Mac Lethal is the Pat Boone of KC's Rap Scene and his hipster music is theft!!!
Unlike most music critics, I never believed that Elvis was mainly a product of cultural appropriation or some devious attempt to "steal" traditionally Black music. Elvis had his own, special kind of swagger - Who could really diss a guy who was banned below the waist at one point?!!! At heart I've always wanted to believe the style of Elvis was post-modern and deeply influenced by the secret racial/cultural intermingling of the South.
On the other hand, Pat Boone was just part of a marketing gimmick to take Black music and sell it to white middle-class teenagers. Sadly, THE SAME TACTIC OF CULTURAL APPROPRIATION IS AT WORK IN THE MUSIC OF MAC LETHAL AND HIS CATERING TO THE HIPSTER CROWD!!!
Let's be clear, hip-hop/rap music in its purest form is the product of African-American culture. A few Puerto Ricans helped out in certain sections of the Bronx but by-in-large hip-hop speaks to the lives and experience of Black people.
On the other hand, a Mac Lethal show is host to largely hipster fans, in mostly white venues and celebrated by a completely white media "alternative" structure. Remember that Eminem at least earned a lot of credibility by performing in predominantly African-American venues in Detroit and even Kid Rock found his voice by acknowledging the intermingling of groups like Run-DMC and Lynard Skynard in his music.
But Mac Lethal is pulling off nothing more than a heist as he steals a traditionally Black form of music and recycles it for a hipster crowd.
Even worse, Mac Lethal was recently quoted in an interview outright dissing KC rappers and mischaracterizing Kansas City's hip-hop community:
What’s the hip-hop scene in Kansas City like?Disgusting. Yeah, Mac Lethal is going to shoot somebody. The guy has obviously been reading too many back issues of The Pitch from 2005. Really, I thought this kind of caricature interpretation of African-American culture went out in the days of the Amos and Andy Radio Show.
It’s a lot of gangsters. It’s a lot of Bay-area wannabe gangsters. Everyone is like, “Well, we live in the Midwest, so we get a little of the East Coast and a little of the West Coast and a little of the South...” No. Definitely not. We get Bay Area and Houston, Texas influence only in Kansas City.
And then there’s me and a bunch of other underground rappers. And I guess I’m an underground rapper.
And I’ll tell you one thing. You being from Austin – if you ask me if I like Austin barbecue better than Kansas City barbecue, you will get shot.
This take on KC rap completely ignores the work of guys like Reach or even other Kansas City hip-hop collectives like innate sounds.
This is not the way hip-hop in Kansas City looks no matter what the d-bags of the Pitch want to write:
Mac Lethal claims to be an underground artist but we've seen this kind of schtick before . . . Mac Lethal's music is Pat Boone, Vanilla Ice and every attempt to profit from another culture without embracing its people.
posted by Tony Permalink
Great article. I read this cat won the Pitch's "Best Rapper" so I went and listened to some of this music. Dude is wack as all hell, but then again, KC will never be mistaken for being a mecca of true "hip-hop" culture.
Least Vanilla Ice and Pat Boone got some national pub and $$$, this wack ass Eminem wanna-be isn't know West of Lawrence or East of Independence.
True this guy sucks, but what hip hop shows arene't full of white kids anymore. Kind of why so many hiphop groups go straight to Lawrence to play to the college crowd.
2002 Scribble Jam Emcee Champion = Mac Lethal.
Hipster champ = Major douche.
Tony I find your assumptions about rap music to be racist and I don't know why anybody would take them seriously. Are you a rapper? What gives you the kind of authority to speak this way?
Mac Lethal has serious skills, and he's been working at it for years. Line him up against any local rapper - black, white, hipster, mexi-blogger, whoever. The kid works really hard at what he does, and he's getting a little bit of recognition for it. Nothing wrong with that. So what if white kids go to the shows?
Say what you will about Mac Lethal -- I've never been a huge fan of his, but I've got to concede that the guy is clever, a hard-worker and puts a lot into what he does. And I think if you get to actually talking to people in the local hip-hop community you'll find he's pretty respected.
More importantly, did none of you hear his Welcome to My MySpace Page song he recorded with Joe Good during the initial heights of the MySpace craze? Whether or not you're a Mac Lethal fan, it's pretty classic.
