I would definitely like the opportunity to talk to Jay Electronica and maybe enter into a friendly debate about the South and the history the South plays in the development of Hip Hop. Being and avid Hip Hop-er from the South myself, I have my own views of the positive and negative affects the South has had on Hip Hop as a whole. I completely agree with his statement that MC's like Bun B, 8Ball, Ludacris (when he goes in!), D.O.C. and Andre 3000 (hands down!) would eat most of the "lyrical" rappers in the game period! I would add Scarface, and Killer Mike to that list and I'm sure if i put more thought to it there are a couple more lyrical monsters South of the Union!
UPDATE: Check out the shit storm that has been going down back and forth between Kay Slay and Jay Electronica at
Missinfo.
KAY SLAY REACTS AND JAY ELECTRONICA COUNTER REACTS. This needs to stay as a debate with words and nothing more!
I finally re-read the 2007 Urb Magazine Rza interview Jay Electronica is referring to and I definitely understand what RZA was trying to say. I think this debate is a GOOD debate for Hip Hop. New York needs to look at themselves in the mirror and see where their at fault and the South needs to evaluate and accept that the demise of lyricism may of come from the rise of a lot of Southern Based artist. The debate should also go into whether or not the industry (aka the powers that be) had anything to do with the direction of the music as a whole or did the fans and the consumer always have control. This is a debate in judgment of art and attitudes taken toward art, not hustle.