(Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

By Gee King

It’s been too long since the music world got to experience a true Kanye season. Last year’s Cruel Summer run provided only a sampling of the energy we’ve come to expect when a new Yeezy project is in the air. The year before that was Watch The Throne, which presented a relatively sedated ‘Ye as he wisely followed his big brother Jay-Z’s lead and kept his outbursts to a minimum. But 2013 promises to bring the first full-blown Kanye experience since 2010’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and fans and critics are already beside themselves trying to figure out what to expect.

Now five solo albums deep, Kanye has mastered every aspect of his creative process with a precision no rapper has ever matched. From the mysterious international sabbaticals he takes to center his creative spirit to the Hawaii-based studio boot camp he records in, Kanye’s perfectionist quirks have consumed every detail of his creative life. Both fans and critics adore his dedication and the superior product it begets, but they also struggle to grasp the mindset of a genius who loves contradiction and controversy more than fame and fortune.

Why does he have to be such an ass? Why can’t he give interviews like a regular celebrity? Why can’t he just be happy with the money and notoriety? That’s what he wanted in the first place, right? While the Lauryn Hill’s and Dave Chappelle’s of the world fled the spotlight for the “simple life”, Kanye has spent most of his career complicating things; sacrificing his sanity to prove the insane nature of the world. The fallouts of his many infamous episodes taught him the power he holds when he speaks his truth in spite of political correctness or common sense. But what stage will he crash with his next heroic dose of truth? Or, more importantly, what does he have to say this time that will be worth his and our time?

The rants he’s been letting off at live performances since last December have given some insight into where his mind and heart are set at the moment. His pro-creative, anti-corporate sentiment is nothing revolutionary, but hearing it from one of the world’s biggest pop stars is more interesting than hearing it from scorned underground artists who never tried their odds against the mainstream machine. ‘Ye’s latest rant was against the celebrity culture that sees no issue with paparazzi stalking idols and selling gossip. “I’ma a terrible celebrity,” he shouted while performing at a private Adult Swim event. He went on to mock the notion that the purpose of his upcoming Saturday Night Live appearance was to “humanize” himself in wake of his recent run-ins with paparazzi. “At what point did I become unhuman where I had to turn myself back? Or maybe I was demonized. Maybe I was treated inhumane.”

With a baby with tabloid queen Kim Kardashian on the way, the paradox of celebrity is clearly the most pressing issue in Yeezy’s life. So we should expect an album that attacks mainstream America’s obsession with the rich and famous with a polarizing brilliance that only Kanye can provide. Sadly, the music he’s been previewing for audiences lacks the sonic and conceptual electricity that songs like “Diamonds,” “Power” and “Runaway” offered in the past. It’s too early to judge from iPhone concert-footage, but “Awesome” sounded like a step back from his latest group and solo work. To be fair, fans didn’t know how to digest 2008’s 808s & Heartbreak though in retrospect, it stands as one of his most important albums. Besides driving Mr. West’s emotional rollercoaster to it’s lowest lows, the auto-tuned album created a lane for the Drake’s and Kid Cudi’s of today while blowing the roof off of Hip Hop’s creative limits.

All of it leads back to his original mission: “I’m tryna make some music that inspires people to be the best they can be,” he told the Adult Swim audience. “And I don’t want nobody to ask nothing else of me.” As long as the music is great, it sounds like a fair deal. And a full-blown Ray J diss is non-negotiable.

(photo: John Ricard / BET)

By Jake Rohn

In a recent interview on Big Boy’s Neighborhood on Power 106 in Los Angeles, ATL rap star Future raised the ire of many while attempting to defend Lil Wayne’s lyrics on the “Karate Chop (Remix),” telling the host that he felt the controversy “brought a positive energy to the situation.” The “Turn On the Lights” rapper received a collective side-eye from the masses for something many rappers have been suffering from of late, foot in mouth disease.

Future’s full response read:

“I think overall with the whole situation, he did bring light in a positive way to what happened, even though they thought it was negative. He brought a positive energy to the situation because a lot of people don’t know, my dad didn’t even know who Emmett was. He’s thinking I’m talking about Emmitt Smith.”

