KRS-One: “Def Jam Destroyed Hip-Hop”

[vodpod id=Groupvideo.3497040&w=425&h=350&fv=]

Once again, The Teacha contradicts himself. While on the red carpet at Hip Hop Honors, Kris pays homage to Def Jam, but says the label contributed to the culture’s demise.

“Def Jam is the dopest label in hip-hop, in the culture of hip-hop,” he said. “There really would be no hip-hop as we know it today if it wasn’t for Def Jam. But you don’t get that respect without also being the label that single-handedly destroyed hip-hop. Every time you think of what’s wrong with hip-hop, the lyrics, the commercialized music, one artist being played on the radio all day, things like that, that’s all Def Jam.”

Props: XXL

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  1. ILLIONAIRE says:

    A+ on the execution of that gif, B.Dot. lol

  2. LBDII says:

    Legend or not KRS needs to STFU

  3. andy says:

    “every time you think of what’s wrong with hip-hop, the lyrics, the commercialized music, one artist being played on the radio all day, things like that, that’s all Def Jam,”

    that not ALL def jam. DJR is just a pawn of shit like clear channel and viacom.

  4. B.Dot says:

    A+ on the execution of that gif, B.Dot. lol
    ^
    I owe ya one!

  5. AtlanticC says:

    KRS is right. and makes sense.

    def jam put hip hop on a pedestal but also shot down its credibility a little later on by putting out weak artists

    great comments KRS. Clap for him. Ha!

  6. B.Dot says:

    KRS sounds ridiculous. like its def jams fault that Jay, X, Meth, Red, etc. ruined hip-hop. if anything, that made it better with their music. when was the last time u heard a dope KRS record?

  7. BrotherDante says:

    KRS is right, but I mean cmon! He preaches at EVERY single event that he goes too. Way to be a buzz kill at a festive event Kris. KRS is the uncle that you “forget” to invite to the family reunion.

  8. […] XXL by way of RR] farkItButton("KRS-One%3A+%26%238220%3BDef+Jam+Killed+Hip-Hop%26%238221%3B", […]

  9. Kofi says:

    Someone needs to slap this dude. The problem he talks about regarding radio play does exist but it exists in every form of music. For example bands like Coldplay get on the radio more then bands like Grizzly Bear even though Grizzly Bear is a critically acclaimed group they don’t have a major label push. These issues were not created by nor are they exclusive to Def Jam.

  10. dman says:

    yeah bit of a stupid comment from krs has he 4got soulja bitch is signed to interscope

  11. chillo says:

    @ Kofi- i don’t think anybody is smacking Kris and living to tell.

    While you can make a valid argument for his statement, it should have been ” along with Death Row , Bad Boy, and every major that threw money at the Southern indies to stay relevant. At the same time you could ask him what did he do to advance and preserve Hip-Hop while VP of Urban for Warner?

  12. KRS ONE NEEDS TO JUMP OFF A CLIFF! says:

    WTF is this retard talking about??? I cant stand this bozo! Go sit down somewhere YOU ARE NOT RELEVANT!

  13. KenKaniff says:

    mmmmm im sure krs wants some of me mmmmmmm

  14. jetjaguar says:

    ya boy KRS seems a little senile with the statements he makes

  15. mike says:

    of course, see the quick transcription here:
    in first it was a booster for the success of our music (MTV etc) !!!
    but then the egemony of defjam was destructor for the hiphop culture !!
    word up !
    krs the teacha
    one!

  16. saywhat17 says:

    KRS just made so called concious rappers look DUMB.
    How u gonna diss defjam when there are other labels doing worse, when was the last time ur ugly lookin ass made some hiphop music that had an impact, UR LIKE THE NEW AND IMPROVED BITTER LL COOL J forreal.

    Dude sounds like a bitter bit8h, everything is always wack to ur dumbass but ur dumbass aint doing shit for the culture but japping ur fat lips. Why dont u do all of us a favor and invest in building a label for hiphop, put on one artist, or those so-called dope underground artists instead of blaming others for ur problems.

