Southern Hip Hop has not ruined Hip Hop by Big B Bigga

In my opinion, Southern Hip Hop has not ruined Hip Hop as a whole at all. It has added another branch to the tree of Hip Hop. Truth be told the Southern branch of
Hip Hop has existed for a while. For example, pioneers like Scarface, UGK (Texas), Outkast and Goodie Mobb (Georgia) helped bring the Southern Hip Hop sound to the mainstream audience. They were able to break through with substance, skill, and originality that many of the acts that you hear on the radio and in the clubs simply don't possess.

If you do your research you'll see that in the mid 90's there was balance in Hip Hop. Radio, clubs, and videos gave you a mix of East Coast, West Coast, Dirty South, and Mid-West music. The variety was there. Hip Hop heads had a grab bag of art to choose from. All assorted flavors from all regions around the country. As in any other genre of music of course you had your one hit wonders and you had your mainstays.

The Southern explosion hit a decade ago when New Orleans really took off with artists like Master P (No Limit) and Juvenile (Cash Money) then shortly after that Ludacris (DTP), reppin' for Atlanta, came through. The balance then officially shifted to the south and the south has been dominating ever since.

The problem with Hip Hop currently is that there is a lack of artistry, substance, and skill. There has been garbage ass music to come from the both coasts and the mid-west not just the south. It just so happens to be more trash seeping through from the south because that is what the "Powers That Be" force fed to the listeners right now. Remember the Label execs don't have to sign these artists. If you want to blame anyone for the damage Hip Hop has taken, point fingers at the A & R's. They are the ones who seek out the talent (or lack there of) to push to the labels. They made talented individuals conform there gifts into what they felt would get them heard, which in turn took away the what made Hip Hop great. Once the "Corporate Machine" fully took over the way commercial Hip Hop is presented to the masses the essence of Hip Hop began to wither away. Just because a song or rapper is hot doesn't mean they are making good music. There is still excellent Hip Hop music being created you just have to filter through the bullshit to get to it. So its not Southern Hip Hop that's destroying Hip Hop, it's the Corporate monster that"s devouring the Art of Hip Hop.

-Big B Bigga
myspace.com/bigbbigga

Emcee or not emcee: Love vs Money by Mr Choke the Flow Champ

What defines a real "emcee" is a topic long debated since corporations stuck there dirty little fingers in the rap game. Do real emcees do it for the love or do it for the money. Does one rap everyday, put all their coins into studio time, cds, t-shirts, and driving around the state to gigs, all for the sheer satisfaction of possible applause and smiling faces. It's hard to say when we all know that every month, "them bills is due". Uncle Sam doesn't make exceptions. You can't pay the light bill or fill up the tour van on love and happiness. What do you do when you beyond age 25 and real life kicks in? Do you still dare to dream?

People seem to criticize artists who make the decision to pursue making money off whatever love they may have. It could be singing, painting, sports, or in our case, Emcee-ing. Music is business and business is strategy and planning to achieve a successful and profitable goal. Even ODB said, "Who the F wants to be and emcee, if you can't get paid to be a f-in emcee. He also said he came out his mom va-gigi on welfare, but that's beside the point.
The point is, when does it stop being about love, and start being about that dollar?