|
Listen to Article + Become a member for exclusives 👍🏽
 |
In The Latest Entertainment News Of All Things Offset
Jemele Hill, a sports journalist and media personality, is recognized for openly speaking her thoughts on various topics and provoking debate both online and offline. She recently commented on Offset’s now-viral discussion with podcaster Bobbi Althoff on social media.
She told the Georgia native that she conducts these interviews in order “to get to know them.” When asked why she wanted to interview Offset, she implied that she wasn’t very interested in the rapper.
“I don’t find these types of interviews particularly enjoyable or interesting,”Hill tweeted. “Instead it just sadly points out how real hip-hop journalism has been practically erased. Some of the media teams behind these artists aren’t interested in them sitting down with credible people who know how to tell stories and do quality interviews. Then they wonder why an artist’s real story goes untold, neglected or that artist is misunderstood.”
Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 26, 2023
Yeah but offset and his team decided to go this route bc of the reach and exposure itll get thats the goal. This is how you do promo in this day and age and you have to get with the times
— asiseaxandsoitis (@crtrxdstyr) September 26, 2023
Is Hip-Hop A Journalism Extinct?
Print journalism is nearly extinct in today’s digital age. As Hip-Hop publications transitioned to blog formats, their content strategies struggled to keep up. Rather than adhering to real journalism, these blogs have transformed into glorified PR firms for Hip-Hop artists.
Instead of providing detailed reviews and in-depth features, articles have become press releases and breaking news stories that promote popular artists and music in order to generate more views. Consequently, the quality of Hip-Hop music has declined, making it even more challenging for writers who aim to push the culture forward to find their niche.
Writers interested in discussing Hip-Hop’s political commentary face limited options, with only a handful of artists addressing real issues and even fewer publications willing to promote extensive discussions. The digital age has significantly reduced attention spans, forcing publications to produce concise write-ups that summarize music rather than encouraging public discourse.
Additionally, writers fear providing objective reviews due to their reliance on artists for reader interest, as negative reviews or interviews can damage relationships, result in fewer exclusives and collaborations, and ultimately harm a publication’s reputation and revenue.
Looking ahead, the future of media remains uncertain. As the media landscape continues to evolve, publications will need to find innovative ways to distribute their content. Moreover, apart from a few exceptions, it seems unlikely that Hip-Hop as a whole will return to its socially conscious roots.
The only viable solution is for publications and writers to take a stance and assume greater responsibility for the quality of the music they cover. Despite the difficulties in highlighting challenging music, writers must be more critical in their analysis.
Rather than endorsing subpar content or trivializing the current state of Hip-Hop, they should be unafraid to hold artists accountable for the messages conveyed through their craft. After all, Hip-Hop is an art form, and it is both the artist’s duty to deliver their best work and the journalist’s responsibility to critique it honestly and fearlessly, in ways that the general public may hesitate to do.
