Aint No Love in the Heart of the City

If you have seen this video or heard a synopsis, it's like this, Joe Budden says "Fuck New York". Now let's look at the context of what he's actually saying. He's saying fuck the New York attitude. And he's right for the most part. Stack Bundles said it best "If more niggas was workers and more rappers was fans/ the game would be like 88 records would move like grams". In New York they are the self-proclaimed "epitomes of cool". Everyone has their own "swag" and it's better than the next man's swag so they can't get excited for artists from their own place unless they come from their exact neighborhood or block. They don't show support for anyone. Now in J.B.'s example he spoke about Maino-wack, Red Cafe- semi-wack, and Ron Browz-extra wack. But in the end its the same problem all around the country.

When you look here in Baltimore you have different factions who all don't support one another. The small cliques who are able to cross over and support one another are no match for the power hungry few who are out to divide and conquer.

While for the moment it seems as if the South is immune to this disease, there are signs that that might be changing as a few people start to get some money. Where you would in the past just have hot songs from an area getting played locally, now people are getting blackballed because of affiliations. Artists are hating on each other and dividing cities into neighborhoods, neighborhoods into blocks, etc. Just look at Shawty Lo and TI, it's to the point where their fans won't support the other even if they do something hot.

If you can't get the people behind you you cannot get a movement going, you can't get any music out to the masses and your message across. Even if people like you but act as if they can't support what effort are you going to put into your work. Part of it is because they think they can do the same thing but thats why you have to show your best effort at all times if you are an artist. To raise expectations and not fall to their level. The crazy thing is that guys who seem to have the most dope money are the ones who can afford to create a following buy purchasing advertising and air time. The cycle that starts is one where more and more apathy begins until no one is willing to show that they care.

So for the love of hip-hop, have a heart.