Recently, LL Cool J blamed radio for hurting the music industry. SOHH got ahold of another OG, DJ Prince Paul, to get his take on what's hurting hip hop.
"I think hip-hop is lacking genuine love," Paul told SOHH. "I can't even say we because the real hip-hop pioneers are like DJ Kool Herc even though people look at me and say, 'Oh, you're old school.' But when I came in, we really fought for the respectiability of the art. People who are researching the genre always forget this part.
A while ago, people did not respect hip-hop or rap music as a viable source of music. We weren't allowed in awards shows and then once we were allowed in, it wasn't televised. I remember when I went off to college and being one of the few black people. I remember mentioning hip-hop and people saying, 'Ugh. That music?' We fought for the music, we fought for the love of the music. It seems like back then we fought to get considered as artists and now it's almost exploited.
People are not like, 'I love hip-hop and I'll fight for it.' Now the idea is, 'I make money.' It's very little about the music and what can you 'get' from it. I think the love for the music is what's been missing from hip-hop."
Do you agree?
Source: sohh.com
