Indie Artist Music Hustle
Indie Artist Music Hustle Podcast with Blonde Intelligence is where you will experience exquisite cranial repertoire. The podcast (Available on your favorite podcasting platform) provides entertainment news, thoughts on celebrity gossip, independent music artists, as well as businesses that contributor to the music and entertainment industries. The purpose is to provide exquisite cranial repertoire. Don't forget to hit that subscribe button!!!! follow me @BlondeIntelligence @RRoneice. Also the channel name is That Blonde Broad.
Indie Artist Music Hustle
Kendrick, Drake, and Young Thug Expose Hip-Hop's Identity Crisis
Welcome to this week's Blonde Intelligence, I am your host Ms. Roni and I always seek to give you exquisite cranial repertoire. What happens when commercial interests collide with cultural authenticity? The recent Drake-Kendrick Lamar rap beef and Young Thug's leaked jail calls have sparked crucial conversations about hip-hop's soul as the genre marks its 50th anniversary.
Diving deep into this cultural moment, we explore how Kendrick's pointed lyrics in "The Heart Part 4" serve as a critical response to perceived inauthenticity in contemporary hip-hop. When Mos Def famously dismissed Drake's music as "Target shopping music," he highlighted the growing tension between commercial success and cultural integrity. Meanwhile, Young Thug's controversial jail call comments reveal troubling dynamics where personal conflicts overshadow the artistry hip-hop was built upon.
Hip-hop emerged from 1970s Bronx as more than music—it was a powerful voice for marginalized communities facing social injustice and economic disparity. True hip-hop carries profound responsibilities: community upliftment, youth engagement, authentic representation, and social activism. As the genre evolves, with hip-hop elements likely appearing in virtually all music by 2025, artists must navigate their responsibilities carefully, balancing innovation with respect for the culture's foundational values.
This episode challenges both artists and listeners to consider what it means to honor hip-hop's legacy while embracing its evolution. Are we preserving the authentic voice that made hip-hop revolutionary, or sacrificing cultural integrity for commercial appeal? The conversation isn't just about music—it's about cultural preservation, community responsibility, and the power of authentic expression.
Subscribe on YouTube, follow on social media, or listen on all major podcast platforms to join the conversation about hip-hop's past, present, and future. The show is returning to its original name, "Blonde Intelligence"—same insightful content with the original branding you've come to know.
Learn about the indie artist from the indie artist.
Speaker 2:I'm Kiana Key. I'm an artist. My name is Lauren, as you already said, I am a singer-songwriter. I'm Al Pems. I originally come from the Caribbean, st Vincent and the Grenadines. My name is Brian Doucette. I'm an East Coast Canadian rocker.
Speaker 1:And then I found myself in Las Vegas, where I'm at currently for dancing for Cirque du Soleil with my own solo.
Speaker 2:I also learned from music industry professionals.
Speaker 1:I'm a music producer. I've been producing professionally for about 14 years. I have worked with a couple people in the industry Grammy nominated Trev Rich Misha from 702.
Speaker 2:After I got my deal with universal music, after the alicia keys and gunna record and many others that I've done, and then alicia keys was the number one adult r&b song of the year I asked the question that's a great question yeah, it's a good question oh uh, that is a good question, wow I love all these questions.
Speaker 1:These are great like.
Speaker 2:Most of the questions that I get are, like you know, tell me about justin bieber.
Speaker 1:It's indie artist. Music hustle is for the indie artists, their fans, industry professionals and the music lover. Subscribe on YouTube, facebook or the podcast on Apple, spotify, pandora or Blonde Intelligence Facebook page. Don't forget to add me to your playlist, bye.
Speaker 2:It's been really fun, especially talking to someone across the pond. It's cool.
