Say Bye To The Bad Guy

"....The puppet master won’t admit to being the puppet master. That’s what’s so cold about the puppet master. Man, I’d rather not, there’s so many other ways, for me to— I’m so talented in other areas; so, fuck Rap, fuck Hip-Hop! I’ll say it again; fuck Hip-Hop." - Scarface via Allhiphop.com

I feel Scarface's pain.

In short, this man's legacy in Hip Hop should be as praise worthy as an Ice Cube or a Too $hort. When he entered the scene in the 80's with "The Geto Boys", he was easily overlooked as their leader while we all watched in amusement/horror as Bushwick Bill became their proverbial front man. It wasn't that Bushwick was a better rapper, but come on, who doesn't love a Black midget? Especially one with dreadlocks, uber-misogynistic views & a tendency to want to kill people. The man wore a Chucky doll around his neck for Christ's sake. If that doesn't scream "Rock Star!", then what does? Honorable mention due to Willie D who, in my humble opinion, is a shit can rapper who comically got arrested this year for an Internet iPhone scam. His mind was playing tricks on him perhaps.

In rap music, unlike other genres, we don't salute our predecessors. It's more of a jungle mentality, "survival of the fittest", if you will. As long as the old lion is strong enough to hunt, he'll eat. Once he loses a step though, not only will he most likely starve, but it's only a matter of time before a bloodthirsty pack of hyena find him napping & tear him to mcnuggets. Everybody isn't blessed to be a Sir Mix-a-lot, with the ability to make enough off-kilter songs 20 years ago that they still ring the bells of today's idiotic consumer (Tone Loc, anyone?). Some individuals who got wrapped up in industry shenanigans chose not to rest on their laurels or ditch their belief system. Whether thats ultimately good or bad, is yet to be determined.

"My fans should say fuck Hip-Hop, too. Hip-Hop doesn’t even exist no more. Does it; is it Hip-Hop still? Is there such a thing? Define the word"
- Scarface via Allhiphop.com

Scarface a/k/a Brad Jordan has become an Uncle to rap music, like LL & Luke. Just ask Ludacris. 'Face has never lost touch with his true fans, & on a gangsta rap level, is one of the best to ever do it. One would be hard pressed to find a southern hip hop fan that didn't lump Scarface in with is Top 10 rappers. In a perfect world, he'd be heralded for the work he's put in for the culture, yet, he's now despondent & angry at the current wave of Hip Hop that keeps washing bullshit ashore. & anyone who can't understand his sentiment is probably sporting 28 slims (boot cut) & a tie-dyed faux-hawk.

Who would've known that while we, as a culture, banded together to assassinate Ringtone Rap, we were helping to usher in this Emo thing? Ugh, rap music has become a soap opera about vampires (word to Dallas Penn).

"Fuck the mic. Man, fuck the microphone. I’d rather watch from a distance. I don’t want nothing to do with it. I’m done with that shit. That was a phase of my life that was good to pass on. I’m just glad that it’s over. I’m done." - Scarface via Allhiphop.com

How long before others in his position follow suit? Hip Hop is doing commercials for McDonalds now. Hip Hop is helping our children learn how to read & write. Hip Hop is graduating from college & selling used cars. Not that it's a bad look, but I can imagine how it must feel to fight censorship, battle being banned & blamed for all of societies ill's, only to persevere & end up in a place completely foreign to your prime objective. It's kind of like getting the girl you wanted, then she gets pregnant & you REALLY get to know her. & she's the dumbest, most non-sensical mate you could've hoped to find. Congradulations on your failure.

If this is Scarface's last stand, he will be missed. He represents the last of the "true" gangsta rappers. Real rap, no gimmicks. No make believe backgrounds & unnecessary drama. &, if this is Scarface's last stand, he can't be the only OG that feels this way. Maybe this is the start of a new trend. Which, quite possibly could be the last trend.