when will our music stop?

after getting my computer up and running again, i'm back. YEEEEEES!!!

i'm sure you have heard the old adage that things become finer with age. well hip hop, in the commercial sense, has been around for nearly 30 years, and i have been blessed to have been around for the last 24 of them. it's been like an older sibling that i've watched grow, as well as something that i've grown with. of course as the times change, so must the factors that determine it.

considering that i am only 24 years old, no one would argue with me in saying that i'm still young and have a lot of life ahead of me. however, when it comes to the hip hop scene i feel like i might as well be grandpa. i never thought i'd hear myself say, "they don't make music like they used to." yet, time and time again i find myself saying just that, and more and more i find myself pumpin classic (at least to me) cds, such as "the low end theory" and "life after death" and other cds from the early 90's (remember i was born in 1981) just to drown out the shit that's making my ears bleed today (who told those pretty ricky clowns, d4l, or gucci mane to step in the booth?!).

now with hip hop aging and going in a new direction, and with the people from the original generation moving in the direction of collecting AARP checks, and the 2nd generation (anyone born b/w 1975-1984) joining the working world or wrapping up college degrees, i beg to ask: when will our music stop?

my dad, whom i credit with bestoying all my old-school funk/r&B savvy, sparingly listens to any contemporary r&b from new artist because, as he and many of his generation say, "they don't make music like they used to." my dad is more likely to pick up charlie wilson's or the isley brothers' newest release than say an omarion, mario, or 112 album. that's not to say my dad wouldn't appreciate an india.irie or john legend cd, but let's face it, members of the old-school, the original r&b smooth group, are more likely to want to listen to the original r&b smooth artists that take them back to THEIR youthful memories than listen to artists that they consider youths themselves.

this brings me back to my question. i have been buying hip hop albums since i was at least 9 years old, and anything i listened to before that was a result of older family members (the original generation). however, what happens when hip hop reaches the same plateau that old-school r&b reached? is my love for hip hop so deep and true that i will i find myself at the record store when i'm 45 reaching for the latest release by some kid that's probably not even born yet? or will i have turned my back on the genre that i grew up with? that's a sad thought to ponder, but look at what hip hop has become in the last 15 years, and some will argue that hip hop has been damaged much longer than that.

i recently reminded one of my boys thats we are the hip hop generation and as we change so will the music. things that we appreciate and love today, are insignificant tomorrow, however, true MCs have been able to adapt over time, thus sustaining their relevance and the importance of their lyrics, even though the things they rhyme about weren't always issues to them. my boy and i agreed on most points until he said that a lot of rappers lose their relevance BECAUSE what they might say is not currently relevant in the ever changing landscape of hip hop. i asked him if jay-z or nas were still making records when we were 50, would you still buy them? he thought about the question and without answering turned back to me and said, "well would you?" "HELL YEAH!" was my automatic reply

i realized that without a doubt i would still buy albums from quality artists at any given point in time in my life. if jay-z or nas made albums every 5 years between now and 2040, i'd buy them. it's just like our parents who still appreciate the isley brothers and the gap band or our grandparents who still listen to the newest renditions of art tatum, duke ellington, and nat king cole by the marselis brothers or dave brubeck. they support the artists who were staples of their generation, as will i. those true to the music will never turn their back on it. hopefully, even if i no longer actively listen to the future of hip hop music, i will still be able to appreciate it for what it is, even though i know OUR music will end. we all understand that hip hop will never be what it was when it was still so funky fresh and new, however it is up to us, the original and 2nd generation, to make sure that the history of it is not lost between the 3rd and coming generatons. another adage for you to consider: in order to know where you're going, you must know where you've been. maybe it's time to go back to the basics. once again tho folks, these are just my thoughts ladies and gentlemen.