Heroes (KRS1)

For over a decade, KRS-One has campaigned that “I Am Hip-Hop” in part of his “Rap is something you do, Hip-Hop is something you live” mantra. With that conviction, The Teacha had to feel some kind of way when friend and associate Nas declared Hip-Hop’s death with his recent album title.

"I would start there. Of course Hip-Hop cannot be dead. We're looking at poetry, we're looking at symbolism, we're looking at vision even. I think Nas is warning us. I think one of the best ways to warn a culture is to shock it. I think Nas shocked Hip-Hop culture by declaring its death. By declaring its death, it means that it will live now. A lot of people don't like the term "Hip-Hop is dead." The people that I know, grassroots organizations, universities, and cats that's livin' the culture for real, they're like, "Nah, this is crazy! This is actually the epitome of the apathy, complacency, and money-grabbin', and bling bling, and pimpin' – this is the height of it. Nas is pointing it out.

The actual song "Hip Hop is Dead" says "Go to the stations and murder the DJ," That kind of sums it up. Really, Hip-Hop is dead 'cause nobody is takin' responsibility for it. DJs have lost their sense of responsibility to the culture. They're just employees now. They're not culture-bearers. Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Flash, Grand Wizard Theodore, Kid Capri, Brucie Bee – these are the priests of the culture – Red Alert, Chuck Chillout – they made us who we are, they broke my records. Chuck Chillout did not wanna sound like Marley Marl [and vice versa]. Both of 'em didn't wanna sound like Red Alert, and the three of 'em didn't wanna sound like Jazzy Jay. click here to read the entire article