2018 could be remembered as the year of the dead rappers. Lil Peep’s posthumous popularity skyrocketed, XXXtentacion, Mac Miller, and many other rappers getting shot and killed in 2018 alone: Prohibeo, A1 Lil Tony, Louis Robinson, Jr., Lil Lonnie, Brandon Denson (Billion Dollar BD), William Tesley III, Billy Ray Robles, Christopher Polk, Monte Wayne, Phanelli Deblasio, Smoke Dawg, Lil Buzz and Jimmy Wopo.
In addition to the rapper deaths, the increasing amounts of mass shootings in public gathering places like schools, universities, churches, game tournaments and music festivals, keep prodding at us while we try to enjoy our lives.
The problem is that if we keep trying to enjoy our lives by upholding competitive values of each individual’s materialistic status on the account of others, and keep approving of an entertainment industry that promotes violence and drugs much more than peace, unity and love, then we will keep experiencing more and more tragedies and crises.
A video made in August 2018 by DMC highlights the battle for your mind underlying hip hop today.
My fight isn’t with the dude that shot Jam Master Jay in the head. I have no personal beef with him. My fight is against the mentality that would cause him to do it.”
- DMC pointing out the problem with glorifying gun violence and drugs in today’s popular hip hop music.
At its core, hip hop is about fighting the mentality that causes violence, drug abuse and other negative effects in society. It aims to upgrade the cultural atmosphere to be fun, peaceful, unifying and loving, with music, art and dance.
Hip hop — not “Conscious Hip Hop” or “Political Hip Hop” — but Hip Hop, in its foundation and essence, is about unity above division.
Hip Hop was born for the purpose of bettering society by improving social connections through a culture that upholds values of peace, love and unity.
Today, the need to unite above division is not just in urban neighborhoods. It’s global. It involves many billions more people. In a world of intensifying politically-based social division, resurfacing Nazi, fascist and xenophobic tendencies, increasing anxiety about nuclear weapons and war, as well as rising depression, loneliness and stress, the need unite above the growing division should be raised to top priority on our to-do lists.
It’s just a matter of how much we’re aware of that fact, and how much we can awaken it and start working to invert this society.
#CHANGE2019 COMING SOON
#RIP2018 is an underground hip hop album collection of Wysteland's debut singles released in 2018, including the dark "Always Wystelands," the experimental "That Sound" featuring ex-Jungle Brothers rapper Sensational, and "Your World," a 7-minute lyrical rap epic to bury 2018 and get ready for major change in 2019 with his upcoming album, #CHANGE2019, set for release on January 1, 2019.
Artist Bio
Wystelands is a new hip hop and rap artist from Brisbane, Australia. #RIP2018 is his 1st album, released on December 20, 2018 as a prelude to his 2nd album, #CHANGE2019 due for release on January 1, 2019.
Follow Wystelands: Twitter | Facebook
- Taken from @44faced
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