RAP WARS OLD vs YOUNG .. damn what's the problem now?? (ICE T vs Solja BOY)

[NYOIL]

What's your thoughts on this ICE T vs Solja Boy beef.. (if you wanna call it that)
is it inappropriate for ICE T to go at the young brother. Does Solja Boy have it coming??
Is it His fault that hip hop is declining??

[Bro. Ruler Ra]

NYOil,

Nuff respect to you my brother for creating this forum for one to discuss such serious issues. This so-called "beef" I think can be "productive" in a sense that it can bring accountability to the young warriors coming through the ranks. Honestly, I haven't been following this beef thoroughly, but I've listened to both sides spew venom at one another without giving any "form of substance".

As a brother who is approaching that 40 degree, I can understand Ice-T's position on how things seems to be moving backwards (from Rakim Allah to....??), but then again, kids like Souljah boy are what children are "guided" towards listening to now. I don't think it's Soulja Boy's fault because he's a by product of what he's been exposed to. More thought on this later. Peace

[Bro. Ruler Ra]

I'm a big film fanatic, and one of my favorite trilogies is "The Godfather" (read the books as well). I'm saying this because you have some important "codes of existence and living" that is applicable to any group/individual seeking POWER (not influence) in this country. The "new" will take on the "old" for such POWER, and of course, some of the old will try and fight change if possible (especially if he is not getting his due$$). The Godfather analogies can be applied appropiately.

[Terrence]

Ice-T ought to leave Soulja Boy alone. We had some real whack stuff back in the day...real wack. Sir Mix A Lot singing in a country voice about Square Dance Rap, Dr. Dre's "Surgery". Even Ice T had some crazy ski goggles when he rapped in Breakin and he had some extremly basic rhymes. NYOIL, you are on point when you say the old brothers are not helping the young brothers and that Soulja Boy should show some respect. Comparing Soulja Boy to Rakim is idiotic, but young folks need to be schooled in the origins of Hip Hop, the early pioneers and the people who were way before their time so they understand...

That said, these young people need to show respect to their elders. If anything, we can teach these young fools to avoid the mistakes we made.

Check out the ahhhh!


NYOIL..you got a gift coming to you in a couple of days, stay tuned. (it is positive, by the way)

[Steven Van Patten]

Truthfully, I can't hear Soulja Boy's music over the sound of dead civil rights leaders spinning around in their graves...

NYOil is correct of course; the older hip hop generation has certainly failed the younger by helping to dumb down these kids for a payday. The problem is finding the bridge. Thanks to all the hoochies, bling and whips videos, these kids don't understand that a true artist strives to have substance in his work-- to have it mean something. This is because they see so many without substance are getting paid.

So how do the non-empowered, positive hip hop artists (bringing up a point from a previous NYOil podcast) reach kids who aren't impressed with them because they aren't all blinged out and so forth? I'm not sure, but ultimately someone of stature should openly criticize this because in the long run complacency will only lead to a more downward spiral.

Truthfully, I'm not mad at Ice T. However, I do agree that the situation could have been handled with more tact. Of course tact and hip hop have never actually met. Another problem in hip hop and in just how people deal with each other in general-- we're always so quick to try to embarrass someone to make ourselves bigger. Everyone-- not just Soulja Boy-- just needs to grow up and start thinking about the long term.

[Terrence]

Ahhh...Yo, I grew up on the west coast listening to Ice T before breakin back in '83. He is a legend. Make no mistake, I am no Soulja Boy fan, but Ice T is Ice T he is 50 years old. At that age, you know better than to say what he said. I think Ice is mad at all kids because they closed down his school

[P]

i agree wit Terrence.

ey, wasn't Ice T in "the pee-wee dance" video???? with Joe Ski Love?

from Chubby Checker and "the twist" to "the pee-wee dance" to "crank dat soulja boy", music ALWAYS has some bullshit dances involved LOL

Soulja Boy was right in saying Ice T needs to be saying "good shit, young brother" and not hating.
if he wanted to reprimand his ass, do it in the closet, not in the street for e'rybody else to see.

Soulja Boy ain't kill hiphop, WE did. we didn't school the youth. that's why soulja boy had that lil fuckin' sambo doll in that "YAAA!" video.
if niggas like Ice T woulda schooled soulja boy, he wouldn't have did that shit.

[psychmajor]

I agree with Ice...

I'm sorry, but I'm so sick of these younger kats coming in and dumbing down a culture that took more than thirty years to hone. Ice came out at a time when Hip Hop touched on social and economic issues, he has every right to comment on the state of Hip Hop when he was one of the artist to help hone this culture. Back in the day there was a strong BALANCE (something we lack today) of music being exposed beit conscious, gangster or the so-called "happy" music, it all got spun simultaneously on tv and radio; So, you had the KID N PLAY, PUBLIC ENEMY and NWA experience. Nowadays your only shoved one kind of music, and rarely hear genuinely great music with lyrical content. Personally, I'm tired of the shucking and jiving, the degradation in the videos, and the lack of responsibility. I'm tired of everyone making excuses, claiming it to JUST be MUSIC, when everyone knows music plays an active role in peoples lives and one can easily be influenced by music. In this day and age music IS responsible for a lot of the ignorance and aloofness in our communities, kids want to be what they see on tv, just as we did when we we're younger, Kids are easily influenced so please stop making that asinine argument that it isn't up to artists to raise kids, we know this to be true, BUT the truth of the matter is the kids are watching so, we need to be more responsible for what we say and STOP leading these kids astray. WE need to let them know you CAN be whatever you want! not just a rapper, making it rain in a club, or some tramp getting trained in videos, let them know they too can be the next PRESIDENT of this country if they work and study hard, learn your history; you will be amazed at all of the wonderful things we have done, and created. entertainment can be EDUtainment if WE make it such....these are important times I just think people need to use their stardom wisely and really build with the platform that they have been blessed with...


