Jermaine Dupri Admits The South was too Dumb to Understand Nas

[New Jeruzalem Journalist]

Yeah people need to speak for themselves instead of making generalizations. I never like when people from the south or not from the south say “we don’t care about lyrics like that”. Cuz Scarface, 8ball and MJG, Dungeon Fam, UGK, Trick Daddy etc were all spitters. Your basically selling them short and it sends the wrong message to young artists and fans. Your music can bump and you can still be a dope writer it’s not either/or

I'm not trying to come at anybody's neck, but I always see the same 4 or 5 names dropped to suggest the South's thirst and market for lyricism and bars is on par with East coast hip-hop culture's, or even the West Coast for that matter, and I just don't see it. We could literally name 5 or 10 acts on the East for every southern artist matching that type of rapper.

I'm not even saying the reason is as simple as "the South is too stupid" cuz I've see too many dumb ass n*ggas living around NJ/Philly/NY my whole life to think that intellect is mostly a geographical trait, but I think we're being dishonest to suggest Southern hip-hop and East coast hip-hop valued the same in what was held up of having importance in the music.

Where was the southern equivalent of the 12" indie/backpack movement? What southern labels prioritized pushing rappers with a focus on lyrics and/or diversity in subject matter? Yeah you're gonna have people from the south who'd rather hear rappers that put effort into penning dope verses, just like you're gonna have dudes on the east who only wanna hear shyt they can club and party to. But those were outliers. (Speaking in the past tense. Obviously just about nobody gives a shyt about lyrics in 2021, doesn't matter where on the map you're from)

 

[King Sun]

Gotta be honest in 99-02 they thought the same about jigga

I'm not trying to come at anybody's neck, but I always see the same 4 or 5 names dropped to suggest the South's thirst and market for lyricism and bars is on par with East coast hip-hop culture's, or even the West Coast for that matter, and I just don't see it. We could literally name 5 or 10 acts on the East for every southern artist matching that type of rapper.

I'm not even saying the reason is as simple as "the South is too stupid" cuz I've see too many dumb ass n*ggas living around NJ/Philly/NY my whole life to think that intellect is mostly a geographical trait, but I think we're being dishonest to suggest Southern hip-hop and East coast hip-hop valued the same in what was held up of having importance in the music.

Where was the southern equivalent of the 12" indie/backpack movement? What southern labels prioritized pushing rappers with a focus on lyrics and/or diversity in subject matter? Yeah you're gonna have people from the south who'd rather hear rappers that put effort into penning dope verses, just like you're gonna have dudes on the east who only wanna hear shyt they can club and party to. But those were outliers. (Speaking in the past tense. Obviously just about nobody gives a shyt about lyrics in 2021, doesn't matter where on the map you're from)

I don't think it has to do with intelligence it has more to do with the culture in the south.

 

[boskey]

I'm not trying to come at anybody's neck, but I always see the same 4 or 5 names dropped to suggest the South's thirst and market for lyricism and bars is on par with East coast hip-hop culture's, or even the West Coast for that matter, and I just don't see it. We could literally name 5 or 10 acts on the East for every southern artist matching that type of rapper.

I'm not even saying the reason is as simple as "the South is too stupid" cuz I've see too many dumb ass n*ggas living around NJ/Philly/NY my whole life to think that intellect is mostly a geographical trait, but I think we're being dishonest to suggest Southern hip-hop and East coast hip-hop valued the same in what was held up of having importance in the music.

Where was the southern equivalent of the 12" indie/backpack movement? What southern labels prioritized pushing rappers with a focus on lyrics and/or diversity in subject matter? Yeah you're gonna have people from the south who'd rather hear rappers that put effort into penning dope verses, just like you're gonna have dudes on the east who only wanna hear shyt they can club and party to. But those were outliers. (Speaking in the past tense. Obviously just about nobody gives a shyt about lyrics in 2021, doesn't matter where on the map you're from)

Yeah I'm not (technically) from the south and not arguing that the south was on par with New York in lyricism. Just saying that acting like the South straight up doesn't care about lyrics is revisionist history and hurts the game. Those 4 or 5 names were like 90% of the South's mainstream representation from 1990-2000...

Willie D wasn't a super duper lyrical rapper but there is a huge difference between him and Migos . The Willie D type of artist has been erased...