He continued, “He raised awareness to people who didn’t even know who Emmett Till is to young kids who didn’t even know what happened to him. After Lil Wayne brought light to it, they had to go and do their research.”

Unsurprisingly, Future has been vilified for his comments. Did he deserve to be lambasted for his poor choice of words? No doubt. But, if you look at just that last sentence, “After Lil Wayne brought light to it, (people who didn’t know of Emmett Till) had to go and do their research.” THAT is what he was trying (and failing) to say. It goes without saying that Future could use a little training from a good publicist. It also goes without saying that Future is an adult and – well intentioned or not – should be prepared to face the consequences of his actions and words. But buried in this whole mess is the microcosm of a much broader issue: A lack of accountability when it comes to context. With so many tabloid pundits, journalists, “journalists” and gossip sites, people have gone from reporting on facts to creating them. And, in many cases, that leads to them missing the forest for the trees.

YMCMB rapper Tyga found himself at the center of a similar whirlwind of controversy after offering his point of view on Rick Ross’ now infamous “U.O.E.N.O.” lyrics. In an interview that took place shortly after Reebok dropped Rozay at the behest of protestors, Tyga said, “We’ve all got friends who have been to jail, that sold drugs or whatever. Sometimes you gotta be the voice for them people. That’s what rap is. Even with 2Pac. ‘Pac would talk about having kids, his baby mama getting on his nerves, but that stuff he was talking about he was the voice.” He went on to say, “What he said, that’s like freedom of speech. It wasn’t even his record.” And what numerous headlines read based on that response? “Tyga Defends Rape Rap.” No discussion about whether or not the lyrics should fall under freedom of expression, just enough so-called truth to attract more hits. In today’s world of predominantly online readerships, the average person typically skims through headlines and opening paragraphs, leading to an abundance of misinformation and half-truths that people use to create their own, uneducated opinion of people.

Whether either of these men bring up valid points of discussion is irrelevant because in an increasingly polarized society where everyone has an agenda, every statement is analyzed and scavenged for dirt. I guess all’s fair in love and journalism.

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(Photos from left: Judy Eddy/WENN.com, All Access Photo / Splash News)

By: Jake Rohn

Chris Brown and Rihanna give new meaning to the phrase “on-again off-again” with their relationship, which doesn’t seem to function unless it’s dysfunctional. The tumultuous twosome have taken to social media to throw quasi-subliminal shade at each other. While this is nothing new for anyone who has followed their rocky love affair, there are some folks that argue the superstar couple is sending the wrong message with their on-going feuding.

Rihanna drew first blood, agreeing with one of Brown’s earlier sentiments. “Settling is not an option! Nothing less than 100% loyalty, honesty, and respect!! Love ain’t for kidz #butimsleeptho,” tweeted the CoverGirl model. Chris Brown jabbed back two hours later, citing Rih Rih’s own works, tweeting, “Sometimes loving someone is too much! So loving from a distance will help everyone grow! Be blessed. Live ya life.”

Rihanna continued over the weekend, getting increasingly personal, with her “subliminally” tweeting, “IF I DROP ALL OF MY H–S FOR YOU AND WE STILL DON’T WORK OUT YOU ME SOME H–S.”  She even posted a pic of a date night setting with an anonymous companion, to which she added the antagonistic caption, “Got a thang for a King, but chu ain’t a King!!!”

As young people with an even younger fan base, Chris and Rihanna need to be more cognizant of the consequences of their actions. Social media has a lot of benefits, but it has also become a breeding ground for passive aggressiveness and public humiliation.

Public mudslinging and media-assisted insults are nothing new. In fact, if you go back a few centuries, some of the first presidential candidates would not only insult their adversary, but would slander said opponent’s wife and family (a code of ethics that even Tony Montana would not agree with). So is it really fair to single out this former young power couple? The answer is yes, because not only are they influential, but they also speak to a younger, decidedly more impressionable legion of followers than many of their celebrity cohorts.

