Interview: Marley Marl & Craig G - Search & Rescue
New York, NY (July 6, 2008) – DX caught up with the legendary pair and talked about their collaborative effort, “Operation Take Back Hip-Hop:”
…HipHopDX: I guess we should start with the title. Naming the album Operation Take Back Hip Hop makes it pretty clear how you guys feel about the state of the game and your position in it.
Craig G: I’ve always been saying that I’m not the only one that feels this way. It’s been said over and over again. The funny thing is, when a rapper says it everyone looks at him like a hater. At the same time, no one wants to talk about it. I just want to get the dialogue started about why the game is lopsided right now and why there’s no more balance in the game. Even from the beginning, there’s always been wack Hip Hop, but there’s just no balance anymore.
There was a point where if I wanted to hear some hardcore shit, I could go listen to N.W.A. I could go listen to A Tribe Called Quest if I wanted to chill. There was Public Enemy if I wanted to get political, but we don’t have those choices anymore. That’s pretty much my problem with it, and I don’t even blame the rappers. It ain’t really the rappers faults. The machine that’s pushing Hip Hop right now feels like we’re under communist rule. That’s basically why the title of the album is making that statement.
DX: When you look at a "Stakes Is High" or "Hip-Hop is Dead," how thin is that line between constructive criticism and complaining?
CG: Like I said, I’m a fan. Don’t get me wrong; there is good Hip Hop out there. As far as the mainstream level goes, 80% of it is just [copying] the last thing that was out. They’re not looking for originality anymore and that’s what’s killing us. I don’t personally believe what I’m saying is the most original thing, but I just felt it had to be said.