Now that the dust has settled and everyone has weighed in on the Nicki Minaj/Hot 97 situation, I wanted to take the time to look at a very important aspect of this whole drama that no one has spoken too much about. We know it was the wrong place/wrong time to say what Rosenberg said, we also know that Nicki is delusional in thinking it had anything to do with gender or that album sales were all at relevant in discussing the situation. As Flex said, both sides were at fault. But we learned something from this that needs to be looked at and reflected upon so hopefully we can work towards fixing it in the future. People need to stop buggin’ out at other peoples’ opinions.
I know, it’s some elitist asshole shit to complain in an opinion column about people being mad at opinions, but Rosenberg said some shit after the fact about how in today’s world you can’t give an opinion without taking all types of shit for it. There’s something really wrong with that.
We’re in an age where everyone and anyone can make their opinion on something a public statement. Whether five people or 5,000 people see or hear that opinion is a matter of relevancy but the point is everyone is a critic. What used to be discussions of hip hop in small circles have become worldwide debate rooms with hundreds of different opinions being thrown into the mix. This has resulted in never-ending debates (Jay-Z vs. Nas) and pointless complaints from underground fans that mainstream rap is garbage (here’s a hint: just bump what you like and ignore what you don’t). With anyone who owns a smartphone having the ability to weigh in on any discussion, it has become a lot easier to tell somebody they are wrong for what they believe and calling them every name in the book just because they don’t like Jay Elecsmritorifcirica (yeah whatever where’s his album at anyways?) Not only is this unhealthy but it’s childish and doesn’t contribute to a good debate about rap.
Where it gets scary is that these artists get so offended whenever you say their music is wack and it turns into some bullshit like not performing when you signed a contract saying you would perform. Let’s just keep it all the way 100, “Starships” sucks. In all honesty I still think it’s a Katy Perry song whenever I hear it and I can’t tell the difference between it and any random Katy Perry song, so yeah, it sucks. Is it not “real hip hop”? That’s a whole other discussion. What matters is that song sucks and that new album sucks, and Nicki caught feelings when those truths were brought to her attention. What’s worse is how people flipped the fuck out at someone calling something crap, whether or not it is in your opinion, Rosenberg’s opinion is his own and he has every right to feel the way he does. These attacks on peoples’ opinions are the real problem here, not some Barbie bitch feeling disrespected.
In 2012 when everyone has the ability to give their opinion, we gotta understand that everyone isn’t gonna agree on everything, ever. So while you may feel a different way than someone else about a song or an album or an artist, there’s no need to attack them just because they don’t agree with you. I like Flocka, many people don’t, but I’m not demanding they like Flocka. A lot of people like Kendrick Lamar, I don’t, and I don’t expect anyone to demand I do like Kendrick Lamar. Just let people have their own opinions and tastes and don’t crucify them for it, and if you’re an artist don’t get mad when someone doesn’t like your music, no song is for everyone, just be happy you do have fans and that your albums do drop, I mean shit you could be Jay Electronayamacha.