This most recent string of unnecessarily personal attacks has come to the point where some are calling it cyber bullying. Whether or not it really is, it still sends the wrong message to young people, inferring that public mudslinging is an acceptable way to deal with conflict. This behavior, as juvenile as it may be, does have an effect on young people. In a day and age where people are committing suicide based on online rhetoric, these two have a responsibility to their fans to set an example of how to effectively solve problems through direct communication. Ask any therapist and they will tell you it’s not good to repress, but they will probably not tell you to air out the other person’s personal business under the thinly masked veil of Twitterverse anonymity.

There is no debating that the problem goes far beyond these two. Pundits, “experts” and attention seekers alike all use public forums such as social media and television to garner attention for themselves at someone else’s expense. Donald Trump recently gained days of free press simply by convincing the public he could discredit the president (which he never actually did). Chris Brown and Rihanna carry extra weight because their fan base is more impressionable. Chances are, this is not the last we’ve heard from them. Hopefully, by the time of the next make-up or breakup, they will have realized that a real conversation is worth more than a thousand tweets.

(Photo: Â Enrique RC, PacificCoastNews.com)

By: Jake Rohn

In a recent interview with AILindstrom.com, rapper Wiz Khalifa spoke out against religion in hip hop, calling it a fad. The Pittsburgh native think there should be a separation between religion and rap.

During the interview, Wiz talked about how he doesn’t even think a lot of the people talking about religion know what they’re saying.

“This is just me personally, I don’t like how much people play with religion in rap,” said the “Black and Yellow” MC. He continued, “I feel like that’s a fad that a lot of people came into and they don’t really understand really what they’re saying or doing. So, they’re playing into that because it’s popular, it’s cool, but it’s not really what the s–t’s about.”

Is Wiz right? Should there be a line drawn between rhyme and religion? The answer is no! In listening to Wiz, one might argue that even Wiz doesn’t believe that religion should be expunged from hip hop. If you read between the lines it actually sounds like his problem is more with other rappers’ ignorance than their subject matter. When he says that they “don’t really understand really what they’re saying or doing,” that sounds like a statement that goes beyond the specific topic of religion.

Hip hop, more than any other genre of music in the modern history of the world, is dependent upon authenticity. That’s why Tupac, who, by many accounts, was a walking contradiction, continues to be mythologized by millions of fans while Ja Rule, who is far less controversial, has been relegated to obscurity. Fans not only want to believe what you’re spitting, they want you to believe what you’re spitting. Religion, for better or worse, is part of the brand.

Religion undoubtedly has its place in hip hop, but just like in a debate, it’s a subject that should not be broached without the proper education. Wiz has always come off as an intelligent guy and his point is valid. But hip hop needs truth like a fish needs water, and if your truth is rooted in faith, it would negate the founding principles of hip hop to hide or lie about what makes your story worth hearing. Detractors might note that talking about religion contradicts a bulk of the subject matter that makes up a myriad of rapper’s albums. Whether or not those people want to admit it, contradictions like that do little more than hold a mirror to the listener. We’re all imperfect and we all contradict ourselves or change our minds at some point in life. One of the things that make hip hop special is that, unlike in Hollywood, flaws are exposed.

Wiz is half right in his proclamation that religion has no place in hip hop: The part about people not knowing what they’re saying. But that goes for everything, not just religion. A solid argument could be made for hip hop being the first genre to truly highlight its talent as a brand, and that brand thrives on being raw, real and representative of the vast range of human complexity. If God is part of who someone is, it would be a slap in the face of everything hip hop stands for to leave that out when it comes time to bless the mic.

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(Photo: Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for BET)

By Gee King

As hip hop matures through adulthood, many of the culture’s elders are growing increasingly concerned for it’s legacy. The corporatization of hip hop as a fashion and musical entity has turned the mostly Black street culture to a global force that sells products and ideas to all races. Considering the history of appropriation and whitewashing that’s affected most forms of American popular culture, it makes sense that veterans like Scarface and Killer Mike are speaking out in an attempt to stop rap music from suffering the same fate that befell rock ‘n’ roll and the blues.

