HOW TO HANDLE A HIP HOP BACKPACKER

“That’s not real hip hop.” 

“I never watch MTV or BET or listen to the radio.”

“I miss the good old days of hip hop, circa 1994.”

There are those hip hop types who you love to hate.  The so called “educated” coffee-house intellectual types that love to talk about the declining state of hip hop music, as if its best days have long past.  They talk about current hip hop music objectively because they think they are above it; their iPods are only filled with the “good shit.”  You know, old school BEP, Common, The Roots, Talib.  The entire Stones Throw catalog.  Only revolutionary or obscure cats make their playlists.   Holy war to them is the radio mainstream vs. the indie underground.  And they still refer to Lauryn Hill as L-boogie.
 
Those who have encountered such hip hop righteousness know not to get into any sort of philosophical argument, unless they are well equipped to do battle.  Remember, these are the cats who probably wrote their college theses on the historical importance of Run D-M-C and the postmodern brilliance of Madlib.  They never ever back down and make you feel like shit for copping the new Mike Jones album.  So how exactly does one prepare for such an encounter with a backpacker?

Let him or her take a couple of easy jabs at you.  Make them feel like they’re winning.  When they ask you what kind of music you listen to, say reggaeton and 50 Cent.  Better yet, say your favorite joint is the reggaeton remix of “Candyshop.”  At this point they’ll think you’re an easy target. When they ask where you cop your music, say you only buy CDs at Best Buy and regularly download the Top 10 ranked hip-hop songs off iTunes. Sensing blood, they’ll next ask you who your favorite MC is.  Answer this unacceptably, and they’ll pounce all over you and try to “educate” you on how little you know about “real” hip hop.  Wait until they start to salivate and raise their eyebrows in anticipation.  Then calmly and confidently say the name that automatically breaks a backpackers will: Kanye West.

The Louie Vitton Don is an anomaly to most backpackers.  Someone who transcends the boundaries of what is mainstream and what is conscious simply cannot exist.  It defies hip hop physics.  How can someone from a major label like the ROC get his inspiration from A Tribe Called Quest?  Be street and culturally conscious? I mean, did you see the “Diamonds from Sierra Leone” video?  Straight killed it son!  Kanye has the rare ability to make a political statement without sounding preachy.   The teachers and the kids love Kanye.

Then go on the offensive.  Remind ‘em that the self proclaimed “first ni**a with a Benz AND a backpack” makes beats for both Jay-Z and Common.  Dare them to say that Big L, B.I.G and Nas should not be respected for their lyrical prowess, regardless of their lyrical content.  Have them admit to watching BET uncut at 3 in the morning like everyone else.

Once their guard is down, break bread.  Remind them that hip hop was never meant to be stagnant or one-dimensional.  He’ll admit that he loves grinding at the club as much as the next man.  She’ll admit that her favorite jams are “Hollaback Girl” and “My Hump.”  After a few laughs, have them listen to “5 years from now” off the recently certified platinum Who is Mike Jones?, and ask them if that was not the most poignant and relevant shit that they have heard in the past 6 months.  Even Common himself didn’t directly address issues like Iraq, voting, and taxes on the critically acclaimed-but-yet-to-go-gold Be.  Admit that album sales aren’t the issue, and that Mike Jones’ rise to the top should be celebrated along with Common’s return to form.   Because at the end of the day its all one family, one love, one struggle.

Then go home and write Kanye a thank you letter, for restoring faith in another lost hip hop soul.

ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF…

My name is Michael Miraflor, and I represent the left coast.  I was born and raised in LA, went to college in the Bay Area, and spent all of last summer living and breathing New York, working for MTV.  I am a recovering backpack hip hopper; I DJ mainstream hip hop.  I work in advertising so I’m media obsessed and have a love for technology that goes almost as deep as my love for hip hop.  I have mad respect for hip hop writers with a critical eye and ear.  You’ll be hearing a lot of me here in the days, weeks, years ahead…

Comments

[Tego]

Brraaappp! That's good writing!

[nOva]

It's about time someone wrote something like this.

[Tego]

Back-Slap-A-Back-Packer!

[Trent]

LOL.

This is a very funny and intelligent post.

But can we all just get along?

Ha! Ha!

[steve]

fu*k backpackers, fu*ck mike jones, double f*ck kayne's wack a$$ and fu*ck you.

dissing backpackers doesnt make you more down. hip hop has been steadily dumbing itself down to distance itself from white people aka backpackers and guess what? its not working! white people love the crunk shit just as much, if not more than the hip hop of old.

the result now, is that the white people you so desperately want to stop listening to hip hop and participating in the culture, think its ok to see black people as drunk, drug selling, women exploiting, and ultra violent....instead of rightgeous, intelligent, lyrical and positive....

in conclusion....you all have just been served.....get off my di*k.

[dj mirateck]

what? stop drinking your hatorade son!

who said i was dissing backpackers? did you even read the whole article? i admitted to BEING a backpacker!

who wants to stop white people from listening to hip hop? i want all people to listen to hip hop! backpacker doesn't = white boy. i don't even know any whiteboy backpackers! on second thought, wait, all those anticon fans...

yeah so i crack a couple of jokes about backbackers cause i can poke fun at myself. and you laugh cause you know that some of those stereotypes have more then a few ounces of truth. and don't dare deny that kanye isn't somewhat of a bridge between the two camps. i'm like most cats- i struggle with it cause i claim both sides.

defend the four true elements of hip hop! support your local vinyl archaeologist!

[Primus Luta]

There are no more backpackers dude. Motherfuckers got laptops now. And the way you lump them all together is just plain silly. If you honestly believe Kanye is a representation of 'whatever' hiphop community claims to be real, you're fooling yourself.

I'm not sure what the actual point of this was but it was completely wasted on me. There are definitely problems with hiphop and they go from the underground up or the mainstream down, depending upon your perspective. But the point is it's all encompassing. All of hiphop needs to check itself, and Kanye is not immune.

[steve]

lol, you are right, I didnt read the whole thing! as you can see, I had some of that stuff on my mind for a while now....

I agree, kayne is definetely a brigde between the two camps, but he is a very lame bridge!

ok whatever, peace has been made, I am going to listen to slim thug and then sage francis and then I am going to eat some bacon and tofu.

[Demagogue]

"When they ask you what kind of music you listen to, say reggaeton and 50 Cent. Better yet, say your favorite joint is the reggaeton remix of 'Candyshop.'"
- I can't wait to use that on people. I can only imagine the look on some unsuspecting backpackers face...
Also, I'm glad that you included an introduction about yourself, especially the part where you admitted to being a recovering backpacker. Gives the article more credibility, since you know what you are talking about.

[Doug]

I give you respect for your ability to "poke fun" at backpackers as you say. I guess people are viewing the term "bakcpacker" subjectively and it's causing confusion. I wouldn't even categorize you as a backpacker. In my mind a backpacker (in the purest sense of the word) is someone who is at every Latyrx, Ugly Duckling, J5, People Under The Stairs show but can't tell you why Rakim is regarded as one of the greatest emcees of all time or why LLCoolJ was important to Hip Hop music during it's early years of gaining mainstream awareness. A backpacker is that cat that is down with emcees who speak a whole lot... but ain't saying nuthin that doesn't have 100 ways of being interpreted due to gratuitous use of huge words strung together in an ambiguous mess they think are "rhymes", when ain't sh!t they said even rhyming. They play "Styles of Beyond" for their non-backpack friends who look at them and justifyably ask "what the fu@k is dude saying?" to which the backpacker replies "Man Ryu's rhymes are bananas, kid! You can't even appreciate what he's saying. It's some next level sh!t" or something along those lines. To me that's a backpacker, one who is a fan of the obscure merely because it's obscure, not because it's good music.

You and I seem to be similar at least on the surface, as you can appreciate Madlib's music yet still bump Kanye or Luda. I don't like Madlib because he doesn't have a video on 106 and Park, I like his music because it's GOOD (well, at least half of the time it is. Some of his sh!t is just out there on some weird sh!t). I think that is a fundamental difference. You and I can appreciate hip hop on many levels, where as the true 'backpacker' is mad close-minded. Liking the MadVillany album does not make you a backpacker in m book.

