Quite a few artists and music mag
azine critics share my view. In voicing
his observations on the current state of
hip-hop, Vibe Magazine s, Imir Leveque
says that, “in a time when African-
Americans still suffer from the residual
effects of a Civil Rights Movement that
ended too early and the disproportion
ately high rate of black-on-black crime,
emcees have
chosen to glorify
the drudgeries
of urban life
while presenting
economically-
challenged lis
teners with dis
illusions of
material excess
rather than lay
ing the possibil
ities of some
thing better.”
Is a nation
of “bailers” the best we can hope for?
How many women want these hustlers
and exploiters of women for husbands
and sons? How many men want video
strippers for daughters and nieces? I
can’t remember when rap music suffered
from a greater lack of sincerity and
depth. I have always appreciated the
power hip-hop has, both visceral and
subtle, to strike deep into the soul of lis
teners with sincerity and honesty. But
how much sincerity can one extract form
Master P’s “Ice on My Wrist”? Not much.
Since Puffy first blew up our tele
visions alongside former protege, Mase,
with pieces of eye candy we have been
assaulted by a barrage of feel-good rap
that plays on our most accessible sensi
bilities; love, wealth and sexual gratifica
tion.
I know that not every rapper is on
the “bling” trip. Common, The Roots, Mos
Def and veterans De La Soul all embrace
a vision of uplifting, soul-infused hip-hop
that aims to
challenge as
well as groove
listeners. I
have no quar
rel with Cash
Money or Jay-
Z or anyone
else selling the
“bailer
lifestyle.” But
I ask you this:
does money
last forever?
When was the
last time “ice” got you through a hard
ship? Is it okay for your sister to be a
“hot girl?”
I’m not hating, but I am disap
pointed with an art form I’ve long
respected for selling a dream most peo
ple will never realize and convincing
them that if they go for it, there will be
strippers and “ice” for all.
Taque Kirksey may be reached at
kirksey@email.unc.edu
October 2000
14