Hip Hop is not only a great form of music, but a great form of competition. When that competition brings out the best in an artist, the fans benefit from the music they consume and an artist’s legacy can be cemented. This, in part, describes the career of Kool Moe Dee.

Recognized as one of the pioneers of hip hop, Moe Dee began his career with the Treacherous Three. He then split from the group and, after a bit of a hiatus to attend school (yes, he did get his degree), he began his solo career. After releasing a couple of singles, Kool Moe Dee hooked up with producer Teddy Riley. The single they released together, "Go See The Doctor", launched both of their careers into the mainstream and struck Moe Dee a deal with Jive Records in 1986.

Soon after the deal and around the time his next album, How Ya Like Me Now, was about to drop, Kool Moe Dee found himself in the middle of one of the most prolific rap battles to date. Perhaps sparking the feud by accusing LL Cool J of stealing his style - and of course the infamous album cover for How Ya Like Me Now in which LL's signature Kangol hat is being run over by the wheel of a Jeep - Moe Dee and LL went back and forth on wax. Some hits that came out of the battle include "Let's Go" and "Death Blow" by Kool Moe Dee and "Jack the Ripper" and "To The Break Of Dawn" by LL.

There doesn't seem to be any clear cut winner in the beef, but it's safe to say that regardless of what side you place Moe Dee, the highlights he provided during the battle helped elevate his status in hip hop. He also continued with his success when he became the first rapper to perform at the Grammy Awards in 1989. In addition, he played a major part in the Stop the Violence campaign, led by KRS-One and Quincy Jones' "Back On the Block" album.

To date, Moe Dee has dropped five albums, his last being Interlude back in 1994; since then, he has appeared in documentaries, movies, guest slots on MCS songs, and more. Anywhere he is, he always represents hip hop along the way. So, to Kool Moe Dee and all of the great hip hop moments he has provided, we say...Respect Due.

What are your thoughts on Kool Moe Dee? Do you remember when the LL beef first broke out? What's your favorite Moe Dee song? Leave all thoughts and comments below.

Peace.

Sources:
www.oldschoolhiphop.com/artists/emcees/koolmoedee.htm
www.allmusic.com/artist/kool-moe-dee-mn0000113300
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kool_Moe_Dee

There are some songs that are much more than just "good music." Nas' "Daughters" is one of those. This song represents the love of a father, the contradictions of sexual relations, dealing with personal flaws, and much more. And the fact that Nas chose this as a SINGLE is huge! In a mainstream market where only the songs with a catchy hook and beat will get attention, Nas wanted to put this on people's conscience. This is what hip hop is about and this song is one of the truest forms of reality from one of our greatest stars. I'm glad this got a visual and hopefully more songs like this come out of hip hop. Enjoy the video!

Peace.

Part of the reason that commercial success got the best of hip hop is because we weren't aware of how detrimental it could be. There was money coming from all angles, but little by little, the landscape started to change and many fans didn't like what hip hop was becoming. One place that I still see as very detrimental to hip hop, and those of us in the hip hop community, is radio commercials.

My iPod has been out of commission for a while now, so I've had to resort back to popping a CD in the deck, but every now and then if I'm just going a short distance and don't feel like searching through CDs, I'll just let the radio play. Now typically, I wouldn't allow this at all, but here in L.A., there is one station that does pretty well when it comes to the song rotation (93.5 KDAY). While there may be only a few questionable song choices, what really disturbs me are the commercials.

While I'm sure this isn't 100% true, it seems as if the only commercials that come on are from  bail bondsmen, companies trying to sell rims and fast food joints. The thing that most frustrates me about this is that these companies feel that hip hop listeners are their target market for the products they provide. Don't be fooled: these commercials aren't just played on every radio station or in every market. These are strategically placed slots to attract people they believe are most likely to purchase their products/services. I'm absolutely certain that Los Angeles isn't the only market this is occurring in.

