The Fall of Hip Hop Music

In the early days of Hip Hop, most notably around the last fifteen years of the 20th century, there had always been an underlying, but often vocal, opposition to popular American music, or "pop" music. The idea was always that, by surrendering the people's music, designed for the downtrodden inner-city, to corporate America, Hip Hop contradicted everything it stood for. However, that which the soothsayers of rap feared has come true, and those cunning profiteers, who take control of every potential cash-crop they detect, have commandeered the music so seamlessly that the glory days of yesteryear and the code under which they operated, are all but forgotten.

Back then, the unwritten code implied that an artist must "pay dues", such as battling other MC's in the streets or hosting parties held in city parks or apartments, before they can be respected as a true rap artist. This code was enforced musically and collectively by those already anointed, rather effectively destroying the fragile careers of artists who had bypassed these rites of passage and crossed over into the mainstream by way of a marketing strategy.

The two most notable causalities were MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice, both of whom won Grammy Awards, at a time when such honors was considered a scarlet letter in the music's culture. Such brutal attacks proved that the music was, indeed, larger than any man, and no feelings would be spared to safeguard the musical frontier which had refused to join the empire

Today, we see events like the annual Hip Hop Honors, which decided to commemorate The Dirty South for their “dominance” in rap music over the last decade, a dominance measured by sales, not talent, and is clearly a result of the over-exposure that comes from squeezing a successful product for everything it's worth. The landscape has been mangled. Artists that were previously banished are now celebrated, like the actor-turned-rapper and exemplar of pop star, Drake, who has shrewdly conformed to the south's unique interpretation of rap music and has seamlessly integrated with its clique, despite the fact that he hails from Canada, thousands of miles away.

In 2010, Drake, the canuck, who has outrun a sure exile by about fifteen years, wears his mainstream accolades with pride and is adored by fans, which are appearing more and more like the crowd at the Mickey Mouse Club and less like a classic "park jam". Just like Ice, who was harshly vilified and torn from grace, he has bypassed the code and has been inserted into the chain-wearing, campaign-popping world of dancing floozies and big rims. Most certainly under a team of business advisers, he masquerades as a tried and true member of the Dirty South and whistles "Dixie" all the way to the Canadian bank.

It is truly a sad state of affairs, and the real victims are the abandoned artists who are still out there. Much like the Samurai of the far east, whose ideals were smothered by their countries' desire to join the industrial surge of the west in the 19th century, they remain on the fringe and never receive what's rightfully theirs. These forgotten souls, remnants of the original colonies and second-generation frontiersman, like Slum Village, Guilty Simpson, Aesop Rock, Madlib, Oh-No, MF Doom, Kool Keith and Del the Funky Homosapien press on, following the original commandments of hip hop, equipped with the technology of the day and a skill set that's 30 years evolved.

They receive no support from major radio stations, which are in the pocket of the evil syndicate and only serve as a promotional tool for the mainstream acts, and they certainly are not honored with an award show honoring their "dominance". They aren't even invited. Their fan base consists of hip hop romantics, and their work fits the description of cult classic. Like most of our distorted perceptions of history, the present time period will be remembered as the era of the Dirty South and artists such as Drake, while those who has taken the art where it should be melt into obscurity.

So, if you enjoy the new breed, understand that you are perfectly normal. Many have adopted the music that was hijacked and taken from the ghetto by the same people who use all of their interests to control them. However, just know that when you claim to be a fan of hip hop, the music you enjoy is not in it's pure state but rather, is a deformed mutation of it.

To the rest of the fans, keep it real.

Controversy in Hip Hop: Misogyny, Violence, Weed & Hypersexuality Read more at Suite101: Controversy in Hip Hop: Misogyny, Violence, Weed & Hypersexu

The lack of political correctness in hip hop has ensured critics are often voicing the negative aspects of the culture but is there a deeper meaning to it?

Finding a more politically incorrect genre of music than hip hop would be difficult, especially according to most authorities worldwide. Perhaps its critics are right in thinking that artists merely employ purposely offensive shock tactics to sell records and cause a stir or perhaps just like every other art form hip hop is just a blend of complex contradictions. When it comes to issues like violence and misogyny, hip hop may not have been the genre that said it first – developed in the 1970’s, it’s a relatively new genre - but granted it probably said it the loudest!

Exploitation of Sex?

Hip hop and the so-called gangsta rap sub-genre in particular is notorious for the exploitation of women and sexually explicit lyrics, there’s no doubt about it. Politician and anti-rap actvivist C. Delores Tucker called the genre "pornographic fifth," claiming that it was demeaning and offensive to African-American women. She then stated in 1996 statement following her demfamation suit against the estate of Tupac Shakur, "I feel thousands of young women have been defamed by this greed-driven, race-driven and drug-driven music. This sexist lyrical filth particularly defames Black women, promotes drug use, violence and panders pornography to children."

When asking about why hip hop lyrics must be so crude, surely it would be better to consider British boy band Blue’s 2001 cover version of the 1998 Next single ‘Too Close,’ which is full of innuendo promoting sexual promiscuity – surely somewhat inappropriate for their predominantly pre-teen audience. Admittedly the lyrics of Digital Underground were more perhaps more explicitly crude but often dealt with the importance of having protected sex, even naming their 1990 debut album Sex Packets; which, therefore, does beg the question, what is more immoral?