My main problem is with people who in an effort to be open minded, start allowing garbage mainstream music into their rotation to try to balance out all the Dilated Peoples and Cali Agents sh!t they been playing over the years. I'm sorry son, but Mike Jones is not cool. That sh!t is dumb ni99a rap to me. Having one song talking about Bush and Iraq does not make Mike Jones prolific by any means. What about the 20 other tracks he has where he be saying his name 50 times a minute, giving out his phone number and talking about rims and jewels and how "back then they didn't want me, now I'm hot they all on me"? Am I supposed to ignore all that because of one track? Man please. Don't try to sell me trash and tell me it's ill, cause it most definitely ain't. Good music to me evokes emotion and is born out of the artists desire to make the listener feel something, whether it's anger, hate, love, pride, horny, whatever. This can only be done effectively by someone with TALENT. Mike Jones has zero talent. That is my number one issue with mainstream Hip Pop. I don't care if you sell a million in the first week, if you're genuinely talented chances are I'll probably bump your sh!t. Kanye has talent, so I can't hate on him. TrillVille, Ja-Rule, 98% of D12, and your bo Mike Jones have little or no talent to speak of. Hip hop is the only genre of music where at least 50% of the artists getting over are limited skillwise at what they do. Call me a backpacker if you chose, but you can't pull the wool over my eyes and convince me artists like The Birdman are making good quality music, cause chances are my response to that will be to put on my headphones and walk away, bumping the newest J-Dilla banger.

[dave park]

i thought that the term and species backpacker was pretty much dead. i thought it folded when rawkus died, but i do once in a while meet these guys. i also think that kanye is not on the list of backpackers. i always thought of backpackers as guys that only liked def jux, anticon in present day hip hop.

[matty]

For real hip hop in it's days was on socialism shit. Addressing the ills of the ghetto and the wants and needs of a people who to this day still aren't equal. All that intermixed with bravado and some ill ass beats.And noone can deny that some of today's mainstream hip-hop (as with all genres of music) is on capitlist pop bullshit. And why should hip-hop be any different? It's only mirroring the core value of the western world, "get that money".There is no divide. Basically today we have a music that accomodate everybody whether you on on club banger shit, some gansta shit, some Marcus Garvey back to Africa shit or you techie nerd who likes the blips and beeps on the new Beans album. Hip Hop as a whole is accessible. Come on, the fools in Insane Clown Posse are millionaires! Bottom line, it matter where's your heads at

[cherryl]

i agree with you michael. it's all a matter of balance...

[Swizamp]

Shut the fuck up Mike.

The backpacker hip-hop revivalists you are lashing out against is PURELY a matter of self-loathing.

You see who you USED to be in these people, and now act as if they are inferior.

Once you realized it wasn't hip to be a backpacker, you flipped your whole entire uniform to some pop-slut commercial loving, Applebee's eating, Enyce wearing mall brat.

Truthfully, a lot of the anti-mainstream/anti-commercial music kids aren't acting that way because they are trapped in an identity crises phase like you were. They really believe in what they stand for.

You were rocking backpacks, shelltoes, and had marginally extensive knowledge of hip-hop, and one day someone told you in lesser than kind words that:

"That backpacker shit is for homos."

Immediately you change teams.

Go fuck yourself poser. You spineless capitalist fuck. I didn't say "heartless," by the way. I am not putting you in the same category that I put business tycoons like Damon Dash and Russell Simmons in. They are hustlers. Capitalist, heartless sharks.

You are SPINELESS. You have no idea what to stand for because you are too much of a pussy to stand for anything.

Backpackers are easy targets, you spineless pussy. Backpackers are so 1998. Everyone who is actually DOWN, unlike you, KNOWS that being anti-backpack by being pro-commercial is about as tired as being a backpacker was. It's lame. It's being a bully. It is a cheap way at pretending you are cool.

Mike Jones doesn't make good music, faggot. Everyone knows that. And don't talk about sales with your cutesy little advertising credential certificate that papa paid for. Nigga, The Backstreet Boys go diamond everytime they drop an album. Sales mean nothing, faggot.

You are tired. You are a late bloomer.

You are a fucking poser.

What will it be next month? You better start thinking about that now, because being pro-commercial is becoming extremely lame very fucking fast.

Bitch.

[dj mirateck]

lets all give swizamp a couple of snaps for diagnosing me with some Freudian complex- of posting because i'm longing to be what i once was. observing how short his blog-reading attention span is, i doubt he'll read this response. so this is just some clarification for the rest of you.

normally i wouldn't respond to hatemail/hateposting, because i consider myelf a writer, and if i couldn't take the heat, i wouldn't write what i write. the article was a little vague because i wanted people to think and respond. but attacking who i am without knowing me... swizamp, that's just low, and you took it to a personal level.

all you haters are judging the post for the title. please read the entire article. do you get the idea of irony? it's a story, a very loose story open for reader interpretation. i never directly diss backpackers. who said i'm pro-commercial? in fact, i make both sides seem like fools. even the term "backpacker" is loosely defined... i'm loving how people are commenting on the state of the backpacker, of how some think they are extinct, and others think it only pertains to the largely white audiences taking over independent hip-hop shows. it shows how much frustration there is out there about where hip hop is heading, and i wrote a piece to help release some of that frustration in readers. but you, swizamp, made it personal.

when i say i'm a "recovering backpacker" its not a diss. i am saying i have lost my previous animosity towards the mainstream, while struggling to retain my backpacker soul. and this has nothing to do with image. i can give a fuck about image. i'm a grown ass man and i could care less of what the next man thinks of my external. it's about what's inside. and if you loved music as much as i did, you would realize that that's where the real struggle is.

i no longer classify music into conscious and mainstream. for me, its just "good" and "bad." and for some reason, people hate on people who crossover both camps. what happened to unity?

and if you can't take a complex argument then don't come back dropping words like a 12 year old, and don't attack who I AM. you don't know me. i work for and deserve every god damn thing i have. i am proud of what i have accomplished. my parents did not pay for my college education, i financed it myself my taking out loans and working 30 hours a week during school. my parents are immigrants that worked harder than any people i know to give me what i need- a level head and a thirst for knowledge. and i'm giving back to them by being independent. paying my own bills. barely making ends meet fresh out of school away from home on entry level pay.

you know why i have pride in working in advertising? because i am a minority, and there ARE NOT many minorities in advertising-believe that. i'm trying to blaze a path for others who come where I come from. when i was searching for work, employers would kill interviews before they really started because my appearance didn't fit into the mold of a quintessential industry head. i'm proving them all wrong.

i'm not crying or complaining. i'm proud. you call me a bully? did you read your own post? i'm tired? a late bloomer? a poser?
i'm just starting, son.

and its ignorant haters like you who keep me going.

[steve]

This is getting heated.

http://www.villagevoice.com/music/0526,kitwana,65332,22.html

check this article from the village voice talking about white audiences at pro-black hip hop shows, its a good read.

[Tired & Broke]

yo that point you made about Mike Jones was one of the best things you could of said to further you point....I really enjoyed that album....and that Common shit is aight too.....I love me some underground....but I'm not dumb or ignorant enuff to sleep of luda's flow, Just Blaze's beats, or Kanye's G.o.o.d movement

[Ross]

Hey, I think most people have moved past this to the next post about white fans in conscious rap, but I've had some thoughts bouncing around my head for a couple days on this subject.

I think Kanye West has really sparked a shift in the content on many commercial albums. Mike Jones isnt the commerical artist to put a conscious song on his record since Kanye came out with Dropout. Just a couple off the top of my head are Twista (who had Hope on Kamikaze) and Jadakiss (with Why on Kiss of Death). I'm sure there are more examples than that, but I'm finding thinking pretty tough right now. When a Double R signed artist's radio single is censored for its ideas rather than its words you got realize something conscious is happening in mainstream Hip-Hop. Thats what I'm thinking, and I havent even heard Mike Jones' album yet (flame me).

I guess its always been the case with a couple mainstreamers though... Pac had his conscious stuff right along side his thug stuff, and Nas has been doing his black power thing for awhile too. But what I hope has happened with Kanye's success is that mainstreamers have seen that you dont have to just be thug to sell records. I hope he's made them realize that as long as their records have dope rhymes and beats, people are going to buy them.

