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Over the years, the rap
game has seen it’s share of beefs and rivalries. From LL
Cool J and Kool Moe D., to The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac. From
Ice Cube and Common, to Nas and Jay Z. From Ja Rule and 50 Cent,
to Lil Flip and T.I. The competitive nature of hip -hop is no
different than that of the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.
The Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos. The Los Angeles Lakers
and Sacremento Kings. They all want to be number one. The only
difference is, yes, hip - hop has taken it too far at times.
The funny thing about wanting to be number
one is...You’ll never really be number one. Why ? It’s
like making it to the Olympics and setting the world record in
the 100 meter dash. Did u really set the world record ? NO !!
U only set an Olympic record. To really be the fastest in the
world, you’d have to race everyone in the world. To be the
best rapper in the world, you’d have to go up against every
rapper in the world, and have over 50% of the world’s hip
- hop fans agree that you’re the best. So, baseball’s
World Series should not be called that, because the team that
wins is not the best in the world - Only Major League Baseball.
There may be a team in Japan or Cuba, who in a best of 7 series,
could possibly beat our World Series winner.
U see these rappers hating to see other
rappers at number one on the charts. Or hating to see another
make money. That’s the stupidest thing in the world to me.
Because no matter how much money I earn, I’ll never get
it all. U can take every artist in the music industry, put all
their earnings (for one year) together, and that still won’t
be all the money in the world. So what makes anyone stupid enough
to believe that he or she is gonna get it all. There are about
6 billion people in this world. If 4 billion have a source of
income, u won’t even sell to 1% of em. Someone will dig
me, but won’t dig u, and someone will dig u, but won’t
dig the next man. So really, if the beefin’ is about who’s
the best in rap, the best in the North, South, East, or West......
It’s really useless - cause you’ll never really know.
We see that same nonsense with the media.
The Source thinks they’re better than XXL, and XXL thinks
they’re better than The Source. Having Lil’ Kim or
50 Cent on your cover does not make u the best. Nor does distributing
9 million or 2 million copies a month. Then u have the regionally
distributed publications acting as if they’re selling to,
and being read by, 6 billion people - when they’re not.
Just as no artist will sell to everyone, no magazine will sell
to everyone. The way I see it is - U gotta get in where u fit
in. No matter how large or small the publication. No matter how
many cds you’ve sold, somewhere in the world you’ll
find your niche.
Personally, I feel that The New Power has
no competition. Not because I feel we’re better than everyone
else, but because I feel we do what we do, well. As long as u
do what u do, and you’re pleased with the outcome, no one
will ever be able to compete with u because you’re competing
with yourself. Competition in music only matters if you’re
after a Grammy, BET Award, MTV Award, etc.... Even that doesn’t
prove you're the best. Just the best according to a select group
of people.
Rivalry is nothing more than insecurity.
It stems from those who are worried about what someone else is
doing or where they are in life.
You’re taken away from your goals
when u start concentrating on what others are doing. Do what u
do, and do it well. A.C.
RESPECT THE PAPER. WE WILL BE HEARD !!
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