If you ever left your basement or did any research before you vomited forth this blog daily, you'd know that a) Mac's rundown of KC's hip hop scene is accurate and b) his music is wholly his own style. Thinking that rappers have to be black is so 1989 -- oh wait, that's when you stopped buying hip-hop albums anyway, right?
Why is it that when white people decide to develop, market, refine ANY artistic endeavors, they are automatically accused of stealing from "people of color". Hell, if POC were capable, they would have had their own heros but alas, I've never heard of any...
Yeah, there aren't any Black rap heroes. Stop defending just admit you're racist. It'll help you.
Mac Lethal = Tony's powdered donut pancake surprise - tasty cakes < Vanilla Ice
What a fucking poser. The people who are his fans don't know anything about real hip-hop.
Fuck a TKC. Hip-hop comes in many different colors.
Aesop Rock is th only real hip-hop.
You've got to be kidding.
And when did Kansas City start this love affair with Nerdcore?
What the eff is nerdcore? Mac's not rhyming about Dungeons & Dragons or science class. That might possibly be the stupidest classification of music I have ever heard in my life.
I don't care what color they are, most of it sucks.
but I do enjoy the booty dancing.
ahhh....the booty dancing.
chimpo, talk to vice, Rolling Stone, pitchfork and about a million other magazines.
Put simply, Nerdcore, epitomized by Aqua Teen rapper MC Chris is an 'ironic' form of the art where instead of rapping about bitches and hos you rap about your tekken skills and make obscure 80's references.
Innate Sounds...when I hear that, I think of Miles Bonny. He's white, no?
What are you always hating on Mac? To say Mac does not respect hip-hop, rap, it's beginnings, founders, anything to do with it's art form, is complete crap.
He works hard everyday and deals with b.s from haters like you on a daily basis, for no reason. Just because he raps and is white? Pretty sure if his skin was darker you'd be writing completely different blogs about him.
hahaha.
how funny.
the irony of self-proclaimed "kansas city's best blogger" calling me a nerd/hipster is almost vomit inducing.
I could sit here and champion all the work I've put in around kansas city over the years. list all the people of all races that respect me in kansas city. list the mc battles I've entered in kansas city where the crowd was not pre-dominantly african-american, but ENTIRELY african-american (save for little old me) where I took the title. or sit here and try to validate my 12 year pursuit of rap as a rapper, or my 20+ year pursuit as a listener. but that wouldn't be fun for me.
hey tony's kansas city, here's a few things for you and your very small cult of strictly anonymous, warcraft playing to the point of carpal tunnel syndrome nerds to digest.
I know for a fact that you have 3 minutes to waste reading this, being that the only thing you do with your time is write boiler-plate, piece of shit blogs and/or research me on the internet.
anyways, mr. forever nothing:
the show you are showing pictures of was headlined by psalm one (black woman from chicago and close friend of mine) for her release party. also on the bill was i-self devine (do your homework.) that isn't even my crowd.
your blog has always sucked. I don't mean 'suck' as in I disagree with it, or dislike it. no. I mean you are nothing more than a marginally talented writer. you are too leftist to be successfully funny or offensive, yet your hokum is littered with too many trite, dick-joke style puns to be taken seriously. find an identity sweetheart.
being the "best blogger in kansas city" is comparable to being the "best racquetball (sp) enthusiast in kansas city." no one will EVER care, and you will NEVER be able to pay your bills off of it.
I digress though. if you actually thought I was such a volatile aspect of the kansas city rap scene (which I've built a lot of, scooter) then why do you give me so much free promotion on your blog? haven't you ever heard the term, "no such thing as bad press" ? you are the problem!
you are the one facilitating my art! my art that's oh so destructive to the kansas city rap scene.
don't name drop reach or innate sounds if you are trying to successfully bash me, little boy.
I've paid dues with reach. done shows with reach. members of innate sounds' IN CREW did production on my new record. I'm down with every single one of them, buddy.
anyways tkc, . i'll make a deal with you (this isn't a threat, or me acting like a bad ass. just a fun game we can play.)