Yeah, just some thoughts

[Terecico]

I see you've opened the flood gates with your post. Definitely a good read. I consider myself a backpacker. You described me perfectly . I don't try to educate cats on hip-hop, I just try to get cats to see the light. Anyone who can distinguish real emcee's i.e. Mike Jones and Common has their head on straight.

[soul]

first of all fuck unity if the person is selling out and starts posing on artist still trying to make it.
second : there is a signafiable difference between good music and bad music

yo , i listen everything from rjd2,five deez to cunninlynquists,underground to mainstream.
i was a great fan of rawkus back in the days.
my knowledge is huge but that does'nt mean
i have to put my knowledge down on people that wont have the need to know.
backpackers are just people who are loving hiphop but who are taking it to the wrong track.unconciously claiming it for there own. hiphop should always be openminded towards new styles and idea's, culture's and expressions. the only problem i see nowadays is that hiphop is getting abused by corparations to gain personal interest.
now does this view make me a backpacker ?
im from amsterdam where hiphop is starting tto trade his name for urban ?! wich i think in america already happend. back in the days of bdp people flashed there guns and ice , the difference is that then "nobody" had those kind of things in da hood. now every rapper has shines all over him , so you can say that the mindstate of hiphop has'nt changed over the last 15 years , it still about getting dough and it always has been becuz hiphop was made from a poormans perpective and his dreams to achieve his dreams..
so you cant blame the rapper rapping about material things but that does'nt mean other mc's can not be allowed in the mainstream to be creative and show us there is an other side too hiphop than just yayo,crystal and 19 "inch rims
p's

[Vast]

First off, i must say..this is an excellent topic. Ive been in conversations like this for years now. The internal struggle between "good" and "evil". My ipod is a testament to this post. On random play i hit El-P, Jadakiss, J-hood, Dwele, Jean Grae, camp Lo, Cassidy, London Elektricity, Marques Wyatt, DJ Spinna, Common, Zero 7, Goapele, and Lil Wayne. Can i explain it? sure. I like music. period.

A little bit of background. I grew up on "mainstrean" hiphop. It was all that i was exposed to. Then right before college i went to a concert with Common, De La, Pharoahe, Talib. Then i got to college and linked up with cats that broadened my musical scope. I took off from there. To me, i have encountered plenty of people who cant believe i could blast BG "Cash Money is an Army" on the way to the People Under the Stairs show. To me...I hate putting artists in a box. Commercial or underground. So whats Jay-z? Kanye? Biggie? Mobb Deep? Tupac? Talent and popularity dont always have to clash. Go ahead..explain to me why Jay-Z is not as good as Aesop Rock without using Jay's popularity as an argument. To me..whatever type of music you do..do it well. Compare Mike Jones to Jadakiss. Both considered commercial, you cant deny that Jada has more talent as a rapper. I, personally, cant stand Mike jones. But i cant knock his hustle. obviously someone likes his music.

The whole Kanye issue is important as well. I feel Kanye is that bridge. You simply cant label his music. For god sake's..what more does he have to do..he put Mos & Freeway on the same track. the result..hiphop masterpiece. Ghostface working with Doom or Ghostface and El-P on a Prefuse track. Talib doing freestyles with The Game. Hi-Tek producing for G-unit. Hiphop needs to get off of labeling. Music is music. Some if it better quality than others. and when was music all about talent? Modern music ( esp. hiphop) is as much, if not more, a business than an art.

Take music for what it is. Cassidy is not trying to enlighten you in any way. Not trying to spark philisophical or social debates. He would probably tell you that himself. Dead prez isnt trying to make you dance in the club. there is a time and place for it all. To me as long as you are doing your thing with some originality, creativity..then there will always be room in my ipod.

[yaknow]

Back-pack, schmack-back, people try to put labels on the music because typically, many just do not understand much else beyond the formula of what's needed to get redundant radio air-play. We started out listening to mainstream radio Hip Hop too, that is when even what was on the radio could still be considered underground due to the fact that the station that played early Rap was at the far left end of the dial. That's the same as being under the ground level of the mainstream, those were the "basement level" station, reminiscent of where you were sent when you started playing your rap, before McDonald's started hawking artists for their new Big Mac Rap. We should have saw it coming with the promotion of the "Calvin" character.

Nowadays there a definite formula for success that results in all types of promotional deals for fast-food chains and even motor-oil that utilize rap when before no one would touch it. Why? Because only now has Hip Hop strayed so far from its purpose and it is now amusing for the economic demographic that never would walked Hip Hop to the light of day if Hip Hop was dependent upon that demographic for wide-range exposure.

It's like the continuation of that movie "Breakin'" and currently Special K's father no longer has a chip on his shoulder because he can now make more than a fortune of of the Hip Hop culture. Oh yeah, by putting the "back-packer" label on any form of rap that doesn't use the formula promoted by his company, Special K's father can finally tear down the hope of the "Miracles" recreational center for under-priviledged youth.

Say what you want, but anybody that appreciated early Hip Hop mainstream or not, got geesed-up when the "Breakin'", "Breakin'2:Electric Boogaloo" and the Mario Van Peebles "Rappin'" flicks were introduced to what? That's right, the mainstream. So really, you can front all you want, those movies could be likened to have been in the same fore-frontal position of being mainstream as any of your current select radio-garbage artists, you pick which ones. Kanye is borderline lest he pulls a "Diamonds remix" for most of the upcoming album and redeems himself from the obscurity that shall befall the other dunce-cap wearing rappers in just a few to 5 more years. Just watch and see.

With so many people graduating from college, how can they still listen to garbage that is the antithesis of their educational endeavors. Because it's fun to laugh at the ignorant frustration of those artists that couldn't go to advance their higher education as well as their thought processes beyond, drink, drunk, funky, crunk, cunts, blunts, gold fronts, come 'ere girl, gimme', let me show you what you want. If your education justifies your right to safely listen to such garbage and yet remain detached at a distance from the ghetto 'hood demographic that have no choice because they grew up pretty much trapped in that dysfunctional way of life, then HEY, that's your prerogative.

With all that in mind though, it's not surprising that the goverment cut the educational fund by $330 million dollars or more. Nor is it surprising that the entourage of a platinum plus artist such as Lloyd Banks were charged with raping a high school girl at a university, no less. Platinum plus and dudes have to take the punani!!!! Lil Jon should have jumped out of the bushes or something and been like "WHAT?" Or something you know?, either that's a lack of education and awareness of everybody that attended the show that should have saw something or prevented it (security included), or that "Give Me That" by Webbie has been getting too, too, too much airplay. What's the deal.

Even Ivy-League Universities turned down Snoop due to his misogynistic lyrical content. It's not cool to admit that one is college educated to a relatively high degree, then to go back and to say that the culmination of one's enlightenment is inclined to the likes of a of G-Unit, Young Buck "Stomp" or a Lil Jon/Usher "tell me again, oh what a good book baby...? (love is a fairytale admission) to get the punani from a female to mentally numb to know when to cum, "Lovers And Friends". What??? That among the line-up of a college persons favorites would explain why the H.I.V. rates are especially high on college campuses. Before you know it dudes will be like, "Let's hit up the chicks on the college campus for some a**, those chicks are easy". Even Ciara gets more props for her integrity on that jawnt "Oh". We respect self-respect and respect, but it seems like "School Daze" by Spike Lee is in full effect. Gee whiz.

It is truly somewhat condescending to acknowledge one's college education as a way of legitamizing one's reasons for listening to music that criminalizes itself and fails to enthuse one for the appreciation of the higher arts. Plus to purchase and financially support such music is the same as being an accessory to the rampant, diseased mentality that incorporates the baser natures of people for the sake of entertainment. Yo, that's not funny.

We don't use the term "back-packer" now nor have ever used that or any other label, but since everything garbage proceeds according to an evident formula, then why not call the former "back-packers", "anti-formulaic" just until, the garbage formula subsides and originality is welcome once again. Peace to soul from Amsterdam. Originality and creativity are at a low. Peace to Ross, but shhhhhh. Hushes yo' mouf, Weez gon' git in a whooole HEEAP of trouble if'n youz don't quit speakinin dem deres idears. Youza bess hi' tail it outta here fo' dem come a'lookin for ya's, Ya bess a git to gittin' fose it git Hot in 'eere.

Just bugging out Peace you all. Back-packers are just passionate. Since when was that a crime? We all need some Peace. PEACE.

