My thoughts on the current state of Hip Hop are scattered as far as the 4 coasts of the US. As Hip Hop has reached its 5th decade, and as has solidly surpassed Rock as the most popular music genre in the USA, I am loving the longevity for a music that was labeled a fad and expected to die out in the late 80’s. I am disturbed at the music that once was described as the “Black CNN” and the voice of the voiceless has become a bastard child of the infamous “meeting”.The industry “meeting” that steered the tone away from African solidarity and knowledge of self and replaced it with artists who portray every Black woman as a hoe whose self worth is (w)’rap’ped up in her assets and every Black man as a gun toting super predator who only sells drugs and doesn’t love his women.

  I’m excited for the 3rd coast’s current stranglehold on popular Hip Hop sound. For so long the East Coast bias was an obstacle to any artist or movement that wasn’t based in one of the 5 boroughs. When 3k of Outkast said in 1995, “the South got something to say”, this is the manifestation. The wave that rode on UGK, 8 Ball & MJG, Scarface, Geto Boys, Goodie Mob, No Limit & later Cash Money now has made it so popular to be country that transplanted NY artist mix Brooklyn slang with Decatur or East Point lingo without issue now a days. I am also waiting for the resurgence of North coast artists from Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit & Milwaukee to establish a strong presence.

  I love how Hip Hop is taking a page from Reggae music and not putting an age on its stars. Big Daddy Kane, Big Boi from Outkast, Scarface, Snoop, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Jay Z and many others have never stopped touring to sold out venues. Good music has no expiration if the message is universal and true.

  Overall the music still needs a balance of life speaking artists to offset the overwhelming majority of artists who only speak degradation and foolishness to the children while leading them astray instead of teaching them the truth about street life. It shouldn’t be once artists become parents that they stop calling Black women bitches and hoes because they have daughters or female artists stop peddling sex once their children get old enough to overstand what Mom is talking about.

  Finally I am loving the return of the spotlight on lyrics with meaning. We are past the elementary rhymes with financial backing, you can have that check and still have bars. That is the business side merging with the love of the art form.

After recording and performing Roots Rock Reggae exclusively for the last 10 years, Obie Won will be returning to his roots of Hip Hop and releasing two Trap albums entitled the “FIRE GOD” pt.1 & pt.2. Fireball Edutainment will continue to edutain by collaborating with artists of all genres including Wildlife Soundz & Stacia from Cleveland. I am also working with some new producers who really love my sound and who have no boundaries when it comes to genres. Fireball will be releasing 3 new compilation albums in the next 12 months with artists from Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, USA & Japan.

I make “Marijuana Music” for all intelligentsia, stoners, hustlers and lovers of reality based lyrics. I would love if my supporters were able to make it through a tough day, a legal situation or a tough family issue using my music as a coping mechanism. I don’t make mindless music, every lyric is scrutinized so that the syllables and meanings match the subject matter of the song. I want all my fellow “Fireballs” to know that perseverance is the key to attain what you want out of life, my music is a living testament to the fact. Go for what you want in spite of insufficient funds, lack of family support or expertise.

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