“Elvin’s gon’ be the face of hip hop,” said legendary Houston MC Scarface in an interview with Hardknock TV. The Geto Boys co-founder made headlines for his blunt diagnosis of the state of the game, saying, “I feel like we losing it,” and predicting that hip hop will be a completely White culture in the near future. “I feel like the people that are in control of what hip hop does is so f—– white and so f—– Jewish and so they don’t give a f— about what the culture and the craft really is about,” Face said emphatically. Realizing the gravity of his words, Face paused to rephrase his thoughts, claiming he wanted “to be as offensive as I can f—– make it for these old-ass punks that’s running these record labels.”

Face is convinced there is a conspiracy against Blacks in the hip hop industry and he raises some strong points. “You put out f—–g records that make us look stupid. You make us look dumb. You brainwash a generation of hip hoppers with this f—–g crud.” In Scarface’s eyes, when you put White MCs next to the buffoonery that passes for mainstream hip hop, they appear to be a welcomed relief from the modern minstrel show of self-hatred, misogyny and criminality that record labels and media outlets are coordinating.

Iggy Azalea, who’s faced her fair share of racial backlash as a white Australian MC, rebutted Face’s comments with the argument that fans determine what sells just as much as the “old white men” that Face is so upset with. “It’s not old white men creating the content and it’s not old white men buying the content either,” she said matter-of-factly in her own interview with Hardknock TV. “Yes, they’re the middleman putting this out, but it’s just a bank.” Azalea feels hip hop’s new era of diversity should be celebrated and labels Scarface’s point-of-view as pro-segregation. She asks, “Why would you want to segregate cultures and races and things like this? Isn’t that where conflict has always come from in the world?”

Whether there is a conspiracy going on or not, the meteoric rises of artists like Macklemore and Mac Miller have to raise eyebrows to those who recognize the racial dynamics of the American economy. The artistic impact of white MCs is already being felt according to Killer Mike, who told the Combat Jack Show that white MCs introduced self-pity into the rap game. The “Everyday Struggle” that Biggie rapped about has turned to the suburban plight of Drake arguing with his mom and borrowing his uncle’s Phantom. But with the Kanye Wests and Kid Cudis of the world just as responsible as Eminem or Mac Miller for hip hop’s new sensitivity, the color lines are becoming so blurred it’s hard to tell who started this all in the first place. And that’s exactly what veterans like Face are most afraid of.

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(Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

By Jake Rohn

Some of you might not be old enough to remember, but hip hop soundtracks used to be an event. Songs like the Nate Dogg and Warren G karaoke classic “Regulate” and Snoop Dogg’s “Murder Was the Case” remix made soundtracks like Above the Rim and Murder Was the Case bigger than most albums. In fact, the Murder Was the Case soundtrack was 10 times bigger than the movie itself. So where has that musical impact gone? What ever happened to the blockbuster soundtrack? It looks like Jay-Z is taking a shot at giving the genre a much needed shot in the arm.

With iTunes came the death of the motion picture soundtrack as we know it. These days they are mostly collections of old or recycled songs. At the helm of The Great Gatsby soundtrack is Jay-Z and for the first time in years it’s a soundtrack that boasts new songs like Beyoncé’s and Andre 3000’s “Back to Black,” will.i.am’s “Bang Bang” and “$100 Bill” by Hov himself. The soundtrack features an all-star list of artists like Nero, Florence and the Machine and Jack White. Now more than ever is the perfect time for soundtracks to make a comeback. Having an original song to go along with a new movie is the perfect cross-promotional tool to catapult both the film itself as well as the album. For a good example look no further than Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise,” which was not only part of the soundtrack to Dangerous Minds, it became embedded in the movie’s DNA.

Though critics are predicting an underwhelming debut for The Great Gatsby, the soundtrack has already received tons of press as one of the biggest albums of the year. With a new generation that seems to have a more diverse palate for music, this soundtrack is the perfect representation of what an album should look like these days.

Gatsby might turn out to be a mediocre movie. So far the reviews are mixed. But the soundtrack is both great and diverse. It’s the perfect album to show why we need more like it. Epic movies need epic soundtracks and the Jay-Z produced Great Gatsby just might be the perfect album at the perfect time.