[CW]

I said.

[yay area]

... And they say backpackers are a dead species... Look at the passion and emotion on this board.

Like the rest of the Okayplayer nation, I'm waiting for Common to hit platinum, hopefully, so we can all breathe easy.

[Anthony Analog]

Backpacker... such a funny little term... i myself am a certified backpacker... certified by whom you may ask? no on really... i'm that backpacker that calls garbage what it is... like jigga, nas, big, pac, aespo, ras, old school shit, blah, blah, blah, but can't stand most of mainstream music (hip-hop, rock, pop, whatever) knowing its all prepackaged sound alike crap... im that backpacker who thinks crunk can be intelligent, and "real hip-hop" can be shit. not too big on much of anticon, like def jux, liked rawkus, like def jam when DMX, Jay, and Ja (venni vetti vicci) were hitting. really just appreicate musicians with actual talent... i'll bump "Billy Blood Killa G Loc" (E 40, Brotha Lynch Hung, etc...) if he got cleaver spits and sick beats and will use "Uncle Underground's" cd as a coaster if he bores me (i.e. dialated peeps, any BEP album) and just wish that more people cared about what really makes the world go around (it's not the bloods, crips, or stick up kids yo)... i'm that backpacker that'll kick some shit about the theory of superstrings and throwing lame mc's in a particle accelerator then turn around and make a club joint bout bouncing like a superball and shit... we're all human, i just wish more artists (i use that term loosely) would expand themselves and their music to reflect the complexity that is individuals as humans ande stop being so damned one dimensional. oh and im with steve on the tofu and bacon burger... and kanye's cool, but i know i got better beats...lol

[Jon]

people dumb down to sell records, thats not rap, its fucking pop.

[Josh]

I genuinely just like my music expressive. I like to listen to lesser known indie artists whether it be rock, rap, or whatever. Especially the locals.

Is rap just another genre, or was it initially a cry for change in the streets? Satisfactory beats and decent lyrical sound are easy to come by. It doesn't take a good artist to make a song you can nod your head to in the car. If music is just a sound opiate, than "mainstream" is fine for whoever likes it. Mainstream needs no defending... mainstream artists are speaking whatever message they have loudly to everyone and everyone's digging it and has acess to it. They're getting theres. Is it righteousness to be angry at the state of it? To be angry that urban culture has been yet again exploited for the sake of riches? Become another tool of a capitalist system that favors a handfull of wealthy people?

When a giant of a coorperate music industry benifits from some artists expressions of their own ignorance and stupidity, and uses it to keep creating happy spenders..... it seems that "The Man" has exploited yet another culture for capital gain. What about the message and how it effects society as the number 1 genre on the top 40?

Rap music today is no doubt (generally, of course with exceptions) one of the biggest vehicles for rampant consumerism I've ever heard.

Consumerism keeps poor people poor. Kids can't pay for an education, but they'll quickly blow a hefty sum of money on some 150 dollar sneakers. Violence and drug use are heavily encouraged, often without intelligent perspective. Is it righteousness to call for a perspective to be brought back into the spotlight? As it is in underground hip hop and as it once was in the mainstream?

Hip hop can be used to raise awareness... it's one of the best kinds of music for that... but instead it would seem that it's bieng used as an opiate... to me that's sad. Poor people keep singing the song their told to sing. "Be violent. Kill each other off. Do drugs. Spend all your money . Spend it on this... and that. Have lots of sex too... keep the cycle going the way it's been set up to go." It's working.

Do mainstream MCs today follow this guideline or do they not? Im just partially into hip hop... maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I don't know shit about hip hops roots in the first place. I dont. But does pop not make hip hop into another club hoppin teenybopper genre as it does with ALL genres? Has another voice calling for change been silenced?

[Juveeking]

Its about damn time someone said something about those superficial hip hop purists who really need to understand that times change. As much as we bumped Rakim and em back in the day, that shit is just not relevant anymore.

[Juveeking]

Its about damn time someone said something about those superficial hip hop purists who really need to understand that times cahnge. As much as we bumped Rakim and em back in the day, that shit is just not relevant anymore.

[J.R. Ewing]

The real faker and perpatraitor in all of this is the West...All these cats want to be sitcom stars not musicians i.e. Snoop, Cube, Xzibit. Fu*k Hollywood. There music is butt, two cheeks and no thong. G Rap is the foundation for gangsta not NWA. As for "backpackers" I respect the grass roots of Hip Hop I too am heavy into Cage, Common, Ultramagnetic, Old Daddy Rich & Pete Nice etc. but whose to say you cant enjoy a club joint. If you limit yourself to one genre within anything you are not getting the big picture. Peep Big L's "I dont understand it" a solid analysis of the reality of the rap game and record sales.

J.R. Ewing

[Lil Red]

Music is music. If you don't like it, then it's your choice to change the channel. I think Hip-Hop needs some balance, but I wish people would stop labeling shit. Backpacker, Gangster, Conscious, Crunk, Screwed & Chopped, Club, Old Skool, New Skool, mainstream, underground it doesn't matter it's all part of Hip-Hop.

[yaknow]

We love hip-hop and it has been not just a thing we've toyed with, but it has been a tool for education. Sort of like a few people have said already, variety is always welcome even gangster rap or crunk rap (when it's optimistically honest and civilized). Hip-hop tells people how life is from where the artist is from, sort of like an ill pen-pal letter to a beat and rhythm.

The ideals of different rappers are beautifully portrayed when the rapper can convey the strength of their inner nurture over their nature or environment. Hip-hop at this point in time goes to show that things are pretty much the same no matter where you go, like Every Ghetto, USA. Everybody sounds the same for the most part beside the trademark spin, or slang that people use to rep their locality. That's why after BIG and Tupac and whoever outlined the ghetto in-depth, it's like Milk D And Gizmo of Audio Two fame on Top-Billing", "What more can I say top-billing" because the rappers do not live the way they did before their recording deal.

THAT'S why the conscious rapper, hip-hop enthusiast or (reluctantly used term)"Back-packer" is needily applicable. The true enthusiasts who listen to every word and theme are people who live the survivalist theme of hip-hop rather than the predicate felons as Tony Yayo would say (wonder what he has in store). Thou shalt not kill. Live and Let Live. That's a dream to some, but dreams do come true and aspirations are to be nurtured regardless of the nature.

Sometimes we wonder if hip-hop has become an obstacle whereby the latently dangerous by nature are snared e.g. gangster rappers like Tupac and BIG and their following. There are people that would argue that you can't change a h*e into a housewife, or you can't change a tiger into a house pet. In essence they would argue of nature overriding nurture which may be the case in some instances. Yet that would be prejudice and denunciative of nurture overriding nature. Either ideology could be true intermittently or seasonally, but we're sure most would agree that the season of the gangster and crunk rappers has reigned since DMX in late 1997 and early 1998 'til now in 2005 through all he hath inspired to.

A lot of people would argue that such irate music was a way to vent. O.K. cool. We can dig that ,because for awhile there was no way or no where to vent, 'til now there is a huge market for the irate, irrational music. The problem there is the market is lop-sided and imbalanced to where the mainstream is uncannily exactly what C. Delores Tucker was ranting about in the latter half of the 1990's and now that's cool. Whatever. Naw, not whatever, that's bunk and it's time for some new material. Funkmaster Flex already did "Six Million Ways To Die (choose one).

We are in wartime and the economy is stringent with resources marketted as if the are going out of style. One thing is for sure, it's time for the "Six Million Ways To Live" remix. It's easy to die nowadays without all the fuss and clamour yet we do understand that there is a time for everything, even Gangster rap and Crunk Music (crunk is music not necessarily rap i.e. Ciara's "Oh" which is dope how she is NOT easy; it feels good to respect chicks that respect themselves and others as well without being snobs).

If any one wants to thug and kill and maim purportedly for the sake of living and taking care of them and theirs then guess what. Why not enlist in the armed forces and there they can "buss dem big thangs"....ya heard? Some cowards wouldn't bust a grape on a battlefield where EVERYONE involved is armed, not even if their name was CHAMP PAIN (champagne). It takes a braver person to walk about unarmed in the midst of the strapped. Yea though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we shall fear no evil...).

