Editor’s observe: The next article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the creator’s personal. Learn extra opinions on theGrio.
I’m a fan of Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson. Full cease. I believe that his cultural curation by means of his podcast (“Questlove Supreme”), documentaries (“Summer time of Soul” and upcoming “Soul Practice” doc), books and musical path for awards reveals are all obligatory and make him an important a part of hip-hop and Black tradition.
With that stated, and on the threat of guaranteeing that I by no means get to be a visitor on “Questlove Supreme” — which makes me very unhappy, by the way in which — his newest take that “hip-hop is actually lifeless” due to the path the information within the beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake has taken is actually asinine, nonsensically myopic and revisionist in a means that ought to even impress Malcolm Gladwell.
In a current Instagram publish the place he needed to flip off the feedback as a result of he was being figuratively murdered, Questlove has this to say in regards to the fracas between the aforementioned hip-hop prime canines (no pun supposed):
“No person Received This Warfare. This wasn’t about ability. This was a wrestling match stage mudslinging and takedown by any means obligatory – ladies & youngsters (& precise details) be damned. Identical viewers wanting blood will quickly put up ‘rip’ posts like they weren’t a part of the issue. Hip Hop Is Actually Lifeless.”
Le sigh and IKYFL on the similar time.
I do know this ain’t the identical Questlove that performed drums on Jay-Z’s “Takeover” from his “MTV Unplugged” dwell album launched in November 2001. Perhaps it’s not that Michelle Leslie Brown from 225th Avenue that play ball within the park … it’s the OTHER Michelle Leslie Brown from 225th Avenue that play ball within the park. Hell, throughout that dwell taping throughout the half the place Jay-Z is mocking Prodigy from Mobb Deep, they even replayed elements of “Shook Ones, Pt. II.” AND THEN, when the verse about Nas dropped, they performed “Oochie Wally” and “N.Y. State of Thoughts.” I’m certain social media identified to him advert nauseam that he has been an energetic participant in beef, however I imply, how is everyone the issue NOW when he was PART of the issue in 2001? Nas would launch “Ether” every week later, which was as a lot of a mudslinging report as may exist on the time. Factual? Eh. Banger? Completely.
All people in rap beefs will get loosey-goosey with details. Do we all know for a proven fact that Tupac slept with Religion Evans, Biggie’s estranged spouse? In line with MOST people round throughout that point, he didn’t. However he stated it and due to that, “Hit ‘Em Up” is without doubt one of the most scathing diss information of all time. Perhaps Questlove has shared his disappointment with the report (which many of us suppose went too far, but in addition suppose was the best diss report of all time) or a baby-step down, Ice Dice’s “No Vaseline” (which many really feel is within the operating for the best diss report of all time), however I’d be stunned. “No Vaseline” is definitely a report that might have gotten someone killed; the variety of street-affiliated folks concerned in that ruckus is astounding. Plus, that may make no sense as a result of, once more, he performed drums on Jay-Z’s most iconic diss report IN 2001. On objective. AFTER each the Infamous B.I.G. and Tupac had been murdered, due to a beef gone too far. It isn’t like he didn’t know what songs have been going to be performed.
As a degree of observe, Nas is a headliner for this 12 months’s Roots Picnic being held June 1-2 in Philadelphia. The Roots Picnic is, after all, hosted and curated by The Roots. Questlove and Black Thought are … The Roots. I’ll be there, by the way in which. As a result of hip-hop.
Leisure
Then there’s the entire angle of what he DOESN’T discover troubling. Drake and plenty of different rappers have JOKED about Megan Thee Stallion being shot on report and known as her a liar regardless that we all know she was shot AND a conviction within the case exists. To my information, he didn’t chime in there and say “Sufficient is sufficient!” It’s only one instance however it’s form of telling, no? There have been an incredible variety of diss information, diss posts from hip-hop artists and all method of violence that has upended the hip-hop neighborhood that I’m certain Questlove respects that could possibly be thought-about to have gone too far, however the Drake and Kendrick beef is the purpose the place hip-hop really died? Come on, bro.
Is it nasty work that harmless ladies and youngsters are concerned? Sure, it completely is. Is that this the primary time this has occurred? Completely not. That is how hip-hop beef has at all times labored. Issues have at all times gone “too far.” Misogyny, low-blows. Actually, within the interlude “Message for B.A.,” which precedes the Ice Dice diss report “Actual N*ggaz” from NWA’s “EFIL4ZAGGIN” album, they open up speaking about raping Ice Dice with a broomstick.
I’m not suggesting that any of that is OK; but when the mudslinging and wrestling-match-level takedowns aren’t hip-hop, then hip-hop died DECADES in the past. I very a lot doubt that Questlove feels that means.
I don’t see any actual distinction, a minimum of from the artists, within the stage of vitriol leveled between Jay-Z and Nas again in 2001. The one distinction is how concerned the followers are within the discourse. Does the viewers need blood? Eh. I don’t think about anyone desires this to finish up in Tupac and Biggie style. Do folks need their man to win by any means obligatory? In fact, they do. Folks select sides and need their sides to win. However, once more, if that killed hip-hop, then hip-hop has been lifeless for many years.
In attention-grabbing style, I believe we’ve gotten a few of the finest rapping out of Drake on this battle, however they’ve each taken this factor to gossipy, proof-less territory (up to now), and THAT occurred when Pusha T modified the diss sport with “The Story of Adidon.” I’m wondering if Questlove felt like hip-hop died that day. I doubt it.
Perhaps Questlove is attending to the purpose the place, as an elder statesman, he’s seen an excessive amount of and thinks beef is pointless. Perhaps. Or possibly he has forgotten that this artwork kind that he’s contributed a lot to has at all times been like this, however now the entire convos we needed to have in-person are occurring on social media. Does that change it? To not me. It’s all hip-hop. If you wish to argue that hip-hop is now and has at all times been problematic, particularly for ladies, then certain, let’s have that convo.
However THIS beef completely hasn’t killed hip-hop anymore than The Roots being the backing band on “The Tonight Present starring Jimmy Fallon” has — there was a time when THAT would have been considered as a straight sellout transfer and decidedly not hip-hop. Was it lifeless then?
In each instances, possibly we simply by no means thought that hip-hop would take it this far. Once more, I’m a fan of Questlove, and I like listening to how granular his information is of music and hip-hop. I’ve realized a lot listening to his podcast about artists I like and other people I don’t even know have impacted my life. However this take is actually unhealthy, particularly coming from him.
Panama Jackson is a columnist at theGrio. He writes very Black issues, drinks very brown liquors, and is fairly fly for a light-weight man. His largest accomplishment up to now coincides together with his Blackest accomplishment up to now in that he obtained a telephone name from Oprah Winfrey after she learn considered one of his items (largest), however he didn’t reply the telephone as a result of the caller ID stated: “Unknown” (Blackest).
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