Glorification of Drug-Use?

Rappers are no angels, in fact plenty quite freely proclaim ‘to be in love with Mary Jane’ in the words of the 1978 Rick James classic. Admittedly the use of cannabis seems to be culturally accepted within the hip hop world (despite being an illegal substance in a vast majority of countries worldwide), as is explained in a 2006 XXL editorial by Byron Crawford, which called substance abuse "The new fourth element of hip-hop." In the genre’s lyricism, however, for just about every reference in favour drug abuse, there is one against.

It could be argued that cannabis is glorified by rappers as artists like Cypress Hill, Dr Dre and countless others. It must be said, however, that they are not the only ones; what about musicians like Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix? Anti-rap activists, such as Tucker, seemed to neglect to highlight the blatant substance abuse of such artists outside the rap community. Surely this is not an issue that should be seen as unique to hip hop.

Glorification of Violence?

Violence is an area of extreme contradiction in hip hop. It seems incongruous that 2pac, often pictured in promotional materials with a gun in his belt, also urged young people to “put the .44 away.” His former label Death Row Records logo could also arguably be seen as promoting violence, as could the famous cross-hair Public Enemy logo and countless album covers but do not always acknowledge the symbolism behind imagery such as this.

Many overlook the powerful message of fighting oppression that such symbols represent. Critics are quick to recognise the word ‘gun’ in hip hop lyricism and seem to develop selective hearing with the messages that follow.In a 2006 article in British newspaper The Independent journalist Sonia Poulton explained that "instead of condemning gangsta rap we should instead question the environments that inspired this music." She also stated that she felt it that condemnation of violent lyrical content was an "uneven playing field," as few condemned John Lennon or Eric Clapton for their gun references. An artist’s work can be interpreted in countless different ways; surely hip hop should be no exception.

Hip Hop Songs and Black Racism

Hip hop music emerged during the 1970s in New York. According to Rachel E. Sullivan in "Rap and Race: It's Got a Nice Beat, but What About the Message?" by the late 1980s, hip hop songs were no longer viewed as a fad; hip hop was viewed as a distinctive musical form. Even though there were increasing numbers of white hip hop fans, many people still viewed the music's consumers as predominantly black.

Examining the lyrics in Hip Hop songs offers a deeper understanding of the social, political and economic circumstances of everyday shared experiences for many African Americans. Through examining hip hop songs it is possible to see the cracks in the foundation of a predominately white patriarchal structure that still represses opportunities for people of color.

Institutional Racism and Hip Hop Songs

The lyrics of hip hop songs underscore the realities of institutional racism. According to Toby S. Jenkins in "Mr. Nigger: The Challenges of Educating Black Males Within American Society," in the late 1960s integration of black students into white suburbia created a disconnect among students, teachers and parents, and hip hop music served as a system of inclusion for black intellectual thought and expression. At the time of desegregation in schools when blacks were silenced and marginalized in the classrooms, they began to create an alternative form of cultural expression that welcomed the social and political commentary of shared experiences and rage against the power structures of America.

Hip hop music tells the story of what it is like to be black in America. Jenkins argues that hip hop songs are reflective of black male experience that denotes, "... poor health, drug trafficking, social oppression, violence, social and political rage, depression, prison industry complex, enslavement, unemployment, poverty, and the need for self-love." Hip hop is one of the few cultural spaces where African Americans can voice their discontent with American power structures that make it difficult for blacks to be successful.

While many people argue that the potential for success in the United States is only limited by a person's ability and willingness to succeed by picking themselves up by their own bootstraps, statistics reveal that the underachievement of African Americans in the United States particularly within educational institutions is suggestive of a society riddled with discrimination.

According to Jenkins, studies reveal that the high school drop-out rate for blacks is high with 20% to 30% of young urban black males leaving school prior to graduation. In 1996 the college drop-out rates for blacks from 300 of the nation's largest colleges dropped from 35% to 33%. Additionally, one in five black men lives in poverty compared to 1 in 12 for white males.

Hip Hop Songs and Cultural Realities of Oppression

Hip hop songs like all music mirrors the cultural climate of its time. In "The Words Have Changed but the Ideology Remains the Same: Misogynistic Lyrics in Rap Music" Terri M. Adams and Douglas B. Fuller state that "...music is a reflection of the cultural and political environment from which it is born." Social expression takes many forms, "...from triumph and hope to utter frustration and despair."

Adams and Douglas state that hip hop songs or rap has been "...denoted as the poetry of the youth who are often disregarded as a result of their race and class." While the lyrics of hip hop songs are sometimes considered derogatory, they nonetheless reflect the systematic and social effects of black racism and are by many scholars considered worthy of research and academic study.

Hip hop songs draw from eclectic and historical sources that span over decades of black racism. The Norton Anthology of African American Literature notes that rappers often cite historical black vernacular idiom and African musical forms as inspiration for their music. From spirituals, gospel, ballads, work songs and secular rhymes to the blues, jazz and hip hop, African American music resonates social and political struggles for blacks in a white dominated society.

