I have been performing in the Twin Cities since 1997 and over the years I have seen a lot of great performers with unique, interesting styles and modes of expression. My favorites are always the ones who have their own little twist. Tops on my list are Brother Ali, Slug, Truth Maze, the now defunct 3 Kings, and Carnage. Unfortunately there is a down side to the scene that people don't seem to talk about too much. It's the "Duplicator syndrome", as I like to call it. There are a plethera of clones who seem to be so influenced by some of the better known MPLS hip hop cats that they sound like another version of them. I find it disturbing and uninspiring...and very, very disappointing.
I don't know if it's conscious thing or if it's just from listening to a particular artist way too much. And, I don't know why anyone would ever want to sound like someone else. You will always end up second best. Not that the point is to be the best...But isn't it to be unique and to tell your story, your way?
There are a lot of baby Slug's - male and female. I suppose you could say it's a form of flattery but I find it a form of annoyance. Some say it's the "Minneapolis Sound" and I disagree. If it was the "Minneapolis Sound" then everyone would sound the same. Musab doesn't sound like Slug or vice versa. Ali doesn't sound like I Self Devine, etc....
Picture this...2 Mos Def's. What would it be like if there were 2 of him? Umi said, "...shine your light on the world. Shine YOUR light for the world to see." When the world sees you shining your neighbors flashlight the next thing they will notice is your falseness. I find is passive-aggressively disrespectful to the person who is being biten. Riding off of what someone esle has created is slimy and dishonest in my eyes. The mainstream is already saturated with stuff that sounds so similar that you don't even think about who the MC is. I don't know why this happens because in the end, people don't remember who won the award or who was being played all the time. They remember who stood out, who was ahead of their time, who didn't get enough shine.
I wish that people would strive to find their own voice and not worry about what's "in" or what people are already hooked into. To truly grow we need more unique voices out there to push forward. We should be incomparable. Memorable. Undefinable. Undeniably Original.
1 comment:
i guess that i don't know enuff about twin cities artists to know who you are talking about, specifically. but, that's the point. i do see a lack of creativity way beyond the mpls/sp hip hop scene. i know many, many rap artists who don't listen to rap most of the time. like medua (www.onebadsista.com). she told me that she doesn't listen to a lot of rap because it gets absorbed and reflected back in what she records. she listens to a lot of jazz, old funk, soul and r&b. that's definitely reflected in what she records.
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