Hip-Hop is not dead…it’s just wack as hell. As I search for things to write about, I realize that there really isn’t much to say in this over-boring hip-hop climate. The only thing that I’m remotely interested in is Lil’ Wayne and his over-publicized love life. Funny, when I interviewed Lauren London backstage at the Hip Hop Awards back in October, she said she’d been following Wayne’s career since forever…or something like that…and she had an interesting smirk on her face. Duh, I’m so clueless and consumed with watching Karrine Steffan’s blogs confessing her love for Wayne all day on her site, that “LauWeezy”–as I’ll call them–flew right over my head (sandra rose is reporting the two got engaged…no, not Wayne and SuperBREAD as he likes to call her, but Wayne and Lauren London “Lauweezy”).
Anyway, I just want you to know that I’m not going to constantly post every little thing that’s happening from New York to Slovakia (btw-that’s where Ciara was spotted with 50) because this ain’t about breaking news. You can get that everywhere else, so right now I’ll just vent about how boring everything is (except Weezy). I know this much, he must be smart, because all of a sudden there’s all these magazine covers, blog postings, marriage proposals, and hottest MC talk. Wa-la, we have what is called “publicity.” In my recent interest in Wayne (i swear six months ago, I would have never cared), I have fallen victim to the publicity stunt. Guess what? All of a sudden, I wanna hear the album. So my point and question is this: Is Lil’ Wayne really that good, or is everyone else really, really that bad?
December 4, 2007 at 12:45 pm
The man is soooooooooooooooooo over-rated its ridiculous! Somebody actually had the nerve to write on a forum that Wayne is the best rapper alive! All I can say is that the person who made that statement must have been born in 2000 because only a 7 year old would think that.
Hip Hop is dry like stale white bread.
As for Lauren London.. if that engagement rumours are in fact true then she must be mentally ill.
December 4, 2007 at 12:47 pm
KIM I THINK WAYNE IS NICE…..BUT I THINK NOW ITS AT A POINT WHERE HE CAN SAY ANYTHING AND IT’S ACCEPTED……LETS BE REAL HE GOES IN ON SOME JOINTS BUT ON SOME JOINTS U BE LIKE WHAT DA F*CK IS HE TALKIN BOUT…..LOL……FOR EXAMPLE DA MARIO REMIX NOW COME ON…..BUT I THINK ALOT OF IT IS SELLIN SWAG…..I HOPE HIS ALBUM HAS SOME BIG RECORDS…..
December 4, 2007 at 1:30 pm
Um… I just don’t get the appeal. Then again, I’m not the 17 year old fan with funny colored shoes ;P
December 4, 2007 at 2:34 pm
Weezy has always been among the most talented artists in the game. I remember watching his debut in Rap City’s booth during the Hot Boyz era and being amazed by his lyrical ability.
However as bright as he shined, he was simply overlooked because of the star power of the 90′s acts including Jay Z and Eminem. Even the deceased rappers were getting more publicity.
Not to say he was one of the greatest at that time, but he had the potential that Jay once proclaimed for Memphis Bleek.
Basically, in the absence of major brands who still cater to the younger demographic, he is shining brighter than ever… the only other brand catering to the youth is Dipset ( modern day Wu-Tang minus lyrical talent as a collective i.e. no one top five or ten ….).
I am glad to see him recognized, we just have to push him to a lil’ more consistent.
December 4, 2007 at 4:32 pm
Weezy is nice, plus he puttin in more work than any other artist in the game……(member when 50 was workin like this) it’s plain to see that most hiphop artist are lazy….yeah, he raising the bar, the whole game needs to step up….Ngh’s too busy ballin & hangin out while the music sounds like B.S.
Weezy got hiphop on his back right now & he holdin the game down!!!
December 5, 2007 at 12:08 pm
I think that he has clever punch lines and that he does his thing on guest appearances on songs but as him having a hot song on a national level vs him having hot songs in the south is the arguement. Please name me 10 hot songs from Lil Wayne that was popin’ nationwide & worldwide and even then can he be still looked at as one of the greatest.
December 5, 2007 at 1:53 pm
@ Peteyluv
“yeah, he raising the bar. Weezy got hiphop on his back right now & he holdin the game down!!!”
Please tell me you’re joking… Please tell me you wrote your comment in a sarcastic tone….
December 5, 2007 at 5:08 pm
I don’t know about the raising the bar comment, but he’s far better than Mims and Souljahboy … basically all of the ringtone rappers… It’s hard to go beyond that even in the southern region where acts like T.I., Outkast, and even Ludacris remain consistent in sales and talent.
Lil’ Wayne in the right hands ( management, producers, label) could be more successful. The naming of 10 hot songs challenge would hurt most rappers. It’s hard to do that with most artists.
Name 10 hot Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Fat Joe, Nas or even T.I. songs without the aid of their discography i.e. Google or assistance. It’s doesn’t measure their talent, but their exposure. Gza’s Liquid Swords is critically acclaimed but name two songs from the LP.
December 6, 2007 at 3:24 pm
The whole engagement to Superhead thing was really confusing to me; first I heard she was marrying Eddie from Family Matters, then Wayne, then Eddie again. Whatever though; I’m still bumping Wayne’s music, and I’m still avoiding her books. Her radio interviews always piss me off too, cuz one minute she’s acting like she hasn’t done what she’s done, and the next she’s exploiting it.
As far as Wayne goes, I’m always looking for opportunity to plug my Lil Wayne blog entry (http://www.hiphopdx.com/blogs/ketchums/2007/08/25/william-e-ketchum-iii-s-lil-wayne-blog-.html), ’cause while I’m not the type to toot my own horn, I think I got it right here. But essentially…he’s definitely overrated, but for good reason – for everything other than his lyrical talent. Peep it and tell me what you think.
