Hip Hop Is Dead Movement

Hip Hop is Dead is a term and album title, coined by New York hip hop artist, Nas while announcing the title of his eigth album after a performance on May 18, 2006.

Phrase Meaning

In a late September interview on English DJ Tim Westwood's Radio show, Nas said,

"Hip-hop is dead because we as artists no longer have the power." He went on to say, "Could you imagine what 50 Cent could be doing, Nas, Jay, Eminem, if we were the Jimmy Iovines? Could you imagine the power we'd have? I think that's where we're headed."

In another interview Nas also said:

"...basically America is dead. There is no political voice. Music is dead. Our way of thinking is dead, our commerce is dead. Everything in this society has been done. That's where we are as a country."

In an interview on 106 & Park, promoting his music, he said that used the phrase "Hip Hop is Dead" to get people excited about doing hip hop. He went on to say that it worked, due to reactions from artists like Lil Wayne and Kanye West.

Responses and Reactions
The title had a major impact in the hip hop world, especially for Southern hip hop, whose artists have been blamed for cheapening the quality of hip-hop with crunk and snap music. Many southern hip hop artists felt that the phrase was targeting them, for the fact that their songs are party oriented, and contained very little or no lyrics or substance.

Southern rapper Young Jeezy had made statements against the title of Nas' album, and also furthered his comments by questioning Nas' street credibility. They have since reconciled. Many other Southern rappers such as Ludacris, Trick Daddy, and Big Boi have also attacked Nas' album title claiming that it is targeted at Southern hip hop. Lil Boosie, T.I., Young Jeezy, Dem Franchize Boyz, and D4L took offense to the title, taking it to be directed at their region in particular.

In response, Ludacris wore a T-shirt that said, "Hip-Hop Ain't Dead, It Lives in the South," while performing at the BET Hip-Hop Awards in November, 2006.

Nas also has a fair share of supporters such as New York rappers KRS-One, and DMX. Ghostface Killah, on his album Fishscale seemed to agree with Nas and cited Southern crunk and snap music as the primary reasons for why hip-hop was "dead". Another rapper who blames hip hop's death on Snap music is prominent rapper Lil Wayne who blames its death on the artist's laziness.

In several interviews, in reference to the phrase and the musical dominace of the South, the RZA said "How can hip hop be dead if Wu Tang is forever?" He alaso went on to say:

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