The Breaks

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August 1, 2022

Is Rap the Most Dangerous Profession?

By: Jack Anderson

Aside from folks like firefighters, etc., is being a rapper one of the most disproportionately dangerous lines of work? Confucius & Fresh compare the plights of Waka Flocka Flame and Nipsey Hussle to illustrate how the perils of disrespect.

The fellas respond to a Rolling Stone article on the rise of emo rap as the “fastest growing sub-genre” by discussing relatability, youth demographics, and long-term sustainability.

On Hip Hop Facts Fresh details how Fab Five Freddy and Grandmaster Flash ended up in Blondie’s “Rapture”, how LL Cool J not-so-sneakily got FUBU into a Gap ad, and when Full Force wrote for the Backstreet Boys. Confucius walks us through the passing of “Uncle Bob” (who saved Lil Wayne’s adolescent life after a suicide attempt), the simultaneous 1999 release of Destiny’s Child’s Writing on the Wall and Hot Boys’ Guerilla Warfare, and Jay Electronica’s production of Nas’ “Queens Get The Money”.

Fresh’s Unpopular Opinion riffs on Charleston White and how disrespect has become the “new normal” in hip-hop.

Confucius Reads the News sheds insight on JetBlue’s merger with Spirit Airlines, President Biden’s COVID-19 test results, the declaration of Monkey Pox as a public health emergency, the volley of projectiles hurled at Kid Cudi’s Rolling Loud Festival performance after replacing Kanye West, and Chris Rock’s insistence that he “shook off” the Will Smith Oscars slap.