The Underground Remedy: How Hip Hop is Reviving Through Social Media

When did I fall in love with hip hop? I was a little girl and my cousins and I would get amped when LL Cool J's "Mama Said Knock You Out" would come on the video channel The Box. Back then MCs lyrics meant something and spoke from the soul, influencing generations to get with a cultural that stood for "spitting knowledge." However, somewhere along the line hip hop began to incorporate "stereotypes" and figures into its brand. It became watered down and the hip hop that we knew died as a result of suicide.

How did we allow our source of expressing ourselves die? New Orleans Rapper Currensy stated in an interview with HARDKNOCK TV that "Rap is fucked up. It's not what it was when I was a kid and if I was a child I wouldn't want to be a Rapper right now cause I don't even hear nothing that would make me want to go and do shit. I am inspired by old shit." Currensy speaks for myself and others on the current state of Hip Hop. Today we have CLUB MUSIC and these songs displays no real substance nor do they speak fro the soul. Honestly what is considered Hip Hop today wouldn't have even made it pass the A&R stage 20 years ago. With Hip Hop being at risk of being completely erased, hope relies on the now emerging underground scene.

Back in the day Hip Hop's brand was underground and was kept pure with it being a genre within genres. Acts such as Do or Die, UGK and 8Ball & MJG kept us feeling pimpish while NWA, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre reminded us of being "Gs." The diversity of hip hop and the feeling gave people has turned into negativity with today's mainstream artists, but over the years the underground has began to make noise with the help of social media.

Artists have taken social media and used it as awareness to revive Hip Hop and to give it the true essence it once possesed. Thanks to social media outlets such YOU TUBE and Twitter underground artists has began to bring back the Hip Hop that Common once rap he use to love. One of my favorite underground artist who has taken the social media approached to propel their brand to the next level is Currensy.

Currensy has utilized Twitter to start his new movement called the #JETLIFE and encourages his followers and potential followers to "aim and stay high." It was via Twitter that I discovered that Currensy (who was once a member of Lil Wayne's Young Money)  had emerged once again into the rap game. However, Currensy came with an appeal that reminded me of a De La Soul/A Tribe Quest appeal....You know REAL HIP HOP. Today he is making noise as one of the most sought after MCs in the game and his social media approach may have helped with his deal with Warner Brothers.

All upcoming artists should use social media to introduce and market their brands. Whether you are on #JETS or  in your Chucks with the #TAYLORGANG social media is the best place to gather your audience, engage them and build your brand. Today's underground scene has an opportunity that Wu Tang Clan and others didn't have the privelege to use over 20 years ago. Utilize this growing communications outlet to revive Hip Hop! I use to love H.I.M

                                               Mac Miller DONALD TRUMP
                                                             

CURRENSY HOLD ON