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(Photos from left: Mark Davis/Getty Images for NAACP Image Awards, Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

By Jake Rohn

In barbershops across the country, the multi-generational argument persists with no end in sight: ’80s vs. ’90s. It’s one of those agree to disagree situations where, depending on your age, your opinion is likely to hold firm. But when it comes to finding success beyond hip hop, the MCs of the ’80s seem to be way ahead.

Mr. “Cop Killer” Ice-T is ironically making serious bank as a cop on television’s Law & Order: SVU. The other Ice (Cube) has gone from “F–k Tha Police” to becoming known to adults as “Craig” from the Friday movies and to kids as “Terrence” from the Are We There Yet? movies, and by the way, as an executive producer, Cube is making serious dough as well. LL Cool J has enjoyed great success as an actor, author and fitness icon, while Will Smith is making a run at the title of “biggest movie star on the planet.” Queen Latifah has gone from one of the first successful female femcees to being a CoverGirl and an Oscar nominee. There are some who probably didn’t even know these people used to be rappers. Even Flava Flav has found his niche as a reality TV superstar, as has Rev Run.

But when you look at the biggest stars from the 1990s, their careers off the mic didn’t bring them the lasting stardom that those icons of the 1980s enjoyed. How is that possible? In the ’80’s, hip hop was still new to most of the record-buying audience. Therefore it garnered a lot of attention (not all good). As a result, the stars of the era were more than just rappers, they were icons, soldiers, reporters and rebels. Also, because hip hop was still thought of by some as just a fad, there were less stars and the brightest ones stood out even more.

In the ’90s, hip hop exploded in popularity, but it also reached its apex of violence with the murders of Tupac and Biggie. The number of rappers in the game was 10 times what it had been a decade earlier. It produced some incredible music, but most of these new emcees were known for being just that. In an ironic twist of fate, the ’80s may have subliminally done a better job of establishing artists as a “brand,” which happens to be the school of thought instilled in today’s artists by corporations and record labels. The only difference is that, in the ’80s, the artists did it because they were rebels, whereas now they do it because corporate America breeds them that way.

In between, however, the ’90s saw new and different things from rappers. Hip hop had gone from “Fight the Power” to now being the power itself. Yet somehow many MCs of the ’90s have not enjoyed the success beyond hip hop that their predecessors from the ’80s have. Method Man and Redman had a minute and a couple of members from Onyx did some movies, but overall, the ’90s was more about the art of rap than the 2000s. Which decade was better for hip hop will have to remain the subject of heated debate, but which generation graduated the most of its players onto other things? The ’80s!

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(Photo: Instagram via badgalriri

By Gee King

Now that Chris Brown and Rihanna have officially split, the young stars are free to grow as artists and people without the burden of their troubled relationship clouding the public’s view of their art. By detaching themselves and their careers from one another, both can enter true adulthood by evolving beyond the interlocked bad boy and bad girl images that made them two of the most polarizing figures of pop culture’s last half-decade.

Neither is completely ready for that transformation quite yet. Chris is still incapable of keeping his emotions in check, as evidenced by the bizarre social media activity that hipped everyone to their impending breakup. And Rihanna still seems content with being the ultimate bad gal despite many fans wishes that she grow into a more mature role worthy of her massive influence. Despite the limitations of their current roles, their decision to split will liberate both to explore their respective potentials without their stories constantly being tied back to that fateful night before the 2009 Grammys.

Because of the gravity of their infamous incident, a reunion was inevitable. They had to see their teenaged love story to the end whether critics understood or not. But when they rekindled their relationship, they set off a media firestorm that completely overshadowed all of their artistic endeavors. When Chris gave a sneak preview of his new song “Give It Away” at a club, gossip blogs rushed to report his lyrics (“It’s mine, girl, it’s mine, so you better not give it away!”) as him claiming ownership of Rihanna’s lady parts. And despite the release of his undeniably catchy new single “Fine China,” Chris got more publicity for being seen getting cozy with any woman that wasn’t Rihanna than he did for his creative resurgence.

