When did the whole "keeping it real" element come into hip hop?

[phatphuck]

you could arguably go back to as far as sugarhill gang, or mo dee vs busy bee

but like DANJ! said it was prolly around the early 90s

 

[I love Latina women]

I can't recall when it started, but I think it really became a problem when reality spitters went from "reporting" what was happening in the streets, to trying too hard to pass themselves off as one "those dudes." At that point I think brehs really about that life felt obligated to check them. Which was kinda fukked up to me because often enough the more creative types from the neighborhood tend to not get too involved with the fukkery. Ice Cube comes to mind. Truth be told I'm not overly concerned how authentic a nikka is if his music is good. I say that cuz there's too many real nikkaz who have absolutely no business holding a microphone. I'd rather watch Deniro play Jimmy Conway than James Burke play himself.

 

[SirBiatch]

I can't recall when it started, but I think it really became a problem when reality spitters went from "reporting" what was happening in the streets, to trying too hard to pass themselves off as one "those dudes." At that point I think brehs really about that life felt obligated to check them. Which was kinda fukked up to me because often enough the more creative types from the neighborhood tend to not get too involved with the fukkery. Ice Cube comes to mind. Truth be told I'm not overly concerned how authentic a nikka is if his music is good. I say that cuz there's too many real nikkaz who have absolutely no business holding a microphone. I'd rather watch Deniro play Jimmy Conway than James Burke play himself.

exactly.

That's why I have zero interest in 'hood love' rappers who are supposed to be really bout that life. Who cares? They have no business being near a microphone.

Every one of those "he really bust his gun" rappers are

But it just seems like there's a segment of hip-hop fans now and days who hold your level of "realness" higher than any ability on the microphone you may or may not have.
First rapper that comes to mind when I think of this shyt is Kendrick.

Never thought you'd go there

 

[Mandarin Duck]

Never thought you'd go there

 

[Dr. Sebi Jr.]

K-Rino started it by spiritually metastasizing reality's real reality into a cognitive universal explosion spiraling eternally from his mom's house in a shytty neighborhood in Houston.

 

[The_Hillsta]

Read the thread title and this shyt immediately came to mind.....I know, the "keep it real" ideology was before 95'



"It was the fame that they tried to get
now they walkin around talkin about
represent and keep it real but I have
to appeal because they existing in a
fantasy while holding the steel.":

 

[Inspect Her Deck]

Raekwon addresses this on the track 'Ason Jones' on OB4CL II

The first dude to say, "Yo, keep it real"
Yeah, the lover, the father, the hustler, the rap professor
Now he with Allah, that's a blessing

and in the interludes of that same track, there are extracts of old ODB quotes on that same topic

1st interlude:
My name is Ol' Dirty b*stard, youknowhatimsayin?
I don't hide nothing back, I barely, I mean, I come from a family, man
Of poor welfare, youknowhatimsaying?
When I came out my mother's womb I was on welfare, youknowhatimsayin?
So so so it's like, you got to keep it real, nahwhatimean?

2nd interlude:
See, it's like, ok, where I come from
In my neighborhood, my people know me
Youknowhatimsaying? See, if I try to come any different
They ain't gon' respect me no more
Youknowhatimsaying? Because they -- you know people
Got their thing about themselves, you know
If you come from the neighborhood, youknowhatimsaying
You couldn't, you couldn't get out the neighborhood
But you could never take the neighborhood out of the people
Youknowhatimsaying, but if you try to like jump and crossover
To the other side, people won't understand that, and they don't like that
That's why they don't be buying people music
See, we keeps it real, and we always gon' keep it real
You can't knock what's real, youknowhatimsaying? We telling the truth, man

 

[DANJ!]

lowridin' in NY is keepin' it on the real