The post asking posters to ID 'overground' hip hop stars in De La's Itzsoweezee video took me on a mental trip.

It was so cool to get nostalgic about that time where there was more of an authentic claim to 'true' hip hop. It was an innocent time.

But then a memory of myself strongly disliking the song at the time because it wasn't edgy enough came to mind. (inwardly I shamefully bowed and shook my head at my inner 19-year old. kids, back then...)

And that made me think of how seriously I and hip hop overall took the music.

I was deep into 'real' hip hop. KRS, Gangstarr, The Roots, Common, Tribe, De La, OutKast were my musical gods and I looked down on others who worshipped what I thought of as Golden Calfs.

Yes, I still listen to all of those artists but over the years I just don't take the music or my sense of taste that seriously or assign a false level of importance to it.

On a cultural level, hip hop was literally life or death at times. Take The Roots for example.

They had enough street cred to hang on at the table of outcasts in the rap lunchroom but they were/are about as calm and refined as an act could have in hip hop at that time. And even they had to watch their back against BIG for making a video that *tangentially* referenced *a* video that BIG did a little ways from the 'What They Do' video the band put out. Didn't call out BIG's mom. Didn't take money or cheat BIG out of royalties. Just a video that mocked him flaunting his success. Crazy to think about/

That doesn't even reference Biggie and 2Pac literally losing their life over some stuff said on records. (the situation was more complicated that simple beef, of course. but hopefully the point of a non-violence incident leading to two deaths makes sense)

THEN, the thoughts of how severe the claim of 'sell out' was in hip hop. Or the Rawkus/Def Jux vs commercial battles at the turn of the century.

At one time in the 90s the claim could make a career stillborn. Does the concept really exist now?

Back to The Roots. Remember how much flak The Roots got for being the *backing band* of Jay Z? Thought didn't step out of a Bentley wearing ice with fly girls on his arm. ?uest didn't have a drum kit with women from 80's hair bands surrounding it.

All of this to say that while we all wish for a time when the music had more urgency and fierceness, to be honest, it should have never gotten to that point in the first place.

To think that Biggie wasn't able to spend any more time with his wife and kid because 2Pac heard some false rumor and said some disrespectful shit on a record.

Or Pac never got a chance to be a Congressman or Mayor or be deeply involved in politics because of some asshole who owned a record label.

I'm rambling here but I wonder what you all make of our relationship to hip hop culture back then and our take on it now as almost/actually middle-aged adults.