    KRS = ALL TALK NO ACTION

  17. thunn says:

    wow this site and all the niggaz that read it are fucking idiots. U dont think he knows we all saw him at the Honors??? He was absolutely correct and most REAL thinkers will contradict themselves in trying to find an answer. Jay z may be the greatest rapper of all time but he is part of the problem as well, now every rapper is a hustler or they wanna be rich before they ever make an album or Pac all niggaz wanna be the tough guy. U stupid fucks are the reason the elders fear for the future of this music because none of u can THINK. The minute u get the slightest criticism u say HATER, its like a generation of faggots and i dont mean homosexuals i mean old school faggot. This man went homeless for this fuckin music and any day he got something to say about it, right or wrong, i will listen. These web niggaz, elliot wilson, they not real its a HUSTLE to them, they dont give a fuck about this coulture no more. This nigga was taking G-unit money at xxl for space. Keep doit it Kris cuz at the end of the day real hip hop niggaz realize real hip hop niggaz fuck the other side

  18. saywhat17 says:

    ^^^
    If we are all idiots then u have been crowned THE DUMMEST BLOGGER ON HERE.
    The fact is, this is the same bit8h ass who clowned kanye and said his shit wasnt hiphop and 50cents music was hiphop.
    But my question is, how is 50cents music hiphop when lyrically his shit is watered down, meaning lyrically 50CENT IS WACK. KRS prasies 50’s song writing and stupid tube vids but clowns kanye for keeping it real.

    Does that make sense to u, KRS says kanye’s music isnt hiphop cos he doesnt make music he can ride in the hood. WHY THE HELL SHOULD ANYONE LISTEN TO THIS IGNORANT PIECE OF SHIT, WHO CALLS HIMSELF THE TEACHER OF HIPHOP, when this same loser contradicts himself endlessly.

    My advice to u, stop being a HIPHOP ZOMBIE with no brain and start using ur common sense to think wisely.

  19. As a ‘real hip hop nigga’ coming from London I must add. I’ve witnessed Hip Hop nurture over the years from the late 80s growing up and I partially agree with KRS One but as well re-enact the GIF image. Dope sense of humour btw. Spot on.lol
    Anyway, he does contradict himself though. C’mon we allllll know KRS loves to talk and preach and the dude is very VERY careful with his words. As if he preaches for public audiences everytime.
    Hip Hop has now been commericalised, it has been all about profits, it has been all about plugging their own artist but man, if it wasn;t for Def Jam, HIP HOP wouldnt be this well recognised and appreciated globally. Hip Hop is a culture, if Hip Hop was not accepted globally, our culture will STILL be stuggling to survive. Dude as a black community we have come FARRRRRR, and yes music and entertainment has got alot to do with it. and yes Def Jam have played their role.

    As for destroying something which is refreshing, underground and exclusive. it happens. That’s life. Things become saturated! KRS can still keep doing his thing, but to compliment Def Jam and then slate them is bitter. Why even turn up to the event? Dude is entitled to his opinion but hey man that GIF says it all for me lol Im out. Kudos on the post Rap Radar

  20. kingill89 says:

    man everybody need to keep it 100 even the old folks only song Krs had was the Bridge is over everything else is trash so who gives a fucc about what he has to say its true Def Jam aint shit but a RnB label now as Rhianna Dream and Neyo are the biggest artist on there but still how you going to go to a ceremony where the place you talking shit about is being honored and also do a tribute to artists that was one of the most Commercialized this nigga off that kanye shit man

    and also the song he got with buckshot is fuccin horrible man that nigga buckshot look like a goddamn fool trying to do tha robot in 2009 lol I mean everytime he gives an interview all this nigga do is complain i mean if thats how niggas wanna rap and get their bread shit why not let them get that shit this nigga KRS act like he didnt get in the game trying to accomplish the same thing that money now his ends aint rite and he wanna cry about what the next man doing i mean The Breaks and Rappers Delight are pioneer hiphop songs and they sound like shit that Soulja Boy or Lil Romeo would release nowndays so man just fall bacc on these comments on who killed hiphop if you really feel that way bring it bacc

  21. saywhat17 says:

    ^^^
    Thank u for speaking that TRUTH
    People like to call jay an old rapper but KRS and LL are example of old rappers that havent done shit but complain in hiphop. I cant stand this dude, he reminds me of why i hate concious rappers, they like to talk that talk but never walk the walk, ALWAYS BIT8HING like a damn chick.

