The culture of hip-hop born more than 40 years ago has spanned from inner city New York to the rest of the world. However, many may not know the roots of rap have been fed since the birth of this country.
According to North Carolina native Patrick Douthit, more popularly known as producer, professor and DJ 9th Wonder, the idea of a spoken word artist or “rapper” has always been present in African culture. One of the earliest incarnations of a rapper is the West African griot, who was the storyteller in a tribe. This simple gesture of storytelling is the basis for all African American music, including jazz, blues and soul.
However, the storytelling aspect of contemporary rap music has seemed to die off. With contemporary rap music little more than materialism laced over samples, the classic rags-to-riches tale that was so prevalent in classic hip-hop is now reduced to only tales of riches. The irony of this is in this transformation, the most central aspect of a griot, which is cited as a root of rap, is lost in contemporary hip-hop.
“The thing about the griot, you could only be one if you told truth in your tribe or your sect,” Douthit said. “You couldn’t be deemed a griot if your stories weren’t true. A lot of African culture and even black culture is moved through word of mouth, and that word of mouth had to be true or a lot of things would have gotten messed truth.”
Still, artists in underground Raleigh seem to take a new perspective on the way hip-hop is today. Groups like Kooley High and solo rappers like RaShad have created the trend of speaking from the soul. Morris Wayne Ricks II, also known as King Mez, is also part this new wave of “soulful” musicians.
“When people ask me what kind of music I do, I don’t even say rap, I say soul music because it comes from me, and it’s not pushed by money,” Mez said. “It’s giving people my perception of the world and my feelings and my past rather than making money being my main too.”
Raleigh is known for being the most populated college town. Nevertheless, the concept of what is important to the people of the Triangle area and even the whole state is the farthest thing from entertainment.
The future of this state’s music scene, as far as hip-hop, is in the balance of staying or going.
“We just have to look at what is more important to the people Raleigh. That is religion and ACC basketball, that’s it…And in that you have to ask yourself ‘where does hip-hop fit?”
Douthit used examples of rappers like Rick Ross from South Miami Beach to explain how materialism is all they have to offer in lyrical content.
“Materialism has always been a part of hip-hop,” Douthit said. “It’s just different now that it’s being magnified by the media to make everybody like ‘that’s all it is’…Now, is it important for it to be true now? Not so much. Just because of the social impact we have, I think it’s very important for us to tell the truth.”