Contemporary Oppression and Hip Hop Songs

Even though slavery was abolished in 1865 in the United States, racial oppression still thrives in American society albeit more stealthy. According to Bakari Kitwana in The Hip Hop Generation: Young Blacks and the Crisis in African American Culture, statistically, African Americans are less educated, employed and successful as whites. Incarceration, health issues and death rates are higher for blacks compared to whites. The emotional impact of these statistics is quite apparent in the lyrics of hip hop songs.

Hip hop music underscores the legacies and the realities for blacks in a society that reveals through many of its cultural forms that Jim Crow ideology is still very much alive today in American society. What many people do not want to accept is the fact that the tentacles of racism reach far beyond the boundaries of people of color.

Highly Anticipated Rap Albums

The summer of 2010 sees the release of two highly anticipated rap albums, Thank Me Later by new rap superstar Drake, and Recovery by veteran rapper Eminem. Both albums contain emotionally-charged and confessional music created by two artists at different stages of their careers.
Drake: The Superstar Rookie

Drake, born Aubrey Drake Graham, may be releasing his first full-length studio album, but he is no stranger to rap stardom. The Canadian-born rapper has been making mixtapes since 2006, one of which produced the hit "Replacement Girl" featuring R&B singer Trey Songz. According to AllMusic.com, the song was featured on BET's 106 and Park as "Joint of the Day."

The rapper's popularity truly began to rise when he signed with fellow rapper Lil' Wayne's Young Money record label and released his 2009 mixtape So Far Gone. The album's first single "Best I Ever Had," shot to number two on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart, and produced other hits such as "Successful," another collaboration with Trey Songz, and "Forever." So Far Gone peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 Chart.

Thank Me Later, Drake's debut album, has been described by critics as a meditation on the joys and pitfalls of stardom, and they conflict with everyday life. Although the disc's first single "Over," is an uptempo track, it finds the rapper giving a suspicious eye to new friends with the lyrics " "I know way too many people here right now that I didn't know last year."

AllMusic.com describes the star as "conflicted about his growing stardom and fame. Whether it’s a relationship splitting up as on the melancholy “Karaoke,” worries about the fame changing him ... fears that so-called real hip-hop fans will find him manufactured ... or the difficult nature of romance when you’re a star (“Miss Me”), Drake isn’t afraid to examine what the past year has done to his life."

The Washington Post's review said "what should truly endear Drake to the masses is his supreme self-awareness," and said the album finds the rapper " simultaneously projecting himself as a braggart and a pawn trapped at the crossroads of celebrity and reality."

Eminem: Rapper In Recovery

While Drake seeks to live up to hype with his debut release, Eminem seeks to revive his reputation with his new album Recovery. Although the superstar dominated the late 90s and early 2000s rap scene with a string of critical and commercially successful albums--The Slim Shady LP, The Marshall Mathers LP and The Eminem Show--his last album, 2009's Relapse, was met with an indifferent and less favorable response by critics.

According to CultureBully.com, "Relapse receded into a record that failed to express Eminem’s talent, combed over with tired attempts at being provocative and shocking." Eminem apparently agreed with this assessment, as he apologizes to fans with the lyrics "And to the fans, I’ll never let you down again, I’m back/I promise to never go back on that promise, in fact/Let’s be honest, that last Relapse CD was eh/Perhaps I ran them accents into the ground/Relax, I ain’t going back to that now)."

Instead he reveals his envy of fellow rappers Kanye West and Lil' Wayne on tracks such as "Talkin' 2 Myself," examines his recent troubles on "Going Through Changes," and talks about the loss of friend and former group member Proof in "You're Never Over," rapping "Lord I’m so thankful, please don’t think I don’t feel grateful, I do/Just grant me the strength that I need, for one more day to get through/So homie this is your song, I dedicate this to you.”

Unlike Drake's release, which has garnered generally good reviews overall, Recovery has gotten mixed reactions. While CultureBully.com says the rapper "sounds more confident and clearheaded than he has in years," and calls the disc "one of his most complete records to date," SlantMagazine.com's review said the album " will adjourn the idea that Eminem has any greatness left in him," and that the rapper "can record as many bare-bones confessionals as he'd like ... but there's nothing altogether endearing about his facade."

Reviews and critics aside, the fact that new releases by two of rap's biggest stars focus on the subjects of fame, family, redemption, relationships and loss instead of the usual gritty portrayals of street life may signal a change in the genre.

These days, hip hop group The Roots are known for being the house band on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" as much as anything, which is largely a sad state of affairs for hip-hop, but might not be the worst thing in the world for the group itself. The exposure can only help the long time Philadephia live-instrumentation collective, led by their afro’ed drummer Questlove and lead MC Black Thought, who have continued to further their careers with their latest effort, How I Got Over.

The Roots How I Got Over Should See Better Album Sales Than Recent Efforts

The Roots have seen their album sales dip since 1999's Things Fall Apart, a shame given the consistent quality of music that the group puts out. Questlove is one of the most accessible musical artists of any genre, regularly interacting via his twitter account. He is largely known as the musical backbone of the group; a perfectionist that keeps the group pushing forward and continuously creating.