Speaker 1:Welcome to this week's Blonde Intelligence. I'm your host, ms Bronnie, where I always seek to give you exquisite perennial repertoire. The recent events surrounding the Kendrick Lamar and Drake Rapvee, along with the leaked jail calls from Young Thug, have sparked a vital discussion about the evolving identity of hip-hop culture, especially as the genre just celebrated its 50th anniversary. These incidents not only highlight existing tensions within the hip-hop community, but also challenge artists to reflect on their authenticity and commitment to the culture. Kendrick Lamar's lyrics in the Heart, part 4, served as a critical response to perceived inauthenticity among his contemporaries. His call for introspection resonates with true hip-hop fans and pioneers who argue that commercial interests are eroding the genre's essence. And we see that in an example from when I think it was Common who said Drake music was the music that you would listen to in Target. So you kind of see where it's saying that the interests are eroding in the genre's essence. Seeing that the interests are eroding in the genre's essence, according to an article from Complex, lamar emphasizes the need for artists to maintain integrity and authenticity, urging them to consider the impact of their contribution on the culture as a whole. In stark contrast, young Thug's derogatory remark, revealed in the leaked jail calls illustrates a troubling trend where interpersonal conflicts overshadow the artistry that hip-hop is built upon. These comments can be understood through social identity theory, which posits that individuals may diminish in-group members to elevate their own status. Dr Patricia Hill Collins, in her article published in the Journal of Hip-Hop Studies, argues that such disrespect undermines the communal values that hip-hop embodies, alienating artists and fans alike. The ramifications of Young Thug's statements are significant. They may lead to a reluctance among artists to collaborate with him as they navigate the potential backlash among their own reputation. This reflects a broader concern within hip-hop regarding the balance between personal expression and community responsibility, and I think that it's very ironic that his whole basis of everything that he was discussing was to make money.
Speaker 1:Now, I understand the collaboration part, but collaborations have to actually work together. You don't just go and put vinegar and oil together. I mean, what is it? Oil and water together? You have to add some letitian in there somewhere for something to bind. So if you don't have anything that's going to bind you together, then the two differences are going to overpower each other, and I'm going to touch a little bit more about this community responsibility as being a hip hop artist.
Speaker 1:These incidents have sparked critical conversations about the essence of hip hop culture, emphasizing the importance of respect and authenticity of respect and authenticity. As the genre continues to evolve, it is essential for artists to engage in these discussions, ensuring that the foundational values of hip-hop are preserved for future generations. And I'm, you know, more of an observer of things. So when, such as the Leap Jail calls came out, you know I just listened because I feel calls came out. You know I just listened because I feel like that. Then, you know, when the truth is trying to expel itself, sometimes it's going to be some pain, some rolling pain, and so I'm looking at the discussion afterward not actually what was said, because it could have came from anybody. So when it's time for, I would say, the truth to prevail, it doesn't have a respective person or who it's going to go through to make the channels open that need to be open for the conversation. So we're going to talk about hip hop a little bit, little hip hop history.
Speaker 1:The authentic hip hop culture carries a profound responsibility towards its community, serving not only as a musical genre but as a powerful voice for social change. Historically, hip hop emerged in the 1970s in the Bronx, representing the struggles and aspirations of marginalized communities, as articulated in the Source magazine. Hip-hop artists used their platforms to raise awareness about social injustice, advocating for issues such as racial equality, economic disparity and police brutality. This commitment to activism was echoed in the pages of the Vibe magazine, who showcased artists who leveraged their influence to promote education and community upliftment. One significant community responsibility of hip-hop culture is to engage the youth in constructive dialogue about their identity and societal issues. Word Up magazine highlighted initiatives where artists conducted workshops and mentorship programs fostering creativity and self-expression among young people. These programs not only empowered the youth, but also created a sense of belonging, encouraging them to contribute positively to their community.
