could a white rapper ever reach a status like tupac ?
- Thread starter DjPolair
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M.C.-Exclusivo
Break yo'self fool!
I do think there's a certain social stigma that comes along with being a white "Hip Hop head"... And being a Caucasian, I actually agree with many peoples disapproval. By all means, I believe in people being themselves, but I've seen people take it too far.
A lot of people who live in my city embarrass themselves by actually thinking they ARE black. And when I say thinking they are black, it's socially okay for a black person to say the n word between peers, but when did it become okay for white people? They seem to be ignorant to that. A guy I know from college came up to me and my mate at a gig (who's a black emcee) and started using the n word when talking to my mate. IN THEIR FIRST CONVERSATION TOGETHER. I was pretty repulsed by the conversation, and when my friend was busy, I spoke with the guy in front of his friends about it and voiced my opinion. My friend is always uncomfortable talking about racial issues so I thought I did the best by not mentioning it.
^ sorry for being negative. I felt the need to address it here. I've probably pissed people off in some way with that. But to get back to the point...
Do I think there'll be a white rapper to equal/surpass the status of Tupac? In some people's eyes, it's already happened. I disagree with those who say Eminem. I think there'll need to be an emcee who comes through with an actual message (activist I suppose), rather than "I raised myself from being trailer trash".
Tupac actually wanted to share a positive message. Any time he spoke, he spoke about something meaningful. Something that helped improve people's outlook on things. Changed peoples mindsets for the better. Has Eminem? I don't think so. Maybe people will disagree.
Can a white rapper do it though? Most definitely.
P.S. This is coming from a guy who doesn't consider Tupac to be the best rapper to have lived. I'm very much an East Coast fan.
A lot of people who live in my city embarrass themselves by actually thinking they ARE black. And when I say thinking they are black, it's socially okay for a black person to say the n word between peers, but when did it become okay for white people? They seem to be ignorant to that. A guy I know from college came up to me and my mate at a gig (who's a black emcee) and started using the n word when talking to my mate. IN THEIR FIRST CONVERSATION TOGETHER. I was pretty repulsed by the conversation, and when my friend was busy, I spoke with the guy in front of his friends about it and voiced my opinion. My friend is always uncomfortable talking about racial issues so I thought I did the best by not mentioning it.
^ sorry for being negative. I felt the need to address it here. I've probably pissed people off in some way with that. But to get back to the point...
Do I think there'll be a white rapper to equal/surpass the status of Tupac? In some people's eyes, it's already happened. I disagree with those who say Eminem. I think there'll need to be an emcee who comes through with an actual message (activist I suppose), rather than "I raised myself from being trailer trash".
Tupac actually wanted to share a positive message. Any time he spoke, he spoke about something meaningful. Something that helped improve people's outlook on things. Changed peoples mindsets for the better. Has Eminem? I don't think so. Maybe people will disagree.
Can a white rapper do it though? Most definitely.
P.S. This is coming from a guy who doesn't consider Tupac to be the best rapper to have lived. I'm very much an East Coast fan.
Nightshade
New member
Here is a blog entry Blockhead wrote about that same topic of the "N" word a while back I think fits The soft “a” is crucial | Phat Friend
As for Pac being positive in his speech, yeah he spoke on some things, but all the positive talk in the world won't over ride the negativity his songs promoted, the people he surrounded himself with and people listened and paid attention to that far more intently than some interview he gave. Dude was two faced in my book
Will a white rapper ever hit that level? Hard to say because what are we comparing it based on? Record sales? Twitter followers? News headlines? Stupid life decisions? If so then I would say that Eminem has been there for a while now.
Not really a fan of either one of them to be honest, but I respect them both for the entertainment they have brought us, and in the end that is all they are is entertainers and nothing more.
M.C.-Exclusivo
Break yo'self fool!