The other thing that is annoying about these advertisements is that they're very poorly done. In pitching products/services that are detrimental (i.e. fast food) and/or a complete waste of money (i.e. fancy rims), the companies producing these ads don't even take the time to make a quality commercial! Instead, they have people attempting to use hip hop "lingo" or slang, put a terrible beat behind it, and then expect us to spend our money with them.

There are three other things that have yet to be mentioned in this: 1) the station's willingness to put these ads up, 2) the reason the advertisers feel hip hop stations are the place for their commercials, and 3) if listeners are actually buying. In regards to the radio stations running these ads, we can't really be surprised that they accept these advertisers. If these companies are the only ones that want to advertise, the station has to take them since that is the way the stations make their money. Not to mention that many don't care about the overall well being of their listeners - only that they maintain them.

There could be a number of reasons that the advertisers feel their commercials belong on these stations. Obviously the content in the music is one. Artists talking about all their illegal activity could make bail bondsmen feel that listeners of that music would need their services. Of course everybody is riding on 22+ inch rims, so of course people selling them are going to look to us as new customers. Things like that are definitely a possibility. There could also be a racial, economic class, and geographical rationale. If the organizations advertising have determined that people of a certain ethnicity, those that generate a certain income, or those that live in certain neighborhoods (all of which can obviously be intertwined) are the ones that buy their products, they're going to advertise where those people live. Whatever the reason, it's disheartening to know that they feel their money is best spent by targeting hip hop fans.

Finally, as with anything else, the listeners and fans have the most power. It's hard to determine if fans are actually buying all of these things that are being thrown at them, but if the same types of ads are constantly running, it's probably safe to say that they are. If they weren't, advertisers would see it as a waste of money to have the ads running. Amidst all the other things mentioned, it will take us, the listeners/consumers, to change our mentality and start spending our money in places that have a positive impact if anything will change.

What are your thoughts? Do you even listen to the radio? What types of commercials play on the station you listen to?  How detrimental are these commercials to hip hop? Leave your opinion below.

Peace.

The 20-year anniversary of the Rodney King beating recently passed and during the #hiphoped discussion on Twitter (Tuesdays at 9pm EST/6pm PST), I posed the question: Does hip hop (and the black/brown community as a whole as it was pointed out during our conversation) want a better relationship with law enforcement or simply want the mistreatment to end? After posting it, I decided this was something I wanted to dig a little further into.

In response to this question, I got a few responses; one of the most regular ones being (as you might expect) that the relationship would be better if the mistreatment didn't happen. Davey D, who joined us for the conversation, argued that there was no relationship at all with the black and brown community. While I'm inclined to agree with both - that there is no relationship and that one could either form or get better if the beatings, judgment, etc. ended - I feel as if there is something we are still not discussing.

When I ask what hip hop really wants from its relationship with police, I think we have to decide if we want a relationship at all or if we would prefer to police ourselves. Obviously, we want the brutality and mistreatment in our communities to end, but until we determine exactly HOW we want to interact once it ends, we will make little to no progress. If we decide that we don't mind having a relationship with law enforcement as it is set up now (as long as we can be assured that we will be treated with the same respect as all other citizens), then we may have to start making changes within ourselves to be more involved. This may include doing away with the "Stop Snitching" campaign, cooperating in community watch programs that involve police, start accepting law enforcement as a viable career, etc. We may have to find a way of being the "bigger man" and extend a hand of truce; otherwise this cycle of hostility will continue.

On the flip side, if hip hop/black and brown communities decide that we want nothing to do will the police department and the way it is set-up, we will have to create our own policing strategies and use that as a way to protect ourselves from the system currently in place. This was seen back during the days of the Black Panthers. By arming themselves with the knowledge of the law and acting as a witness for as many traffic stops, arrests, and other interactions police officers, the Black Panthers ensured that the black community got as much justice as possible during one of the most tense race relation times in American history.

