Comments on: Hip Hop is Afraid of Macklemore.

By: Jacob Eagleshield

Jacob Eagleshield — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 01:11:00 +0000

I always hear that hip hop is indicative of black culture. Well,no disrespect intended,but if the garbage i hear coming from hip hop ‘artists’,is the best you culture has to offer,your people are in deep s**t.
Surely there is something more positive and uplifting you can turn to. Finally why so damned loud? Louder does not make it bettwer,and you have no right to inflict your tastes on others.

By: SSS

SSS — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 07:31:00 +0000

In reply to JD Beatty.

This is all BS!! Kendrick is the best thing that’s happened to hip hop.. Rap… Or music over all.. It’s an obvious that he should’ve won!;( his album was real and it’s something that he personally experienced..He’s the only one besides Jay Z and Asap Rocky! That could bring real hip hop back to us!!! It’s sad and real F’d Up!……Btw whose Macklemore??????

By: Tom

Tom — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 06:19:00 +0000

This is just stupid.

No ones afraid of Macklemore, they were just pissed that the biggest industry award in music got given to a considerably less talented pop-rapper with a decent-at-best album over what most hip hop fans believe to be a modern classic. The issue is that those who vote on the grammys know as little about hip hop as you do and simply voted based on who was the most popular. They also generally look down upon the genre.

The insinuation that everyone objecting is homophobic is also absurd.

Nothing Macklemore has done is revolutionary or even that bold, musically or socially, get over yourself.

By: Drag

Drag — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 00:46:00 +0000

In reply to James Di Fiore.

I have to wonder what artists you’re listening too. I mean gay-bashing was bad like a decade ago but I think its really calmed down in the scene in recent years. Like when I listened to Enimem’s “Rap God” I was feeling it except for the gay part which came off as kind of embarassing.

Like I mean I’m sure that there are artists who have made homophobic remarks but I’m not sure if I would call it a staple. That said I really don’t listen to the more hardcore stuff like I used to.

By: guy

guy — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 23:50:00 +0000

I think it’s a shock that he won at all. For the Academy Awards, there are those movies that just scream best picture. Everyone knows, those big grand and full of message movies. Very rarely does a (somewhat) underground movie that is huge in the hip film community ever win. Same goes here. I think its great that Kendrick got his name up in the nominations while still being relatively new and respected by hip hop heads.

By: guy 2

guy 2 — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 23:50:00 +0000

In reply to guy. *I don't think it's a shock

By: JD Beatty

JD Beatty — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 21:30:00 +0000

First of all, great article Richie. I think something else interesting to point out is that the Grammys has been around since 1959, but the award for Best Rap Album has only existed since 1996 and Best Rap Song only since 2004. In the 19 awards that Best Rap Album has been a category, there have been 11 different winners (Eminem has 5 and Kanye has 4 btw). Basically, I don’t think The Grammy’s should be viewed as the pinnacle of hip hop/rap achievement, or any musical genre for that matter. Purists of any genre will get upset when their golden boy or girl doesn’t win, if they haven’t already written them off for “selling out” that is. But don’t put so much weight in awards that are decided by a few hundred people behind closed doors. If you’re looking for another reason to not put too much stock in the Grammys…http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/27/showbiz/music/grammys-trent-reznor-macklemore/

By: James Di Fiore

James Di Fiore — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 20:12:00 +0000

Thank you for this piece. I’ve never seen such hypocrisy and blatant hate for an artist, and I’ve been listening to hip hop for 25 years. He’s being treated like the 2014 version of Vanilla Ice, all because an awards show that most of the same haters say is out of touch with the culture didn’t give Kendrick Lamar some trophies. And I can’t count how many times over the past couple days I’ve heard people entrenched in hip hop pretend that homophobia isn’t a staple in the music they love so much…or how many time homophobia is excused as ‘just part of the scene.’

By: Richie Martin

Richie Martin — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 18:58:00 +0000

In reply to Black Guy. Great point. It's obvious you read the article in its entirety and have a valuable opinion to share. Thanks for stopping by!

By: nlokare

nlokare — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 18:47:00 +0000

In reply to Black Guy. Why is he an idiot? This is spot on analysis. No one "owns" hip hop. Its a cultural movement that's transcended race and nation. Macklemore is just musician. Hip hop isn't even just rap.