With The Roots' How I Got Over, their 9th full-length studio album, they don’t so much reinvent themselves as continue to rework their tried and true formula, to the betterment of the music industry and their fans. The Roots might play in your household nightly now, but they will never be a household name like say, their one-time collaborator, Jay-Z (On Jay-Z’s Unplugged, The Roots were the band). It’s a shame too, since they are the only real band that hip-hop has, and they have struggled to broaden their audience.

How I Got Over Displays Vintage The Roots Music

The Roots are occasionally preachy but always socially conscious, as with the title track's chorus. “Out on the streets, where I grew up, first thing they teach ya, is not to give a f-ck, that type of thinking can get ya nowhere, someone has to care,” croons over a pulsating drum beat. The similarly themed Now Or Never sees Black Thought kicking his usual science over a catchy groove.

Elsewhere, The Roots songs playfully bounce from the album's slow piano-laced intro Walk Alone, to mid-tempo tracks like the happy Right On, to faster beats like Web 20/20, their throwback hip-hop battle rap song.

The John Legend assisted The Fire is among the strongest songs here, with its danceable bassline and solid drumline. This sees The Roots in their most vintage form with Thought holding down the the soulful track. They rarely misstep, though Monster of Folk’s guest vocals on Dear God 2.0 slow down an otherwise strong answer to Marvin Gaye’s Mercy, Mercy Me.

The Roots Continue to Satisfy Fans and Pundits Alike with How I Got Over

One of the best things about The Roots is that their albums display an amazing amount of consistency since their Do You Want More?!!!??! days. Every album sticks to the script, and if you are a fan, you can always pick up a new joint knowing exactly what to expect. The only drawback there is that this consistency can be viewed with a jaundiced eye, as if they haven’t pushed themselves beyond their own box, like say, Kanye West did with his risky 808’s & Heartbreak.

The Roots seamlessly blend hip-hop and soul with catchy rock rhythms, which is one of the main reasons they have had such longevity. They are respected across the hip-hop landscape and have gained fans of other forms of music through their solid instrumentation. How I Got Over should only further solidify their place as the best hip-hop band of all time. Sure, it’s a fairly exclusive list, but hip-hop would not be the same without them.

Tattoo You: The New Needle of Hip Hop

As anybody who follows mainstream Rap and the people who create the leading soundtrack for our Hip Hop culture can confirm, a unique sense of fashion is just as important to the rhyme-sayer as his or her flow. While having the latest footwear and clothing is a plus, many entertainers have found a more personal way of establishing their brand among fans.

Hence the accessory of choice for many an emcee: the tattoo.

A longstanding fixture among Rock artists, the tat has quietly become an extension of a rapper’s image as well as a documented reflection of important experiences in life. Nowhere was this more apparent than with the late Tupac Shakur. With close to 20 tattoos, the rapper/actor’s body became a window into his soul as well as a blueprint for the attitude and imagery surrounding today’s Rap scene.

Translated as “The Hate U Give Little Infants Fucks Everybody,” Shakur’s abdominal “T.H.U.G. L.I.F.E.” ink took on a life of its own by becoming one with its owner. The immortal Rap icon’s music and lifestyle became the definition of what was on his stomach, which was decorated in 1992. From well-publicized run-ins with the law to outspoken views on various issues to disputes with Rap peers, the public’s perception of a ‘thug’ and all its sides were personified with one name:

Tupac Amaru Shakur.

Goodbye Rock exclusivity. Hello mainstream acceptance of the tattoo within Rap circles. It wasn’t enough for a rapper to possess a way with rhyme and a go-getter attitude. A vehicle for reinforcing what was portrayed in song and the public eye was needed. With the tattoo came the elevation of the arrival of the embattled hardcore Rap star as well as a more personal connection between the artist and the fan.

Like Twitter, Facebook and MySpace, tats are one of the best ways for supporters to show love for an entertainer. Whether it’s getting an emcee's name or face tattooed on their body or lyrics to their favorite song branded, fan appreciation can be found on the fans themselves.

Last year, a cult-followed emcee in Cormega, not someone ever considered mainstream, encountering two such dedicated fans: "The most humbled I’ve been is by the fans. I’ve been to California, and I met a Mexican brother, he got something from The Realness [tattooed] across his back. I’m doing a show at B.B. King’s a few years ago, and I met this white girl – I’m talkin’ ‘bout beautiful, and she has one of my quotes tattooed on her foot. I [was shocked]." From GZA to G-Unit , there's plenty of other artists with such fans out there. Sometimes, in warmer months, we see them in the streets.

To put it simply: A person’s love for their favorite lyricist goes deep.

A fact not lost on rappers who emerge from their crews by making themselves extra noticeable. Sure, the talent and unity are there, but would DMX be just another Ruff Ryder if you never saw tats displaying the love he had for his dog Boomer on his debut It's Dark and Hell is Hot?