    KRS = BIGGEST LOSER IN HIPHOP, BITTER BIT8H.

    By the way his new track and album are all WACK, and this is a fact, really KRS, “what are we talkin about here” i have to ask u, where is the good music from ur bit8hass?

  22. thunn says:

    IM not gonna anwer those last two comments u niggaz dont know shit so its useless. I dont agree with krs and his comments about 50 and kanye but coming from his era i can see where he thinks that. I got friends that dont like shit but south bronx hip hop and we argue about it, but i know that dude is REAL and so is KRS-ONE. U nigga need to learn and aint no rappers old cuz rap aint old find out some shit about it stupid ass niggaz. And i bet krs and ll got more cake than ur fav rapper

  23. Jordan says:

    hit the nail right on the head

  24. saywhat17 says:

    Yea right …thunn…KRS has more money than who exactly? LMFAO @ ur bit8hassness now.

    Pls my advice logoff from this shit cos u just said the most ignorant shit up in here….these are old rappers who just like talkin shit….havent had an impact on hiphop since ’86.

    My advice to KRS,BUILD HIPHOP A FU8KING MUSIC INDUSTRY , then i will take u seriously, till then then u remain another bitter ll cool j.

    U never hear real dudes like Rakim , Kane and Kool G makes such ignorant statements, and mind u they have a better catalogue than this big nosed clown.

  25. Dry says:

    Co-sign Saywhat17

    These so called legends are bitter now cos they broke. They’re not even legends to me, just pionners. Name one thing they’ ve done for Hip Hop!!!
    They keep complaining about the state of hip hop but where R the actions?
    if you feel like you can bring the so called real hip hop back then go ahead and stop crying like a bitch! if you feel like Def jam killed hip hop, why did you even went to the event???

  26. AtlanticC says:

    saywhat17 has to be the BIGGEST IDIOT here

    His whole comment was based on KRS’ 50/Kanye statement. Its PAINFULLY OBVIOUS 50 is more real hip hop than Kanye.
    808s and heartbreaks? pffff.. Graduation was practically alternative hip hop.

    Meanwhile 50 has pu out like 50 mixtapes for the streets and all his albums have WAYYY more hardcore hip hop joints than singles.
    Watered down? Obviously your talkin bout singles right. And you dont have to be rhyming 5 syllable words like Nas or Rakim to be hip hop.

    Bottom line they are both great artists. 50 is more hip hop. say what 17 is retarded.

  27. thunn says:

    these niggaz are crazy. This nigga KRS one shut down the whole queens bridge and the juice crew was like the roc in its prime and the nigga shut it down. Niggaz couldnt even claim queens bridge for a few years til nas came out. No rapper since has done that. Nigga came out the gate with 2 classics, he 50 before 50 and biggie before biggie. He was the king of NY and nobody questioned it not Rakim. NOBODY. and rakim recently came out and was critical of hip hop as well hes just more reclusive and doesnt really speak out as much. U niggaz are obviously not very informed on this coulture so im here to learn u. Instead of arguing ask me a few questions and i’ll learn u niggaz. And that goes for B.dot elliot as well cuz i aint buyin they shit neithe

  28. iLLersz1 says:

    YEP KRS ONE IS RIGHT YOU STUPID SITE !

  29. DrDreBeats says:

    Only fools disrespect KRS. He one of the greatest ever & mostly everything he says here is true. You cant tell me Jays new album is better then the shit on the Slaughterhouse album but it appeals to little pop bitches & will get advertised so much you will buy it. No disrespect to Jay but his new album is weak.

    There is so much talent out there but hip hop artists seem to be dropping auto tune or love songs rather then telling there stories like old hip hop. Its all about money, they dont care about the music anymore.

