Hip Hop is DEAD!!!

First off, let me start by saying that my opponent is taking some things in this debate very literally. In round 2 he made a reference to one of the statements I made in round 1 about Jay-Z, Wu-Tang and Nas. My opponent said "Since they are alive and symbols of hip hop, and hip hop artists, and if they are living symbols who perform the music, how can hip hop be dead when you stated they are living symbols of hip hop, and they are every much alive?" Well, obviously that's not what I meant. When I say Hip-Hop is dead, that is in no way being related to prominent artist such as the ones I mentioned earlier, literally being six feet under. What I meant was that the true practice of Hip-Hop that made them great in the first place is now dead. The only one able to adapt to the changing of times was Jay-Z but he alone does not constitute the survival of Hip-Hop as a whole. As for what my opponent is saying as to why record labels pick up artist "It certainly has to do with talent; companies pay hip hop artist whom attract the most attention and will be popular, and they are popular for a reason. They attract fans whom admire their talent." My opponent is gravely mistaken. Labels do what's good for business. Period! The entertainment world is extremely shallow. One can simply have a decent look and the label will push them. And as for fans admiring the artist talent, as a promoter myself I can tell you first hand, the public will consume anything if you force it on them enough. Any marketing company will tell you the same. The idea is to stay in the public's face. If they hear your song on the radio enough eventually they will learn to like it. That's why up and coming rap artist pay Dj's to play their records. And the Dj's play them. Why? Not because of the artist "Talent", but simply because they're getting paid to do so. It's business. Question: When a person mentions Hip-Hop to you, what's the first thing that comes to mind? What is the first thing that one envisions? Is it the Break Dancing or Graffiti art that my opponent previously mentioned? In 2013 my guess is NO. So what's the first thing that comes to mind? Let's start by analyzing within the definition of Hip-Hop that even HE himself gave in round 1 of this debate. Which defined Hip-Hop as: "The popular subculture of big-city teenagers, which includes rap music, break dancing, and graffiti art." Now first, let me start by saying that I AGREE with this definition. So me and my opponent have a common ground on that. Now lets (how they use to say back in the days of REAL Hip-Hop) break it down. The Break Dancing, Hmmmm?? Where do you see it? How often do you see it? And even when you do happen to see it, it's more less to pop music, Lady Gaga and so on. Break Dancing throughout the years has become detached from Hip-Hop and became it's own entity. So much so that when one even thinks of Hip-Hop, Break Dancing does not come to mind at all. So maybe it's the Graffiti. But once again, WHERE do you see it? Certainly not in music videos. And honestly ask yourself, when you think of Hip-Hop these days do you envision Graffiti art on walls and on T-Shirts?... Well do you? My opponent said in round 2 of this debate that "Hip hop is intertwined in the mainstream and has, and is, attracting a larger audience than ever before". To say that would mean that ALL facets of Hip-Hop were mainstream including Break Dancing and Graffiti art. If this were so, then I ask one last time, WHERE ARE THEY?? And when you hear the words Hip-Hop, do you immediately associate it with those two things? In this day and age you do not. Just more proof that Hip-Hop in it's purest form is no longer existent. At least two thirds of it anyway. Which brings us to the third part of the definition which includes "Rap Music". An MC reciting lyrics over a beat. Now THAT is what mostly comes to mind when one thinks of Hip-Hop these days. And Hip-Hop cannot be considered "mainstream" if only one aspect "Rap" is the only thing that makes headlines in 2013. But let's dig a bit deeper shall we? What is the definition of "Rap". Rap: A musical ART form broken down into three components, content, flow (as I stated in round 2), and delivery. http://en.wikipedia.org... Ok, now lets break this down as well. First, the "Content". I am an avid listener of all types of music. And I believe all music, including Rap to be a form of expression. To tell your life's story and/or experience. Fine and well. So if drugs, guns and women is a part of your life then by all means explore that in your raps. However, when that's ALL a rapper knows and all he/she promotes, it presents a problem, maybe even a hazardous one. For instance, my opponent stated in round 2 " I feel the meaning of value, especially relating to hip hop, is subjective".. Meaning the value of the content in rap music today is strictly judged by matter of opinion. So lets talk facts.. Subliminal messages. Big advertising and marketing companies use them #Fact.. Psychiatrist and Therapist use subliminal messages to plant positive thoughts in the minds of those suffering from depression #Fact.. Please listen to this song: http://youtu.be... The song is called "Drug Money" by Yo Gotti featuring Future. The hook goes as follows: Drug money it can buy ya what you want, drug money its gonna buy ya what you want, drug money its gonna buy ya what you want, drug money its gonna buy ya what you want, The youth are the main consumers of today's version of so-called Hip-Hop. Even stated so in the definition of Hip-Hop that my opponent and I both agreed on. (Popular subculture of big-city teenagers) When they hear content like this it becomes more than just "Subjective". In their young undeveloped minds it becomes "Subliminal" and encourages them to do what they hear. Can you really call content that encourages kids to sell drugs subjective? Would you want YOUR children listening to content like this every night before they went to sleep? And also where is the ART in it? This is what I meant by content in case my opponent did not understand. Flow and delivery. Basically meaning how the words come together. Rap originated on the corners. You would go toe to toe with another MC and battle over who could recite the best verses or who had the best flow. No fancy beats, no catchy hooks, just raw, rugged rap. However now that is not the case. MC's no longer display lyrical talent, rhyme scheme or flow. The art is DEAD. Listen to any one of the rappers of today. It's all beats and catchy hooks. Prime example, listen to this track below from a current rapper. French Montana - Ain't Worried About Nothing: http://youtu.be... Now listen to this track from a ninety's MC Canibus - Get retarded http://youtu.be... Notice I decided to use a track with the ninety's rapper rhyming acapella (No beat). If you listened to the track I posted of the current rapper and listened to his rhyme scheme and flow, ask yourself. Would the rapping ability of the current rapper (French Montana) hold up in a acapella battle rap on the corner with the ninety's rapper (Canibus)? Be honest? I know rap has changed and now beats play a heavy role. But this question is still relevant. In order to call yourself a rapper today you have to be able to rap in it's purest form back then. When it relied on strictly on lyrical and rhyming ability. No beats. Rappers no longer practice this art thus making the art of "Rap" dead! So with the art of rap no longer practiced, break dancing and graffiti no longer playing a major part, if any in Hip-Hop, where does that leave us? My opponent and I both agreed to the definition of Hip-Hop being "The popular subculture of big-city teenagers, which includes RAP music, BREAK DANCING, and GRAFITTI ART". So with those three aspects of Hip-Hop either no longer connected or no longer practiced, what does that make Hip-Hop itself?... DEAD!... Thank you.