Mele Mel slams 50 Cent (Rock & Roll Hall of Fame)

[Dr of Dunk]

haha... gotta love it. This is an interesting read even if you don't like hip-hop. There are some industry-related comments in this interview that you hear from a lot of musicians in various genres of music.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070310/...interview_dc_1

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Grandmaster Flash brings hip-hop to hall of fame

By Jeff Vrabel
Fri Mar 9, 7:16 PM ET



NEW YORK (Billboard) - You could spend the better part of a day listing the things Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five did first: In the embryonic days of the New York rap scene, they were among its first superstars, they helped pioneer the freestyle battle and Grandmaster Flash was instrumental in inventing the art of break-beat DJ'ing.

Legend also has it rapper Mele Mel was the first to dub himself an "MC"; fellow rapper Cowboy is credited with coining the term "hip-hop."

So it makes perfect sense to add another first to the list: On March 12, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five will become the first hip-hop act inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was 25 years ago that their groundbreaking single "The Message" helped hip-hop kick down the door into a world of bigger audiences, and in their third year of eligibility, the act -- comprising Grandmaster Flash, Kid Creole, Mele Mel, Scorpio, Raheim and the late Cowboy -- will join a class that includes R.E.M., Van Halen, Patti Smith and the Ronettes.

And though the Hall of Fame has traditionally played around with the definition of "rock'n'roll" -- just last year, Miles Davis became a member -- it's yet to embrace hip-hop. Part of that is strictly timing: Artists become eligible 25 years after their first recording, which, in the case of Flash & the Five, was 1979's "Superrappin'." But there's a satisfying time element to the 25-year anniversary of "The Message," the group's seminal track, which, with its dark, ingratiating hook -- "It's like a jungle sometimes/It makes me wonder how I keep from going under" -- sold half a million copies in a month and established hip-hop as a commercial and cultural force in the mainstream.

Billboard spoke with Grandmaster Flash and rapper Mele Mel on the eve of their induction.

BILLBOARD: HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE INDUCTION?

Mele Mel: I sleep with the TV on, so actually in my sleep I heard the woman reporting it. She announced Van Halen and R.E.M. while I was dreaming, and then I woke up to hear her saying, "Rap group Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five also made the cut."

Grandmaster Flash: There had been two false alarms on it, so when somebody called my house, I didn't take it too serious, to be honest. But when they told me, I just looked at the phone, hung up and went on my merry way. The next morning I started getting a lot of calls, so I just said, "Note to self: This is it." But it's wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Later than sooner still beats never!

BILLBOARD: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE THE FIRST HIP-HOP ARTISTS INDUCTED?

Mele Mel: It validates all we put in as far as pioneering rap music and making it a global thing. We're overlooked because we started so early in the game, before it got corporate and commercial, but being inducted makes people take a second look at who we are. People still know our music, but for some reason these young rap cats and the industry don't really think we're as important as we are. The Rock Hall solidifies it.

The main thing that the induction would do for the industry is force it to grow up. They're trying to make it a little too juvenile, a lot too ghetto. Everybody understands the dope part of it, the violent part of it, so now let's get back to the music part. This forces everybody to put a different face on hip-hop as a music-driven culture: It can be a teacher, a star of the community, instead of just an act on the corner.

Grandmaster Flash: So many of the other prestigious associations have embraced hip-hop, but this had been one that sort of hadn't. And as a DJ, it's pretty important. I go in with some of the greatest keyboard players, drummers, guitarists, bass players, horn players, and I go in with my instrument, which is the turntable. So although on one side it's sort of a sore thumb, on the other I'm going in as a special situation. This isn't just Flash & the Furious Five; this is hip-hop going in, the breakdancers, the MCs, the graffiti artists. So it's cool. It's kind of nifty.

BILLBOARD: DOES THIS LEND A VALIDATION OR ACCLAIM TO HIP-HOP MUSIC THAT IT MAYBE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE?

