Today is the anniversary of Malcolm X's death.  This is a person I feel that is less spoken of because his views were more radical.  He called for action and I feel that he was more than within his rights to do so.  Extreme situations call for extreme action.  The old adage goes violence only begets more violence and it wasn't fair that up to that point, African Americans were the only ones on the receiving end.  It was a time to stand up.  Many didn't like him because they didn't like what he said but it was the truth.
HIP HOP is action.  HIP HOP is the truth.   If it sounds vulgar or wrong, it is because they are telling the truth in its rawest form, and the truth is usually ugly.  Hence Hip Hop cliches like "keeping it real".  It all depends on how you use that info.  It is no coincidence that Hip Hop has been used for social commentary, here are some good examples:

I was reading in class not to long ago an article by Neil Postman on the effects of technology.  It seems that technology is doing our thinking for us these days.  There are so many sources to get information that people seem to go for the trivial now.  This got me thinking about Hip Hop.  The internet becoming more powerful gave everyone that even thought they could rap a platform.  Is that the reason Hip Hop went from

to

....just a thought.

If you didn't understand the last post and what I meant by the video, allow me to explain.  Hip Hop is about making "a negative to a positive".  It is about portraying your experiences and your surroundings as vividly as possible.  Many people's surroundings and experiences involved in Hip Hop aren't always positive so the music reflects that.  It's a candid look at the forgotten in society and it came from the underground. 

In the immortal words of Biggie Smalls "I went from negative to positive and it's aaaaaall good".  Before I leave let me leave you with another video.  This one is a oldie but a goodie and further explains my point.

As a kid growing up listening to Hip Hop at a time where every song wasn't as radio friendly with its melodies and r&b overtones, I've heard many critize Hip Hop.  Whether good or bad, one thing that is certain is that everyone has their own opininons.  The problem is that often times, these opinions are biased and based on a few key points rather than the bigger picture.  The question remains, what is HIP HOP?....I'm one that always thought that if you needed to know what Hip Hop is you needed to listen to this song which I deem the number #1 song in Hip Hop ever!

First and foremost, allow me to introduce myself, my name is Andy Maxis.  This blog will be about what else but the controversial style of music that has still captivated millions.  The good, the bad and the ugly have all been portrayed in this genre.  The good, the bad and the ugly will be discussed here.  From fashion, to tattoos, to its social commentary, this blog is about HIP HOP...at least as I see it.