SNOOP DOGG ON RAP "S GLOBAL TAKEOVER, "IT "S THE
SOUNDTRACK OF THE NBA & NFL"
West
Coast rapper Snoop Dogg recently weighed in on the state of hip-hop claiming
its cleaned up image in recent years has made it a prominent staple as seen
in professional sports.
In Snoop "s eyes, rap music "s dominant impact is evident with the NBA and NFL.
The "What "s My Name" rapper is pleased that nowadays
hip hop seems to have lost its bad reputation and become respectable. "It "s
universal now. It "s the soundtrack of the NBA and NFL... everywhere that you
look, you "re going see hip hop and that "s only a testament to everyone who "s
been involved in the game." Snoop "s own reputation seems to have had a
makeover in recent years as well. At one time, because of an incident at Heathrow
airport and after he was convicted of drug and fire arms offences, he was banned
from playing in the UK. (The Press Association)
Earlier this year, Brooklyn rapper Talib Kweli cited President
Barack Obama "s political team for using hip-hop to earn a spot in the White
House during his 2008 presidential campaign.
"Hip-hop has a potential to have a role [in politics] because
hip-hop is a great way to spread information," Kweli explained in an interview.
"The Obama campaign used hip-hop very effectively. That "s the first time
in politics that was seen. Cats like Corey Booker -- and Kevin Powell -- now
are starting to really figure out how to utilize hip-hop and the hip-hop mentality
going into politics. And I think doing that makes them come across as genuine.
Look what happened to [former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick], who called himself
the "Hip-Hop Mayor ". If you wear it on your sleeve it "s not genuine." (Hip
Hop DX)
Rapper Shyne previously talked to SOHH about his perspective
of rap and politics.
"Rappers been political," Shyne explained to SOHH. "Public
Enemy, you dig? That "s what we "ve been doing. KRS-One, Rakim, you know, that "s
the essence of hip-hop. It "s revolutionary music. You dig? We talk about hanging
in the gutter, not having food to eat, standing in that welfare line. So hip-hop
is the epitome of politicians. The only thing is we "re not trying to lie. We "re
not trying to snuff somebody out because we "re the original revolutionaries.
Not these sheep that "s organized running around." (SOHH)
Despite its mainstream success, in November 2010, fellow Southern
rapper David Banner said he believed hip-hop had lost touch with its fans.
"I just have a problem with the lack of balance," he
explains. "Everything about rap music now has everything to do with the
music but the ability to rap. It "s who has this n*gga killed? Who is he beefing
with? Does he have swag out the roof, shawty? No, it should be, dude, can you
rap? Is the beat tight? ... We have allowed corporate entities to reduce our
music to a download," he says. "Our kids now they don "t really believe
they should pay for rap music. So there "s a bigger problem that we don "t see.
They have now replaced the artist and the talent of the artist with general
concepts like swag and being gangsta." (VIBE)
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