Some one said that Rakim, was not relevant anymore. SURE, no more than a brain or a heart is relevant anymore in these current times where gangster music and prison rap has inspired a plethora of DL homo-thugs and rappers alike who are responsible for the African-American women comprising 72% of all new H.I.V. cases among women of all ethnicities of women contracting H.I.V. for the past 6 years. You STILL think Rakim's lyrics and his respected steez could not even slightly remedy the psychosis of denial responsible for such an epidemic? Cool if you think not, but we are pretty sure Pimp C (not Bun B) of UGK could explain the mechanics of the male mindframe (his included) responsible for such a disproportionate epidemic, but you probably wouldn't like his explanation. Trust that he will probably 'Tell You Something Good'.

It's like that character Toothpick on the Wayans' comedy "Don't Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice In The Hood". Toothpick was just out of prison and STILL living like he was still there. As if that was supposed to be cool in front of the people that have never been to prison before. Talking 'bout he wasn't scared to f*ck a n*gga in his a**. O.K. Check yourself before you wreck yourself. Even his boys were like 'fool you ain't in prison no more'. It takes a punk to punk a punk, you hear, so-called gangstas and thugs. Truthfully, it IS like Jim Brown told Denzel Washington on the Spike Lee joint "He Got Game", if you punk a punk, that makes you a punk too.

It's time for some healing again because with "back-pack rap" on the decline there have been a lot of wounds as of lately. hard-rocks break. Like Slick Rick said on "Hey Young World", "This rap here it may cause concern, BUT, why don't you listen and learn", "Don't admire them, hey they don't admire you, their time is limited, hard-rocks too, so listen, be strong, scream whoopee doo, go for yours 'cause dreams come true, and you'll make your mommie so proud of you too..." That's a classic, always relevant Juveeking. Don't front. You don't have to.

Peace be unto you all. We all need some Peace. PEACE.

[TRAE]

nice post man. happy i read it cos i think i got a couple of back packing hip hop friends. Hip hop forever. peace!

[Javier Arias]

Maan, 1994-1996!
Thats when the west was coming out with the sickest beats. From Dre, Snoop, Kurupt, etc. And we cant forget where the real talent is at! Da Bay!!! Tupac, Digital Underground, Too Short, E-40, Mac Dre, Luniz, RBL Posse, Dre Dogg, Souls of Mischief. The list could go on for days!!! The media needs to go back to the bay if they want to revive the hip hop, if not reggaeton might help to revive hip hop, at least among the latino community, which I know contributes millions of dollars to the hip hop industry.
Luckily, there are groups from the west are are truly talented like: Heiro, Jurrasic 5, Lyrics born. And for you hardcores we got E-A-Ski, The Team and many more. Supposedly the bay is getting hated on, but its all good because the spirit around here is so talented to strive to be socially concsience, with tons of diversity. And not the same ol' mainstream bull$#it! But I am a DJ, so I got to love the mainstream $#it because it's what the girls like!

[nelson]

ive been spinnin indy hiphop for about 9 years now.and old school hiphop like diamond d, lordfinesse, show and ag,gangstarr,the king and i,big l,pete and c.l, etc etc.for about 5 years. so ive been spinin since 92. but anyways i love underground indy hiphop.its my true love. but when i spin in da club its old school and commercial hiphop for the crowd. but when im on the radio i play nuthin but the grimmiest indy shit.or at a underground show at a venue. so theres a time and place for everything. and i aint no herb with a backpack. lol and i dont hangout in coffe shops with nerds. lol!!

[DF MALO]

You bring up a good point and I understand where you are coming from. My only problem is that I don't agree with you. I am not a backpacker, I bought THE GAME cd and pump it in my ride alot. I also purchased the SEAN PRICE album and the Q UNIQUE album. I did not and probably will never buy the MIKE JONES album, not because he is commercial but because I don't want to hear some body who isn't really saying anything on a track. Don't get me wrong the fucker doesn't have to spit something posotive all the time, but ABC raps are not raps. Some groups should have never went national and should have stayed regional. Sorry dude, I do watch MTV but its because the wife loves Laguana beach and frankly I enjoy it aswell. I don't watch BET cause the shit just silly. Rap shity, opps I mean rap city plays garbage dude, I don't care what you say. HIp HOp has not been declining in recent years I'll agree with you because acts like the ones I mentioned above are still around and have been around for years. What sad is that the majority of the "HIP HOP" community don't know who the fuck they are, and that my friend is just sad.

malotics@hotmail.com

[DF MALO]

You bring up a good point and I understand where you are coming from. My only problem is that I don't agree with you. I am not a backpacker, I bought THE GAME cd and pump it in my ride alot. I also purchased the SEAN PRICE album and the Q UNIQUE album. I did not and probably will never buy the MIKE JONES album, not because he is commercial but because I don't want to hear some body who isn't really saying anything on a track. Don't get me wrong the fucker doesn't have to spit something posotive all the time, but ABC raps are not raps. Some groups should have never went national and should have stayed regional. Sorry dude, I do watch MTV but its because the wife loves Laguana beach and frankly I enjoy it aswell. I don't watch BET cause the shit just silly. Rap shity, opps I mean rap city plays garbage dude, I don't care what you say. HIp HOp has not been declining in recent years I'll agree with you because acts like the ones I mentioned above are still around and have been around for years. What sad is that the majority of the "HIP HOP" community don't know who the fuck they are, and that my friend is just sad.

malotics@hotmail.com

[Tony]

Have you guys heard about the new record label in town "Atlanta Music Production" These cats are about to change the local music game. They are cioming with club banging his and they are also brining back that real music. The sining of Ariel Glover and De'kim is outstanding and all of the rappers need to recognize "G-Lover" this is the best rapper I've heard in recent years this is definite what The A-Town and all of the Dirty south need Real singing with real rap with a message. Check out their web site at http://www.AtlantaMusicProduction.com

[dj step one]

the last line sums it up perfect, me personally, my vinyl is all in alphabetical order so it starts with Above The Law,ends with Youngbloodz and takes in DITC,Dipset,Suga Free,Common and Stezo along the way

[Erryday]

good article. might make a lot of top 10 lists of 2005...

[steve]

shut up erryday, mike probably paid your ass to say that. he's a blog rookie anyway

[Subversive]

Everyone needs to stop trippin' on eachother. There's nothing wrong with some young empoverished youth listening "bling" shit.

But the fact is that intellect is not currently being well represented in hip hop. Attacking those that try to be peotic and intelligent is not gonna solve anything.

[Patrick Mullen]

Hot shit man. I agree with a lot of what you say here. It's tough to reconcile morals versus entertainment in hip-hop and I think that's the crossroads we're at in hip-hop.

I don't meet too many backpacker zealots, though. It's usually the other way around. But I love the mainstream and underground stuff alike. I don't dislike something necessarily because it's mainstream, although, honestly, I just simply connect more with the "backpacker" stuff more often.

Can anybody resist a dope Jay-Z track, though? I don't think so.

This all being said, I just don't understand the appeal of Mike Jones. I have no fucking clue what he's saying! I just burst out laughing the first time I heard him...

[swifty]

Man mike jones is crap. Tupac woulda hit em up. But i have no problem with mainstream though i do think the crunk this is just ridiculous. Whats so bad about 50, the game, and Eminem. Em has sold more records then any9one and he has SO much skill. His rhymes are dope. DOnt get me wrong though i luv the old stuff like run dmc, pac, big, big daddy kane and nwa. Hip hop is hip hop

[swifty]

Man mike jones is crap. Tupac woulda hit em up. But i have no problem with mainstream though i do think the crunk this is just ridiculous. Whats so bad about 50, the game, and Eminem. Em has sold more records then any9one and he has SO much skill. His rhymes are dope. DOnt get me wrong though i luv the old stuff like run dmc, pac, big, big daddy kane and nwa. Hip hop is hip hop

[swifty]

why is it that white people cant listen 2 rap. Just because some are losers and preps doesnt mean that they cant appreciate urban music 2. Take Eminem for example. Hes one of the illest rappers of all time. The beastie boys aint that bad either. Theve been around for like a decade. Since your "golden age of hip hop". I love the old stuff dont get me wrong. But there are new blood and u should at least admit th

[swifty]

and kanye makes dope beats. he is an awsome producer with beats like diamonds and jesus walks

[Owen AKA Rey Gamberro Salvador]

okay. wow. a whole lot of pointless nonsense jah be spoutin. swallow tha hatorade first b4 u be all yellin daymn!
idanno man I love Common and The Last Poets as much as anybody and Kanye West is damn hot (Jesus Walks is the epitome of a souljah beat) but I also believe Mike Jones is pretty hot an shit. but 50 Cent? Eminem? come on yo!! also, I'm a certified Latin thug man, I'm from freaken Colombia, and I am SO damn tired of reggaeton! it's too much of the same shit. there's exceptionz, like Helicoptero, but u wanna know one thing that makes Platano Maduro so effin hot? it aint all gringo wit tha English talk!!! fuck reggaeton, backpacker rapperz can be pretty hot an so can party rapperz and SOME gangsta rapperz. evry1 gotta chill out cuz admit it we all right bout som shit.