What about band-mate Eve? The double R’s “pitbull in a skirt” may stand out with her flow, blond hair, and tattoos on her bicep, shoulder and wrist, but it's the paw prints on her chest that solidify her brand while separating her from other red carpet starlets with markings in the usual places. Additionally, while DaBrat had a similar tattoo, it gave Eve a unique piece of sex appeal against her once-competition of Lil Kim, Foxy Brown and Trina.

And who can count out Busta Rhymes? Armed with Celtic tats on his shoulders and forearms to go with his animated personality and flow, the former Leader of the New School continues to be the center of attention within his own Flipmode Squad. A definite standout if there ever was one. With the ink dating back to the '90s, perhaps these accents allowed fans to accept watching a Natives Tongues affiliate goofball transition into his more contemporary hustler and "mule kick you in your chest" raps.

While DMX, Eve and Busta will forever rep their respective collectives, it’s their solo adventures on and away from the a mic that keep them on our radar. The tattoos are a bonus. Sort of like medals of honor for navigating the jungle of the music industry.

This brings to mind the current king of the machine: Lil Wayne.

To get into how many tats the New Orleans rep carries would take a whole 'nother article. What can be said is that Lil Wayne could be the second coming of Tupac in light of all the skin art inhabiting his body.

Like his west coast counterpart, each tattoo tells a personal story. Tears representing those who have died or time served in prison, “God Bless” on the neck. “Fear God” on the eyelids. Then, there’s the gun on the palm, the New Orleans symbol on the right ear, the phrase “I am music” that appears in red, the bird on the right shoulder as a salute to his label boss/mentor/ father, Birdman, and a homage to his former group, the(the word "hot" on one hand and "boy" on the other hand).

It should be noted that the late '90s/early '00s Cash Money Records group played a key role in Rap's relationship with tattoos. As the early videos will show you, members tattooed their label on their backs and chests. Ironically, by the end of the decade, only Lil Wayne remained a Cash Money artist - as B.G. , Juvenile, Turk and Mannie Fresh all defected, citing bad business as reasoning. The deed however led many artists and labels to copy this trend. From G-Unit to Shady, new rappers often don their employer in permanent ink as a sign of loyalty and promise. This often ends ominously though, just ask Game.

No doubt, tats representing a rapper’s group or close circle of associates are a plus. Say what you will about the misspelled "Slaughterhouse" tattoo on Crooked I’s arm, but the west coast rhyme slinger is 100% committed to the four-man lyrical super group - even if the first ‘h’ in Slaughterhouse was missing.

Professional motivation aside, tattoos are personal business. Look at Eminem, who always has his daughter, Hailie Jade, with him via a large portrait tattoo of her on his upper right arm, complete with surrounding roses and the name of a song dedicated to his pride and joy (“Bonnie & Clyde”) underneath it.

The Detroit lyricist's love for Hailie can also be found on the back of his lower right arm with a name tattoo, “Hailie Jade.” According to reports, the tat was added the day Hailie was born. Go to Eminem’s upper left arm and family is represented again with a tat honoring the man who introduced him to Hip Hop, his deceased uncle, Ronnie Pilkington.

Just as easy is it to express love, rappers have no problem putting their hate in tat form.

Eminem’s ex-wife, Kim Mathers, has been on the receiving end of many a diss from her former spouse. So is it any surprise the Oscar-winner would reportedly take his disdain for Kim to a new level after a fight by getting her name and an open grave tattooed on his stomach with the words “Rot in Pieces?”

Love is truly a fickle thing.

For better or worse, Nas’ tattoo of Kelis on his forearm was a unique look at the then- apple of his eye in all her topless glory. Little did he know the body art would be a wasted effort. The couple eventually called it quits after a little more than five years of marriage and is currently engaged in a public divorce. According to reports, Nas has altered the art with a new head - that of a lion.

The moral of the story: Be careful when using your body to voice your love, appreciation or loyalty for royalties.

Canibus takes it in an even weirder direction. He can attest to this as his admiration for LL Cool J’s microphone tattoo reportedly caused the end of the pair’s brief alliance and ignited their infamous beef during the late ‘90s. The pair met when Cool J invited Canibus to rhyme with him, DMX, Method Man and Redman on the classic song “4,3,2,1.”

According to RapCentral.com, Canibus asked LL if he would mind if he got a microphone tattooed on his arm just like his then-idol. Mr. Smith jokingly responded that Canibus should only get a microphone tat if he truly felt he was worthy to get it. The conversation resulted in Canibus’ original “4,3,2,1” verse that included the following line:

"Yo L, is that a mic on your arm? Let me borrow that!"

Although Canibus said the remark was meant as a show of respect, Cool J took it as a diss and used it as the motivation for his “4,3,2,1” verse, which closed the song. Canibus later confronted the Rap veteran about his verse, which led to a promise from both parties to change their respective parts. Canibus re-recorded his verse without the microphone tat line, while Cool J’s verse remained on the song unchanged.

And the rest is Beef history. All over a tattoo.

Body art may not have been the root of the beef between Game and 50 Cent, but it was used to drive home Game’s falling out with his former rhyme affiliate. Located on the Black Wall Street leader’s left elbow next to his Hurricanes logo tat , the G-Unot tattoo was a spur of the moment decision made in the midst of spearheading a movement against 50 Cent and his G-Unit crew.

