A few years back, acclaimed and renown author, John McWhorter, wrote a thoroughly engaging and controversial book entitled, “Authentically Black: Essays for the Black Silent Majority.” In the book he analyzed Dubois’ sentiments of the color-line being the major issue for black people in the 20th century as well as their internal war between being black and living in a land that hates them, and still trying to prevail.  He takes that famous theory and injects a new and somewhat unspoken theory that pervades the psyche of many black people.  McWhorter writes that there is a notion that being “Authentically Black” is when a black person continuously keeps the “man” on the hook for past injustices and does not let go of it.  By blaming the ills in the “black community” on what the white man did or has done, then you are authentic and understand the plight.  For black people, including McWhorter, who understand yet dispell that form of thinking, there is a certain marginalization that takes place and black people consider those types of individuals as proverbial “sell-outs.”

The topic “Authentically Hip-Hop” aims not to literakky take a slice out of the pie that McWhorter and Co. have since prepared.  However, I want us, as an online community, to take the essence of what McWhorter was trying to prove and mentally juxtapose that with what’s going on in Hip-Hop today-more specifically, around this supposed “Fiascogate.”  I came up with the idea of this topic after I checked out the comments section of an e-article on Vibe.com dicussing the current controversy of Mr. FNF up.  Someone named “Doug Fresh” posted: “Hip Hop is the only music art form where newer artists do not truly respect, pay homage, or in some cases even know the pioneers of the art. This is not only about “Midnight Maruaders”…do you think a rock -n-roll guitarist never heard Jimi Hendrick’s classic material..I doubt it.”

After I saw that, I immediately wanted to bring this back to HM and get an idea from the fam on what you all believe to be Authentically Hip-Hop in today’s times.  A lot of “right-wing” hip-hop’ers are saying that Lupe, as a notably skilled and talented emcee, should know and have studied an album such as “Midnight Maurauders” and most importantly, should not have fumbled at the VH1 Hip-Hop Honors Awards.  Some individuals have even stated that the character/idea “Lupe” is fallacious and is really not conscious at all.  To Lupe’s defense, however, and I want to preface my statement by saying that my subsequent comment is simply for the sake of discussion and not because i’m any kind of Lupe stan. I think the term “conscious” is something that the media bestowed on him. From Lupe’s comments, he never said he was a backpacker. Although Phonte did make an interesting point that he benefits off that label/title. Vis a vis, who Lupe is and what he stands for is, for the most part, is a representation of his music but also represents the titles and labels that the media,blogs, mainstream gave him.  So, is Lupe a product of media hope and expectation or is he simply just an a regular joe trying to get by like the next man?  I digress….

“Left-wing” hip-hop’ers are stating that Lupe is a hoax and going as far to say that his career is over.  What did someone say on HM? “his next album will go copper?” lol. Anyway, these type of individuals are saying that as an emcee whose music has roots and vestiges to that of ATCQ, he and anyone like him, needs to know and have listened to classic albums put out before and during their lifetime in order to be somewhat credible and/or “authentic.”  That Lupe denounces ATCQ further proves to left-wing hip-hop’ers that he is not only arrogant, but also blasphemous. From Lupe’s perspective, putting groups like ATCQ and their album on Hip Hops altar of “untouchable” is an example of “hip-hop vanity.” That he and others like him can’t drop albums and positive messages without knowing words to songs by ATCQ or other legendary groups is dead wrong and considers those naysayers as “dirty bastards.”

So I want to bring this to the table. Are rappers who don’t know or study groups like Melle Mel and the Furious Five or ATCQ or Cold Crush Brothers or De La Soul, et. al, not authentically Hip-Hop? If not, then why? Taking it back to what “Doug Fresh” wrote, is Hip-Hop the only genre of music where the newer artists don’t really have a deep-rooted respect for the cats that came before them? If so, what caused this? Is this the fault of the industry and its attempts to market “looks” and “disposable music” rather than content?  Is Lupe a victim of the waves of the music industry? Is he an innocent artist just trying to get by and do what’s right? or Is he an over-hyped and arrogant rapper whose time is up?

Let’s converse, shall we!

~Thesis