I will supply you with tickets to my next show, and when you show up, every person in the crowd that is of african-american or latin dissent gets to bitch slap you.
deal? I'm around all the time man. come see me in person and we can have a discussion about all of this.
love,
mac lethal (the destruction of kansas city's hip-hop scene.)
you are the one facilitating my art! my art that's oh so destructive to the kansas city rap scene.
don't name drop reach or innate sounds if you are trying to successfully bash me, little boy.
I've paid dues with reach. done shows with reach. members of innate sounds' IN CREW did production on my new record. I'm down with every single one of them, buddy.
anyways tkc, . i'll make a deal with you (this isn't a threat, or me acting like a bad ass. just a fun game we can play.)
I will supply you with tickets to my next show, and when you show up, every person in the crowd that is of african-american or latin dissent gets to bitch slap you.
deal? I'm around all the time man. come see me in person and we can have a discussion about all of this.
love,
mac lethal (the destruction of kansas city's hip-hop scene.)
you are the one facilitating my art! my art that's oh so destructive to the kansas city rap scene.
don't name drop reach or innate sounds if you are trying to successfully bash me, little boy.
I've paid dues with reach. done shows with reach. members of innate sounds' IN CREW did production on my new record. I'm down with every single one of them, buddy.
anyways tkc, . i'll make a deal with you (this isn't a threat, or me acting like a bad ass. just a fun game we can play.)
I will supply you with tickets to my next show, and when you show up, every person in the crowd that is of african-american or latin dissent gets to bitch slap you.
deal? I'm around all the time man. come see me in person and we can have a discussion about all of this.
love,
mac lethal (the destruction of kansas city's hip-hop scene.)
White guys shouldn't rap!
3/4th of Innate Sounds is white. Mac Lethal is the fucken shit. Quit being a hater.
His DJ is Mexican.
The Roots have a 90% white following, are you saying they have contributed nothing to the progress of hip-hop music?
Enjoy your sugarhill gang records.
ROFL
Mac Lethal is not nerdcore.
In fact, claiming that Mac Lethal is nerdcore is laughable.
Please don't.
mc chris doesn't want to be nerdcore either.
OMGZ!
He also didn't epitomize it or whatever, he's just what all the hipsters cling to when they think of nerdcore.
So please learn about something before you speak of it, hipster.
ktxhbai.
p.s. - Mac Lethal is great. You suck.
P.P.S. - YTCRA
Whoa,whoa, whoa to those people who say white guys can't rap, and should not rap. You know that sounds as stupid as that teeniebopper girl saying Killswitch engage is orginal metal band because they have a black singer WOW! Mac is bringing a totally differant style that's goes over your simpled minded head. Like Mac said fuck your average listener!
As for the boring Eminem he needs to go back that junk rap factory named detorit with ICP, and Kid rock they all suck!
Tony,
I read your shitty blog from time to time.
It seems to me like you spend most of your time pissing on fires that people that matter already put out.
I'd be better off if I didn't need to read your opinions to make me feel better about myself.
I don't prefer Mac Lethal to you. I just prefer opinions that have some semblance of validity. Some basis of truth.
You're dead to me Tony's Kansas City! Won't be reading you again.
Okay, this is really ridiculous- I mean- to claim that, "but by-in-large hip-hop speaks to the lives and experience of Black people." is a pretty easy statement, your not bringing any noise with that- Of course it started and was nourished in the black communities- your not really bloggin there buddy- that was a copy and paste- but to expect this incredible music to be confined to ANY certain demographic is simply ignorant. Would you be mad if saw a Mexican playing Beethoven? Are mad at bad brains for being punk? – Oh maybe you don’t know about them, so would you say that these artists exploited a music that was pioneered by mostly whites? You know, I should not even say that- when I identify- when I put music into a “color” box then I am doing what you are doing.
We can certainly research different types of music and find its origins in different communities but to proclaim that hip hop is “black only” is simply – completely against what music is set out to do. Music is language- it’s an attempt to express whatever artist has to say- struggle and pain has given birth to wonderful blues music but are you going to attack Eric Clapton? Your attack on Mac Lethal is simply cut and paste, its lazy- how about his lyrics- how about the beats- how about his willingness to define himself, to shed the comfort of ambiguity. Your attack has nothing to do with his music.
