| My how time flies when you're having fun! It seems like | | | | own. Biting was punishable by public ridicule and utter |
| just yesterday that I was rocking my adidas suit with | | | | humiliation, among other things I won't get into right now. |
| matching suede adidas sneakers and Kangol standing | | | | Any real emcee, deejay, graffiti artist, or breaker would |
| in my B-boy stance dissin' other emcees in the lunch | | | | rather die a slow and painful death than to even be |
| room. Maybe I'm giving my age away right now, but so | | | | accused of biting. However, nowadays it's done like it's |
| be it because I earned each and every year and it | | | | the right thing to do. There are too many culprits to |
| wasn't easy. | | | | even attempt to name names. You and I both know |
| I remember staying up late Friday or Saturday nights | | | | who they are, and if you don't, all you have to do is |
| to listen to Mr. Magik's Rap Attack with my tape deck | | | | check the Billboard charts and you'll find biters at or |
| set to record. Hip Hop taught me about the world I live | | | | near the top on any given week. Why, you ask? it's |
| in and politics, not to mention teaching me about myself | | | | the love man! It's the love! |
| and the history of my people. | | | | Believe it or not, there was a time when being a "thug" |
| This is back in the day when kids would be at home | | | | wasn't cool. Remember Slick Rick's "Hey Young |
| late nights where they belong, as opposed to being up | | | | World"? What about "Self Destruction"? Even "We're |
| in the club getting tipsy or on the block doing whatever | | | | all in the Same Gang"? The list goes on and on. I guess |
| to get it. I remember block parties where everybody | | | | none of that stuff matters now because cash rules |
| would come out and have a good time. There was no | | | | everything around me. Its more about the art of the |
| gunplay or violence of any kind for that matter. There | | | | sell than the art that is sold. |
| was a sense of Love and community in the music, but | | | | It seems to be less about the music and more about |
| that was when she was just a girl. Now she is a | | | | promoting a thug, pimp, or hustler image. My question is |
| woman and an ambitious one at that. I'm talking about | | | | who profits from all this and at what price? I think you |
| my love. Her name is Hip Hop. | | | | already know but I'll tell you anyway. The record |
| That brings me to the question of the day: Where is | | | | company profits at the expense of our youth's |
| the Love? Its actually kind of a stupid question | | | | innocence and the utter deterioration of our |
| because the Love is all around me. In fact, I've never | | | | neighborhoods. |
| seen this much Love in all of Hip Hop's illustrious history. | | | | Fear not my people for all is not lost. There is a |
| This is a strong, borderline obsessive love that is truly | | | | musical revolution going on right now as we speak. |
| the driving force of Hip Hop music right now. I'm | | | | There are artist that create original music and rhymes |
| referring to the love of money, fame, and material | | | | from their heart and soul. We as Hip Hop need to take |
| items of no lasting value. It seems that some "artist" | | | | control of the music that comes from our culture. I'll bet |
| now will do or say anything for their almighty dollar and | | | | you're thinking, "how are we supposed to do that |
| their fifteen minutes of fame. This love motivates | | | | Tommy?" It's simple, don't support artist who promote |
| some to even break Hip Hop's oldest and most sacred | | | | their own image instead of the culture. It ain't hard to |
| rules. | | | | tell. You can hear it in their rhymes. Don't spend your |
| Remember when there was a sign at the door "NO | | | | hard earned cash for some rapper to tell you how rich |
| BITING ALLOWED?" | | | | he is, or how many cars he has, or how much his |
| To quote KRS-ONE "you've got to have style and | | | | jewels cost when you live in the projects and ride the |
| learn to be original or else everyone will want to diss | | | | subway. |
| you." | | | | Sadly enough, some would consider this position to be |
| Now for you younger cats out there that don't know, I'll | | | | hating. If that is the case then so be it. I'd rather have |
| put you up on game. Biting is copying someone else's | | | | that kind of hate than the kind of love I'm seeing in our |
| rhymes, beats, dance moves, tags, or whatever you | | | | music right now. |
| took from someone else and try to pass off as your | | | | |