March 7, 2008 at 4:25 pm
i soo love u ya digg
March 7, 2008 at 4:26 pm
i love my wayne and he love his tee ya digg
April 6, 2008 at 4:37 am
Like a sportswriter named Bill Simmons wrote not too long ago regarding an argument about “Tiger Woods being able to beat up certain NFL players”, i’d have to say that Lil Wayne is “the toughest poodle”.
If music was artistically viable as it was a decade ago, Lil Wayne would not be placed on the pedestal that’s he’s on right now. Sort of like what occured with Jay-Z during his ‘BluePrint’ days(when nobody was truly around to defend his and Def Jam’s claims as “the greatest rapper of all time”), publicity strategies/stunts definitely worked for Wayne.
Not too long ago, I remember Birdman wildin out and not being as serious as he is now. All of a sudden, I see him behind Lil Wayne with his hoodie on as if he’s in the presence of the Second-Coming and ‘all shall do as he does’ while Wayne walks up to the Mic as if he’s going to make a “More Perfect Union” speech. This is equivalent to 106 & Park dimming the lights during a Jay-Z interview during his BluePrint days. Perhaps I have an eye for it, but having so, I can’t buy into this publicity turn-around feeling that the music must speak for itself, as it did 75% of the time for Jay-Z.
On that note, Lil Wayne is definitely better than most around today mainstream-wise, but really is that saying much?
June 30, 2008 at 7:20 pm
FOR STARTERS YES WEEZY LILWAYNE OR WHATERVER YOU WANT TO CALL HIM IS THE BEST RAPPER ALIVE. EVERYONE ELSE DONE FELL OFF AND ITS JUST THESE LITTLE RINGTONE RAPPERS LIKE SOULJAHBOY. I MEAN WEEZY HAS IT ALL THE LOOKS THE SWAG AND HIS LYRICS IS ALL THAT. I MEAN THERE ALL A FEW SONGS THAT HAVE ME ASKIN WHAT THE FCK. BUT ALL RAPPERS HAVE THERE MOMENTS. AND YES HE IS KEEPING HIPHOP ALIVE. IMAGINE HIP HOP WITHOUT HIM. IT WOULDNT BE THERE. WITH OUT WEEZY WE WOULD HAVE TO DEPEND ON THESE OTHER WANNABES. YES WEEZY IS CARRING HIPHOP ON HIS BACK AND IS DOING A HELL OF A JOB AT IT. I LUBB WEEZYAND THE WHAT HE S DOING. HE IS A ONE OF A KIND THERE IS NOT NO OTHER MAN LIKE HIM AND WHOEVER ENDS UP MARRIED TO HIM(HOPEFULLY ME) THEY ARE ONE LUCKY WOMAN.
July 11, 2008 at 7:23 pm
best rapper alive??? well i must be deaf……has the looks?? well i must certainly be blind
lol…wayne is NOT and will never be the best rapper alive..because we hear his wack ass songs on the radio and vids on tv dont mean shit..everyone now a days only cares about beats..not whats being said..i will admit that the ” a milli” beat is nice, but this guy lyrics are garbage. has no flow whatsoever. anyone with some damn sense, unlike these little 15 and 16 year olds that are buying his albums, will know that wayne has no skills. anyone can sell hundred, thousands, etc of their album…does that necessarily mean their good?? oh HELL NAW!
July 11, 2008 at 7:29 pm
and let me also agree to what someone said on here, that wayne is nothin but a punchline rapper. His punchlines though, if I must say, hardly make any damn sense to me..just sounds retarded..
..the only person, I feel, who was wicked with the punchlines WAS AND WILL ALWAYS BE…….
BIG L….
August 22, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Lil Wayne is overrated to me mainly because of the content of his raps nowadays sound like he’s just rhyming words and not really saying nothing. If that’s talent then my 2 years old is the greatest rapper alive.
September 15, 2008 at 5:10 am
Lil Wayne is hip hop!!
October 12, 2008 at 3:39 am
lil wayne is wack as fuck. phony ass hip hop star, foos lame
November 3, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Wyane used to date lauren back in 02 and 03 before she was known. He used to have her name tattooed on his arm but he got it covered up.
November 15, 2008 at 11:17 pm
Ms. Osorio: Thanks for your blog. The only pages that I have looked at were this one and the one on Keyshia Cole not being a fan. For the record, I love Keyshia Cole and her music. I’m with you though if she came off to you the way she did.
On to Lil Wayne – I hope I am not too late to get in on this discussion or maybe even kick it back up. Many of the negative comments that were made about Weezy appear to have been made before Carter 3 came out. This dude is hella talented with the mic. A million sold in the first week should say it all. Particularly, when most of the album was leaked on the Internet (no problem, I’ll just make some more bangers and keep it moving!) That’s that fire! I’m starting to think that many of the people that speak out against this cat are the first to go and buy his music. He keeps himself relevant in the news, whether its the arrests, new songs, or engagement rumors. There is no rap rulebook that says you have to rap a certain speed, so if the brother can talk through a song and make it a hit – LOVE HIM FOR THAT! He has found his niche and there are few that bring his high level of energy, be it chemically enhanced or not, to their music. I stop short of saying he is a genius in this genre that we call hip hop only because I’m sure he is not finished yet. This whole bullshit about the greatest rapper alive needs to cease. People, in general, are going to fall in line with certain entertainers for many different reasons. In many cases, it doesn’t have anything to do with their talents in their chosen fields. We like who we like and that should not need to be explained. Let’s start talking about the most meaningful and inspiring rap lyrics now. Anyway, my fingers hurt so I will KEEP QUIET until the next time.
mab
March 6, 2010 at 6:15 am
sick, you put forward some great issues there