Speaker 1:Hip hop culture emphasizes the importance of authenticity and representation, as discussed in Pump it Up on BET. Artists are often seen as role models who must navigate their responsibilities carefully. Role models who must navigate their responsibilities carefully. They have the duty to portray their communities accurately and uplift their narratives, rather than perpetrating negative stereotypes. This sense of responsibility is crucial in shaping the perception of hip-hop within society. The community responsibilities of authentic hip-hop culture extend beyond entertainment. So you're not just trying to make them dance in the club and have them throw dollars or 20s or 40s or whatever the going price is these days. They encompass activism, mentorship and representation, all of which play a vital role in preserving the integrity of hip hop and fostering a positive impact on society.
Speaker 1:And I said in my first promotion that hip hop I think by the year 2025, is going to be a part of all genres. People were going to mix elements of hip-hop together with other genres and people are creating their own genres, but as a true hip-hop culture, and that's what Kendra keeps talking about, and that's the reason why I brought up the past publication that was dedicated to hip hop, and even I remember even first seeing Escape in this in some other groups on what was it called Teen Summit. We had things to motivate us and promote black is proud and hip hop culture is expression. And promote black is proud and hip-hop culture is expression. You can express yourself, and I think that young thug has been able to express himself through even his, his wardrobe and still be accepted, because that is part of hip-hop to pull in all the parts of your community. And I think that's where the problem comes in with Drake is that he's trying to pull in people's personas and he don't understand the true essence of the culture of being an activist, of speaking on social injustices, of the police brutality that has been seen in our community and I was watching.
Speaker 1:I watch a lot of these shows where people ask AI these different questions and there was a white woman on there that said if you were to come back at any other race, what would it be? And AI said I will come back as a black person, because the true origins of the world came from Africa and people try to downplay being African-American. But it talked about the 144,000 chosen and the origins of different cultures and how they all tie back to being black. And they was talking about how, if another culture says something, how it's perceived and took in so easily, says something, how it's perceived and took in so easily. But if the black voice said how it's to be perceived as negative, I would say I would just put it in those words and that if we want to know the truth, that you have to start listening to the black voices and not saying that Kendrick is the Messiah and as in Drake words or trying to free the slaves. But if the truth is there, you have to be able to open your mind to it and as in the young thug thing.
Speaker 1:I don't look at it as a bad thing because I feel like that it opened up conversations to come open up to conversations that need to be had in the hip-hop community. We do have to maintain authenticity and have goals and integrity and not cutting people because of the money or even trying to sneak this. I don't like this sneak this thing either, because I had somebody try to sneak this to me in a song and I'm not even a rapper, so I understand. You know where people are coming from commercializing the genre, and it really wasn't meant for that. Now, yes, it's catchy and da-da-da-da and all that. And with the internet, now you really, if you have something to say, somebody is going to hear it, the right people are going to hear it. So that's what I'm going to leave you with.
Speaker 1:And I want you to notice that I've been introducing as Blonde Intelligence, because I'm going to change the name of my show back to Blonde Intelligence. Because I'm going to change the name of my show back to Blonde Intelligence Because that is my tagline and everything. And I got two of my business pages floating out on Facebook that I am trying to manage from a distance because they're not giving me access to. So I'm going back to using Blonde Intelligence. So people still like my page on Facebook, even if you don't see a whole lot of back TV. I'm going to start tagging from my other page, blonde Intelligence. Blonde Intelligence LLC. You can follow me on social media. You can subscribe on YouTube and when I feel like sometimes I don't feel like doing my hair, so I just do the podcast portion. But as I can't chill it with Moni would say, she said my audio Moni here, audio Ronnie here. And as Ryan Seacrest would say, he out, I'm gone. Bye, hey girl, let me tell you about this podcast he out.
Speaker 2:I'm gone Bye. Hey girl, Let me tell you about this podcast Girl. Everybody has a podcast these days, but this one interviews new and interesting indie artists. It's called Indie Artist Music Hostel with Blunt Intelligence. Really, when can I find it? It's on all podcasting platforms streams live on social media and on RPENTradiocom. What'd you say? It was called again, it's called Indie Artist Music Hostel with Blind Intelligence. Girl, I'm gonna have to check that out. Give it a check, girl.