I happened to see this on a online magazine and is kinda goes with this subject, and got some points in it too if you read it.....And answer alot of question about this shit........

quote:

Confessions of a Reformed Backpacker
By Jerry Barrow


I used to be a backpacker, but it was in more of the literal sense. I actually roamed the grounds of my college campus with my book bag filled with bootleg mix tapes and the rare CD purchase. This was circa 1992 when most of today’s proclaimed “backpackers” were still trying to write in script letters. Jansport, Carhartt, and Champion were the brands de jour. Yeah, we were worse than Jigga when it came to the labels. And contrary to what some mags say, this was THE year for hip-hop after ’88.

The world was blessed with albums from Eric B. and Rakim, Gang Starr, and Heavy D, plus debuts from Redman, Das EFX, The Pharcyde, Pete Rock and CL Smooth (not counting the EP of course), Dr. Dre, Grand Puba and Diamond D all in the same year. The East was in the house (ohmigod!) and this is what we did in ’92, even though we had fun in ’91. Among my many prized possessions were these little $4 drugs called maxi singles: “Scenario,” (with the instantly classic remix featuring the gulliest of the gully, the late Kid Hood), Das EFX’s “Microphone Checka” (with the equally sick Pete Rock remix to “Jussumen” on the flip side) and Black Sheep’s “Strobelight Honey” (with the crazy cartoon horn remix that still works wonders on the stair master).

In a pre-Napster world this is how “backpackers” got down. We supported the culture by dropping an occasional Lincoln for the cause to keep Pete Rock in the lifestyle to which he was accustomed. Now, understand something. This was hip-hop because that’s all there was. This was the stage the music was in THEN. No doubt that it is still better than 80% of the drivel that creeps past our airwaves these days, but we embraced it because of what it was, not what it WASN’T. We didn’t gather in the hallways listening to Ron G while brothers got their hair cut because we hated “commercial rap.”

It was because Hot 97 didn’t come in that clear in Middletown, CT and the local radio station was bootie, bootie, bootie. “Real Hip Hop” wasn’t defined by obscurity, lack of sales or resistance to crossing over. In fact, The Green Eyed Bandit himself told me that EPMD’s “Crossover”(a song about NOT crossing over) was their biggest crossover single—ever. Go figure. Consider that at the root of the word “commercial” is “commerce”, which loosely means to sell some shit. So, once you commit your songs to a tape or CD and try to sell that shit, guess what? You’re a commercial MC. Get over yourself.

Street corner ciphers in hoodies and Timbs are a fundamental PART of the culture--not the whole culture. Don’t forget that early on, MCs rocked arenas in leather pants and cowboy boots. But I don’t see cats running back to cling to that era. All I can see are cats running around the east village of NY stepping on the hems of their jeans with skate boards in tow dictating what is or isn’t “hip-hop.” Fuck ya’ll. If you’ve never tweaked a TDK tape with a #2 pencil, you ain’t a real backpacker. If you never recorded over a yellow Compu*Tech tape with Mr. Magic’s rap attack (and fell asleep in the process catching maaad commercials), you ain’t a real backpacker. If you cant’ tell me what was spinning on Red Alerts turntable in the “Bridge Is Over” video, you’re not a real backpacker. (yo, Aqua Boogie, I smell a list coming on…)

My point is for you cats to find your own shit. Backpacking was cool but even Buckshot and Puba (the co-fathers of the back pack phenomenon in my book) would kill for a plaque right now. Hip-hop is moving forward and so should you. The underground is a school that you are eventually supposed to graduate from. Not relish in super senior status. Just because you don’t sell, doesn’t mean you’re deep. You might actually need to repeat a course or two. Get a tutor. I heard Plug 3 is selling lessons on Ebay. Granted, novice MC’s should DEFINITELY pay their dues in the underground, but it should not be the goal of MCs, or our culture, to languish in obscurity. You guys have it so good right now. You can damn near make an album on a computer in your house. You don’t even have to dig in the crates for rare vinyl (though it is fun as hell). You can do a search on Morpheus for Cal Tjader (and a copy of Pro Tools) and get all the shit you need. Learn how to make good SONGS. Take hip-hop to a new level. Please. And for Christ’s sake, young’n, pull ya pants up.


Jerry Barrow is a commercial journalist for AllHiphop

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