As of right now, there continues to be hostility from both parties - those in the inner city and the police. The continued abuse of those in the black and brown communities by authority figures still feeds a negative perception of the police. However, our attitude of "f*ck all police" and then often times lashing out feeds an attitude of "us vs. them" and lends to more police brutality as opposed to trying to find a way to create a better environment for both sides. Until we decide what the extent of our relationship with authorities will be, if any, and determine what the best action is, we will simply be in this never ending cycle of abuse and anger without finding a true solution.

What are your thoughts? Do you think hip hop is fine with police as long as there is no brutality, or do we want nothing to do with law enforcement? What would it take to create our own police system? Which would work better as we move forward? Leave all thoughts and opinions below. Send any e-mails to straightouttahiphop@gmail.com.

Peace.

If you remember a while back, we featured a group from Michigan called the BLAT! Pack and their Whatupdoe EP. Well, their in house producer and friend of mine KuroiOto is now dropping his own project, The May 3rd LP (if you couldn't tell, it dropped yesterday). Straight Outta Hip Hop supports poetry/spoken word, dope instrumentals, positive portrayals of black women, and love. All of this is blended on the project and makes for a nice, easy listen. Check out the description and link and video below:

Artist: KuroiOto
Album: The May 3rd EP
Website: http://www.blatpack.com/producers-djs/kuroioto

"BLAT! Pack beatsmith KuroiOto presents his latest work, “The May 3^rd” EP lovingly dedicated to his muse on the day of their anniversary. An affectionate mosaic of original poetry, beats and sampled offerings diving into his fondness for her energy. Over six tracks he recounts the ways, culminating in the title track a richly energetic, love symphony. Afro-centic shades, passionate lyrics and funky rhythms keep the theme burning vividly without losing sight of glowing instrumental highlights. KuroiOto reminds us how it feels to be under love’s immaculate spell. BLAT!"

Main Link: http://www.sharebeast.com/tly0g94wopxy
Alt. Link: http://www.mediafire.com/?rcc238y856z2c74

A few months back in a Respect Due post, we paid homage to Roxanne Shante, who became recognized for her response to one of hip hop's biggest hits at the time. Well, with this post, we want to pay homage to the group that made that response possible - U.T.F.O.

Often in hip hop, we hear about how artists, searching for a way to get their music out and strike it big, sign deals with major labels that eventually threaten not only their careers, but their livelihoods. What draws these artists in is the same thing that has been promised to all underprivileged people (specifically black people) for years: falsified promises of riches and wealth.

In his The Souls Of Black Folk, W.E.B. Du Bois tells the story of Atalanta - a Greek Goddess. In the story, Atalanta would only marry the one that could out-race her. As a distraction, Hippomenes laid out three gold apples. As they raced, Atalanta gazed over the first two apples, narrowly escaping the grasp of Hippomenes. However, when Atalanta reached the third apple and gazed over it again, Hippomenes placed his arms around her. As Du Bois put it, "...looking on each other, the blazing passion of their love profaned the sanctuary of Love, and they were cursed."Du Bois later writes, "...the warning is needed lest the wily Hippomenes tempt Atalanta to thinking that golden apples are the goal of racing, and not mere incidents by the way." After reading these words, I couldn't help but think of hip hop and its relationship with big business and corporate America.

Du Bois tells this story because he acknowledges that black Southerners were becoming driven by material goods, which was leading to the destruction of the black Southerner. While this warning from Du Bois was issued way back in 1903, I think that the same mentality and demise are more prevalent that ever. This is especially important in hip hop, where the majority of those thrown into the whirlwind that is the music industry are young black men.

It is undeniable that the reason much of the current rap music (and i say "rap" specifically, not hip hop) does more destruction that uplifting in the hip hop community is because the destruciton is what sells. Most rappers feel that if they make a certain type of music, they get more spins, sell more singles/albums, and make more money. Yet, as time goes on, labels continue to encourage these artists to make music that is detrimental, entice them with the opportunity of making a fortune, all the while finding ways to take even more money out their pockets and creating contracts they can't get out of. We have heard this story over and over and over again, but people continue to fall for this gimmick.