“When I got that tat done, that’s just how I was feeling that day,” the rapper confessed to Inked magazine. “Whatever I’m feeling on a given day is just how it fucking is. I’m day-by-day.”

To say that Game’s body art is there just to be there would do the rapper a disservice. His ink count totals more than 50 and represents everything from his son to his beloved L.A. Dodgers/west coast allegiance to deceased Rap legends.

Like tattoos displaying various aliases and acknowledgment of family and close friends, many rappers use the ink on their bodies to highlight their love of God. The shoulder serves as the perfect location for Bow Wow’s "Prayer of Jabez" tat as well as the praying hands found on Atlanta rhymesayer Ludacris.

“You wake up, and you go to sleep, and you thank God for everything you have,“ Luda said about his tattoo.

For Nelly, it’s more a connection with certain people in the good book. Bearing the name of Moses on his right arm, the St. Lunatic revealed the Biblical leader’s story is something he can relate to “as far as leading people out.”

"Servants of God" may be Nelly’s choice, but his contemporaries have found other ways of getting their religious point across. Nas has Psalm 23:4 scripture tattooed on his forearm in a scroll, while Sean “Diddy” Combs doesn’t mince words with a neck tat that reads “God’s Child.”

All in all, religious tats are a small part of the total body art gallery found on various emcees. Lil Wayne may be the most obvious contender for Shakur’s tat crown, but there are a few other heirs to the throne.

With close to 80% of his body tatted up, Wiz Khalifa is a viable candidate. So much so, the rapper proclaimed himself as “the king of ink,” in a 2009 interview with YouHeardThatNew.com.

“I am the king of ink when it comes to this shit. There’s nobody with more tattoos than me except for maybe like two or three people,” the rapper stated. “… there will be no one with more ink than me. So ink and tatted that’s perfect. I gotta do that.”

That could be true, but it’s hard to deny multi-tatted competitors like Soulja Boy, Birdman, Game and Rick R, who boasts former US Presidents on his chest and legendary figures such as comedian Richard Pryor on his stomach.

Not to be outdone are burgeoning Rap vocalists Chasis and Tyga. While Cashis sports everything from a smoking skull to a giant eye and hand to a message (“You Die Slow”), Tyga keeps his torso rooted in a large tat portrait of Jesus Christ crucified on the cross with “Fear None But God” covering his chest above angel wings.

The tat is one of more than 30 found on the Young Money rapper, who started getting skin art done on him at age 14 and has half his body covered in tattoos. Last year, Lil Wayne made his own contribution to the entertainer’s tattoo collection by giving Tyga a face tattoo in 2009.

Tyga's tattoos may carry weight in rhyme arenas, but what happens when the rapper ventures outside music to make a mark in other realms?

If you're 50 Cent , that means shedding your tats for greener pastures in the world of film. Media sources report the G-Unit general's decision to remove the tattoos from his arms last year was made to help secure more movie roles.

In April that same year, Pharell Williams opted to get rid of most of his tattoos. The motivation behind getting off the tat train came not with being ready for a close-up, but more with knowing it’s time for a change as the producer looked beyond his wallet to see the benefit of going back to a life without tattoos.

"…fuck it, it's worth it,” Williams told the Daily Mirror in 2008. “I got fire on my arms, I don't need fire on my arms! I'm a grown man."

Pharrell may have a point. As much an eye catcher as they are, will small and large tattoos still reside on the body of a rap star that transitions into an elder state of mind? That could well depend on the emcee.

No matter what, Hip Hop is marked for life. Past, present and future. Temporary and permanent. Tats are the new bling. Hate it or love it.

Walk Together, Rock Together: Five Unsung Punk & Hip Hop Encounters

Growing up as a rabid fan of anything (music, movies, comics, etc.) means you’re spending your days schooling yourself on it, seeking it out, finding a cheap way to get it, and hooking up with a crew of like minded people who are also fans. There’s not enough free time nor should a healthy kid be in the headspace to step back and do an analysis of why they’re a fan of a certain medium or style. No teenager whose goal is to steal a couple fat caps and get laid wants to explore what factors in their life make them a specific “market” or a “demographic.”

But during my years spent digging through the catacombs of record stores with deceptively utilitarian names like “Music Connection” and “Sound Exchange” to staying up late to catch Stretch & Bobbito, a few memorable moments made me realize - without ever being able to give a clear reason why - it seemed normal to be a fan of both Punk Rock and Hip Hop. If you ask a lot of Punk rockers and Hip Hop heads about a venue where you’ll find their two diehard fanbases intersecting one answer would likely be skateboarding. So when The Beatnuts "Off the Book segued into Youth Brigade’s “Men In Blue” it in the Shorty’s Fulfill The Dream video, the Punk / Hip Hop connection just felt right.

Then it happened again. I bought Blood, Sweat, and No Tears, the debut album from New York Hardcore kings Sick of It All. I hit play and heard that unmistakable voice of the emcee who penned “Slap Them Up”: “Blastmaster KRS-One. Fresh for ’89. You Suckaaas!” Thus KRS kicked off Sick of It All’s “Clobberin’ Time,” one of the most legendary mosh parts to ever come out of the five boroughs. Again, the connection just felt right.