but these are just my thoughts man.......proceed

[Trackstar the DJ]

"Back in the day there was a strong BALANCE (something we lack today) of music being exposed beit conscious, gangster or the so-called "happy" music, it all got spun simultaneously on tv and radio; So, you had the KID N PLAY, PUBLIC ENEMY and NWA experience. Nowadays your only shoved one kind of music, and rarely hear genuinely great music with lyrical content. Personally, I'm tired of the shucking and jiving, the degradation in the videos, and the lack of responsibility."

I fucks with this 10000%, and I preach it all day every day...
BUT
blaming Soulja Boy is misplaced.

Blame Viacom and the (white, middle-aged) (and might as well be white, middle-aged) men who run it...

There will ALWAYS be a Soulja Boy (a Joe-Ski Love, etc...)...it's not Soulja Boy's responsibility to make sure the next video played is Talib Kweli...

It's a new generation, and THEY, along with WE, are being betrayed by the powers that be...you can't blame a puppet for putting on a play...

[Doc Wattson]

This is a challenge facing all artists/musicians.. do you pander to the populus and water-down/homogenize your style or do you stay true (and broke) to the game?

I don't think blaming Soulja Boy is misplaced. He may not be culpable for the music scene but he IS a part of it. He could've not signed the contract.. it's very tricky to call a brutha blameless when he fully acknowledges, condones, participates in and profits from the muckraking...

That said, I'm never one to get hung up on blame... Blame Soulja, blame Sir-Mix-A-Lot, blame the shady record execs, blame the very substantial cross-section of our nation (and world) that consumes the product, blame independent artists for not revolting against the system more.. acknowledge EVERYONE's to blame and start thinking of ways to steer the conversation toward solutions...

I'd be happy with a balance as well.

[P]

i'd take it a step further and blame US! we wanted whites to approve of our "new creation" soooo badly, that we basically BEGGED them to jack it.

Wild Style is a GREAT movie showing how it happened.

we sought out the Viacoms and labels to come and TAKE it.

[NYOIL]

That's deep right there

[psychmajor]

Point overstood, I know the powers that be are ultimately the ones who control what's heard and viewed on the radio and teLIEvision; beit viacom, or any other media programming company. My beef isn't solely with Soldier boy, it's with ANY artist pushing out garbage; even Nelly and Jay Dee bragging about having Jordans and how many pairs displays a LACK of responsibility. These are grown ass thirty something year old men force feeding we true Hip Hop fans and the KIDS, an unenlightening lack of lyrical content, and it's time for us to WAKE THE F*** UP and stop be preoccupied with materialism. We need to stop making excuses as to how it isn't someone's responsibility who's making music, when they we're CHOSEN to stand on the soap box and use their gift to the BEST of their ability. It's all of OUR responsibility as a community to raise OUR children with some sense of self love, self worth, proudness, and dignity, so, at what point do you say to yourself that you we're given a gift, that ultimately should keep on giving, and then ask what are you the artist giving we the fans???? I don't know about anyone else, but I feel short changed and forgotten. It's up to US to be responsible for our message to one another. You can't blame viacom if you are going to these record labels with 16 tracks of how to brainwash your own 101 and a dream of only striking it rich; with no TRUE love for the craft, or any consideration of how many people you are going to affect with your music. Artists are meant to create, and in creation something is conceived, but what's being conceived with this falsification of hip hop is a perpetuation of ignorance in our people, so again, we have to be responsible for the MESSAGE and the perception of us. STOP accepting these degrading images of ourselves and show the Kings and Queens we truly are. Do I expect Soulja boy to make this happen by himself , No! I expect ALL artists to unite together and say they are going to start playing active roles in how they are perceived, any true artist holds responsibility for what they distribute to the masses, and will be held accountable just as journalist, actors, or anyone else in the public eye would be. Take full responsibility for your works, it's embarrassing enough to know the rest of the world is aware of our lack of support for one another, and how we will sell our souls for money, don't be another secret agent Herbert Boulin working for the powers that be when we are at such a critical time in our lifetime.....

my point in case is be RESPONSIBLE and stop believing this tricknology that we can't change what's happening amongst ourselves in our community, the black panthers, malcolm x, and our forefathers all proved we are smarter, stronger and fully capable of overcoming any adversity thrown at us...so try a positive route and uplift....

but again, these are just my thoughts man....proceed