[mmays]

1994? HA HA you guys are fuckin funny. Try 1984. That was some golden age shit. And that I was around to listen to it doesn't make it anything else but old.

That said, yes, I know you tried to show a sense of irony and self-depreciation by calling yourself a reformed backpacker, however it all came off as a pose. Most everyone else missed it, and I didn't buy it (mostly because you attacked a straw man). Nearly every hip-hop writer . . . no . . music writer I know or read is taking the "what's wrong with pop/commercial music?" stance now. That kid who came down on you pretty hard was right, it does tend to be a pose, one that's getting played out. Hard times makes irony and pop culture seem superfluous, and that's what I think's going on. All the pop stars want to be taken seriously, not that they want to be thought of as "artists," only thought of as being "deep." That's fine. I'll acknowledge Ying Yang Twins "Ghetto Classics," I still recognize that they put out some foul, stupid music.

[djaye em]

if you dont like what someones laying down, or its against your backpacker or 'mainstream' ways, just dont listen to it. you dont have to rip someone apart if their tastes are different from yours. money, cash, hoes, social consciousness, whatever.... as long as youre ill, spit what you want to spit.

oh, can people just realize fifty cent just needs to stop doing everything and learn how to rap ??

[Vinnie]

funny.

actually.

not really.

from what I've read...."backpackers" focus their hatred on mainstream music because they have a different view of hiphop and listen to a different type of hiphop than you do.

You're (the persom who wrote the article) focusing your hatred on "backpackers" because they have a different view of hiphop and listen to a different type of hiphop than you do.

Is it just me or are you just throwing the same argument, but for the other team?

give me a break, money. you come off worse than those "backpackers" you made mention of, because you are HATING. pure hating. hate hate hate. "oh I was just making fun of myself" yeah right, and apparently everybody else who you've attempted to label underneath the category "backpacker". and why label? FUCK labels . Hiphop right now is BOTH Mike Jones and The Roots. hiphop is Pharrell rockin' Bathing Ape and Mos Def rockin' LRG. like all things that try to survive a slowing death from stagnation, hiphop has to evolve, and like a tree it has branched off in a million fucking directions. deal with it.

and enough of this "so and so is crap" or "so and so is ruining hiphop". and yes, I've also had enough of "so and so is not real hiphop". All that mess is hating way too much, and that's what Hiphop doesn't need.

PS djaye em why are you trying to redeem yourself, when we clearly know you are full of crap.

PPS wow this thread is....dead?

[Cide]

I gotta agree with a couple of ya, I listen to almost all music hip hop and otherwise my youth was spent listenin to mainstream rap and r&b (when they existed...raps on life support at best rite now, and r&b's got like three ppl left), then when rap really started goin downhill (no limit records etc..) i retreated underground and became wut i believe is being called a backpacker, at the time i would have definately done exactly wut you described at the beginning, sometimes tryin ta skool cats to a new way, sometimes demeaning 'em cause i knew more about wut was happenin, the point is underground (real underground not g-unit radio mixtapes...remember freestyles are:off the top, not a memorized rhyme you put to someone elses beat).underground is where the four elements still exist like it or not,(graffiti,emcee,dj,breakin..i get the feeling a few people may not remember)either way as time went on slowly i began listenin to mainstream rap again, old 50 and lloyd banks shit was one of the things that brought me back though it's become repetative at best nowadays, i can bump some dirty south shit, i think its hilarious as long as you take it for wut it is, is it art? ... hardly, but is it suppposed to be ... i doubt it, but the real question is, is it entertaing? and the answer is yes, very, the point is backpacker was a ridiculous term in the first place it was created by the industry to keep us apart and guess what.. it worked.. the fact that we're arguin about all this is exactly the problem, not white kids goin to shows, not whether backpackers exist anymore, we should be gettin together and tryin to take back hip hop but that'll never happen as long as people think aesop's better then lloyd banks or that lil wayne is better then anyone...some people got skills some just don't and until that's admitted by both sides this will continue.

[Alex Miller]

Honestly i don't care if it's pop or indie, i just HATE "gangster" rap. and by that i don't mean i hate rappers who happen to be associated with gangs, i just hate that "style" of music.

it's not even battle disses, just bragging about how "i'm so gangster, i'm so gangster, fuck you". no thought or anything.

I also hate hip-hop which is derogatory toward women.

Couple these two ideals and what you get is pop rap. MTV is all just gangsters and hoes. It's not that I hate pop rap for being pop rap, i hate it because of what it stands for.

And I think there are many good advancements in hip-hop right now, but they are usually made by indie and "obscure" artists becasue they TRY NEW THINGS.

"My Humps" is everything I stand agaisnt not just as a music listner, but as a conscious human being as well. And old school BEP rocks. :)

[muMs]

wow i thought backpacker meant you wore a back pack with your book of rhymes in it when you went ot open mics. in other words you weren't just a fan but someone who participated. i guess Im an ex backapcker, whatever. HIPHOP is Shit now. thank Goddness for Limewire. nobody gets my money.

[Hip Hop sucks.]

Hip HOP SUCKS!! Metal forever!!!!!!! Death to hip hop!!!!!!!!!!!1

[mujerdelrio]

The bottom line is this--People relate to whatever situation they're in. I'm a smart woman so I'm not listening to bullsh!t about bling & hoes and gold--I'm too intelligent. I listen to what makes me feel good--as all do. Music is expression, it's about where your head is & where your heart is.

[mujerdelrio]

I have to ad that Alex Miller, Cide, mmays, Vinnie...you guys/grrls made such great points I didn't have to say much. Thanks!

& who gives a F about Kanye? Yes he's talented, but of all the rappers in the business, it's funny that the writer could only come up with ONE mainstreame rapper who isn't posing as a gangster. & let's be real--these rappers are posers. Cause they make too much money to seriously even consider thugery. It's just a pose to sell more discs & keep up their "street" rep. --Ugh.

peace.

[mujerdelrio]

I have to ad that Alex Miller, Cide, mmays, Vinnie...you guys/grrls made such great points I didn't have to say much. Thanks!

& who gives a F about Kanye? Yes he's talented, but of all the rappers in the business, it's funny that the writer could only come up with ONE mainstreame rapper who isn't posing as a gangster. & let's be real--these rappers are posers. Cause they make too much money to seriously even consider thugery. It's just a pose to sell more discs & keep up their "street" rep. --Ugh.

peace.

[Olivier Weber]

Michael, thanks for your witty and intelligent piece. I'm sorry to see some of the respondents don't share your sense of humour.

[freefall]

who gives a F about Kanye, exactly. He's a wicked producer granted, and some his lyrics get the jopb done but his delivery is so god-awful that anyone who's actually in the scene (and no, Miraflor, that's not you) is happy and right to ignore him completely. Most mainstream hip-hop IS crap. Pretentious hip-hop is crap as well (hello anticon). So get ye down to Def Jux and pick up some real quality musick

A Jukie

[dj mirateck (Michael Miraflor)]

I just want to make a small disclaimer to all those that are reading this now, nearly a year after this entry was originally published.

This article was written well before Late Registration hit the streets, and since then much has changed regarding Kanye's perception as a backpack artist. His beats have transformed from accessible to refined, gaining the acceptance of the mainstream audience (read: older white folk), while losing some of his street cred (i.e. he would have sold twice as many records if his sound stayed consistent from College Dropout). Therefore he is less relevant to the conversation that has ensued, because he no longer stands for what he once did in the backpacker community.