 

[Amestafuu (Emeritus)]

Maybe the nikka saving face. The truth is nikkaz in Atlanta anyway, just didn't listen to Nas. I fukked with dude, but facts are facts. You just can't be riding in the city bumping Nas. Music didn't fit what we were into. Dumb ass statement from from jd.

people who talk like this are followers not individuals. you would rather keep up than stand out. "can't ride around listening to Nas" because OTHERS DON'T.

but if nikkaz made it wavy you would have. leaders n followers... alway smore sheep in the world.

 

[Tribal Outkast]

JD need to speak for himself Them fools in Atlanta call us Augusta dudes country but I was all about Nas from the jump. I’m ok with Dupri but he be trying too hard.

 

[jelanitsunami]

Our family moved to a city right outside ATL summer 2002 and they were still playing a decent amount of NY rap on the radio at that point. It didn't really go fully ATL rap only on the airwaves until that Jeezy, Gucci, TI, D4L, Dem Franchize Boyz era in 05-06. I remember Nas "I Can" being played a lot on Atlanta radio around 2002-2003.

 

[NormanConnors]

at the fake JD's qualifications to what a lyricist is

 

[mastermind]

I believe that he is dumb as fukk.

He didn't mention Andre 3000 either, and he is on that same plane.

 

[zayk35]

Nah that shyt just wasn't up to par. It was written is easily the most overrated album in hip hop history. There is a reason it didn't sell well initially it was garbage



Edit: I meant "Illmatic" ...but i stand by what I said

 

[NormanConnors]

At first I was like BS but then I’m like would a south nikka actually bump this and be on track with it?

ATL was def bumpin Nas simply for the fact there were a lot of eastcoast and midwest cats residing there off rip.

shyt, Suave House was always quoting the East Coast, and were about those lyrics. Dupri is off base entirely. Every time I went down to Memphis to visit relatives/family reunions and etc cats were familiar with what was in my walkman and if they weren't it was

 

[NormanConnors]

Nah that shyt just wasn't up to par. It was written is easily the most overrated album in hip hop history. There is a reason it didn't sell well initially it was garbage

 

[Alvin]

I appreciate him saying this publicly. I'm sure a lot of Southerners were into that Nas/Rakim type of shyt too...but speaking in general I understand what he's saying. That simple, easily digestible content/rapping always shines brighter to the masses because most people aren't that bright and really don't like paying attention for too long.

Talk about sellin dope and rims and clubbin and have swag and shyt. Dudes like shyt that makes them feel cool, it's really that simple, they wanna sing along and feel like it's them talking about themselves, haha. When you in the whip you want chicks/people to see you and hear what you're hearing, cool shyt, I get it..but that shouldn't be the criteria for what makes an MC a G.O.A.T.

Jay-z could actually rap but he also embodied that "simple/shallow" cool shyt too, that's why he shows up in more Top 5's than a Nas, especially in the South. Imagine a Yo Gotti/Young Jeezy or somebody listening to "Halftime", I can't even picture it.

And salute him for naming my guy Push. Been saying Pusha deserves a Top 25 spot for the longest. Top 5 is stupid tho, lol, hell naw.

I dumbed down for my audience to double my dollars
They criticized me for it, yet they all yell "holla"
If skills sold, truth be told, I'd probably be lyrically Talib Kweli
Truthfully I wanna rhyme like Common Sense
But I did 5 mill' – I ain't been rhyming like Common since

 

[Sauce Dab]

There’s nothing hard to understand about music. nikka should be speaking for himself

 

[Alvin]

shouldnt have said that about nas's music or atlanta. his too old to make them generic garbage statements, lack of intelligence is not why nas isnt bumped in atlanta so he says.

i have always looked at atlanta as party district with heavy bass, nas is intricate doesnt make you less inteligent for not wanting to follow his music.

raekwon is the most intricate and he was on that outkast track, nas is a lyricist and caters his sounds to highlight his verses. down south rely on hooks and beats thats not a dig just observation.

big facts, the reason I have a sound system in my car is to hear the power of those 808s for Gucci, T.I. and Jeezy songs, not saying the south doesn't have lyricists or that East Coast music lacks bass.

 

[JustCKing]

Read the last sentence of the post you quoted. Breh mentioned the wrong album. Nas went double platinum in 1996 with It Was Written and he's saying it didn't sell well out the gate.