Lil’ Wayne leads the Grammys with 8 nominations this year and the Carter III may well be on it’s way to selling 3 million units. He did this with an album that was leaked to the public months before it’s release and at a time when overall music sales are suffering. Despite these achievements, there are still many who claim hip hop is dead, or that Lil Wayne is helping to destroy this fine culture. Say what you want about Wayne. Hell, you don’t even have to like his shit. This dude, with a lot of grind and hunger for his craft made himself relevant to the game. No gimmicks, no super producers to validate him, no beefs, and no manufactured marketing scheme about his bullet wounds. THAT’S HIP HOP!
I like a handful of Wayne’s songs, but I don’t consider myself a fan. I do however, hear his passion for the game in his records, and you’d be in denial if you didn’t recognize his lyrical improvement over a short span of time. I was one of those who thought the glory days of Cash Money Records had come and gone. A company where most of its star players had jumped ship for one reason or another. The thought of Wayne, it’s only remaining player, being serious considered as one of the best in the game almost seemed laughable just a few years ago, but Wayne created a loyal fan base that bought The Carter III even though I’m sure a large percentage of them had pirated it already.
There something to be respected here. I’d like to know why is it that self proclaimed “hip hop purists” outcast those who have big record sales? This has always seemed foolish to me. Hip hop isn’t dying and never was. If you like underground hip hop, there’s tons of it that’s accessible to you. No longer do artists have to depend on a label to sign them in order to get their music heard. The Internet removed that obstacle.
I don’t expect Wayne to say anything profoundly revolutionary, lead a protest march, or create a political video. I’ll listen to Immortal Technique or Dead Prez for that, but I think Wayne deserves to be commended for his tenacity and dedication. I won’t take a sip from that Hater-Aid glass today. Congrats Lil’ Wayne!
Funkworm
