Nas coming to Charlotte

Rapper Nas brings his The Hip Hop is Dead Tour 2007 to Neighborhood
Theatre on April 11. ($38. 704-358-9298; www.neighborhoodtheatre.com; or
Baseline Cuts Barbershop: 704-567-9919.)

The upcoming show -- and EPMD’s performance here for CIAA weekend --
provides a good opportunity to talk about the state of hip-hop.

On Nas’ new single, "Hip-hop is Dead," he laments rappers today who brag about the women
they’ve slept with and their jewelry. At the EPMD show at Amos’ Southend
on Friday, rapper Erick Sermon also called out young rappers, saying
that anybody could rap, but not everyone can be an MC.

I understand where they’re coming from because that quality hip-hop that
tries to uplift young people and educate young minds disappeared from
radio stations more than a decade ago. But the issues that Nas and
Sermon have with rap music have always been a part of hip-hop.

Hip-hop isn’t dead. We still have Nas, Talib Kweli, Jurassic 5, Little
Brother, Outkast and countless underground rappers who aren’t grabbing
their crotches and talking about the kind of car they drive.

What do you think? Is hip-hop dead? Post your reply below.