Get More: Lupe Fiasco, Music News
As a fan of hip hop, it is easy to get caught up in the image of what a rapper portrays and not who they really are. We forget that being a rapper is a job and not everything is necessarily true that you see or hear them say. I was sifting through the video dumpster of worldstarhiphop looking for some meaningful content and happened upon this interview of Lupe Fiasco. What makes this video stand out from any other Lupe interview or of any rapper for that matter, is that he's expressing emotion. Emotion for his city, for his friends, and for those left behind. Emotion that you can visually see.
Emotion? Yes. You may think that to be trivial but as real fans of hip hop artists, you want to know as much about them as possible. Aside from the music, you don't really get to know them as, human beings. Though most of us will never know these artists on a personal level, it is good to see them be honest about how they feel. Hip Hop is notorious for glorifying being 'hard' and seeing any kind of emotion as being weak. I often wonder why that is. I know artists have no obligation to do this and are entitled to keeping their lives personal. But that allows your fans relate to you more.
I just thought it was cool to see an artist who was not afraid to show that he was moved by something on camera. I know that he's not the only one that cries for the youth or fallen friends, but it was nice to witness it. Don't ask me why it's important to see it rather than hear about it. Though I don't always agree with his opinions, I do respect him as a artist, a true artist. Never afraid to express himself despite criticism. This generation of youth growing up today often use music to escape from all the problems they face on a daily basis. I can't blame them.
A lot of the music you hear on the radio, videos on TV, and top 10 charts in hip hop reflect this. There is a lot of substance missing from music out there in mainstream hip hop. People would rather dance than deal with what is going on around them. Don't get me wrong. There needs to be dance music. Music that uplifts people and makes them feel good. I just see an imbalance on the substance. But, that will change when people, young and old alike are ready expect more from their music. Until then, it is cool see artists like Lupe using their platform and celebrity to facilitate deep thought.