Once they recover from the heartbreak, both will be met with the unique opportunity to create new personas from scratch. They can never fully escape their pasts, but they may find it surprisingly easy to find refuge in their blindingly bright futures. The sky is the limit for both, so if they can rise above their former selves, it won’t take long to redefine their stories and push their ugly incident toward the bottom of their respective Wikipedia pages. Not to mention the juicy material they will be able to mine from their years together.

Chris’ upcoming album X has been billed as a landmark moment for the young star. Mainstream America has slowly let him creep back into the spotlight, but only a phenomenal album will grant him access back into the American public’s good graces. His dedication to charity work and positivity were not enough to help most fans get over their frustration they felt when Rihanna decided to forgive him. By disconnecting from her, he could be allowed to follow in the footsteps of the countless other male stars who have wronged American sweethearts and gone on to become celebrated legends. Rihanna will also find herself before a clean canvas with the skills and resources to paint any sort of future she can imagine. While it’s sad to see love die, divided they may rise to levels of creativity and success they never could have reached while together.

(Photo by Roger Kisby/Getty Images)

By Gee King

When Dr. Boyce Watkins’ critique of Tyler, the Creator’s “Felicia the Goat” commercial got Mountain Dew to pull the ad from the airwaves, it was hard to tell whether the controversy was the result of hateration or a generation gap. Now that both perspectives have been shared (Tyler’s through a Billboard article, Watkins’ via a YouTube vlog), hip hop must address issues way deeper than corporate sponsorships and racial stereotypes. With Tyler dedicated to protecting the free expression of his creativity and Watkins desperate for rappers to rethink the long-term consequences of their art, MCs and fans have to revisit the age-old question: “What are we really doing this for?”

Tyler dismissed Dr. Boyce Watkins as an “older black dude” in his Billboard interview, claiming that he was nitpicking and pointing out other ads that featured racially progressive situations. But Watkins’ YouTube explanation proved a sincere familiarity and concern for the future of hip hop that made it impossible to overlook him as an out-of-touch hater. Watkins apologized for going so hard at Tyler in his blog, explaining that “the words flew off my fingers because I was so mad,” and compared himself to rappers getting lost in the creative zone when they step in the booth. Watkins went on to call Tyler “a brilliant dude” who reminds him of his daughter and assured viewers that this was not a case of a brother hating on another brother getting money.

But while Watkins reached out to bridge a generation gap by comparing Tyler and his Odd Future crew to A Tribe Called Quest, he refused to back down from the message behind his blog post. “I’m not trying to get in the way of anybody trying to get money,” he explained, “but we can’t get money at any cost.” Watkins, an economics professor at Syracuse University, goes on to remind viewers that “money can liberate you, or money can enslave you,” and challenges Tyler to make a choice about the kind of man he wants to be. He even gives suggestions for avoiding future critique, saying “put two white boys in the line-up” or “an Asian with buck-teeth.”

Throughout his vlog, Watkins refuses to buy into Tyler’s post-racial attitude, saying bluntly, “the white man has convinced you that racism does not exist,” before referencing stats that illustrate the greater consequences of “systemic racism backed by capitalism.” Watkins points out that it’s the corporation’s responsibility to oversee the ad and make sure it wasn’t offensive and said their failure to do so proved his greater point: “these big corporation don’t have no problem insulting n—-s.”

After addressing Tyler, Watkins turned his sights on Lil Wayne, who he says was the original target of his anti-Mountain Dew movement in the first place. Comparing Wayne to Malcolm Little (had he never met the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and become Malcolm X), Watkins calls him “only a fraction of the man he could have been” who is “going through the world destroying instead of building.” Watkins gives props to the extraordinary minds of hip hop artists, including Wayne and Tyler, while still holding them accountable for the responsibility that comes with their great creative powers. “You’re not a victim of your circumstances anymore,” he reminds them, urging them to uplift their people instead of allowing Blacks to continue to “sing and dance to the tune of our own destruction.”

