Do you have to have freestyle abilities to "be" Hip Hop?

[Mase]

Last night, I watched a dope documentary on freestyling, there were alot of sick footage of performances/cyphers/battles and it featured the likes of Supernatural, Mos Def, MC Juice, Notorious B.I.G and alot of other lesser-known NY artists.
All of these artists that were interviewed, were saying that rappers that only write there shit, are not and never have been real Hip Hop. Personally, I think Hip Hop as expanded now, to more than just freestyling and battling. I think an artist that dosn't freestyle is just as Hip Hop as an artist who solely freestyles and dosn't write a thing. This wouldn't of been the case 10 years ago.
What are your opinions on this? Discuss.

 

[DrugBa11ad]

Nah, I disagree, while I believe that battling abilities and being able to freestyle would definitly be a huge plus, I don't think its totally required to "be" hip-hop.

Who the fuck judges whether someone is hip hop or not? Mos Def and MC Juice? I sure as hell don't think so.

 

[roaches]

No.

 

[Kaprice]

No.

I'm gonna be straight up blunt here;

they would know a lot more than you would, no matter how much of a "hip hop guru" you are. no offence..

 

[MakaveliPrime01]

I always wondered this... obviously its a plus because if you can truly freestyle and think up workable rhymes that fast it seems like it would be 10 times easier to write ur lyrics. But if you can sell records than who cares whether or not you can freestyle.

 

[Quasimodo]

Freestyling is an ability that can help some artists drastically... Tupac wasn't the greatest freestyler, but read some of his writtens and hear his emotion. Freestyling and battling skills aren't everything when it comes to hip-hop, but they are a big percentage.

 

[bigCASH]

freestyling is a plus like some of you said but i don't think if you can't do it you can't be considered "hip hop" one of my boys can write a whole song in like 15 mins. with three 16 bar verse's and a chorus and it'll be tight as shit with metaphors, similies punchlines and all that....but he can't freestyle a lick.........so my answer to the original question is NO.

 

[Rukas]

I'm gonna be straight up blunt here;

they would know a lot more than you would, no matter how much of a "hip hop guru" you are. no offence..

Why? Cause they rap and roaches doesnt? So that automatically means they know more, or are right?

So you're saying people that work in a car factory, on the production line building one specific part, know more about cars then people who study, design or are educated in them?

 

[S O F I]

No, you do not.

 

[Kaprice]

Why? Cause they rap and roaches doesnt? So that automatically means they know more, or are right?

So you're saying people that work in a car factory, on the production line building one specific part, know more about cars then people who study, design or are educated in them?

No i didnt say anything about cars


im saying that these MC's that tink so have a much more educated opinion because they live, were born, are highly involved and active amongst the hip hop community, are there right in the mix of things, are essentially the pioneers of hip hop, and are much more older - therefore have experienced more and know more...

and if Roaches is so "correct" then why doesn't he provide a legitimate explaination for his answer?

 

[Cheesyphily16]

Kaprice, there's no right answer to this question. It's just an opinion.

 

[aloivas]

im saying that these MC's that tink so have a much more educated opinion because they live, were born, are highly involved and active amongst the hip hop community, are there right in the mix of things, are essentially the pioneers of hip hop, and are much more older - therefore have experienced more and know more...

and if Roaches is so "correct" then why doesn't he provide a legitimate explaination for his answer?

..the fuck are you talking about? How the fuck do you know how old roaches is, or where he was born, or how involved in hip hop he is? You're saying that because someone was born with the ability to freestyle well, this means they are automatically more aware of, and more educated in, hip hop than someone who wasn't naturally gifted in this attribute?

And his answer didn't need an explanation. The way the question was worded was didn't warrant an explanation. It's just so silly (imo), it doesn't even need to be discussed. Anyone who thinks you have to have good freestyle abilities to "be" hip hop is obviously an elitist underground or very old school head who couldn't write a hit song to save themselves. I'm not saying that those artists mentioned fit that category, because i think it's deeper than them just thinking rappers who just write down their shit aren't hip hop. Just the way the question was worded... anyone who says "yes" - i feel sorry for them.

EDIT: Oh, and none of the rappers mentioned were pioneers of hip hop.

Who the fuck judges whether someone is hip hop or not?

Exactly. I only caught the very end of the program myself (JUICE vs. Supernatural battle - dope shit!), but i'd be very suprised if Biggie or Mos Def said "If you only write down your lyrics, you ain't hip hop".

I hate that shit, when people talk about "real hip hop" and shit like that, and when internet fans try and categorise everything.

Fuck!

 

[linx]

No i didnt say anything about cars

lol.

 

[Mase]

Exactly. I only caught the very end of the program myself (JUICE vs. Supernatural battle - dope shit!), but i'd be very suprised if Biggie or Mos Def said "If you only write down your lyrics, you ain't hip hop".
Fuck!

I do admit I was abit harsh in my wording. Juice, Supernat and Mos Def all said something along those lines though (mainly Supernatural, infact, he wouldn't shut the fuck up about it which kept reminding me to start a thread about this).
And fuck yeah, that end battle was crazy.

 

[Kaprice]

hey i never said anyone was wrong, and i never gave my opinion..

the way Roaches answered implied that he "scoffed" at the opinion of these old school cats...

 

[sniper]

no i dont think u do, think bout it this way, all these freestyle rappers alot of them arent very good at making actual songs......does that mean hip hop is not about actual songs ? i dont think so.

 

[imported_MAKaveli_10]

Freestyling is a big plus when it comes to hip hop. But if you can write stuff down that has punchlines, metaphors, and similes and put it into a song, I find that as even better.

 

[shattered dreams]

might i point out, that someone can freestyle or make a long poem on the spot..but they can hate hip hop, also they can be the whitest dorkiest person thats into backstreet boys. Doesnt make them hip hop. and if a guy can freestyle but doesnt know shit about the art, doesnt know the true inovators. talks about glocks and goes home and sleeps quietly in their nice house with their teddy bear...not knowing shit about troubled times..doesnt make them hip hop...so no just cause you can freestyle doesnt mean your hip hop

 

[one mc on dj]

To get your answer I think you should ask yourself how can I be hip-hop?

By representing one of the elements right...

So I know you are talking about emceeing..Than I am saying you should define what makes a true emcee...Does an emcee have to be able to freestyle? Does he have to be able to write songs? Does he have to be able to battle...?

I think freestyling is one of those skills that a lot of emcees want to have....

it's showing off really...It's something a lot of ppl try to do but only the ones that are actually good at it the ones that can really show off are getting props 4 it...
Those freestyle battles are for those who wanna get respected for using that freestyle skill...and earn some stripes by entering tournaments...Those mc's are also always called battle mc's..so I guess...You don't need to have that 1 skill to be an mc..or to be hip-hop...

Does ne 1 agree?

 

[illjoe]

You cant define what hip hop is anymore it changes everyday .. sure it helps to be able to freestyle but its not essential.