Selling Out

[disgruntledhuman]

This is a topic that started somewhere after rap became popular in the late 80's and early 90's. It seemed to stem out of the ganster rap more than anything and basically said if you varied from the norm, you were selling out. That phrase also went hand in hand with the phrase "keeping it real." It seemed whenever someone would do a Sprite commercial or anything of the like they would be called a sellout and were no longer keeping it real. Most of it to me seemed to stem from jealousy.

All of this came back to me as I was reading people's reviews (not critics, just everyday people) that were reviewing Ice Cube's newest movie "Are We There Yet?"

I've read everything from he's not keeping it real to he's a sellout and everything in between.

Why does making this movie make him a sellout? I haven't seen the movie so I can't comment on it, but if it sucks then he made  a shitty movie, but in my opinion he did not sell out. If people that call him a sell out say that he's abandoned his gangster image for this movie then I have one question.... off a recording, when was Ice Cube a gangster?

From what I read, pre N.W.A. Cube was going to college for architecture I believe, if he did have a criminal record it wasn't anything too horrible and he has a keen business sense. Pretty un-gangser if you ask me. So if he's acting in a movie as a family man, which considering he is a married man and a father in real life seems to me he's "keeping it real", why does he get scrutinized for it?

[Ander]

Yeah, that's wack. Just because you'd like to embark on new business ventures, doesn't mean you sold out. What I believe is "selling out" today, are these "MCs", (if you can honestly call them that) that make these songs that are watered-down garbage, with mindless dribble for topics to rap about. The "hoes, money, cars, and bling" routine has been played out a long time ago. Also, even if you set that aside, they can't rap worth a fuck. I can list a bunch of MCs that hardly get radio and tv play, that school 50 Cent, Chingy, or whoever else is on today.

[shauny1453]

yep..its to commericial now.....it all sounds the same!

[Malachione]

Lemme start by saying that Cube dropped one of the most prolific hip hop albums ever.
Amerikkaz Most Wanted is Still in my CD player. He must've been like 19 or 20 when he recorded Str8 outta Compton. Just like anybody else, people mature. Musically and personally. Cube has found his place in Hollywood doin' movies...so what?
The great thing about Hip Hop is that it speaks for the moment and it's all truth
for the moment. Opinions change, people change.....and hip hop changes.
I think that the "Sellout" tag should really be saved for the Program Directors of your local radio station. The so-called DJ's on your local "Hip Hop" station are just playing the same old shit as every other "Hip Hop" station in America. PAYOLA is alive and well.....I think...how else could talentless faggots like the Ying Yang Twins be considered.........eh-hem- HIP HOP?

[LiquidSwords]

Thread revived!
Personally I don't think he is a sellout. What do people expect him to do? Make gangster music all his life? Only act in movies where he gets high all the time? I think its cool how he is expanding.