Outside of hiring lawyers that truly have the artist's best interest at heart, we have to teach people looking to be MCs that they have a greater purpose than simply making money. But this lesson isn't reserved only for those that seem to be making music that does not capture the true spirit of hip hop. This lesson applies to ALL people looking to get involved in hip hop.

Often, when people are looking get youth involved in hip hop and move in a more "conscious" direction, they often try to show that there is a way to generate money by being more conscious. While money obviously serves as a great incentive, it has to serve as only that and not the main objective. Many people that start off with good intentions have been swayed to do things that aren't always in the best interest of the people they serve because, in order to make more money, they have to go away from the formula they were following.

I think this is often why artists that were once held to a high standard then become so polarized within the community. While they come into the industry and have a good message, people feel as if they move away from that message the more successful they get (Kanye West is an example of this perception). We must begin to form a healthy mentality surrounding wealth. While it is "an incident by the way" to our goal (and it is certainly something that would be nice to gain), it cannot become THE goal we chase. Once we stop the industry from duping us into this mindset and start realizing that our responsibility is to so much more than money and material items, we will see a change for the better in the music and culture.

What are your thoughts? Do W.E.B. Du Bois' words still ring true today? In what ways can we reduce the importance of money within the culture? Leave all thoughts and comments below. Send any e-mails to straightouttahiphop@gmail.com.

Peace.

It has been said on many occasions that the constant rotation of the same songs on radio is equivalent to brainwashing. On many levels, I agree with this notion. I have also noticed that artists that tend to give themselves titles referring to greatness seem to rise to super-stardom and be treated as such. Perhaps the three best examples of this are Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, and T.I.

If you asked anybody where these artists would have been soon after their first albums came out, nobody would say any of them would be in positions they're currently in. Although he dropped a critically acclaimed debut album, it wasn't until his third album that Jay-Z started to become a household name. Soon after, he took on the moniker "Hova" - God MC - and then began the campaign of "Best Rapper Alive." Shortly after these declarations were made, Jay-Z grew to be the most successful star hip hop has ever seen (this being both within and outside the hip hop community).

When the "best rapper alive" retired, Lil Wayne noticed that the position was vacant and up for grabs. Around the time that the first of the Carter series was coming out, Lil Wayne was starting to come into his own. So, in gearing up for the release, Wayne made the bold statement on his single "Bring It Back" that he was "the best rapper alive, since the best rapper retired." Whether you agree or not, the Carter was the beginning of the industry takeover Lil Wayne started and has yet to really let go of. Coincidence?

T.I., nearly since the beginning of his career, has referred to himself as the "King of the South". While his debut album numbers may not have reflected this, he has maintained that sentiment throughout his career and is now respected as at least one of, if not the, king of the South. T.I.'s rise is not that of the typical artist. His debut album was not nearly as well received as so many other hip hop greats. It was only his confidence and the belief that he should be recognized as a king of his region that has gotten him where he is today.

Given the scenarios mentioned, did these artist simply profess their success or were people brainwashed into believing so - leading them to support the artists as such? Nearly all artists will refer to themselves as the best or greatest in their music. Often, these statements tend to come across simply as boastful lines to only be taken in context of the song. However, the statements mentioned above were not only isolated statements on wax, but these artists would also use the phrases in interviews and defend them when questioned about them. By hearing these declarations so often in an entitled manner, did fans just buy into these beliefs?

The argument could be made that this self-appointment of king, best rapper, etc. only became relevant because the artist proved it. Jay-Z didn't really start using his monikers until he gained commercial success. T.I.'s campaign seemed to become more adamant as his popularity grew. Lil Wayne, coming off of two albums that were relatively successful, but not critically acclaimed, perhaps didn't have much to back his statements at the time, but it's hard to argue with the results that followed.