I was finally sold on the two genres being one and the same the day I realized I was unable to give a truly unbiased review of the musical merits of Frayser Boy’s Me Being Me. Why? Because one of its producers, Three 6 Mafia's Juicy J, was featured in the insert wearing a Misfits shirt. And in this case, the bond between genres really felt right. Both Three 6 and The Misfits had DIY beginnings and embraced over the top horror imagery while (partly due to finances) preferring lo-fi grime when it came to production values. Both units lost all of the original members but two in the case of Three 6, and one in the case of the Misfits' Glenn Danzig who basically controlled the band anyway. Both were eventually accepted by the mainstream, alienated a portion of their fans and got bigger, glossier, and more musically ambitious. Three 6 gave us “Stay Fly," Danzig - band name and his name now one and the same- gave us “Mother.”

The following are some unsung moments when Hip Hop and Punk have crossed paths. These aren’t mega-cultural milestones nor are they the best musical moments. I didn’t choose hardcore kids putting down their instruments and making a legendary Hip Hop album (i.e. The Beastie Boys' License To Ill) or rappers picking up instruments and having Punk Rock songs on a legendary Hip Hop album (i.e. Check Your Head).

These are a few side alley collisions where each of the drivers threw up their hands and told society they just didn’t give a fuck. And with these two kinds of music which both started in the streets that’s the way it should always be.

Johnny and Afrika Speak About Destruction

It always amazed me how the real interesting stuff started happening when the Punk stopped. After one proper Sex Pistols album and a bunch of scattershot filler, Johnny Rotten decided to go over the heads of the public rather than spit in their faces. Rolling back to his govt. name “John Lydon,” he formed Public Image Ltd. (PiL). Similar to early Hip Hop, PiL took the sounds of Krautrock acts like Kraftwerk and anchored them with the bottom heavy bass of Dub Reggae. PIL’s Hip Hop similarities didn’t stop there. When Lydon slithered onto American TV in 1980 to snarl at Tom Snyder that PiL was not a band in a music sense but a “communications company messing about” with “anything that’ll make money” like “dabbling with film soundtracks,” it makes you wonder whether a 15 year-old, Marion "Suge" Knight Jr. had stayed up past Johnny Carson that night and found some inspiration.

So after all of this, it didn’t come as a surprise when the man responsible for “Planet Rock,” “The Godfather,” Afrika Bambaataa, asked producer Bill Laswell for someone “real crazy” to record with the latest incarnation of his band Time Zone. One phonecall and a quick recording session later and there was “World Destruction.” The track was roughly four minutes of epic Rap-Rock that predated “Walk This Way” by two years.

World Destruction - Time Zone f. John Lydon (12"single, 1984)

Thanks to a relatively recent pop culture phenomenon called The Sopranos, “World Destruction” is now better known as the song that opened and closed (with the classic “dollar bill” shot) the series' Season 4 premiere.

Lydon and Bambaataa must have caught the same electro bug in the studio that day because they went on to collaborate separately with British genre definers Leftfield giving the group their biggest hits (“Open Up” / “Afrika Shox” ) on their only two albums.

Dee Dee Ramone Channels Schoolly D

Hands down, my favorite Ramone was always Dee Dee. Here’s a guy that most of the time looked and sounded like he was zonked out of his mind on numerous substances and probably was the most crippled out of all his bandmates, who all fought various forms addictions and/or illnesses. Yet one look at the songwriting credits and you’ll see that it was his name under most of The Ramones “hits,” bubble gum Pop anthems played at warp speeds using three chords or less.

So I’m guessing diehard fans took the news with heavy hearts when it was announced in 1989 that Dee Dee was leaving the band to become a full time rapper. Yes, the rapper, “Dee Dee King.” After stumbling onto planes during the End of The Century Tour rockin’ Adidas and Dookie Rope Chains, Dee Dee’s Schoolly D fixation caused him to make a fateful decision.

In the annals of “so bad, it’s good” moments comes Standing In The Spotlight. Dee Dee lets you know right from the get-go that “Mashed Potato Time” will “make you snap crackle and pop” 'cause “he’s the master of Hip Hop” while “2 Much 2 Drink” is the dark side of the Beastie’s “Fight For Your Right” and finds Dee Dee re-pronouncing Heineken to make it rhyme with fun. And there’s still eight tracks to go... What gives this LP its charm and its place in my “rap” world is that Dee Dee actually sounds like he’s having fun and while taking the endeavor seriously isn’t taking its execution. When J-Ro said he was “like Kukamunga” and MCA talked about, “real not phony ‘O.E.’ and Rice-a-Roni” they were coming from the same place albeit with a heightened level of proficiency.

Dee Dee King - 2 Much 2 Drink (Standing in the Spotlight, 1992)

Having fun with nothing to prove. That’s something that seems to be missing in not just a lot of recent hip hop music but pop music in general.

