Monday Night Raw: #NoProphylactic

Monday Night Raw (No Prophylactic)


Remember when your favorite rapper ever Jay-Z used to rap like his rap father Jaz-O? Then remember how he used to rap like the Fu-Schnickens/Das-Efx with the iggity? Then remember how he adapted to the Wu/Nas/BIG mafioso era? Then remember how he took Young Chris laid back flow? Sure. Me either.


It’s truly sad that hip-hop is the only genre of popular music that has widespread disdain for its older artists. The prevailing attitude of the young ones in the music business and its fans alike is that of apathy toward the old heads. They feel the sound is dated. They feel that the old heads can’t relate to the youth. In my opinion, this is true (the second sentiment). But the even harder pill to swallow is the sentiment that the old heads, for the most part, deserve the apathetic sentiment because of their unwillingness to show love to the youngsters from jump. They gave little to no help to upstart artists when they were in perfect position to, and the youngsters haven’t forgotten once they got their time to shine. Honestly, I think that this is systemic of Black America as a whole. Whether music, the church, or organizations, old heads seem to think that they don’t need to fall back in due time and let the proven youngsters get their opportunity to shine. And I know there’s a pre-mid-20s MF reading this and thinking “but damn T, you’re old.” Yeah, I am, compared to you. But being as how making it to your 80s is normal these days, I’m just getting my grown ass man on properly. But 40 is young in terms of organizational hierarchy, business, and other realms, roles where grandpas don’t ever feel it’s time to let the young ones shine. Sit yo’ old, stubborn, hating ass down. Eat your lunch and be quiet. Your time’s done.


I’m a hip hop junkie forever plus a day. It’s the culture I was born into, the culture I watched go from last to first. But when I think of the defining song of my generation, it’s not a rap song. Hands down, it’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana. In my opinion, it’s the best video of all-time as well. Kurt was able to express what all us teens felt within us back when. My generation was the one to usher the 2K new world order in. We were the first to learn how to use a computer in a way to earn a fortune. The Industrial Age died right before our feet. And at that time, we didn’t quite know how to express how we felt with the world literally changing before our eyes, knowing we’d be the ones to affect this change in some way. All we knew was fuck the world. Kurt & Co. accurately expressed our feelings for us to the old heads. Because at the end of the day, I’m worse than what—-I confess...


It’s my time y’all. Be on the lookout for my latest masterpiece, In Search of Serendipity: The Rebirth of Love’s Possibility. It’s due out any day now. Catch my squad and me on the web @ tymonday.com &theunbearablescrew.com.


Catch me at Ebony Junction until next time.