Searching for a Dying Cultures Pulse #1
I recently came across a quote by the great Doug E. Fresh where he said, "Hip-Hop is supposed to uplift and create, to educate people on a larger level and to make a change." This quote expresses in words the very essence of Hip-Hop. And while there are many in the game who continue to stay true to the roots of Hip-Hop, these days, there are fewer societal narrators with the release of each new album, especially with the countless wanna be superstars pushing their zip files on-line.
So this past Saturday, looking for a connection between social media and what seems to be the dying culture of Hip-Hop I posted this question on twitter, "Did the digital download kill Hip-Hop?" I got more than just a response. I engaged in my first twitterview with Quanstar, emcee/movie producer and First Team Music CEO (among other titles). The Compton native was first exposed to pioneers like Run DMC, The Sugarhill Gang, The Fat Boys and Kurtis Blow through his cousin. And while a fan, it wasn’t until seeing LL Cool J’s performance of ‘Radio’ in the film ‘Krush Groove’ that he became a true Hip-Hop Head. It was at that point he knew that Hip-Hop was who he was and what he wanted to do. 4 solos projects, the Hip-Hop film ‘Do It!: Documentary’, the book ‘Water From Turnips’ and eight national tours later, Quanstar considers himself the American Dream, “[I] am a firsthand example of what happens when you man-up, work hard, sleep as a hobby, and then show someone else how to do the same.”Read below for the Q&A and check back for more discussions like this.
Style ‘N Real Life: "Did the digital download kill Hip-Hop?"
Quanstar: "Absolutely not. It's just another step in its evolution."
Style ‘N Real Life: "I hear you, and don't get me wrong, I love a download. It used to be 'video killed the radio star' the first step towards image and away from message. How is the digital age affecting music, for better or worse?"
Quanstar: "The same as the expansion of anything else. It causes a traffic jam until someone figures out how to switch lanes properly."
Style ‘N Real Life: "So were in a traffic jam now. When it clears up, which direction does Hip-Hop take?"
Quanstar: "It takes whatever direction the people want it to go. The digital age gives the cat with no budget an outlet. Personally it's made it easier to create and reach my fan base."
Style ‘N Real Life: "I understand that. It has made it easier for me to find new artists. I also find a lot of unoriginal hip-hop spammers."
Quanstar: "But that would happen without the digital age."
Style ‘N Real Life: "True, but it would be with less frequency. Without a filter you get flooded, and it takes more time to sift through."
Quanstar: “Yeah but the ones that really want it will find a way to get to you."
The fact that social media has made it that much easier for the unknown talent, lacking in a big advance from a major label, to reach a broader scope of potential fans is undeniable. I think all artists are grateful for the opportunity that these advancements have been able to afford the underground, indie kids, no matter the art form. However as always, the guy who takes advantage of these tools, by pushing unoriginal material, and calling it inspired, overshadows the former and is creating a tainted image of one of the most influential movements in our lifetime called Hip-Hop.
Turn on the radio and you get a mind-numbing rotation of ringtones and club bangers. So if it's not the digital age that's killing it I ask a new question, "What has happened in the mind set of society to cause the shift in Hip-Hop to be used as a gadget for selling a façade of shiny trinkets and overflowing pimp goblets, instead of the educational utensil it used to be in raising social awareness?"
Stay tuned for more on my journey searching for a dying cultures pulse.
Many thanks to Quanstar for participating in this discussion. To learn more about his current projects visit First Team Music. To get in on the conversation follow me on twitter and share your thoughts.
The opinions expressed in this series are my own unless otherwise noted. The discussion on the changes that have occurred in Hip-Hop, good or bad, may be controversial, but, they are by no means intended to bash, insult or otherwise attack any artist regardless of my personal feelings on any body of work, nor on the genre of Hip-Hop itself as a whole. I have a great deal of respect for anyone willing to put his or her work out into the world of subjective criticism and judgment. This series is meant to provoke thoughtful dialogues on the subject matter, and inspire new points of view. Love and respect to all.
A Re-tweet by Dutch MC, @DEAMS was all it took to get me started on this twitterview : "Hip Hop is NOT dying its just evolving, Embrace change." If you follow 
