What is 'Hyphy'? Ask E-40

#1
E-40’s latest album, My Ghetto Report Card, is about to be released on Lil Jon’s record label. The Bay Area ambassador is already making waves with his new single “Tell Me When To Go Dumb” that features Keak Da Sneak, but more importantly, he wants you to get hyphy.

So what is hyphy? Hyphy is more than a sound, slang-word or an image – in essence it is a movement. The first time it was mentioned on a track was by The Bay’s very own Keak Da Sneak and Mac Dre. Since then the wheels of this machine have kept on rolling, almost literally… a major component of Hyphy involves cars. Hyphers are well known to supplement dance floors for car roof tops and also engage in the art of Ghost-Riding – opening the door of a moving vehicle and jumping out. E-40 likens it to Crunk music purely because of the energy and desire for self expression.

The dedication of E-40 to this part of hip-hop culture and to The Bay is unrelenting. He recently refused to play at a Pre-Grammy show with The Roots in LA, but not because he did not want to; he had in fact been given the green light along with respected colleagues Common and Snoop. However the security at the Key Club announced the entourage accompanying E-40 was not welcome. Rather than ditch his crew for some serious exposure, he categorically refused to enter unless his crew were allowed in. They were not. With a huge gap in the night’s proceedings, the security team faced some serious questions, in conjunction with some unhappy comments from The Roots, the following day.

“I’m just sticking and moving, ya know. I helped birth the Hyphy movement along with the other Bay Area rappers because that’s where it originated. It started in the streets and I’m just adding to it. I’m just doing my part,” the down-to-earth rapper observed. “Hyphy ain’t all that I do, but I go to bat for it 100 percent. The youngsters brought that in, not the rappers. We’re just the novelists and the voice of it. It’s a dance and it’s a culture. There are different phases of the Hyphy movement. It starts off with the dance and builds around that and these youngsters are building more around it everyday.”

Keak Da Sneak also offered insight into the movement: “These high school kid’s aren’t getting high. It’s an energy, Hyphy is all about a fun energy. I can’t speak for the college kids but they’re just releasing, they’re just letting their true selves take control. Getting Hyphy is about letting go of all your inhibitions and being who you really are-no matter what anybody thinks.”

My Ghetto Report Card is expected March 14th.
 
#6
Man It's How The South Gets crunk, thats wat its like, and yall think its stupid cuz yall dont see it all the time, its just havving a good time n shit yadada?
 

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