The term backpacker itself has to be re-examined, as there is a definite over-generalization inherent in its broad definiition. While many thing of backpackers as the privileged white male Def Jux set, I tend to regard bagpackers as minorities of the early/mid 90s Rawkus set, that stay true to the original 4 elements of hip hop.

In sum, I think this deserves a follow-up entry.

[Real Rocker]

I can't even believe that you idiots have dumbed so called hip hop into a sub set of culture. Lyrical, indeed! Beyond that, it is not music and should not be discussed as such. Don't get me wrong, it's art. Perhaps in it's truest form, but not music. It would take me hours if not days to put real musical ideas to tape or computer. It would then take weeks to get the players together to record. Right now, I could fire up a sequencer and recaord a hip hop track in 15 minutes 30 if I had the musical knowledge of ANY of the current so called stars of hip hop. None of them understand music or musical instruments. Rhyme is cool, but DO NOT insult TRue musicians by calling hip hop music or offering the artists Grammys. I am and have always been insulted.

[DjGo]

this is an inspirational topic. Im just blown away by the comments it "instigated".

I like music PERIOD and rap and hip-hop can only trully be classfied by those names..atleast for me. i cant tell the diffrence between commerical and underground when i can spot similaraties in both. i mean MIKE JONES is on top but there are others JUST like him on the undergound market.

[Redmond]

Could of been a good post, until you said you was in marketing:

'By the way, if anyone here is in advertising or marketing, kill yourself. Kill yourselves, seriously. You are the ruiner of all things good. Seriously, no, this is not a joke. "There's gonna be a joke coming..." There's no fucking joke coming, you are Satans's spawn, filling the world with bile and garbage, you are fucked and you are fucking us, kill yourselves, it's the only way to save your fucking soul. Kill yourself, kill yourself now. Now, back to the show.' - Bill Hicks

[Worldwide Underground]

umm f.y.i....kanye west..i like him..to an extent..he is not the poster child for "conscious" rap..he also has a ghostwriter..rhymefest..also..most producers prominent in the underground circuit do major artists as well..gotta pay those bills..and if Jay-Z..teh self proclaimed and well lets face it..yall jus took it as gospel..best rapper of all time says that Common and Talib are of better or equal lyrical ability..common got 5 mics in a mainstream publication..mainstream artists like memphis bleek..snoop..ludacriss..the game..fabolous are droppping kweli's name..payin him repsect and makin colab mixtape singles....still think "backpackers" are jus arrogant intellectuals?...or maybe your falling for the bullshit put out to make money while the artist you hail as kings really like the artists you call push overs...fact of the matter its all a game..the artist out there claimin gangsta reads books and likes common...-gasps- ohh no not the unthinkable..instead of calling these coffehouse snobs one dimensional realize that its really you who is narrow minded..stop writing off writers and fans as one thing or the other..kanye is not the mesiah of all that is good..he wouldn;t stop me in my tracks if brought into a conversation..and "backpackers"(i hate that term)are not all white..

..and this is probably just a synnical retaliation on your part because I bet some "snob" shut you down..you felt embarassed of your ignorance..spent hours thinking of some grand rebuttal scheme..all you could come up with was kanye which really wasn't much at all..and though hmm maybe i should post this to feel better about my situation...i mean if you really wanted to get those oldheads you would have mentioned NaS, Scarface,Hi-tek,9th wonder, Just Blaze,among others who have straddled this "black and white" "right and wrong" seperation btwn "conscious" and "mainstream" rap...

..i was hoping to find diverse views in terms of posts but so far it sounds like one person with many pen names becaues the outlooks don't differ at all and realistically..everyone is not the same..especially in opinion and way of articulating themselves...-shakin my head-

[B-Life]

First off, i am a minority and 100 percent backpacker total heart and soul.
Check it, after trying to get a commercial deal with a major label for years, I just said fuck it. Ya mean? The commercial rap industry is evil, and these dudes are not real artists, they sold out for the money hip-hop is more important than a paycheck. Now I do my music, be my backpacker self, and feed my family.
Oh, by the way, Fuck Kanye West, he's an overrated bastard. And who in the commercial industry put out a more artistic album than jedi Mind's psyco-social album?

Keep Hip-Hop real,

peace

[ROOKIE]

D.P.C-DA PIMP CLASS-MONTREAL CITY

HOTTEST GROUP IN CANADA RIGHT NOW IN 06"

WE COMING AMERICA-AND SO IS THE CANADIAN DOLLAR!!

[Owen AKA Rey Gamberro Salvador]

Montreal? nigga are you CRAZY? get tha fuck out. no. now. get the fuck out of here.
good points. I think we all in agreement dat tha duke kién wrote dis thing was a 360 degree dumbass. Bill Hicks quote person, you kick ass.
anyone who sayz hip-hop/rap is not music because of it not havin instruments is probbbably a hateful elitist white person, possibly a music teacher, who doesn't recognize tha BEAUTY of Hip-Hop is that you ken show your skill wit nothin but the ability of speech and flow.

[Planet]

You make some good points in your argument. Nothing is more annoying than someone constantly attacking your tastes in music no matter what you listen to. But I do think it goes both ways. I highly doubt that most people listening to a Mike Jones CD will also be listening to and enjoying other kinds of Hip Hop. I think in general Hip Hop is really separated and the gap between true school Hip Hop and maisnstream Hip Ho is wider than the Grand Canyon. You've got the majority of the people listening to either one style or the other and everyone shits on everyone's taste anyway. So I think that's really where the problem lies amongst the frustrations with so called "backpackers". To conform or not to conform? I for one love and enjoy what you will call "backpacker" music, but I can also appreciate a Mike Jones for example, or Paul Wall, or 50 Cent, mostly for comic relief. Some of the lyrics are hilarious. Will I spend my money on this music and bump it on a regular? Most likely not-mostly because I think at my age I've really outgrown many of the topics that popular rap has been about. I'm not a thug, I don't pimp or hustle,I don't smoke weed, or get hyphy and Dumb. So for that I can't really truely enjoy most of the stuff we get bombarded with on a regular. So you kind of gotta look at it on both ends of the spectrum. And I can understand why these 'backpacker" cats can get frustrated and want to take it out on some kid procaliming that "My Humps" is the best Hip Hop song ever and thsi kid say Rakim who?? I think there should be a balance on BET or MTV. Give Mainstream Hip Hop some love and also give underground cats doing their thing some love and I think it will be all good. Until that happens expect the gap to widen.

[Okeyokey]

I consider this argument as irrelevant as "East vs West Hip Hop". Yes, there are so called "backpackers", in which they only segregate themselves with underground-only music, but the purpose for independent music is in order to have other venues, besides the same trend that is going on MTV or BET.

As a marketing tool, commercialism brings notiriety of our culture to the masses. However, we need differences in Hip Hop. Playing the same shit 24/7 will bore just about anyone, wheter you're a backpacker or mainstream nigga.

[misfit]

i like some hip hop from the underground, but i'm no backpacker! i'm not one of those self-righteous muthafukaz who think that they're more realer just cause they claiming underground. if you wanna listen to hip hop in the mainstream, fine, if you really like the music. but you listen to a certain artist or genre of music to follow a crowd, then you're a fool. and if you think being a backpacker makes you more realer than anybody else, then you can't complain about the mainstream being elitist when you have an elitist attitude. to me, being underground has nothing to do with being a backpacker. it's about finding out what else music has to offer other than what's being seen and heard on commercial outlets all day long!

[sabotage313]

i not into the majority of hip hop the mainstream, not simply because it's mainstream, but cause, in my honest opinion, most of it is wack!!!! don't get it twisted, there's wack ass underground rappers,too that i dont like!!!! just cause you claiming to be underground doesn't make you more real than anybody else!i'm not into rappers like mike jones,50 cent,etc. but if you like them, that's fine, if you think they're good. i think they wack, but that's my opinion. i won't shove my opinion down your throat. i'm no self-righteous ass backpacker who is stuck on a time warp. i love hip-hop from back in the day.but going back in the day won't make hip hop grow,period. most backpackers are no different from the mainstream. most of them are a bunch of posers who think there holier than thou, but they're conforming,too. if you're being a backpacker cause you think that's more real, then you cant complain about elitism in the mainstream. they're people who listen to certain artists just to fit in. i know this cause i thought the same way too. but i think for myself. real hip hop is being who you are, not conforming.

