During my time in Paris, my musical taste has experienced a rap music renaissance. It has nothing to do with being there, though there is a large french hip-hop scene, but rather it was partly inspired from Nic’s recent embrace of the genre and my own subsequent explorations. I originally got into the music just as it was going mainstream, with Ma$e’s “Harlem World” album and Busta Rhymes’ “When Disaster Strikes”, But I all but gave up on it as commercialism took hold. You’ll have to excuse me for not being oldschool enough, but hey I was born in ‘85!

Nowadays, while commercial “hip-pop” is stronger than ever, I’ve noticed the beginnings of a movement that isn’t all about money, hoes, violence, etc. Most people (in my demographic) still dismiss hip-hop as a genre or embrace the most commercial aspects of it in order not to have to worry about musical taste at (frat) parties.

Holla baq fo’: An explanation of the elements of a hip-hop song and a rundown of some great artists at varying levels of obscurity.
Read the rest of this entry »