Are you saying that hip hop must be black? By doing that you are insulting all that hip hop has done. Hip Hop has given white youth a peek into a world they could not see on the cosby show, I was there at Kemper Arena when Public Enemy took the stage in 1987; I went to find out what was happening it was so huge. I saw the Beastie Boys on that same stage and I saw people write copy and paste articles; mentioning Elvis and pat boone- Are you mad at the Beastie Boys? Or does being from New York make it okay? Hip Hop is bigger than one race, it was born in black communities and “The Message” was given.
A lot has changed in hip hop- maybe you prefer your hip hop with rims and guns. Does it make Mac Lethal any less hip hop because no one dies? Do you need bling? I think there is a lot of room in hip hop for a lot of different people to tell the world who they are. It took a very long time for anyone to even consider hip hop from anywhere but the east or west coast. This is progress, don’t be scared of change… but don’t go making letter bombs and being the hip hop uni-bomber. Just understand that this is what is supposed to happen. If you prefer your hip hop without white people then your probably mad at Rick Rubin also, you will probably need to Google him- because if you knew who he was you wouldn’t be having this copy and paste blog.
Hip hop is about telling the world who you are. I love all of it. I listen to the ghetto boys – I like Bushwick before I knew he was a midget, are you mad at midgets also? You cannot cookie cutter hip hop- it will not let you. Its okay for anyone to choose hip hop- they will live or die upon the honesty and soul they apply. Hip Hop is changing its good- but we can always get our Straight out Of Compton tapes when we want to remember how bad it was at that time- Ice Cube makes kids movies now, is he invading a white art form? Or is he evolving? I think its great when I hear different ways to display culture, If you don’t like to hear about Kilgore Trout or Buzzard Beach then don’t buy his music, that’s okay too- but to attack someone who is brave enough to say what HIS life is like and to do it through hip hop… that is just selfish and snobby- hip hop is for all who like it and if he makes music that people like and can relate to then good for him, now go make yourself an album… then release it, do better- complaining is easy, the elvis/eminem thing was lazy. Talk about his music, have you heard it?
The Smoking Platypus
www.myspace.com/thecandyflip
What is the most racist aspect of all of this is not his attack on Mac being white, it's that he is basically saying that because Mac is not a gangster, because he doesn't shoot people, deal drugs and on top of that is not black....that is what is racist.
He memorializes thugs and gangsters. How racist is that? Basically only the lowest common denominator of person is spoken upon highly by him, and as a black person I don't think such ignorant categorizations are fair.
There is an old, old interview a young Mac Lethal gave, I'm sure it's out there somewhere, where he discusses the respect he has for the founders of rap and what they did to pave the way so that rap was accessible to everyone, even a white kid from KC.
Your appreciation of Reach is duly noted, I applaud you for championing a good dude, but I don't think even Reach would like that you basically lump him in to your category of memorialized gangsters, thugs and racist bullshit.
Mac seems to be a pretty solid dude, I don't think he gives a shit what a persons color is (remember approach? joe good? pos? dj sku? the list goes on). Grow up, quit bitching, move on.
You may think that you are empowering your community by bashing white people you feel invade your territory, but you aren't.
You are only promoting regression in a community that is in such desperate need of social and economic progression.
Just because your skin has a tint doesn't mean your wack ass ain't a racist s.o.b.
man fuck this punk ass dude i bet he says young rich is real kc hip hop but he has no idea it doesent have a color or an agr or anything else...........some one should beat this dudes skull in
byron crawford ate at arby's,
took a (micro) soft dump and named it tony.
shoot for the moon anthony.
You are an idiot. Mac's music isn't about stealing his style from anyone else. It doesn't matter if he is white or if he is black, he makes music that he likes and that other people appreciate. Isn't that what music is about? Expressing yourself how you feel you do it best, and then if someone else likes it and can identify with it then thats a big bonus. F your opinion. You think that because you have a blog that people read that your opinion somehow matters. Opinions are like a$$holes, everyone has one and they all stink. You should be using this space to promote positive things, rather than spitting negative diatribe about someone you don't even know. He's really a great guy in real life.
Maybe you should try to get one some time.
I think the best part was the Amos and Andy comparison... at least until
I realized I wasn't reading "The Onion".
