Thursday Thirteen: Edition Trois

Hip Hop is like Rock n' Roll, every generation thinks they're the first to embrace its message of rebellion. Every generation wants to define what the genre means to them and believes their definition is THE definition.

But unlike Rock, Hip Hop is still relatively young. So the battle to own it and define it is still quite fierce.

Hip Hop is about 30 years old (yikes!) give or take a few years depending whether you count from its birth in the streets of New York or its introduction on radio.

So let me end the debate about who "owns" Hip Hop.

I've been a Hip Hop head since I was nine. And the year I was born starts with neither an 8 or 9. So guess what young heads? My generation IS Hip Hop. Ya heard?

Thirteen Signs You Don't Know Hip Hop 1. If you can't remember the genre before the mainstream came calling. Back in da' day, in Maryland, if you wanted to hear Hip Hop you turned to WEBB 1360 AM 'cause it wasn't played on FM radio. WEBB probably had more listeners during its two hour rap show than V-103 FM (the R&B station) had during its four hour drive time show. 2. If you believe Hip Hop is ONLY East coast or west coast or down south. If you can't embrace all the different flavors of Hip Hop you're missing the point of the genre. You don't have to like all of them, but you need to respect each evolution. 3. You think it's about bling. Man, gritty and grimy is more real than bling and that's what Hip Hop stood for. "Don't push me cause I'm close to the edge. I'm trying not to lose my head." The Message 'Nuf said. 4. If you think Diddy's music is hip hop. That's Pop, baby! 5. You have no idea who Fab Five Freddy is. First host of Yo! MTV raps, the only program that showcased rap on MTV. And guess what? MTV didn't start playing rap until 1988! That's seven years after MTV's inception and a good 13 years after Hip Hop's birth. 6. If you don't know Afrika Bambaata, Rakim, MC Lyte, or Eazy-E. Google 'em. 7. If you think Marshall Mathers is Hip Hop's first white boy. Beastie Boys! You better ask somebody. 8. You think Will Smith is Hip Hop's greatest actor. Wrong, it's O'Shea Jackson. But I ain't talking about Hollywood acting. Ice Cube came out with NWA in the early 90's hard as steel, convincing everybody he was a ganster. Yet, even after people found out Cube was from a typical middle class background, his hard lyrics and in your face style convinced you he was from the streets. Even now after dropping fam friendly flicks like Barbershop and Are we There Yet? Cube still kicks mad hard lyrics convincingly. 9. You only know Will Smith as Will Smith and not the Fresh Prince. 10. You only remember Ice T from Law & Order: SVU; Ice Cube from Barbershop; Queen Latifah as an actress, Flavor Flav as a dateless playah, and Run from MTV's Run House. 11. You can only name two members of the Wu-Tang Clan. Shoot, I'm joking. It's so many of 'em even I can only name, GZA, RZA, Raekwon, Meth, Old Dirty Bastard and Ghostface. Somebody else fill in the blanks. 12. If you think anyone else but Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin are responsible for Hip Hop's success. 13. If you think it matters who owns or defines Hip Hop. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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