Hip-hop just may be the most popular music genre on the face of the planet and for good reason. It’s raw, real and unpredictable. But in recent years the music revolution that started in New York over 30-plus years ago has been dying a slow death. For some reason, wannabe hip-hop artists with little talent have decided to pervert the genre by manufacturing bubblegum garbage for the masses. If hip-hop isn’t dead yet, it is definitely in critical condition.
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10. "In Da Club" - 50 Cent
I’ll be the first to admit that I thought this song was the jam when it first came out, but I’m sure I wasn’t the only fooled by this slick hip-hop businessman.
Now I'm not saying this song is bad, but when Fiddy first came on the mainstream pop scene in 2003 he pulled off one of the greater magic tricks in all of music. This man was creating the illusion that he was a real artist trying to speak for the streets, when lo and behold he was just a businessman who didn’t seem to care about the music he was attempting to represent. This success seemed to open the floodgates for a whole slew of cartoon-like hip-hop artists trying to make a buck off of Middle America.
9. "Me So Horny" - 2 Live Crew
As funny as this song was in back in 1989, it was nothing more than shock-pop crap that had no place in the world of hip-hop. As Nasty As They Wanna Be was nothing more than a dirty Miami bass comedy record that featured samples of Rudy Ray Moore and Eddie Murphy getting ill on the mic. I do love the fact that the lyrical content in their songs had conservatives like George Will shaking in his boots, but the only thing they really brought to the table were filthy raps and fat Florida asses.
8. "Ice Ice Baby" – Vanilla Ice
I had no choice for this one. I feel like Vanilla was a pretty sincere dude when it came down to his music. The guy was spittin’ Miami raps, throwin’ down synchronized dance moves and just plain doin’ his thing.
But back in 1990, this song pretty much took on a life of its own and would go on to be one of the more hated songs in hip-hop history. It’s kinda sad that this man had no control of how people in the hip-hop community would react to the popularity of this record. I guess that’s what you get for trying to put out bunk s**t during the Public Enemy era.
7. "Too Legit To Quit" - MC Hammer
I can’t deny that “Addams Groove” was a worse song than “Too Legit,” but Hammer’s first single off his 1991 LP seemed to almost flush the entire hip-hop/rap scene down the crapper. The size and scope of “Too Legit” helped push Hammer even further away from his musical roots in Oakland and pretty much turned rap into a giant Pepsi ad. Even the video for the song is an over-the-top mess. At least the “U Can't Touch This” video was simple and had some hot girls dancing in spandex.
If it wasn’t for The Chronic, I don’t know what I would have done with myself.
6. "Gettin' Jiggy wit It" - Will Smith
I give Will Smith credit for making clean hip hop for the masses, but when Big Willie Style dropped in 1997 I had honestly had enough. It was like a hip-hop covers record from start to finish. "Just the Two of Us"? Fresh Prince, please.