Mele Mel: It does, but I'm not going to say it's for "hip-hop music." What we could call hip-hop and what it is now is not actually the same music. I think it validates the fact that pioneering groups, traditional groups are the most important ones, the ones that to this day can move hip-hop forward.

Today's music is more stagnant -- they've been doing the same thing, saying the same thing, for years. It's not going anywhere. 50 Cent may be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame one day, but he won't deserve it. All he did was just make records, and the records made money. He wasn't as influential as Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five or Run-D.M.C., or Kurtis Blow or Public Enemy. These are the influential groups in hip-hop. That's the bigger movement and the bigger story about what hip-hop is.

Grandmaster Flash: Let's just say that it's the cherry to the validation. I can remember when you couldn't see a hip-hop video anywhere, when other music organizations thought (hip-hop) was just a ship passing through the night. It makes me go back to my humble beginnings. As an inventor, sometimes you invent something and the people say, "No." So thank God they said, "OK, maybe this could be something."

BILLBOARD: WHAT LESSONS HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM YOUR YEARS IN MUSIC?

Mele Mel: That the business is the major part of it. We lost a lot of opportunities and chances because we weren't as well-versed in the business side. We were just too busy being the creators and living the life of stars. It never got in the way of my talent, but it got in the way of moving forward as a group.

Grandmaster Flash: That I continue to love this. In some cases, I'm called an icon, but I look at myself as a servant. It's allowed me to go from this little candy store that I made to a huge Wal-Mart-type of candy store, where I've got so much music to play and so many audiences to play in front of -- whites, blacks, people overseas, audiences half my age. The lesson is that when you love what you do and you stick with it, it will take care of you. Hip-hop has taken care of me all my life.

BILLBOARD: WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW?

Mele Mel: "We're doing promotion on ("Muscles," his first solo record). (Wrestling's) always had that hip-hop twist to it, and I'm a part of that.

Grandmaster Flash: I have an album deal I'm just about to close on. And I'm writing the story of my life, with the guy who wrote the Ray Charles biography, David Ritz. I'm really into these digital DJ applications, these sounds that used to be on the keyboard but are now on CDs. I'm a technology fiend.

[Rokkit]

It seems we haven't heard much from 50 Cent recently.

[IROC it]

Don't push me... cause, I'm close.. to the... edge...

[Shroopy2]

Originally Posted by Dr of Dunk Grandmaster Flash: So many of the other prestigious associations have embraced hip-hop, but this had been one that sort of hadn't. And as a DJ, it's pretty important. I go in with some of the greatest keyboard players, drummers, guitarists, bass players, horn players, and I go in with my instrument, which is the turntable. So although on one side it's sort of a sore thumb, on the other I'm going in as a special situation. This isn't just Flash & the Furious Five; this is hip-hop going in, the breakdancers, the MCs, the graffiti artists. So it's cool. It's kind of nifty.

I don't think ANY rapper today would used the term "nifty" for anything.

First, congrats to the Flash and the Furious Five, great honor. Reading the whole article, can tell that Grandmaster Flash gets it. He shows understanding that accolades may or may not come, has a decent sense of the business aspect, and keeps loving what he does.

Melle Mel I always felt to be a bit of a blowhard and a complainer. The prime example of angry old school rapper. Takes the role of hip hop ambassador but really he just keeps alluding to how they were originators and people today dont recognize and everyone today is garbage. Rightfully so I guess.

[Palmray]

Thanks for the post. Nice read. Grandmaster deserve it. And what he says about 50cent is totally on point. He's music is boring, always was. Acts like him are responsible for the "hip hop is dead" downfall in the last some years. Of course hip-hop is not dead but it cant be found at the big record stores anymore and of course not on MTV. Obviously very nifty.

