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Imports/Exports: Part 1 – Listen

Prelude

The MC is the creator of beautiful rhymes. To create fresh rhymes and deliver punch lines is the MC’s aim.

The fan is she who can translate into another manner or a new material her impression of beautiful rhymes. The lowest, as the vilest, form of fanhood is the hater.

Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful rhymes are cold without being cool. This is a fault. Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful rhymes are dope. For these there is hope. They are the elect to whom beautiful rhymes mean only Beauty.

There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral record. Records are well written, or badly written. That is all.

The moral life of an MC forms part of their lyrical subject matter, but the morality of MCing consists in the perfect use of an imperfect medium.

No MC feels compelled to prove anything. Even things that are true can be proved. No MC has ethical sympathies. An ethical sympathy in an MC is an unpardonable front of style.

No MC ever apologizes for a rhyme. The MC can express anything on wax.

Thought and language are to the MC instruments of an art.

Vice and virtue are to the MC materials for an art. From the point of view of form, the aim of every MC is the art of rhyme. From the point of view of feeling, the MC’s craft is the beat.

All hip hop is at once surface and symbol.

Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril.

Those who read the symbol do so at their peril. It is the listener, and not life, that hip hop really mirrors.

Diversity of opinion about an album shows that the music is creative, complex, and vibrant.

When listeners disagree the MC is in accord with herself.

We can forgive an MC for biting rhymes as long as he lyrically performs armed robbery. There is a genesis, but the sky’s the limit. We’re livin’ in a new world.

Hip hop is universal.

Act I: Scenario[1]

During a cross-culture training session last summer, the topic of which was music in modern Mongolia, trainers informed us that Hip Hop[2] was becoming very popular in the land of the lategreat Chinggis Khan. ‘Why Is That?[3]’ they asked. I mean b-real man; hip hop is obsessed with money – drunk on materialism – high off machismo, so what’s it doing in Mongolia, huh? What You [Mongolians] Know[4] about that? smirksnickerchuckle. And so the American gaadads discuss the causes and effects of Mongolia’s growing addiction to the dark diction of Crack Music[5]. But our conversation is as shallow and superficial as rhymes about money, cash, hoes, or beamers, benzs, and bentleys – because As the Rhyme Goes On[6] it’s evident that the gaadads Dontgetit[7]. Contrary to popular opinion, the essence of hip hop has less to do with Machine Gun Funk[8] and more to do with Everyday Struggle[9], it’s less given to Temptations[10] and more interested in Words of Wisdom…[11], it pursues Moments of Clarity[12] more than it glorifies Dead Presidents[13]. So if you want to know why hip hop is going Mainstream[14] in Mongolia – Wake Up[15] Listen[16] and I’ll Take You There[17].

Act II: The Lounge[18]

Whoa. Something Don’t Feel Right[19]. ‘Tood, how you going to speak on hip hop – ain’t you a middle class soum’er from White America[20]? Stop frontin’ man, what you know about that? Testify[21].’ I usually avoid speaking on my love for hip hop by all means Necessary[22] for Fear[23] of being branded a cliché by social powers that promote the Propaganda[24] that hip hop is only for The Corner[25], but yo, I Ain’t No Joke[26], so check My Philosophy[27]. Hip hop transcends, period. It transcends race, region, class, ethnicity, gender – it helps Real People[28] Fight the Power[29] that encourages divisive thinking on such subjects – and it provides a Foundation[30] for an inclusive community where people can exchange ideas on wax. Hip hop is democratic. It’s inclusive, not exclusive. And although many MCs claim a crown to mark their reign as the king of d.blocks, area codes, or the entire genre – hip hop, by [Re]Definition[31], is not a nation. Nations are defined, geographically speaking, by boarders – something without boarders is also without limitations. It moves wherever it can survive, like a rose that grew from concrete, it doesn’t take much for hip hop to flourish – creativity – rhythm – the tenacity to stand up for the right to say something you might not like – and One Mic[32].

Act III: Put You on Game[33]

Hip hop arrived here for the same reasons I did – Mongolia is a young democracy. After centuries of censorship by something like Big Brother[34], The People[35] are being encouraged to ‘Express Yourself[36].’ However, as we gaadads know, that’s not as Simple As…[37] it sounds because it’s easier to be a Ghost in the Machine[38] than a Rebel Without a Pause[39]. Yet, do we consider which democracy [hip hop] needs more? I’m speaking about you playa with that phony stuff you sharing in your raps because you should know Real[40] is less determined by neighborhoods, bank accounts, or miracle whips, and more by personal integrity, willingness to speak truth to power, and the ability to make, remix, and make again fresh, creative, honest music. Great artists, those whose music will remain Young Forever[41] and grace turntables and ipods for generations to come, confront ugly myths spawned from racism, sexism, ignorance, and prejudice. Their music speaks to generations of angry teenagers, whom if it wasn’t for rap Bridging the Gap[42] maybe would have been raised to be racist, and in the process, it breaks down barriers of language and races and encourages listeners to be empathetic to the plight of an.other. Still, not every mad rapper aspires to raise the bar, just like not every news organization aspires to report something akin to truth, there’s always a Sly Fox[43] lurking in the cut, fiening for ignorance to pedal lies and profit off deception – those who buy into this matrix are being spun and scratched like vinyl with their eyes wide open and their ears closed. Born and raised, mental slaves, listening to recycled beats with shallow hooks, silently transformed into The Instrumental[44] – too taken with the deceptions and perceptions of False Media[45] to pursue an original line. Why (What’s Goin’ On?)[46] The Kids[47] are taught to be aggressive but not strong, polite but not compassionate, well-behaved but not good, and meanwhile our integrity [future] is stifled [stolen] by the Hostile Gospel[48] of Thieves in the Night[49]. What are we doing? foolin’ ourselves – clownin’ ourselves – playin’ ourselves – but not being ourselves. I guess they’re getting paid, so I really can’t complain OR can I? [????] Is there an insatiable appetite [market] for Hate[50], a burning desire to pray and pray for someone else’s downfall, in [the] us? If so, then US[51] will always sing the blues, cuz all we care about is hairstyles and tennis shoes. What More Can I Say[52]? It's your world. The moon is mine. I'm on the Pursuit of Happiness[53], you stay on the 13th floor/Growing Old[54], until we reach our Final Hour[55]—

