Run-DMC Founder Thinks All New Hip-Hop is Wack, Is Completely Wrong Posted by Lucas G. on 06/03/13 | Filed under Opinion

As someone in the “millennial” generation, I pay extra attention that what the older generation has to say about us. For those who don’t, all you have to know it's not good. Whether it's that we don’t know how to work hard, want everything handed to us or are too absorbed in our technology, the older generation feels like we are ill-equipped to survive in their world (luckily it wont be theirs much longer).

Even Time Magazine has piled on, labeling us “The Me Me Me Generation” on their cover - which also included a girl hoisting an iPhone -- with an article of the same name that has Skip Bayless-esque qualities to it. It’s the same old story, every generations says the next is whats wrong with the world and going to run the country into the ground, even though a majority of the problems we face are the result of the other generation.



Apparently, the music business is now a victim of the “hey you kids get off my lawn!” mentality. In a recent interview with acessatlanta.com, Daryl “D.M.C” McDaniels of the legendary group Run-DMC had some not so nice things to say about the current state of hip-hop. When asked, “What rappers out there now do you think have the potential to stick around and get past the nonsense?” D.M.C responded:

Talib Kweli, Mos Def, even Kanye (West) makes some significant records. But the problem is now everyone is concerned with radio records. What bugs me about hip-hop is that we created it to go against everything that is on MTV and BET today. The real gangsta rap told a story and said, “Shorty, you can do something better than that.” When I talk to kids in middle and high schools, I tell the girls, put some clothes on, and the men, put a suit on and command that room.

With all due respect, does he even listen to hip-hop? I find it hard to believe that these are the only emcees who or have make songs that matter since the '90s? I guess he hasn’t heard of (early) Lupe Fiasco, Brother Ali, Murs, Dead Prez, Immortal Technique, Common, or The Coup; just to name a few of the many emcees who make music of significance. He throws the baby out with the bathwater; while radio/ mainstream hip-hop is concerned about the next big hit, there is a thriving underground movement that is more concerned with making authentic hip-hop for the love of the music than selling records. Just look at the recent surge in independent artists breaking through without the help of the radio or big labels.

He is right, hip-hop is not the same as it used to be, but how can it be? So much has changed since Run-D.M.C was on that it is almost like comparing apples to oranges, or at least granny smith apples from 1987 to red apples from 2013. Also, he partly responsible for the legitimization and rise of hip-hop. Walk This Way, the crossover cut Run-D.M.C did with Aerosmith is one of the most important records in the mainstreaming of hip-hop, before that song, hip-hop was largely overlooked, but it was that collab that got them that airtime on stations like MTV. their exposure basically made the gold chain and Adidas a fashion statement; oddly similar to today's materialism no? Without that record (leading to their rise to fame), hip-hop might not be a prominent as it today and wouldn't even have the chance to be "mainstream", so he had a big hand in creating this monster.



Of course the scene and culture is different, its not 1989 any more. Just because we value different things and have different styles does not make our generation's music any less important, culturally significant or purposeful than his. If you go looking on the radio for hip-hop all you will find is the kind of artificial music he talks about, but if D.M.C dug deeper, he would find an overwhelming amount of artist, that are looking to break barriers, change the industry, and make songs out for love for the art, much like Run-D.M.C did in their day; he is devaluing us like he was devalued back in the 80’s. As much as I love Run-D.M.C—what they have done for hip-hop is immeasurable—I think its time to learn how to walk this generations way; we aren’t going anywhere.

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