That blog post was a good read Nightshade. However, just to clarify on the situation I mentioned, the guy who used the word had known little to no black kids throughout his life (I know this because I've known him since I was 3/4). The people he's hung around with the past 4-5 years have all been white weed heads. Pretty much self proclaimed hippies with extremely strange ethos' to the average Joe. At that gig in question, the two people I was with plus another two black guys who performed were the only non-whites at the gig...
Though I personally believe that the N word should be taken with less meaning. I mean, it would be great if the word could be used without these sorts of discussions cropping up. I have actually had plenty of discussions with my mentioned friend about my beliefs. However, I do understand that a lot of people still undergo racial issues, and so anything that can be perceived as racist should not be said. In an ideal world of course, racism wouldn't exist/be stamped out, and then the word could be used loosely without any negative meaning.
In regards to Pac, I agree to a point about him being two faced. However, I still believe that he raised many more issues than Eminem does, therefore doing much more for the culture.
Though I personally believe that the N word should be taken with less meaning. I mean, it would be great if the word could be used without these sorts of discussions cropping up. I have actually had plenty of discussions with my mentioned friend about my beliefs. However, I do understand that a lot of people still undergo racial issues, and so anything that can be perceived as racist should not be said. In an ideal world of course, racism wouldn't exist/be stamped out, and then the word could be used loosely without any negative meaning.
In regards to Pac, I agree to a point about him being two faced. However, I still believe that he raised many more issues than Eminem does, therefore doing much more for the culture.
H
hammrough
Guest
I think eminem has surpassed pac. pac had a good run, but the negativity caused his demise. if you don't think eminem is a revolutionary you can't relate. Eminem has had a lot more good music than pac, this. isn't pacs fault but its the truth. also there are other social issues than race.
Cayden Carrell
Active member
"I´m livin in the future - stuck in the past - look at me now, I´m only twenty years late"
TazzyOnline
Producer/Lyricist
I think anything is possible. Obviously you'll have certain people not being able to except it but hey if it happens it happens. But that artist would have to map out everything from start to finish cause there will be a bunch of people waiting for the slip
GST
Imma rapper's producer!!!
exactly...mu****as would vote eminem president of south africa just because..his trailer park problems will never compare to the shyt pac was addressing
GST
Imma rapper's producer!!!
some ppl can't swallow that pill...it's a valid question ..
YoungBlazeHo
New member
No. Simple as that. Not racist, I am white. But that will never happen. Not because of races and stuff like that. It's more like, every genre has that one artist no one will ever be good like. In rock n roll that would be Elvis, in pop - Michael Jackson. In Hip-Hop, that's 2pac.
ego killer
New member
eminem could have done it but the past 10+ years he's failed (in general.)
the main thing that made tupac the icon he is was the controversy and going against society IMO
the main thing that made tupac the icon he is was the controversy and going against society IMO
Just Clauz
New member
Agreed
Obviously many people have found other rappers who they set above Tupac an Biggie, not only now, but also at their time, but no matter how much they argument about it, it seems like people want Tupac and Big to stay on top of every rapper for all time.
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Redefined Media
New member
rapper
i guess eminem comes closest
i guess eminem comes closest
BeatbyAS
New member
bro tupac parents came from the black panthers. Assata Was the Step-Aunt of Tupac Shakur, She is the First Woman to be on the most wanted Terrorist List.
Eminem parents are just people from trailers park, not too offend, but that's how em puts it. Their education is completely different. no offence again, but if eminem was black, a lot of his fan base would not exist, he would be just another rapper with lyrical skills. Meaning there are people who listen to Eminem but never listen to other Hip hop artists. tupac is black and his fan base is still mixed. If eminem did not have the Dr Dre co sign, a lot of his black fan base would not care about his raps talking about his mom popping pills and killing her or his girlfriend, because blacks have a very loving mom culture.
No denying that Eminem has rap skillz for days and days, he was even one of the first rapper to introduce me to rap and I am black. But a black eminem would never have reached white eminem status and that's the truth, say what you want. But there are so many black rappers just as ill as eminem, but they will never get the credit they deserve because of mainstream appeal / skin color.
