The Current Flavour of Hip Pop

After a recently released album from the uber talented, back to roots rappers from the Wu Tang Clan, you could be left wondering whether their efforts will really be appreciated in this current climate of Hip Pop. The lyrics of Rappers such as Kanye West, and even ex-gangsta rapper 50 Cent seem to have no relevance to what Hip Hop was ever about.

What was it about? The community of course. Poverty, the fight against injustice amongst Black Americans, the political voice of the youths, raw talent, quick thinking, the love of music and physical skill. Now it has become a watered down version of itself and after the influx of threatening gangsta rap being highlighted, scandalised and blamed for the current rise in youth gun crime (by the media and government officials), hip hop has moved on from being one of the biggest sold music worldwide to almost obsolete, artists at the forefront of the blame have now turned to collaborations with singers and dancers such as Justin Timberlake just to salvage what is left of their careers. The battle between gangsta rapper, 5o Cent (Curtis Jackson) and Hip Hopper, Kanye West in which 50 threatened to leave the music industry if Kanye outsold him proved that mindless gangsta rap has finally and thankfully left the building. But what next? Hip Pop?

Hip Pop seems to have reared it's ugly head again, but then in truth it never went away, there has always been an alternative happy go lucky version of Hip Hop, 'Vanilla Ice Ice Baby' 'Hammertime!' 'The P the I the D D Y it's Diddy!' Need I go on; without this version of Hip Hop how do we reel the punters in? We start with baby steps and then when they least expect it we throw in KRS 1!!
The funny thing is the producers of Hip Pop have substantial reputations from the old school. 50 Cent's boss Dr Dre was in the highly acclaimed NWA (Niggers With Attitude, eighties west coast rap group), who highlighted the problems in South Central Los Angeles Dre also worked with Hip Hop Legend Tupac.

We have recently seen more substantial entrants into the Hip Hop forum in the way of Lupe Fiasco, and Common even Nas is spitting out bits an pieces, and the forever retiring Jay-Z is returning to his original style could the tides be turning?
Fashion recycles it's style all the time maybe Hip Hop is about to do a u-turn (excuse the us of your song Usher!!) and get back to basics again!

Lets hope the originality and intelligence of Hip Hop is about to resurface, let's get back it's dignity and replace it's crown...