Where is Morpheus when you need him?

The Matrix is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work... when you go to church... when you pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth ~ Morpheus

The Matrix was a very powerful movie series to me but most of us enjoyed if for its special effects and action scenes. But of course my ass looks at everything deeper and one part of our "Matrix" which influences us everyday is the music industry.

I recently looked at Wrestlemania 25...Why not I have free cable and had a few hours to waste one day. I mean I use to be a big fan of the WWF; I'm talking about Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, and Jack the Snake classic shit. There was a classic match at Wrestlemania 25 the Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels, two veterans. These dudes have been wrestling (acting) for 18 plus years and I drew a crazy parallel of the WWF and Hip-Hop.

I like Hip-Hop beef like who doesn't? It’s entertaining but to keep it in simple terms "People are dumb". I overhear conversations on train, bus, even between my peers about Hip-Hop with people saying XYZ rapper is real, he does that shit. Let’s take the most recent hip-hop beef 50 Cent vs. Rick Ross (D-generation X vs. The Rock) and look at it from the "other side".

Pictures arise of Rick Ross as a correction officer. His career should have ended right there. Do we not all know who the real Rick Ross is? Rick Ross the rapper emulates this big drug dealer living a lavish lifestyle which appears to be far from true. Do you ever wonder if all these dudes were such big drug dealers why would they need to rap (Hov, Jeezy, Ross etc.)? Got to give it to T.I. at least he got caught with some of the shit he raps about. But back to the topic at hand, I am not saying I dislike Rick Ross the rapper because he is not "real" I am actually looking forward to his new album but wouldn’t the eyes of "dumb people" open up from this situation. Like damn this rap shit isn't all what it's cracked up to be. When his baby mother was interviewed by 50 cent she went on to say how Ross is unable to keep up with his bills but still people prefer to struggle trying to get on as a rapper compared to picking up a book. The stories may not be true, I actually think it’s all a marketing scheme to help Ross sell records but what image does this give to youths and teenagers? I mean if I was dumb I would believe all of it because when you have shows like MTV cribs with celebrities showing off rented goods for the camera. I am not shooting down the dreams of all you aspiring rappers out there, but you should do it for the love of hip-hop. When walk the streets of New York or attend urban nightlife events you see plenty of local rappers with the typical "rapper" look. Mixtape in hand, long chain (some real most of them cubic zirconia) and a Yankee fitted. If you doing it big like this homey without a deal why are you trying to get me to buy your CD for five dollars? Rick Ross has a fan base and for the most part is the good guy in this situation which is what makes him “the Rock”.

Now 50 cent is known to destroy careers he has few under his belt, Ja Rule, The Game etc. But was this always 50's "gimmick"? No. Early in his career up to about Get Rich or Die Tryin' 50 was the bad boy, rising up from the streets of Southside Jamaica, Queens after getting shot 9 times. But of course that would have gotten stale after a while so being the marketing genius he is 50 knew controversy sells so he first murdered Murda Inc. then The Game and the rest is history. In many of the diss records from these artists they talk about "fucking up, shooting etc the other party". We all know that is not going to happen, 50's days of slanging crack is done, I mean he walks with armed security now but people still look at these rappers as "real niggas". As I write this I am listening to a mixtape with all the tracks of this Ross and 50 beef. Diss records have come a long way. Talking about each other’s parents, children and baby mommas is a little overboard for me. What kind of image does this present to the youth, even my fellow peers the dumb ones? We watch the news everyday and we hear about people killing for less than a diss record so why do we fall into the traps 50 sets? He is the Hip-Hop pit-bull without teeth…All Bark no Bite. Isn't it always so convenient that 50 makes beef right around him dropping a new album? Before I Self Destruct Fall 2009 (cheap shameless plug all rappers do). Do we not see it’s all a marketing tactic to ensure we go out to buy his record? This is why 50 cent is a parallel of D generation X, he is the bad boy of the music industry, he is talented and powerful and has a strong unit or G-unit to be exact.

As smart, educated folks (dumb people don’t read blogs unless it’s about clothes or music) we need not only look out for our youth but also our peers. There are too many adults walking around thinking if 50 Cent and Game or Jim Jones and Camron ran into each other in Wal-mart there would be a shootout or something. Hip-Hop is nothing more than a game now and we are the pawns, the people who purchase records. Well even that’s an issue with all the leaking and technology. Remember 90's Hip-hop? They rapped about their struggle, the life they really lived not the life they emulate. Don't let the record executives (Vince McMahon) entrap you in The Matrix because just like the WWE its just entertainment friends.