Eminem had some revolutionary songs here and there against bush or against the fact that if white kids act like black, white adults won't respect them. So he sort of killed that state of mind, that if you are a white person, you can like hip hop and dress like the hip hop culture. Even though a lot of white people were doing hip hop before him, beastie boys. He just made it more famous in the white culture. Tupac was planning on changing the world, eminem was just rapping. Most of his songs are mostly comedies with ill lyricism. Take eminem lyrics, put them in a black rappers mouth and no one would care.
Now to go to your question - could a white rapper ever reach tupac status ? I guess so, but that possibilities of that happening are 0.99% lol. Because like a reply said, what would he really be against ? Eminem had stupid bush and the war. What would your new white savior have to defend. Gay rights, macklemore been there done that. What problem affects white people and mostly white people. A lot of black problems, some white people will never face in their life, or even understand because it is so out of their world. Tupac rapped about things black people could relate to while white people could understand or relate to also. Just like Bob Marley.
What problem would your rapper rap about that only relates to white people ? serious question
Eminem parents are just people from trailers park, not too offend, but that's how em puts it. Their education is completely different. no offence again, but if eminem was black, a lot of his fan base would not exist, he would be just another rapper with lyrical skills. Meaning there are people who listen to Eminem but never listen to other Hip hop artists. tupac is black and his fan base is still mixed. If eminem did not have the Dr Dre co sign, a lot of his black fan base would not care about his raps talking about his mom popping pills and killing her or his girlfriend, because blacks have a very loving mom culture.
No denying that Eminem has rap skillz for days and days, he was even one of the first rapper to introduce me to rap and I am black. But a black eminem would never have reached white eminem status and that's the truth, say what you want. But there are so many black rappers just as ill as eminem, but they will never get the credit they deserve because of mainstream appeal / skin color.
Eminem had some revolutionary songs here and there against bush or against the fact that if white kids act like black, white adults won't respect them. So he sort of killed that state of mind, that if you are a white person, you can like hip hop and dress like the hip hop culture. Even though a lot of white people were doing hip hop before him, beastie boys. He just made it more famous in the white culture. Tupac was planning on changing the world, eminem was just rapping. Most of his songs are mostly comedies with ill lyricism. Take eminem lyrics, put them in a black rappers mouth and no one would care.
Now to go to your question - could a white rapper ever reach tupac status ? I guess so, but that possibilities of that happening are 0.99% lol. Because like a reply said, what would he really be against ? Eminem had stupid bush and the war. What would your new white savior have to defend. Gay rights, macklemore been there done that. What problem affects white people and mostly white people. A lot of black problems, some white people will never face in their life, or even understand because it is so out of their world. Tupac rapped about things black people could relate to while white people could understand or relate to also. Just like Bob Marley.
What problem would your rapper rap about that only relates to white people ? serious question
BeatbyAS
New member
bro Elvis, took songs word for word and note for note from some black artist that would never have reached his status because he is white. If it wasn't him, it was his writers that knew no one back then would of went looking for the original black version. Racism was strong back then, don't forget.
From his words - “The colored folks been singing it and playing it just like I’m doin’ now, man for more years than I know. They played it like that in the shanties and in their jukee joints, and nobody paid it no mind ’til I goosed it up. I got it from them. Down in Tupelo, Mississippi, I used to hear old Arthur Crudup bang his box the way I do now, and I said if I ever got to the place where I could feel like old Arthur felt, I’d be a music man like nobody ever saw.”
not trying to be mad or anything, but you said - "one artist no one will ever be good like" .. do you base that on talent or record sales ..