When did you last listen to a hip hop record, dude? This man's music blows 99% of hip-hop made today out of the water. The only people even giving him a run for his money are on his label! I take offense to your saying that he's stealing from African-Americans by rapping in general and giving nothing back to the culture. Scribble Jam IS hip hop culture! Endless touring around this beautiful country IS hip hop! Cranking out mixtape after collection after EP after myspace song IS...FUCKING...HIP...HOP! Mac was cool enough to help me out a few years ago in starting my own venture into hip hop by letting me stay at his own home and record a few songs, including one with him. Don't fucking tell me he doesn't fucking contribute to the culture when you don't know shit about him. I'm now going to print your blog out so I can wipe my white ass with it. Cheers, bitch...
At the root of your blog is envy & reverse racism. It lies there unprovoked but still attacks.
What made you feel the need, feel so strongly to write a blog dissin Mac Lethal? Do you feel you should be in his position? I think you do.
I'm glad to hear you at least acknowledged Elvis's greatness. The dude made the first song about the ghetto, wore diamond covered outfits, & drove around in Cadillacs. Talk about setting trends.
I'm 26, maybe I'm the only one but until I read this blog I'd never heard of Pat Boone & I listen to all different kinds of music.
White middle class teenagers make up the majority of all record sales whether it be Britney Spears, Dr.Dre, Kanye West, so you can't use that one. Check those stats.
To Mac's credit he does have "alternative" fans & others could too if they just left out the bullshit & all the fad following. The crowd you're referring to as "alternative" doesn't want to hear about bling, wood grain dashes, guns, etc. Why? Cause guns kill people dude!
Personally I'm not sure if Mac Lethal is the best rapper in KC but he's definitely up there somewhere near the top & deserving of the awards he earned but I'm sure opinions will vary.
Bay area influence, chopped & screwed, I see the influence. Does anyone else? I might even be guilty of preferring West Coast rap when I really think about it. When someone blows this place up it's not going to be with something that has already been done before. And it definitely won't happen as long as people don't respect other people's sound. Everybody rapping thinks they got something everyone else doesn't have. Step back evaluate & be real with yourselves about what's tight & what's loose.
Why is it only in Rap that people question others validity? What's real? Who's fake? That's up for debate. Nobody's walked through life step for step with someone else to know exactly what that persons been through. Everything that happens to a person makes them who they become so I don't like to gamble with misjudging people.
Vanilla Ice was a prop, a dude who got paid like any other job to perform a task. It turned out his task was to act like something he wasn't & since that was exposed he has been in exile shamed to being reclusive. But I have to believe he wasn't the only rapper that ever lied about his life in his raps.
Mac Lethal makes his own music, he's not trying to be Al Pacino in Scarface. Been doing it for more than a little while now, I'd say he's legit.
If you really believe white people shouldn't be Rappin cause black people invented it then I guess you also believe Kobe shouldn't be playing basketball, Randy Moss shouldn't be playing football, & Barack Obama shouldn't be running for president or even yourself writing blogs cause those are things white people invented. That's not what you're saying, is it?
P.S. This is just my independent thesis. I didn't post anonymous because why even make a statement if you don't believe in what you're saying. Check out my page. It's a bunch of Kansas City, Kansas Mexican-White boy Democratic rap! Peace.
At the root of your blog is envy & reverse racism. It lies there unprovoked but still attacks.
What made you feel the need, feel so strongly to write a blog dissin Mac Lethal? Do you feel you should be in his position? I think you do.
I'm glad to hear you at least acknowledged Elvis's greatness. The dude made the first song about the ghetto, wore diamond covered outfits, & drove around in Cadillacs. Talk about setting trends.
I'm 26, maybe I'm the only one but until I read this blog I'd never heard of Pat Boone & I listen to all different kinds of music.
White middle class teenagers make up the majority of all record sales whether it be Britney Spears, Dr.Dre, Kanye West, so you can't use that one. Check those stats.
To Mac's credit he does have "alternative" fans & others could too if they just left out the bullshit & all the fad following. The crowd you're referring to as "alternative" doesn't want to hear about bling, wood grain dashes, guns, etc. Why? Cause guns kill people dude!
Personally I'm not sure if Mac Lethal is the best rapper in KC but he's definitely up there somewhere near the top & deserving of the awards he earned but I'm sure opinions will vary.
