I am about to quit talking about this, but I wanted to restate a couple of things.

1. Concerning the extension of the beef between Everlast and Eminem to Dilated Peoples.

I like battles as much as the next person. However, this seems to have lost some of the 'fun' flavor of the older ones mentioned, and it keeps going. My thought was not for Everlast and Em to hug and end it, but for Dilated and Em to clear up their problems. Everlast vs. Eminem is Everlast vs. Eminem, and either it continues, or someone wins. That's it, DP didn't need to be brought it. The danger here is when more people get sucked in to the fight.

2. Concering my statements about the 'public image' of hip hop.

Yes, I too care more about the music than what Time or Newsweek thinks about it. However, I feel that this chain of events is giving hip hop a name it doesn't deserve. This is not characteristic of what is happening in the music today, and so all I am saying is that it is sad that this is what people will know. We are in the business of bringing the music to other people so it can do for them what it does for us. I don't want someone to let this preclude them from enjoying Mos Def or Common with an open mind.

3. Everlast is not major league, nor does anyone think so.

This is not, by any means, a Battle of the Titans. I don't see Everlast as much of a lyricist. Eminem 'destroying' him wouldn't do much in my respect for him for this reason.

I am not going to address the Japan analogy other than I think the analysis is off base.

Keep it in the industry - battle on wax, and watch what violence you advocate, on both sides. This can be positive, in building both of them and providing a show to watch, or it can be negative, trashing the 'image' which may not matter so much, or more than that, ending in real violence.

Jump Around is still a tight party jam. Maybe I'll go listen to it now.

bw
aim: okayplayer47
ben.walker@hiphopcongress.com

--
"You kick my dog, and now it needs operation."