From his words - “The colored folks been singing it and playing it just like I’m doin’ now, man for more years than I know. They played it like that in the shanties and in their jukee joints, and nobody paid it no mind ’til I goosed it up. I got it from them. Down in Tupelo, Mississippi, I used to hear old Arthur Crudup bang his box the way I do now, and I said if I ever got to the place where I could feel like old Arthur felt, I’d be a music man like nobody ever saw.”
not trying to be mad or anything, but you said - "one artist no one will ever be good like" .. do you base that on talent or record sales ..
ultra auris
New member
re
its way more complicated than that. For sure America and Memphis were very racist societies at the time and that was one of the reason Elvis was a threat to the old people of that day. Im no big fan of Elvis (he is my least favorite Sun artist) but he didnt just copy or steal black music. First off, he was a very good vocalist. What he did is a combination of both black and white and he was deeply influenced by both. and gospel and county. No doubt I prefer Crudup and Big Mama Thorton (who's blue song, hound dog, was written by the most professional New York tin pan alley songwriters) and other white Sun artists like Cash and Orbison were way better than Elvis, but he had something special going on and it had little to do with the writers. More important was Sam Phillips who did actively record black and white music and wanted to mix them. He gave us much more interesting early recordings of the Wolf and BB king among other. He found Elvis, he knew the ballads sucked and he got them to do jump blues and he knew how to record it properly and he knew how to get records played across the country (a little different system than now days, lol). Now as to a white guy being as big as Tupac. I dont think it will happen in hip hop because Hip Hop has left its original foundations so said person would be a pop star nowdays. and they would lack the political/social side Tupac showed because record labels would be scared of it.
its way more complicated than that. For sure America and Memphis were very racist societies at the time and that was one of the reason Elvis was a threat to the old people of that day. Im no big fan of Elvis (he is my least favorite Sun artist) but he didnt just copy or steal black music. First off, he was a very good vocalist. What he did is a combination of both black and white and he was deeply influenced by both. and gospel and county. No doubt I prefer Crudup and Big Mama Thorton (who's blue song, hound dog, was written by the most professional New York tin pan alley songwriters) and other white Sun artists like Cash and Orbison were way better than Elvis, but he had something special going on and it had little to do with the writers. More important was Sam Phillips who did actively record black and white music and wanted to mix them. He gave us much more interesting early recordings of the Wolf and BB king among other. He found Elvis, he knew the ballads sucked and he got them to do jump blues and he knew how to record it properly and he knew how to get records played across the country (a little different system than now days, lol). Now as to a white guy being as big as Tupac. I dont think it will happen in hip hop because Hip Hop has left its original foundations so said person would be a pop star nowdays. and they would lack the political/social side Tupac showed because record labels would be scared of it.
Pherm B Leeva
Pherm B Leeva
Tupac had an intuative talent that was backed up by a forceful work ethic, his rebelious and sometimes self-destructive nature struck powerful chords, especially amongst much of British society's disillusioned youth, his lyrics and music transcend race or creed. But with the way the current music business is structured and cleverly manipulated, ask will their ever be another GENUINE Tupac Shakur.
Elvis Presley, was a different story, of bygone attitudes, later deposed to minority pockets of small communities, Ignoring the race factor, the teddy boy image was as powerful and rebelious as thug life, in it's time.
Elvis Presley, was a different story, of bygone attitudes, later deposed to minority pockets of small communities, Ignoring the race factor, the teddy boy image was as powerful and rebelious as thug life, in it's time.
scrapheaper
Moderator
Of course it's possible.
I shouldn't even have to say this.
Obviously you don't get any more talent from just being black or white.
As for 'only black people can rebel against things' that's just ridiculous. Racial inequality is not the only injustice in the world, there are plenty more you can take your pick from.
As for 'will it actually happen' it depends how long rap continues to exist and develop as a genre, and then it's just probabilities. All genres fade away eventually- it's just whether it happens before that point or not.
I shouldn't even have to say this.
Obviously you don't get any more talent from just being black or white.
As for 'only black people can rebel against things' that's just ridiculous. Racial inequality is not the only injustice in the world, there are plenty more you can take your pick from.
As for 'will it actually happen' it depends how long rap continues to exist and develop as a genre, and then it's just probabilities. All genres fade away eventually- it's just whether it happens before that point or not.