Bay area influence, chopped & screwed, I see the influence. Does anyone else? I might even be guilty of preferring West Coast rap when I really think about it. When someone blows this place up it's not going to be with something that has already been done before. And it definitely won't happen as long as people don't respect other people's sound. Everybody rapping thinks they got something everyone else doesn't have. Step back evaluate & be real with yourselves about what's tight & what's loose.
Why is it only in Rap that people question others validity? What's real? Who's fake? That's up for debate. Nobody's walked through life step for step with someone else to know exactly what that persons been through. Everything that happens to a person makes them who they become so I don't like to gamble with misjudging people.
Vanilla Ice was a prop, a dude who got paid like any other job to perform a task. It turned out his task was to act like something he wasn't & since that was exposed he has been in exile shamed to being reclusive. But I have to believe he wasn't the only rapper that ever lied about his life in his raps.
Mac Lethal makes his own music, he's not trying to be Al Pacino in Scarface. Been doing it for more than a little while now, I'd say he's legit.
If you really believe white people shouldn't be Rappin cause black people invented it then I guess you also believe Kobe shouldn't be playing basketball, Randy Moss shouldn't be playing football, & Barack Obama shouldn't be running for president or even yourself writing blogs cause those are things white people invented. That's not what you're saying, is it?
P.S. This is just my independent thesis. I didn't post anonymous because why even make a statement if you don't believe in what you're saying. Check out my page. It's a bunch of Kansas City, Kansas Mexican-White boy Democratic rap! Peace.
http://www.myspace.com/apluskc
this is stupid. you compare him to Reach and IN crew and they all came up in the same scene. in fact, i'm not entirely sure mac isn't affiliated with innatesounds. regardless, uh, there's no more than 1 degree of separation there.
mac has rhymes. he's got concepts. and he's been putting in work in this scene for years. you act like he appeared out of nowhere, trained and paid to rap by some conglomerate.
you appear to be targeting him because he's white. but it's a downright lie to say hip-hop is a black thing. hip-hop has never been black. since the beginning, there have been people of all races involved in it, white people being far from an exception to that. double dee & steinski, iz the wiz, rick rubin, seen, the beastie boys, part of 3rd bass, malcolm mclaren... and those are just the ones that got a little fame. and i'm not even going to start on latinos, asians, etc. so i hate it when people say that about hip-hop.
anyway, find me a black guy in kansas city (besides maybe godemis or shadow) that can hold his own battling mac.
IRONY:
Tony is pulling off nothing more than a heist as he steals a Mississippi Slim act 50 years on and recycles it for a hipster e-crowd.
lants!
Haha. Tony got owned. I found out about this lame blog on Mac's forum and had to write on this ridiculous attack on Mac Lethal's credibility. Do you judge everyone by who their fans are rather than their music? Try making a judgment after listening to and analyzing the artists' music rather than focusing on their following.
YOU ARE A FUCK STICK....How you gonna diss on a white rapper simply because hes white....apearanlty you dont even have the album....stupid ass....dude has nice lyrics over nice beats....who the fuck cares if hes white...he could be orane with yellow polka dots...then what? I tell you what most wack rappers are black any how....you're wasting time trying to make a racial statement, when you should be bashing people like Soulja Boy, Yung Joc, and all these other dudes with no skill......
You fuckin idiot!
you are a lazy copy and paste waste of typing energy
I'm black and I like Mac's music. I guess I must be betraying my race then? I'm confused.
I'm also an MC...and I respect Mac's ability to craft intelligent rhymes and make great songs. Should I sit down for a lesson with you and Bill O'Reilly so you can explain to me why my opinions are wrong? I'm confused.
re- reading you, I am struck at how you really do not talk about his music- his lyrics- his songs, you "Copy&Paste" old statements, Elvis- Pat Boone, Eminem? you do not talk about his music- his lyrics. You are a lazy mind who finds things uncomfortable. Hip Hop has invaded all cultures, hey- check out mickey avalon, try to tell me that he is not a bonafide superstar- white boy rapper..
your new name is Copy&Paste
fzm is on, old school NY styles were less racist at the beginning than things are now.
oh, i like innate sounds and Reach, too, but why you don't notice all the hipsters at those shows?
besides, this is old-fart heads talk, the kids only listen to hyphy anyway!
Your a tool Tony... At least be a good critic if your going to criticize people...
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