It is hard to say what the exact reason for success for any artist is. I'm sure it's a mixture of talent, confidence, marketing, etc. However, I do find it a little bit more than a coincidence that artists, such as the ones mentioned in this post, who declare themselves the best with conviction, tend to have results that mirror that. If there is any correlation, we have to be very cognizant of the messages we send. Not only is it possible that we risk compromising the standards by which we consider who is the "best", but we also risk it becoming more and more difficult for young listeners to separate real from fake and right from wrong. If there is any level of "brainwashing"
associated with messages being heard due to constant spins on radio, we have to make sure that we catch young listeners early and explain to that not everything they hear can be taken at gospel.

What are your thoughts? Do you think titles depicting artists as the best force people to believe it? Is it just a big coincidence? Do any of the artists mentioned have the right to make these proclamations? Leave all thoughts and comments below. Send any e-mails to straightouttahiphop@gmail.com.

Peace.

Obviously, the title of this blog is ridiculous. This is far from what I believe and what I would hope anyone would believe. However, if you listen to many hip hop artists, you might think otherwise. It seems that more and more, when male artists are describing the types of women they associate with (essentially the women they find attractive), they constantly refer to "redbones"* and light-skinned women - ignoring those of all different skin complexions and cultures.

I have yet to understand why artists still tend to take such shallow stances in their music. There are several rappers that I respect that have made similar comments as well as artists that I may not be a fan of. Artists from Lil Wayne, to Game, to Chamillionaire, to Jay-Z have all made such comments and each time, I try to understand what the purpose was of singling these women out as beautiful as opposed to all others.

I know that sometimes artists like Lil Wayne and Game, who have an affiliation with Bloods, may use "redbone" simply as play on words. Yet, what does that say when we are willing essentially degrade women of all other shades and nationalities just for the sake of a slick rhyme? This is especially important because these messages are coming from black men (many of them of a darker shade in their own right) that, in effect, tells darker-skinned black women they are not as pretty as their counterparts of a lighter complexion. These statements coded in rhymes are all extensions of the blatant comments made by Young Berg in 2008 during an interview when he claimed he doesn't do "brown butts". Why, in 2012, do such shallow comments continue to be made?

This standard of beauty is one that we have been forced fed for years. Obviously, dating back to the days of slavery, it has been taught that the darker the person (male or female), the less attractive they are. America's standard of beauty tends to be thin, white women. As of late, being curvaceous has been accepted, which is an affirmation of black beauty. However, this sense of light skin versus dark skin has still haunted hip hop in part and the African-American community as a whole.

If there is to be any positive representation of black women of ALL shades, it is in hip hop. Hip Hop has always been about speaking for the mistreated, abused, and those not spoken for. Yet, I haven't heard a song like "Brown Skin Lady" from Black Star's 1998 debut album until Dead Prez's "The Beauty Within" in 2010 - and have yet to hear one since. It has been said time and time and time again, but artists need to understand the power both words spoken and unspoken (by not mentioning darker skinned women) can have on the psyche of the culture. There are sure to be young girls listening to their music that don't understand how beautiful she is even though she doesn't fit in the category of redbone/yellowbone/light-skinned.

Women of all shapes, sizes, cultures, and nationalities are BEAUTIFUL. All women struggle with this sense of beauty, though - especially black women. If artists are going to claim to be the spokesman of the culture, then we have to hold them accountable and ensure that they do what they can to support those in need of positive reinforcement; not sustain the already misguided views of the masses.

What are your thoughts? Why does hip hop seem to be so preoccupied with women of a fair shade? What artists are attempting to break this mentality? Leave all thoughts and comments below. Send any e-mails to straightouttahiphop@gmail.com.

Peace.

*Redbone typically refers to a person that is tri-racial, usually a "mixture" of African-American, Native-American, and Caucasian, or any other racial combination that usually gives the skin complexion a hint of red

In one of the earlier editions of "Respect Due", we paid homage to one of hip hop's most influential men that is not behind the mic or DJ booth - that man being Russell Simmons. Well, it's safe to say that without the man we honor today - Rick Rubin - there may not be Russell Simmons (at least as we know him). As savvy a business man as Simmons is and as much as he helped make Def Jam the most respected label in hip hop history, it has been long been known that the label was the brain child and vision of Rick Rubin.