Hip-Hop is Hot
Or Why I Can Not Write on Hot Topics
Inspectah Deck
Diggy
Drazen Petrovic
Texas Flag
Kristi Noem
Yelawolf
PSAT Practice Test
Vlade Divac
Chile Flag
Don't Go Breaking My Heart
Based on that list I come to the conclusion that hip-hop is hot. Or a hot topic. A friend suggested I check Google Trends to find topics to write about that people are hungry to read. The bottom ten on the list of top twenty Hot Searches were as foreign to me as the Chilean flag. Ah,but I do know the Elton John and Kiki Dee song, "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", maybe I can put it on a list of my top ten favorite Elton John Songs? Or my least favorite?
I do not watch television, so how would I know about Glee or the reason for sudden interest in that particular song? And whoever is Inspectah Deck? Diggy? I know a Simmons. Do not get me started about him. He claimed he was in a band. His cousin, he said, played with War. I am not talking about Jeff Simmons of Mothers of Invention fame or Russell Simmons, just some guy I met on the streets. Unlike Russell, the Simmons I knew was not related to hip-hop artist Run of Run DMC.
The list of hot searches shows why I can not write on hot topics. Simply clueless.
Hip-hop, yes I know something about the genre. I listened to hip-hop. Old school hip-hop. Then the kids grew up taking their music with them. They did not stay away too long. When they came back their tastes in music had changed. It was cute listening to them reminisce about the good, old days, lamenting the demise of good hip-hop music. I do still listen to some hip-hop. I sometimes wonder why. "Let me see you shake it up like dice" and "got it goin like a turbo vette" devalues females. We are more than a body.
Hip-hop was in the news today. The Orange County Register headline read: O.C. hip-hop band blocks L.A. freeway. Reporter, Alexandra Molina, wrote "A self-described hardcore hip-hop group...". That sentence elicited some fun comments from readers. The O.C. versus Compton? Come on now. The group, Imperial Stars, parked their band truck along three lanes on the 101 Freeway, got out and began performing on the roof. I refused to visit theirwebsite. Readers who did said they "suck". Big time.
Later, I read an L.A. Times article for more information on the incident. Since they included a You Tube video of Imperial Stars' song "Traffic Jam 101" I succumbed, rewarding the guys for bad behavior, and watched it. They were not half bad. There is some rapping in the song, but it is a lot more rock than hip-hop. The guys in the band, along with being arrested, are trying to help homeless children with proceeds from sale of "Traffic Jam 101". They certainly got my attention. They also upset a lot of people who got stuck in the traffic jam they purposely created to promote their song.
Someone told me I looked like Aly MacGraw. That was a long time ago. Even then I did not see any resemblance to the star. But I was flattered. What does she have to do with hip-hop and traffic jams? Not much. Except she and Ryan O'Neal were on the hot search topic list for a minute. Advice for writers: if you are going to use Google Trends to choose topics, you better be quick.
Published by Alyce Rocco
- The Beat Vs. A Killer Hook in Hot Hip Hop SongsWhat makes the song a "Hot song"; when it comes hip hop. Most hip hop lovers are stuck at a cross road when it comes to deciding what is more important.
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- How Many MCs in Hip-Hop Will Take a Stand?Hip-Hop should internally examine its so-called morals, values, principles and integrity within the culture and the music which serves as its soundtrack.
Can Artist Collaborations Save Hip Hop?If you peep any of the rap songs on the radio nowadays your probably likely to hear 75% collaborations with rap and R&B artists Sure collaborations within the hip hop community...- Top Ten Hip-Hop Songs of 2007 In my opinion, 2007 will not go down as one of the better years in hip hop, but there were a few songs that did stand out this year. Here is my list of the top ten hip-hop songs of 2007.
- Hip-Hop Pioneers and the History of Rap Music
- Hip-Hop is Dead, and All Shall Be Held Accountable
- Summer 2008's 10 Best Hip-Hop Videos
- Jay-Z's "The BluePrint 3" CD Shows Other Rappers How Hip Hop Should Sound
- The Effect of Hip-Hop on American Culture
- Horrid Hip Hop Lines
- Top Ten Progressive Hip Hop Groups
8 Comments
Post a Commentexcellent; thanks for sharing :)
I'm not cool or trendy in the least, and I thought your list was some other language until I started reading the article. Ha ha- I stick to what I know, whether it be boring as all get out to others or not. I am ice cold. :)
Zona sent me too! Thanks for your comment on my article. I do not follow "Hot" trends - they turn cold overnight! I write about things that touch people's hearts, make them think and get them talking :) cheers
Hello...Zona sent me! "Zona Z says thank you"
Also I did not mention basketball in this article; after researching to find out why other topics were hot, because I no longer keep up with the sport as I used to do.
Shamontiel: Well of course, I checked out why Diggy was on Google Trends before I decided to write a tongue in cheek article. Becasue I no longer watch TV, I miss out on music award shows, that, at one time, I would never miss watching. Research is fine, but I would prefer to read an article based on first hand experience. Example: I am sure you did not have to research to write that comment, thus your writing an article on Diggy would be a hundred times better than if I attempted to write one.
Excellent; thanks for sharing ♥ You did a lot of research:)
Alyce, this would be your challenge. Find out why these people are on Google Trends. Diggy was on Google Trends because of his astounding freestyle verse on BET's "Hip Hop Awards." There is a commercial out right now with him on a roof and his father (Run DMC) talking about how people never thought he'd get this far in hip hop. He did, and on that awards show in the cypher (that's when people stand around and rap off the top of their heads), people REALLY realized he's talented, not just trying to bandwagon off of his father's success. While I know you can write about Google Trends topics, you have to be willing to do the research to find out why that person or topic is hot. It's not always about hip hop. There's politics, social events, lifestyle stuff, it changes within the hour.