What’s going on AllHipHop.com?
This is ya boy live from the frontlines of Iraq, a.k.a “Flaco”
Hip-Hop’s wartime ambassador. It’s just another day of gunfire,
mortars, sand dunes and heat for the kid. Today I decided to reminisce
a little bit and for my listening pleasure I popped in the first Dipset
double album release [Diplomatic Immunity].
The album is straight fire and gets my vote for a certified ghetto
classic. It is a compilation of some of the hottest Diplomat cuts ever.
For a second, it looked as if the Diplomats were on track to becoming
Hip-Hop’s next New York dynasty. Granted, G-Uni
is a force to be reckoned with, but I think I can speak for a lot New
Yorkers and East Coast dwellers in general when I say we don’t feel
properly represented by a G-Unit anything, maybe it’s just me.
I mean if you think about it, the spot has been open for minute, and
not since the epic reign of the Wu-Tang Clan has anybody even attempted
to fill those shoes. Even more recently, the Wu has gone to Europe to
sign their record deal for the latest Wu album to be distributed. I
think subconsciously, we’ve all wondered when and where the next
powerful New York rap group would step up. I mean don’t get it twisted,
the LOX and Mobb Deep
have consistently put heat out for years now. Both groups remain
relevant and potent in they own right. However, The LOX is three dudes
and Mobb Deep is only two. The Roc-A-Fella and Bad Boy dynasties
created their own lane by having incredible producers with top notch
production to include deep rosters of young multi-talented artists who
could shine and move units on their own.
With rumors of Jim Jones and Cam not getting a long for a whole year,
Juelz doing the damn thing for dolo, Freekey ‘s attempt to crossover to
being a artist, JR Writer bricking, Max B locked down looking at Fed
time, 40 Cal’s lack of persona and star quality, Jha Jha’s sounding
like an Amil knock off, and Hell Rell just not appealing to anybody but
the block hugger; longevity doesn’t seem to be in the Diplomats future.
Even the Diplomat affiliated group, Purple City is showing a lot more
unity and promise these days. The kid Agallah put out some straight
heat earlier this year, real talk his [Propane Piff]
album is officially hard. It would seem like the death of a near
dynasty is finally upon us, so I took some time out of my busy schedule
of fighting the war on terrorism to review what they did right and what
they did wrong.
First and foremost, no one will ever duplicate a Dipset mixtape frenzy
like they did. We got nothing but street anthem after street anthem,
and they touched every mixtape possible worthy of recognition. They
flooded the streets with material and that is what Hip-Hop heads want more music. Without a doubt the street was buzzing and they could not be denied the title.
Second, the streets of New York City been felt Cam’ron and S.D.E.
was a certified ghetto classic. Cam single handedly dismantled Ma$e’s
career with the banger, “Let Me Know” and the little street credibility
he had. Third, as we all know Cam has been managed by Dame Dash from
the beginning so it made a lot of sense that they linked up for
Diplomats to sign to The Roc. That short lived marriage at the time was
a good look for everybody, sorry Jay it’s true. The Dipset swagger was
different, unique, and so Harlem. I mean from they own slang, to the
rhymes and clothes the whole world jumped on it. It reminded me a lot
of the Wu era, it happened so quick you might of missed it. Fresh faces
from New York City who talked that s**t and lived it; come on, everyone
loves a true story. The Dips were a true story, the street cred was
real and nobody doubted that.
They brought back the hustler mentality to the forefront of Hip-Hop.
The singles were commercial but street and the albums were full records
of good old fashion Hip-Hop music. Camron’s debut on Roc-A-Fella Come Home With Me
was crack and The double LP they dropped produced the hits that
solidified the fact that these guys were going hard and we needed to
take them serious. Juelz Santana first album is still slept on if you ask me, every song was a single. Jim Jones first solo joint On the Way to Church
was a good album…on the strength he had mad songs on there for you to
vibe to, was a good look from a consumer standpoint. The momentum was
set and the pace was moving. They signed JR Writer and 40 Cal, who put
in a lot of work on the mixtape side of things and both MCs were
building a cult following. Hell Rell was finishing up his bid and was
coming home to do the damn thing. Months go by and Duke Da God brings
you three compilation albums of Dipset music
and depending on who you talk to, the installments were actually
alright. The music was what a New York record should be. I think a
couple of joints could have been left out, but at the very least, they
kept dropping albums for their fans. If you a Dipset fan like me, I
thought it hard as hell all three of them.
So where did the mighty Dipset go wrong? Was it Cam’s ego? Was Jim
Jones’ ego? Is it the classic story of money being the root of all
evil? I mean after the Roc-A-Fella Dynasty broke up, I think everyone
thought anything is possible. From the outside looking in, one can only
speculate what it really going with Dipset. I would have to say
jealousy has not played a major factor in the beef. The fans got a
feeling it got something to do with Cam. Maybe ever since he played
Rico in Paid In Ful,l
it is visually easier to see that Cam could do his familia dirty.
Remember people that is only a movie, but Jim has expressed his
thoughts and feelings on Hot 97, saying that Cam is on punishment for
now and he has done him and Juelz dirty in the past but we let it slide
out of loyalty for what they built. He also said he and Cam have not
spoken in about a year that is a long time not to speak between friends.
The beef is unfolding as we speak, we just have to wait and see what
transpires. As far as our next rap super group it looks like the clock
has been restarted and yet again we wait for the next Hip-Hop dynasty
to rise and show themselves. The Dipset movement at one point showed
promise and potential. The next collective group of talented MCs who
decide to attempt to fill the void for Hip-Hop should take notes. I am.
SPC Daniel Barea can be reached at daniel.barea@us.army.mil
The
views expressed inside this editorial aren’t necessarily the views of AllHipHop.com
or its employees.
