I used to love H.E.R. .......

I had every intention of doing another subject earlier today that was one of my true GMG subject. However, after reading the wonderful okayplayer.com (free advertising) and the subject of hip hop being dead, brought me back to my favorite hip hop song of all time, hence the title of the post.

"I met this girl when I was ten years old...."

One of the greatest movies ever started with the greatest line ever, " So when did you fall in love with hip-hop?" Hmmm, a difficult question. I unfortunately did not get into hip hop until after the corporate world got a strangle hold on H.E.R. when they saw fit to curse the world with Hammer pants and Ice Ice Baby. Originally, Baby Got Back and Oochie Coochie La La (10 bucks for the one who tells me who did the second song) were the songs of the day, but true hip-hop, I fell in love with H.E.R. from hearing Digital Underground, my first exposure to true hip hop. Then the affection grew to obsession, I began catching stronger feelings as I searched through the history, immersed myself in the four tenets, researched the innovators, and most importantly soaked up every note of LL, Run-DMC, Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five, UTFO, KRS-One, MC Shan, Beastie Boys, Kool Moe Dee, Rakim, Fat Boys, Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff, and so many others.

"About my people she was teaching me, but not preaching to me, but speaking to me in a method that leisurely...."


Arrested Development dropped, my first album that I bought, before it was listening to my freind's tapes. But I bought there's, it spoke to me, taught me about the culture and the world, gave me a conscience and inspired me to write for the number one reasons all lyricists and poets should write, to change the world throught written word. Never condescending, just matter of factly telling me why I should make the most of my life, find the purpose why God put me here....

" But then she broke to the west coast and that was cool cause the same time I went away to school..."

When I was in my first year of high school, the Chronic dropped. Changed the whole scene, the anger of black folks came out, it was talking about living a life that despite the parties, weed and booze, life was always about to end the next minute from a bullet in the back and all with the some of the best beats produced to this day. NWA had already stomped on the scene talking about sawed offs and Ice T had already mentioned his displeasure with the local authorities and how he'd like to change their living status, but this was different. This was a switch of power from the land of orginators to the land of innovators. Was something gained? Definitely. Was something lost? Definitely. S.H.E. lost innocence, S.H.E. grew up, S.H.E. got bitter. I hadn't realized it at the time, but I'd never have H.E.R. back the same way as before, but like your childhood sweetheart, S.H.E. left me with sweet memories but with an uncertain future.

"Talkin' about poppin' glocks, servin' rocks, and hittin' switches, Now she's a gangsta, rollin' with gangsta bitches...."


We all wanted to roll and throw dubs and talk about shootin' when we had no guns. Then, S.H.E. got repetitive, a one track mind, nothing new was coming. It was easier to market killing each other because that's all we'd seen for 300 years, violence against us by others and ourselves. There were a few out there dropping knowledge: Tribe, De La, Outkast, Common was on the scene reppin' the Chi, Nas showed great promise, 2Pac was telling about the problems without glory or praise just the sad facts, and a young cat named Chris Wallace was spitting like he was born to spit. However, the innovators and the originators would soon become insecure and jealous of the other, like a marriage built with no foundation.

"Stressing how hardcore and real she is, She was really the realest, before she got into showbiz I did her, not just to say that I did it, But I'm committed, but so many ni**as hit it"

S.H.E. became a whore, had been with too many cats who had no respect nor any knowledge of how to treat H.E.R. They pimped H.E.R. out to make money, instead of treating H.E.R. like the queen S.H.E. was entitled to be. Whoo bangin' was in effect, Suge Knight, satan himself, grasped his cold claws on it and strangled the life and poured in death and so many drank. (RIP Pac and Big...) On top of that, others decided to throw money around in videos and tell us that all of life came down to money, power and respect. To hell with love life and happiness. S.H.E. had met with some rough johns that worked H.E.R. over something terrible and S.H.E. was on life support. S.H.E. was taken in and kept alive by those such as Mos Def and Talib, but at a loss as groups like the Tribe soon stepped off the scene. And the dirty south came on the scene with clowns with no origination except they had a different sound in the music, but the rhymes were elementary at best. But for every Master P, a Goodie Mob was showing that all in the south were not lost and were bringing amazing creations to the table.

"That she's just not the same letting all these groupies do her, I see ni**as slammin' her, and takin' her to the sewer, But I'm a take her back hoping that the sh** stop, Cause who I'm talking bout y'all is Hip Hop"

Now there are alot of clowns out there "In Da Club" and "Leanin' wit it" and making dances to go with rhymes. There was a time for that when S.H.E. was innocent, but now that's gone, at most S.H.E. is a female who has been rode hard and put away wet, but has shown a glimmer of wisdom from learning from the mistakes. Despite hearing that Nelly continues to make music, there is the comfort in knowing that the Roots are dropping one next month. Everytime I hear someone "Ridin' Dirty" , it's nice to know that Common will soon be dropping a new knowledge. When I hear "Snap Yo Fingas" is at the top of the charts, a sharp pain hits me that is only soothed by the hope I put into the rumor that Black Star will be droppin another one. I will always take H.E.R. back. Is Hip Hop Dead? No, S.H.E.'s on life support. I used to love H.E.R..... still do....and always will...... Peace and love.....