Official Death of Hip-Hop

I sensed it coming. I heard the chatter. However, it didn't hit home until I went to Springfest at the University of Mississippi to see the headline act - nationally known rapper and Batesville native, Soulja Boy.

Listen up, people. Hip-hop is dead.

The music I grew up with, which actually contained thought-provoking lyrics, has now been replaced by someone who does not know the name of the college he grew up just 30 minutes away from. Let me replay the incident for you, although this does not do it justice as compared to hearing it live.

After about what seemed like a timeless power outage, Soulja Boy finally hit the stage and performed a couple of songs, including his new hit single, "Turn My Swag On" - the song where it sounds like he is constipated for the entire record.

After pumping up all the 8-year-olds and academically suspended students, Soulja Boy proceeded to hype up the crowd by asking, "Who all goes to Ole Miss College?"

What the hell? Ole Miss College?

Have I been hoodwinked?

For the last three years that I've been here ... No, since 1848, it has been known as the University of Mississippi or Ole Miss.

Now, I know you what you're thinking. Maybe he made a mistake?

I thought the same thing until about three minutes later when he asked the same question: "Who all goes to Ole Miss College?"

I understand he didn't get a chance to attend college and study all the useless material we study on a daily basis.

However, there has to have been a point in his 18 years or so of life where someone referenced the university in its rightful name.

And people say money can buy anything. I now beg to differ.

Apparently, common sense and talent are two things that money just cannot acquire. Let's have a quick hip-hop 101 and critique some of the lyrics of "Turn My Swag On":

I got a question why they hatin' on me
I got a question why they hatin' on me
I ain't did nothing to 'em but count this morning
And put my team on and now my whole click
stuntin'

It doesn't take a rocket scientist - hell, it doesn't even take my 9-year-old nephew - to evaluate these lyrics and see that Soulja Boy is about as talented as Paris Hilton.

But maybe I'm just, as he says, "hatin'" on him. Maybe I'm making too much of a lost cause? Well, the only thing I hate is that I actually went to the concert. And yeah, I do think it's a lost cause.

Since we're talking about things being lost, I think I lost a few brain cells being in the presence of Soulja Boy.

Apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks Soulja Boy is the root of all evil. Ice-T, former rapper and actor on the TV drama "Law and Order," was reported as saying, "Soulja Boy, single-handedly, killed hip-hop."

Although I don't agree that he solely killed rap music (DJs and record executives did their part), he has played a substantial role.

On a serious note, what happened to good music?

Yes, there are a few artists still around who speak from the heart (i.e. T.I., Nas, and the newcomer, Drake), but overall, rap is in a dismal state. And consumers continue to support songs like "Booty Meat" and "Stanky Leg."

If you ever see me doing the Stanky Leg, please shoot me on site.

It seems like every Soulja Boy fan I meet and make this argument to always persists that Soulja Boy makes fun music for kids and us grown people should stop hating on him.

Well, I'm sure if you asked a crackhead why they do crack he or she would respond with the same answer - it's fun. Since we're doing everything that's fun, why not do crack?

If you think about it, you're killing your brain cells listening to him anyway - might as well finish the job off.