OK, for my first post on ZP i have to add some more commentary to my boy Riz post about how awful hip hop is in recent times. I want to make it clear that the only reason we write these posts is because we are hip hop fans, and we want to get it back to what it used to be, so don’t get it twisted like we’re hating on the game, it’s just that hip hop can use some serious mouth to mouth. I wonder what Flex is thinking when he’s dropping his patented bomb and some dude named Maino comes on? Really Flex, all of you old school cats who dj on Hot97 can not be impressed with this.

First things first, why is rap more about shitty beats and T-Pain auto-tuner singing than actual content and lyrics? You seriously can not tell me that any rapper you hear on the radio can even hold a flame to anyone coming from the late 80′s early 90′s movement, unless they are still from that golden era, still rapping today. Even then, you can’t convince me that Nas right now can even hold a flame to Nas in 2001′s “Stillmatic”, let alone his classic “Illmatic.” 1994 was hip hop’s pinnacle year, and pretty much since 2001 nobody seems to care about content or lyrics anymore…why? I do think the influence of dirty south rap has done terrible things for the game…when i think of shitty rap songs, for some reason Ying Yang twins come to mind, i don’t really know why…i also think a lot of it has to do with the fact that these guys just don’t give two shit’s about rap, they just want money…everyone is out for the money, but most cat’s at least respected the game…simply put, this new breed doesn’t.

Now don’t get me wrong, i do like listening to mindless pop so i can rip it up in the clubs as much as the next person, but let’s keep it at that…mindless pop. me and my boys don’t mind listening to Weezy F. Baby every now and then because the dude is just a ridiculous persona, there’s no denying his charisma and stage presence, which are commendable attributes of a rapper, but i don’t think anyone’s flying off the handle saying his lyrics are classic. he’s just a funny ass, interesting dude.

I was talking with my boy about the current state of hip hop and he came up with a very interesting theory. Follow me… seeing that music is an ever-evolving art form, rap has currently evolved into it’s 80′s glam rock phase, if you compare what rap is doing now I think it’s pretty comparable to what rock was doing in the 80′s, basically just going off the charts with some out-of-this-world trash that is merely a phase, again there can be a few gems in there, but very few and far between. The auto-tuner is a great example of this, i can appreciate artists pushing the envelope and trying out something new, but when something doesn’t work, just put it to rest…let’s not use this in another rap song…ever…again.
I also think it’s pretty telling of our times when one of rap’s ‘rising star’s’ is this douche Asher Roth. I’m sure you have all heard his awesome, original new song “I Love College.” ok, so let’s take a look at verse one of this great song.

i wanna go to college for the rest of my life
sip bankers club and drink miller lite
on thirsty Thursday and Tuesday night ice
and i can get pizza a dollar a slice
so fill up my cup
lets get fucked up
im next on the table
who want what
i am champion at beer pong
Allen iverson Hakeem Olajuwon
don’t even bounce, not in my house
better hope you make it
otherwise you naked

“who want what?” what the fuck are you talking about dude? “i am champion at beer pong, allen iverson hakeem olajuwon.” ummmm, hey, douche, that doesn’t even rhyme!! regardless of that point, i hate to burst your bubble, and no disrespect to AI, but he doesn’t have any rings bro, he’s not champion of anything, so just fucking stop it, please. let’s start off with baby steps…how about rap songs at least make sense to get things moving in a positive direction.
So, for now i’ll stick to my ipod and wait for the return of Em to at least shake things up, or Dre’s much anticipated “Detox” to knock down the doors again. Until those albums get released, if they ever even hit the shelves, I guess I’ll be waiting for rap’s version of Nirvana…