Kid (Kid N Play) and DMX Debate over Will Smith music

[ant1]

I found this short randomly as i came on my youtube earlier. Kid and DMX debating over if Will's music is really rap, this is what makes me sad. No disrespect to DMX RIP but people will never ever ever! Consider Will a ''real'' rapper 'MC and i don't think Based on a True Story helped anything or his last couple of freestyles. Why is it you have to be a street thug with cursing every other word in your lyrics to be considered a ''real rapper'' This is why rap to me will never feel like it felt back in the late 80's early 90's 

 

[JumpinJack AJ]

It's discouraging to hear an opinion like that, but it is what it is.  The crazy thing is, DMX isn't even a huge Hip-Hop music fan. He is a total R&B fan.  In interviews and videos, he's discussed this.  You can seem him at concerts getting lost in the music when R&B legends are performing live.   I bet if Will and DMX spent any significant time together, he wouldn't be talking like that.  Maybe he's just not that aware of Will's music outside of the hits. To say his music isn't rap is to essentially say KId's music isn't rap.  Their styles aren't drastically different.  In fact, Kid N' Play's first two albums are more polished than JJ+FP's first two albums.  

[Vipa]

I understand what DMX is trying to say, but i disagree with him in practice. Yes, his style and Will's style are polar opposites, but one isn't more hip hop than the other. a very similar thing is happening right now with Country music. All of a sudden, because Beyonce made a country album that was successful, they want to split the genre into categories to keep the "real" country artists happy, and that's ignorant and disrespectful IMO. Will Smith's success helped pave the way for Hip Hop to be recognized and respected enough for DMX to even have had a career doing it.