[Rocket River]

" . . Look, there is an old man talking" - Bart Simpson

Just kidding 50 is wack

Glad someone finally said it. . . speaking out on such things
HOWEVER
I think the older Cats generally have an East Coast Bias
I mean . . .JZ is as monotonous as 50
but he would NEVER call out J

Rocket River

[UTweezer]

Originally Posted by Rocket River " . . Look, there is an old man talking" - Bart Simpson Just kidding 50 is wack Glad someone finally said it. . . speaking out on such things HOWEVER I think the older Cats generally have an East Coast Bias I mean . . .JZ is as monotonous as 50 but he would NEVER call out J Rocket River

I think 50 cent is from new york

[Rocket River]

Originally Posted by UTweezer I think 50 cent is from new york

only in name
he making his money out of Cali
using that Cali sound [dr dre]
and
that Cali Style

But yea. . he like from somewhere in NY
heard alot of NY cats don't care for him
but
I got nothing to substantiate that

Rocket River

[BrieflySpeaking]

rap is wacko

[underoverup]

i like 50 cent alot.

[bladeage]

Originally Posted by Rokkit It seems we haven't heard much from 50 Cent recently.

That's because God loves us.

[Dr of Dunk]

Originally Posted by Palmray Thanks for the post. Nice read. Grandmaster deserve it. And what he says about 50cent is totally on point. He's music is boring, always was. Acts like him are responsible for the "hip hop is dead" downfall in the last some years. Of course hip-hop is not dead but it cant be found at the big record stores anymore and of course not on MTV. Obviously very nifty.

Keep in mind Grandmaster didn't diss Fitty - Mele Mel did.

[Shroopy2]

Sound clip very relevant to the topic
http://www.tonybear.com/pages/inter.html

Click on: "Listen to Interviews Launch Player Now"
When player pops up, find and click "melle"

Melle Mel SPEAKS IT!

[dskillz]

Originally Posted by Rokkit It seems we haven't heard much from 50 Cent recently.

He has a new album coming out in the fall.

As far as Melle Mel dissing 50, it is all jealousy. If you take a listen to alot of the stuff Mel was rapping about, you would see it is about the same thing 50 is rapping about. So to call out 50 while in the same breath, be so proud of your own career is weak as hell.

Run DMC talked about their gold chains and Adidas, 50 talks about his cars and riches. The only group he listed that was truly about something meaningful was Public Enemy.

[Dr of Dunk]

Originally Posted by dskillz Run DMC talked about their gold chains and Adidas, 50 talks about his cars and riches. The only group he listed that was truly about something meaningful was Public Enemy.

I don't think he's talking about people rapping about "something meaningful" alone (did he even say that? I may be missing it.). I think he's just saying the groups like Run DMC were more influential in hip-hop than 50 is. And to be honest, I don't disagree. But the question is, can any grouip nowadays be as influential for hip-hop as say a Run DMC was back then - especially now that the genre has broken out and is prevalent across races, cultures, etc.?

What I'm saying is groups like Run DMC and Public Enemy basically introduced suburbia to hip-hop. There's no way 50 can do that again - it's done. In a sense, I agree with what Mel is saying, but at the same time I agree with you in that there's a lot of bitterness/jealousy there.

[ima_drummer2k]

Originally Posted by Dr of Dunk What I'm saying is groups like Run DMC and Public Enemy basically introduced suburbia to hip-hop. There's no way 50 can do that again - it's done.

I agree. It IS done. And here is proof:

[VicVictory]

I blame 50 Cent for starting the decline of Rap/Hip-Hop. Once "Get Rich or Die Trying" dropped, thats when the music started to get drastically, watered down.

[Manny Ramirez]

How is this a "slam" when Mele Mel is stating the truth?

[Dr of Dunk]

Originally Posted by VicVictory I blame 50 Cent for starting the decline of Rap/Hip-Hop. Once "Get Rich or Die Trying" dropped, thats when the music started to get drastically, watered down.

But people have been saying this since the 90's. Every generation says "now" is when hip-hop starts/started dying.

[Oski2005]

Mele Mel sang rapped "the Message" while 50 talks about loving a girl like fat kids love cake.