One Love[56],

Man on the Moon [57]

---

[1] A Tribe Called Quest. ‘Scenario’ The Low End Theory (1991)

[2] Mos Def. ‘Hip Hop’ Black on Both Sides (1999)

[3] KRS-One. ‘Why Is That?’ Ghetto Music: The Blueprint (1989)

[4] T.I. ‘What You Know’ King (2006)

[5] Kanye West. ‘Crack Music’ Late Registration (2005)

[6] Rakim. ‘As The Rhyme Goes On’ Paid in Full (1988)

[7] Lil Wayne. ‘Dontgetit’ The Carter III (2008)

[8] Notorious B.I.G. ‘Machine Gun Funk’ Ready to Die (1994)

[9] ---. ‘Every Day Struggle’

[10] 2pac. ‘Temptations’ Me Against the World (1995)

[11] ---. ‘Words of Wisdom…’ 2pacalypse Now (1991)

[12] Jay-Z. ‘Moments of Clarity’ The Black Album (2003)

[13] ---. ‘Dead Presidents’ Reasonable Doubt (1998)

[14] Outkast. ‘Mainstream’ ATLiens (1996)

[15] Obie Trice. ‘Wake Up’ Second Round’s On Me (2006)

[16] Talib Kweli ‘Listen’ Eardrum (2007)

[17] Big Daddy Kane ‘I’ll Take You There’ Long Live the Kane (1988)

[18] Asher Roth. ‘The Lounge’ Asleep in the Bread Aisle (2009)

[19] The Roots. ‘Don’t Feel Right’ Game Theory (2006)

[20] Eminem. ‘White America’ The Eminem Show (2002)

[21] Nas. ‘Testify’ Untitled (2008)

[22] KRS-One. ‘Necessary’ By All Means Necessary (1988)

[23] Drake. ‘Fear’ So Far Gone (2009)

[24] Dead Prez. ‘Propaganda’ Let's Get Free (2000)

[25] Common. ‘The Corner’ Be (2005)

[26] Rakim. ‘I Ain’t No Joke’ Paid in Full (1988)

[27] KRS-One. ‘My Philosophy’ By All Means Necessary (1988)

[28] Common. ‘Real People’ Be (2005)

[29] Public Enemy. ‘Fight the Power’ It Takes a Nation of Millions…(1988)

[30] Xzibit. ‘The Foundation’ At the Speed of Life (1996)

[31] Black Star. ‘Re:Definition’ Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are…(2008)

[32] Nas. ‘One Mic’ Stillmatic (2001)

[33] Lupe Fiasco. ‘Put You on Game’ The Cool (2007)

[34] Kanye West. ‘Big Brother’ Graduation (2007)

[35] Common. ‘The People’ Finding Forever (2007)

[36] NWA. ‘Express Yourself’ Straight Outta Compton (1988)

[37] Kid Cudi. ‘Simple As…’ Man on the Moon (2009)

[38] B.o.B. ‘Ghost in the Machine’ The Adventures of Bobby Ray (2010)

[39] Public Enemy. ‘Rebel Without a Pause’ It Takes a Nation of Millions…(1988)

[40] Lupe Fiasco. ‘Real’ Lupe Fiasco’s Food and Liquor (2006)

[41] Jay-Z. ‘Young Forever’ The Blueprint III (2009)

[42] Nas. ‘Bridging the Gap’ Street’s Disciple (2004)

[43] Nas. ‘Sly Fox’ Untitled (2008)

[44] Lupe Fiasco. ‘The Instrumental’ Lupe Fiasco’s Food and Liquor (2006)

[45] The Roots. ‘False Media’ The Game Theory (2006)

[46] The Roots. ‘Why (What’s Goin’ On?)’ The Tipping Point (2004)

[47] B.o.B. ‘The Kids’ The Adventures of Bobby Ray (2010)

[48] Talib Kweli. ‘Hostile Gospel (Deliver Us)’ Eardrum (2008)

[49] Black Star. ‘Thieves in the Night’ Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are…(1998)

[50] Jay-Z ‘Hate’ The Blueprint III (2009)

[51] Ice Cube. ‘Us’ Death Certificate (1991)

[52] Jay-Z. ‘What More Can I Say’ The Black Album (2004)

[53] Kid Cudi. ‘Pursuit of Happiness’ Man on the Moon (2009)

[54] Outkast. ‘13^th Floor/Growing Old’ ATLiens (1996)

[55] Lauryn Hill. ‘Final Hour’ The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)

[56] Nas ‘One Love’ Illmatic (1994)

[57] Kid Cudi. 'Man on the Moon' (2009)

http://www.kingkong.demon.co.uk/gsr/prefdg.htm