Whether you love hip hop for its aspirational messages or its raw creative energy, there’s no denying that there has always been a greater purpose driving this culture from its humble Bronx roots to its current global reach. Tyler, the Creator’s rise to stardom is no different, molded by teen angst and creative intellect that couldn’t fit neatly into any box that the hood or suburbs tried to squeeze him into. But like hip hop in the early 1990s as corporate America was rushing to capitalize and rappers were forced to decide between selling out or remaining powerless, Tyler’s influence has become a burden that will require him to make tough decisions about the kind of artist he wants to be. In this case, he would be wise to at least consider Watkins’ perspective unless he’s fine with being viewed in the same light as Lil Wayne when it comes to moral and ethical issues. “Any young person that doesn’t listen to old people is stupid,” says Watkins at one point in his vlog, “because eventually you’re gonna go through the same stuff that some older person could have warned you about if you were willing to listen.”

(Photo: David Santiago/El Nuevo Herald/MCT)

By Gee King

Some of hip hop’s biggest stars are feeling the after effects of last month’s controversy over Rick Ross’ lyrics on the Rocko hit “U.O.E.N.O.” It seems the precedent that Reebok set when they dropped Rozay for refusing to apologize for lyrics that many believed promoted rape kicked off what could be a slow and ugly divorce between mainstream rappers and corporate sponsors. Rap has never been rated PG, and as the corporate music industry co-opted the culture in the 1990s, mainstream content grew increasingly violent and vulgar. Now, with almost every rapper on the airwaves guilty of dropping potentially offensive lyrics at some point in their careers, no rapper is safe to collect mainstream corporate dollars without the possibility of being protested.

PepsiCo’s Mountain Dew brand came under fire this week for recent campaigns featuring Lil Wayne and Tyler, the Creator. Pepsi, whom famously fired Ludacris in 2002 after Fox News host Bill O’Reilly led a boycott, now has the Black civil rights community condemning the brand for its partnership with the controversial stars. Lil Wayne finally released a public apology to the estate of Emmett Till for his bars on Future’s “Karate Chop (Remix)” — “Beat that p—y up like Emmett Till”) — which was removed from the Internet and retail outlets by Future’s label Epic after the fallen civil rights figure’s family spoke out. AllHipHop.com reported that Till’s family was prepared to relentlessly pursue boycotts and possible legal action against Mountain Dew. Wayne promptly released a written statement, which he closed by saying, “My ultimate intention is to uplift rather than degrade our community.”

Notoriously lewd Odd Future MC Tyler, the Creator had one of the “Felicia the Goat” commercials he directed for Mountain Dew pulled after Dr. Boyce Watkins penned a blog post calling it “arguably the most racist commercial in history.” Featuring Tyler’s Odd Future homies dressed as what he described as “ratchety negroes” and posing for a police line-up,  the commercial struck a chord with Watkins and his followers who believed it promoted the most offensive racial stereotypes that haunt Black men in America each day. Watkins goes on to cite lyrics from Tyler’s song “Tron Cat,” claiming the 22-year-old “celebrates the sexual assaults of pregnant women” because of the lyric, “Rape a pregnant b—h and tell my friends I had a threesome.”

Whether you find Wayne and Tyler’s lyrics offensive or not, their artistic freedom of expression is being painted into a corner by a corporate structure that can overlook morality as long as it doesn’t affect the bottom line. So there’s not even a point in asking why corporations didn’t mind capitalizing off of the thousands of violent and degrading lyrics Wayne and Tyler have spit over the years until the word “boycott” was uttered. Or why political correctness hardly governs the film industry as harshly as it does hip hop. If protestors can lean on any corporate entity and take money out of rappers pockets this easily, rappers need to start thinking outside of the box and finding hustles that don’t end with them being forced to write letters of apology like they’re in middle school detention. The line between artistic responsibility and free speech has been skewed and if hip hop can’t collectively define it soon, mainstream rappers will be pushed even further down the totem pole of our global economy. I’m just waiting for the day a group of husbands who’ve been cheated on band together and go after Wiz Khalifa’s endorsement with Converse because of his constant references to f—–g other people’s b——s.

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