There's a really good interview with Carl Craig at www.tranzfusion.net (I think that's right).
I just came across this last night and I think this sheds some light on that Nelly Hot In Herre debate we had a few weeks ago. This is why I defended Nelly (plus I think he's a cool cat, focussed and talented). If you asked Puffy why he makes the music he does he would say something similiar. It also relates to the UR/Jaguar debate - indirectly - with my point being that you have to consider the context before making value judgements. > Skrufff: Hip hop culture still seems to be mainly about money and front, why? > > Carl Craig: ³That¹s black American culture. If you look at the history of > most people of African descent in different countries their concept is to > be kings. The concept is, We¹ve been oppressed for so long, we¹ve got to > get (what¹s) ours¹. Another factor is that when you look at popular culture > what really sells are records about money.² > > Skrufff: Yet you and a lot of the Detroit techno people don¹t seem so > obsessed with money? > > Carl Craig: ³Yeah that¹s because we¹re not hailing from the tenement > projects (public housing estates) where there were drugs taking over not > only the projects but whole neighbourhoods too. ... When you look at a lot of > hip hop and the pattern of hip hop it¹s about being from the projects and > being poor, trying to scrape together money and always hustling. From our > background, a hustle is a lot different.²
