Ironically some of Hip Hop’s darkest lyrics actually tend to be the most poetic or well-crafted. Many of the genre’s most skilled lyricists tend to gravitate to darker subject matter. Unfortunately it is often the works of such artists that cause the most controversy within the mainstream media, therefore attracting the most condemnation.
The Grotesque in Hip Hop: The Problem of Content Versus Poetry
Perhaps one of the best examples of the conflict between poetic form and violent content is Chino XL’s 2009 single Nahh!, which contains some of the most intricate imagery in recent Hip Hop. Many are quick to condemn his use of grotesque and violent language, seeming to completely overlook his masterful wordplay, such as the ironic paradoxical reference to himself as a ‘barely literate savage.’ Surely anybody with an ability to manipulate and even satirise the English language in such a manner deserves credit rather than condemnation.
Without delving into the darker, 'twisted' areas of society, it can be difficult to portray the reality of the harsh life faced by many of the Hip Hop generation. Artists like Chino rely on the shock factor to ensure that their voices are heard in a world that still is yet to recognise the genre and culture as a true art form. Many critics are quick to point out the explicit references to violence and drug-use in Hip Hop lyrics, but generally neglect to mention the more subtle warnings and anecdotes designed to discourage such behaviour.
Bringing Darker Issues to Light
It is argueably the explicit and defiant nature of Hip Hop lyrics that actually heighten their cultural impact today. With so much violence and corruption in society, many young people can identify far more with the outspoken approach of MCs that are unwilling to sugar-coat the struggles they face. Lyricists like Chino XL for example, tend to explore the contrary states of human nature in their work, acknowledging the darker side that exists within us all.
As Chino correctly pointed out in a recent interview, ‘We all think differently; the mind is like a snowflake but my snowflake just has a little bit of blood and membrane on it.’ It is only by recognising that this sinister side of our personalities and society in general exists, that we can begin to look for solutions to the darker issues in our society. Surely it would be unreasonable to condemn rappers for exploding such taboos by highlighting these problems with their lyrics, when in doing so they provide a voice for an entire generation.
To be Violent or not to be Violent: Is That the Real Question?
William Shakespeare is generally considered the greatest wordsmith of all time; many conveniently overlook the fact that a number of his popular masterpieces such as Hamlet, Othello and Macbeth are riddled with violence and sinister subject matter. Surely to suggest that some Hip Hop lyrics are any darker or more disturbing than Hamlet’s graveyard soliloquy, in which he professes a desire to ‘drink hot blood’ for example, would be hypocritical to say the least.
Critics should consider reading classic literary works like Stoker’s Gothic novel Dracula or Shakespeare’s Tragedies in this light before casting judgement on the works of artists, such as Chino XL, Nas, 2pac and other Hip Hop lyricists that are unafraid to explore the darker aspects of reality. Perhaps Nas’ seemingly oxymoronic concept of a ‘philosophical gangster,’ explored in his 2004 single Thief’s Theme, is not quite as far-fetched as first imagined; after all, it takes true skill to craft the grotesque into poetry, whilst raising awareness of the issues that plague our society today.
Further reading
'Chino XL: I'd S**t on Shakespeare' - Allhiphop.com Interview by Han O'Connor
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