[Ep]

good read. but still you gotta admit a lot of the newer mainstream music is trash. they're lieing, selling out, failing to evolve all talking about the same thing on the same beats, and doing everything vanilla ice did but getting away with it. I've always been a fan of all hip hop tho. i was the one that introduced everyone in my area to Lil Jon before he blew up. at the same tyme im playing some KRS-One, mos def, common, or talib kweli. being someone who has never dissed mainstream hiphop in the past I do have to admit how ridiculous its getting. theres a lot of pop trash coming out that i would never put under the hip hop category or add to my record selection when its time to spin. and too many gangstas and drug dealers that fail to speak on the whole truth. if you're going to speak on something speak on both sides. if you're only one sided glamourizing these things you are not telling the truth and anyone that has ever been involved in that lifestyle will recognize that.

[Misfit]

i'm bout sick and tired of all this backpacker bullshit! just because i dont care for rappers in the mainstream doesn't mean i'm a "backpacker". wack shit is wack shit! there's rappers in the underground that i dont care for! and i'm sick of artists in the underground being labeled as backpackers or "conscious" just because they not in the mainstream. SHOUT OUT TO THE REAL UNDERGROUND ARTISTS, LIKE HIERO, PARIS, IMMORTAL TECHNIQUE, ONE BE LO, AML, DEAD PREZ,TASHERRE D'ENAJETIC,MURS, DUBPHONICS, ZION-I, NOT SNOOTY, BOUGIE, WANNABE BACKPACKERS!

[ParadigmShift302]

Hmm, first, I skipped most of what you wrote because I don't see why what other people listen to should be THEIR business.

Second, though I HATE, HATE, HATE the term, I can I say I would be labeled a "Backpacker". But that does not mean I exclusively listen to "Underground" hip hop. Having a variety of content IS good. J-Live's All Of The Above is Ok for the airplane ride, but I might put on some DMX for cutting the yard or jogging.

I would, however, say that we all HAVE to admit the industry standards for today's media playlist is not too good. Because of some of the more "hardcore" videos that are broadcasted, many people, particulary overseas, have negative assumptions about Hip Hop as a whole and Black men especially (as a Passport holder, I know this as a fact!).

[SABOTAGE]

i am sick and tired of this gangsta vs. backpacker bullshit! just because an emcee decides not to talk about thug shit or big ballin doesn't mean that they are nerds. stop that shit! and just cause someone dont like what BET or MTV show on the regular basis doesn't mean that they're on some self-righteous bullshit. i'm definitely not! i bump music by dead prez ,hiero, one be lo, zion-i, but if i feel like bumpin some E40, UGK, or dogg pound, i can and i will! as a matter of fact, some of you favorite so called "conscious" rappers probably feel the same way i do! fuck this gangsta/conscious bullshit! dead prez called their album REVOLUTIONARY BUT GANGSTA! people wanna throw someone like murs in the backpack catagory, but in interviews, he said he like cats like E40 and jay-z!dont believe me check 4 yourself! plus, underground equals snooty backpack nerd is a myth that needs to die! look at UGK. they name stood for UNDERGROUND KINGS, and they definitely wasn't backpack! oh yeah, just cause you rap about politics or social conscious stuff dont make you more real than a "gangsta" rapper. there's plenty of wack ass "conscious" emcees as much as it is wack ass "gangsta" emcees! remember that! peace!

[www.myspace.com/apollospade]

80's and 90's are done...this is a new age: were on the VERGE OF A BLACK PRESIDENT OF THE USA!!.....the black perception and existentialism of life as a whole, has EVOLVED!!! Be PROUD that enough of us are now privelaged enough for a good 50% to go glam / pop ....so what?? We've got money and we're happy about it, talent is UNDENIABLE..whether it be driven thru glam...or the Electronica backbone of Drum & Bass....REAL hip hop will resurface in its new form...THAT is INEVITABLE....but dont expect the past to resurrect itself, thats about as stupid watching "Scarface" or "Pulp Fiction" over & over everyday just cuz "they dont make good movies like th@ no more"...LIVE..

www.myspace.com/apollospade

[www.myspace.com/apollospade]

80's and 90's are done...this is a new age: were on the VERGE OF A BLACK PRESIDENT OF THE USA!!.....the black perception and existentialism of life as a whole, has EVOLVED!!! Be PROUD that enough of us are now privelaged enough for a good 50% to go glam / pop ....so what?? We've got money and we're happy about it, talent is UNDENIABLE..whether it be driven thru glam...or the Electronica backbone of Drum & Bass....REAL hip hop will resurface in its new form...THAT is INEVITABLE....but dont expect the past to resurrect itself, thats about as stupid watching "Scarface" or "Pulp Fiction" over & over everyday just cuz "they dont make good movies like th@ no more"...LIVE..

www.myspace.com/apollospade

[jahri the PROUD BACKPACKER]

wats wrong with loving good music?all because we[backpackers] listen to sumthin that is more educatated deosnt me u have to get intimidated...we listen to this u listen to that [CASE CLOSED]

[skip van der pip]

MTV, BET, and radio are selling you propaganda of a certain singular image/lifestyle. Playing the same song every half-hour. People posing and fronting just trying to impress the 9-15 year olds, so they'll buy their record. That's all it is. Marketing and selling stuff. Musically though, that stuff isn't timeless. You wouldn't even put that song on your stereo 3 months from now.

LOL, you guys got brainwashed listening to the urban version of the Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana.

No need to bash different styles. Some people actually enjoy variety in their music. Whatever happened to variety?!

super yawn

[stu-berry]

im a spoken word poet/lyracist and a white back packer im just going to say one thing... i dont like kanye but i do love lamont coleman. i think big l is the bridge as his punchlines, lyrics, flow and in your face dont give a fuck attitude are what make a good writer to me.
in particular the none conformist i dont giv e a fuck, like saul williams working with nine inch nails. its all about freedom of expression and creativity no holds barred compassion.
peas not beef

[Justin]

Uhh...your saying that rappers are only considered great is their lyrics are geared towards political issues?thats what politics want. they want politics to spread to every aspect of human life.music is supposed to be an escape from all this shit.Kanye west basically just forced his opinion on all of his fans...if you ask me the government probably paid him.There is way better talent out there for people to listen to than this stuff. But i'm not oging to argue cuz its pointless it doesnt get anybody anywhere everybody listne to what you want...you shouldnt get bashed for it

[LorKotekote]

I don't look at Kanye as being "street" or much backpacker(anymore). His beats are some impressive stuff but his lyrics aren't really there.

[enyce]

it seems you Your blog tackles a wide variety of topics. I like that! This article is an eye opener.very interesting,!as a youth i like also the hip hop style! it's cool, but im not a backpacker, keep going!

-sidney-

[Rook]

This is really stupid, almost border line ignorant. You think that you are a backpacker so you set all backpackers to your standards and what you believe. I listen to nas, big p, Biggie, big L and all the rappers from the golden age...Maybe you were a backpacker that was during the era of that mainstream so you stuck to de la soul, while dudes were pumping wu-tang.

All I have to say is I listen to HIP HOP not RAP which is what mike jones, soulja boy, lil wayne, jeezy, 50 cent, the game is...they have no talent at all and seeing them live proves this. Mike Jones is there for the money and to talk about himself, De la Soul, a tribe called quest, KMD etc. they were there for the movement...So don't spin that bullshit.

I listen to stones throw, QN5, some def jux etc. but I don't limit myself to just that. I will listen to anything, as long as it is concious and has meaning. You can't listen to waynes new stuff and tell me that is hip hop when the dude talks about nothing.

[seanjohn]

This is interesting one. it seems you a tackle a variety of topic,your posts very insightful. Keep up the good work.!

-sidney-

[nycz_illest]

When I got to the end, I recognized your name and I realized that I actually met you once a few months back. I interviewed with you. Small world!

Good read by the way.

[sl]

theres a difference between social consciousness and blind political activism... making outlandish statements on the government doesnt make an emcee socially conscious (eg: jada, kanye, mike jones, immortal technique).

[sas]

FAGGOT

[someone]

I'm a backpacker! And I came looking for backpacker hiphop, but there isnt any here..