Hip hop as a genre is always being scrutinized as the sole reason for some of the world’s biggest issues but is it fair to say the reason would be because of a lack of groups as opposed to individuals in the genre. The genre as a whole is nothing like when it began and the art of hip hop has seen it’s better days and of course time can and will change, but one cannot deny what actually “works”.
Public Enemy’s main man Chuck D is always speaking out about the woes that plague hip hop and he spared no punches to say that because of artist like Kanye West the art of hip hop has been turned into a disgrace. In a recent interview with Billboard the outspoken hip hop pioneer stated:
“The group was the only thing that made hip-hop even competitive to the rock world in the first place. But the minute that you started taking the DNA of the thing that worked, it’s the guy and the mic — the guy is Kanye and just Kanye and nothing else — it started shooting down hip-hop as being a legitimate genre and being more of a spectacle. I think it was a disgrace that individual came into the talk of the genre. So the whole thing of ‘Me, me, I, I’ has really brought it down to the point where people feel they have no power ’cause they’re not connected. Hard to bring it up as an individual — that’s why collectives work.” ~ Chuck D (Public Enemy)
EarHustle411 wants you to be the judge and answer the following question: Has the hip hop culture been disgraced by the likes of Kanye West and other solo artist? Share your thoughts.