anyone else get the feeling that these "conscious vs. vocoder", "backpack vs. manpurse", "ballin' rapper vs. starving artist" debates aren't really about music at all?
instead, they're about some underlying and possibily political philosophies. i.e 'African' socialism vs. late capitalism?
i've noticed how no one ever talks about the music in a way that isn't short-hand or for the purpose of wining using it as a tool to win an arguement. and even when they attempt to they don't really say anything new or nuanced.
the whole imaginary that surrounds hip hop here seems so limited i wouldn't be surprised if it actually never had anything to do with art.
