Leeds Hip Hop Scene

So what makes a legend a legend? What makes a ‘great’ deservedly so… with differing opinions from hip-hop fans on what makes ‘great’, and my own thoughts shifting of late, I began to ponder… little did I anticipate the state of confusion that was to ensue..

When I say Hip-Hop legend, who springs to mind? Jay-Z, with his success and longevity? Cassidy compiling talent with commercial understanding perhaps? Or maybe even NaZ with his egotistical intellect and insight? For me lyrics win hands down, Dean, 21 from Caterham agrees, ‘ a classic hip-hop tune for me is all about lyrics, truth and a phat beat’; on a level anyone who knows anything about Hip-Hop knows you ‘ain’t got game’ if you can’t battle with the best.

Okay so we have lyrics (which is essentially linguistic ability), intelligence and not only an understanding of slang and ‘the street’ but a definite interpretation of the English language (unless of course you’re Daddy Yankee or some other fortunate foreign import). Ludacris himself obviously reads a lot, you can tell from his language patterns, rhymes and use of words; he even depicts himself doing so in the ‘Splash Waterfalls’ video, albeit the Karma Sutra but nevertheless! The rapper is known to have read Cosmopolitan, Men’s Health and film scripts for his recent appearances in ‘Crash’ and ‘Fred Claus’. I know it’s not exactly scholarly articles or War and Peace but I’m sorry to inform you uneducated wannabes that he has probably read things akin. Not that he’d shout about it. These people are all too aware of their ‘worth’ there are certain things they won’t want to show us merchandise-purchasing commoners. When asked about a restaurant chain venture Ludacris said “I don’t generally speak about it… I keep it to myself…I’m a silent partner and an entrepreneur outside of music” in an interview with the Chronicle. These artists are essentially a product and anything that could alienate them from their target audience would be foolish for any entrepreneur to do! Begging the question is such a media façade an indication that success is just a popularity contest? Levi, 20 from Leeds considers a great to be ‘someone that everyone has heard of and 95% of people like his/her music’, so aside from the music perception of the artist must be key surely. One has to question just how convenient it was reputation wise being  too ‘cool’ or ‘hood’ to pick up commercial pop artist Fergie’s trophy at the MTV awards was, despite their recent collaboration.

Ok so we’ve got self-educated lyrics and the impeccable self image but what else facilitates talent? A bigger bank account and hip-hop king crowning?  Using ones self to generate wealth is not a new phenomenon and the majority of those whom we may consider greats of the Rap world have transcended this talent across commercial industries. Does the fact that P-Diddy has a clothing line, still makes music and has a TV show make him a ‘great’ artist? Perhaps not but it does earn him respect. Yet when Cassidy battles and retaliates on the spot to an insult intended to overpower him respect is also generated, the difference? We wish we’d said that line, we wish in that moment of admiration that we were Cassidy P.Diddy’s sitting on some money granted, but dancing poorly in his protégés music videos and chewing on a match stick doesn’t generate the same kind of emotions. Throughout history are ‘legends’ not simply those that evoke emotions in people. Marilyn Monroe, Tupac and Biggie Smalls all conjure up some feeling of sentiment because of circumstances brought by tragedy or a cause. Listen to ‘Tired of being stepped on’ by the Click and their cause is clear; the struggle of prejudice and poverty. Will Yau, 23 from Sheffield, acknowledges many hip-hop greats ‘have picked themselves up from nothing using their talents to go from near to nothing to being something’. This admiration of success is nothing to sniff at and for many people music is offers a rare opportunity of success; look at ‘E-40′ Belafonte himself; with his career now spanning an incredible fifteen years in a somewhat fickle industry, he represents breaking free from the struggle.

Kanye West is a controversial figure; may it be his anti-Bush outburst during a televised benefit in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the arguably anti-white sentiment in his music stating ‘leave your arse for a white girl’ with arguably negative connotations or his outrageous quotes that are sometimes too much to bear: He says he is “carrying the whole of hip-hop itself, the state of music too” and was disappointed to not win an award and subsequently ‘to not get recognized as the Saviour of the genre’. Then in his ironic quest to get ‘Christianity’ in the headlines he offended thousands of Christians by posing as Christ on the cover of Rolling Stone. Well he is certainly getting noticed but it has little to do with his innovative production (yes mashing up old tunes,) and sampling them with raps and vocals over the top because conceptually he is unique and a slight genius. Uniqueness and originality create true diversity in music, Tolu, a 17 year old from inner London concurs, ‘Wot makes a hip hop legend great is his or her originality…originality’s the key’, which Kanye has in abundance. It pains me to acknowledge this; As Kanye West’s arrogance and obvious underlying disdain for ‘white’ culture found my values and demographic, (I am indeed a ‘white girl’ that a man may leave his current boo for God (or should I say) Kanye forbid); in conflict with those that the artist stood for. Being able to relate to a figure in Rap or feeling miles apart can alter our image of them as individuals which can be a tremendous shame. As one young hip-hop fan, Ed 18 from Canterbury said ironically ‘they need to have been shot or on crack…preferably both’ when defining a ‘great’.

Luckily, I have suddenly gained immense introspection due to my Kanye West epiphany. Sure I’m as far from black as an albino with pneumonia and arrogance on paper is hideous whereas in person it can be tongue in cheek and even charming, so suddenly I set personal judgement aside and appreciate any contributions to music. I mean really you don’t have to be a Londoner to appreciate Chimpmunk as a credible rising star, just speaking to people under the surface in Leeds and his reputation is palpable. Nor do you have to even be a Bassline crusader to see that T2 is offering sounds true to his visions and that have themselves, become societies taste reflected back on itself with the evolution of Niche and Garage before it.

Looking at these components leads me to think that greatness is merely a balance of ingredients that with the right proportions can generate admiration amongst others. So what about those who can’t relate to the shootings or the poverty and prejudice? Are we unqualified to identify a ‘great’ when we see one? We have to comprise because we make up the majority of music purchasers, I mean how many of your CD-buying mates have been nearly killed because of a wrap of weed/car crash/or shot nine times a la fiddy? Like a good film or story the deeper the depths of misery the more joyous the happy ending, and in Rap the nearer to death you have been it seems the more interesting your rise to riches. The local MC on your nearest estate might be good but rags to rags just don’t have the same ring. You certainly don’t hear of someone labelled a ‘great’ having sold two CD’s… step forward K-Fed! Of all the ingredients emotion-evoking, language, entrepreneurialism, celebrity, pretence, tragedy and cause to name a few lets break it down. Sod E=MC2, here’s my equation of true legends, lyrical legends:

(WORDS/MEANING)+MEMORABLE= BLOODY ‘GREAT’