Pushead Visits Dr. Octagon

Taking away Brian “Pushead” Schroeder’s Dr. Octagoneycologyst cover art is no different than taking the silver triangle with the rainbow thing away from Dark Side of The Moon. Just like Kool Keith travelled from a world of Ced Gee beats and Tim Dog collaborations, Pushead landed in Dr. Octagon’s “General Hospital” after polluting the world (his band was Septic Death) with some of its most iconic Hardcore, Punk, and Metal imagery. Way before Shepard decided that “Andre Had A Posse,” Pushead’s unmistakable art was like a twisted welcome wagon on video boxes and Zorlac skate decks for kids who wanted to experience a band called Metallica. And no CGI’d-out movie trailer has ever been more repulsingly intriguing than a signature Pushead skull and The Misfits simply asking, “Mommy Can I Go Out And Kill Tonight?”

Punk and hardcore in its essence is simple. Stripped-down. Dangerous. This is why the Hip Hop critics who overthought Dr. Octagonecologyst with cerebral dissertation style reviews should’ve analyzed the LP from the cover art in. Dr. Octagonecologyst is an album that features a sample from Cabin Boy and finds Keith discussing straight faced “carrying walruses” and being “armed with seven rounds of space doo-doo pistols.” The irreplaceable sounds from Dan the Automator, Kutmasta Kurt and DJ Q-Bert are all dusted-out murk and fit perfectly alongside the soundtrack to Planet of The Vampires.

"Earth People- Dr. Octagon (Dr. Octagonecologyst, 1997)

So like the grasshopper with saw blade hands Pushead did for Japanese hardcore band Cocobat, Dr. Octagon’s cover art issues the same mission statement. Don’t dissect stupid, just enjoy.

Jello and Ice-T Fight The Law

Leaving Luke Skywalker and Dee Snider out of the equation, the two people Tipper Gore would probably least like to have father her grandchildren are Ice-T and Jello Biafra.

Let’s start with Jello. Naming your third album Frankenchrist released by your band named “Dead Kennedys” would definitely make the finger of some PMRC lackey stop as it scrolled down the list October ’85’s new releases. Add to the mix songs like “Hellnation” and “Stars and Stripes Of Corruption” and you’ve really got a party. Now that Jello a.k.a. “Captain Ringworm” has whet your appetite, the H.R. Giger painting Penis Landscape (which is not a landscape in the the shape of a penis but actually many penises ... and vulvas too) is generously provided in glorious poster form. Now Giger wasn’t a fringe artist, this was an Academy Award winner! But when it came to the people that mattered, the people that decide to slap fines and jail sentences on “pornographic” lawbreakers who distribute art like Giger’s, its probably a good bet that they weren’t fans of a little film called Alien that also relied on his visuals. Either way the fight over whether or not to deem Frankenchrist “harmful material for minors” turned Jello into an even bigger scourge of the PMRC, a first amendment crusader, bankrupt, and a man without a band. Lets face it, the third item on the list is the one that really hits home for most of us.

Ice-T. Two words: "Cop Killer." I’m not bringing this up to say it was the general public’s job to interpret this song differently nor am I trying to mince words when it comes to telling people about something vs. telling people to do something. But the whole song (recorded by Ice-T’s Thrash band Body Count) falls into a grey area which was ignored by many lazy critics content with delivering something appealingly topical rather than an informed argument for either side of the case. If all the critics who championed Slayer - like those at Spin who made Reign In Blood the #67 album of the last 20 years - and agreed that the song “Angel of Death” was simply “cinematic” stood up for “Cop Killer” using the same reasoning, would the outcome have been different?

Either way, while 2 Live Crew was in Miami rcording “My Seven Bizzos,” Ice-T and Afrika Islam were meeting with the disembodied voice of Jello Biafra in Los Angeles. The resulting track which has one of the most logical names in the history of Hip Hop, “Freedom Of Speech,” was born. Beginning with the line “‘Ayo Ice I’m working on a term paper for college, What’s The First Amendment?’” and ending with a clip from Jello’s “Tales From The Trial Pt.3,” Ice T lets us know that we, “better watch what we say.”

Freedom of Speech - Ice-T - The Iceberg (Freedom of Speech...What What You Say, 1989)

No three artists are more similar with each other as far as relationships with the media go than Jello, Ice-T and Chuck D. So it was a complete no brainer when “Freedom of Speech” appeared again on the latter’s Louder Than A Bomb compilation.

Just Another Damn Collaboration

No example lets a music fan run with why the two genres are intertwined better than this final selection. These two joints feature bassist Daryl Jenifer (as producer) and enigmatic frontman HR (as guest vocalist) from my (and Lil Jon's) ALL TIME favorite hardcore band, Bad Brains. Any fan familiar with the Bad Brains who is also familiar with Ill Bill and R.A. The Rugged Man two Hip Hop artists who have called on this half of Bad Brains, could give a whole list of reasons as to why they’re all a perfect fit. But like Juicy J’s Misfits shirt, even if it was just picked out by a stylist, it just feels right.

Riya - Ill f. HR & Daryl Jennifer (Hour of Reprisal, 2009)

How Low (prod. Daryl Jenifer) - R.A. the Rugged Man (Die, Rugged Man, Die 2004)