The Migos have officially lost their collective minds, well at least Offset who said in a recent interview that older rappers should be thanking and kissing the feet of the younger generation of hip hop because of the levels that hip hop has reached with streaming and how now hip hop is the #1 Genre in the world. Well not everybody feels that way as a matter of fact there are alot of artist that had somethings to say after Offset made his comment’s Lupe Fiasco was one of the 1st to lead the charge by posting this on IG The disconnect…The Reconnect.
Firstly let me say that I’m a huge fan of the Migos (specifically Emitt Smith & Fight Night. Also when I go to the club I only really get up and dance dance my little dance to Migos. True story) Secondly let me say that the only visceral problem with brother offsets statement is the use of the cliche “kissing feet”.
That’s not a sign of respect that’s an act of subjugation of something lower to something higher and as Busta Rhymes told me when it comes to rap there are no classes, or superiors vs inferiors. We are all a team. Each with individual attributes that add their special skill set and energy to the whole.
The metrics of industry don’t successfully define the essence of hiphop nor do they replace its legacy or the efforts of its pioneers who achieved great things with little to nothing in terms of materials (i.e. the internet and massive marketing budgets) and from that poverty of capital created a Culture, not a business, a legitimate Culture and were actively combatted by opposing forces from all walks of life.
Streaming and selling records is only a part of the project that is hip hop. It’s a great feeling and milestone to sell a million records and be celebrated for that achievement.
But it is just as great to be an amazing lyricist respected by thousands for your abilities to craft amazing pieces of communication that can operate to influence society as a whole not just exclusively on a dance floor. Hip hop got its RESPECT from rappers who spoke truth to power and struck fear in the comfort zones of oppression and inspired folks to take a look at their surroundings, analyze and OVERCOME. Hip Hop isn’t respected because of how many records it has sold or how many dances it has created. Hip Hop is respected because it’s kisses nobodies feet. And never will.
Our feet don’t belong on the mouths of our pioneers they belong on their shoulders.
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