    Cant hate on KRS he could still lyrically destroy most your favourite rappers

  30. the funniest thing out this debate is that KRS uses Jay-Z (yet again) as an excuse while Jay’s last LP was not even on DEF JAM… wasn’t even in the Universal Building! so how has Def Jam done it this time? its not THE label…its all labels that back certain acts that they feel are cash cows. look at lady gaga… its hard for vet acts like fe fe dobson to just slide back in when you are being force fed the pop queen (for now).

  31. mike says:

    jayz BP3 album was on defjam !!!
    he paid 5 milli to have the right, so i think u can involve defjam one last time for this LP
    so it’s atlantic release but yall know that album was created for def jam first and then jigga/rocnation/multimil$deal/etc/mogul/BP3 = not officially on defjam

  32. idgaf15 says:

    krs 1 is a bitch and frankly cant sell more albums than jay z…………………

  33. sunraw says:

    I love Krs but sometimes hearing him “teach” makes me cringe. I remember him coming to my school and saying no one in the World Trade Center was innocent. I think I made that same face as Avery.

  34. RealTalk09 says:

    To all yo idiots who think all hip hop is about is being a hustler ,thug baller,player or whatever other negative stereotype of black people that we stay in to destroy each other with, you all need to wake up!! KRSONE IS THE TRUTH ,HE HAS SINGLE HANDEDLY STUCK HIS HEAD OUT MANY TIMES FOR THE BLACK RACE AND POSTITVE PEOPLE OF ALL RACES, with his outspoken opinions and music,he has been trying help people in the ghettoe help them selves out of the mess without killing ,robbing but with self knowledge and education..And you dumb ,brain washed lame asses ,have the cheek to knock this man ,when all your shitty jay-z’s just chant bullshit that keeps us robbing and killing each other,being jealous of each other etc,,,,damm you need to wake the heck up!! Most rappers in the mina stream are chickens nowadays ,they say the same old stuff, make us look like a bunch of idiots,KRSONE has lyirics to actaully help a man out of this mess,.One of his tracks would destroy all the rubbish these bubble gum rappers chat,They are modern day buffoons.BIG UP KRSONE KEEP SPEAKING THE REAL,THESE PEOPLE CANT HANDLE A THINKER,A THINKER HAS BALANCED VIEWS THIS IS WHY HE SOUNDS LIKE HE IS CONTRADICTING, BU THE MESSAGE HE SAYS IS VERY TRUE!

  35. RealTalk09 says:

    To all yo idiots who think all hip hop is about is being a hustler ,thug baller,player or whatever other negative stereotype of black people that we stay in to destroy each other with, you all need to wake up!! KRSONE IS THE TRUTH ,HE HAS SINGLE HANDEDLY STUCK HIS HEAD OUT MANY TIMES FOR THE BLACK RACE AND POSTITVE PEOPLE OF ALL RACES, with his outspoken opinions and music,he has been trying help people in the ghettoe help them selves out of the mess without killing ,robbing but with self knowledge and education..And you dumb ,brain washed lame asses ,have the cheek to knock this man ,when all your shitty jay-z’s just chant bullshit that keeps us robbing and killing each other,being jealous of each other etc,,,,damm you need to wake the heck up!! Most rappers in the mina stream are chickens nowadays ,they say the same old stuff, make us look like a bunch of idiots,KRSONE has lyirics to actaully help a man out of this mess,.One of his tracks would destroy all the rubbish these bubble gum rappers chat,They are modern day buffoons.BIG UP KRSONE KEEP SPEAKING THE REAL,THESE PEOPLE CANT HANDLE A THINKER,A THINKER HAS BALANCED VIEWS THIS IS WHY HE SOUNDS LIKE HE IS CONTRADICTING, BU THE MESSAGE HE SAYS IS VERY TRUE!

  36. al says:

    first of all KRS got like 6 or 7 classic albums and hes right companies like def jam sold out and bought niggas like jigga stardom look at drake for example is he really good or do you believe it cause u should it was a time all new releases got airtime now companies buy airtime to program people to listen to their artists, jay z has not made a good album(complete) since in my lifetime vol.4 and this is the same niggas who could break through when big and pac was still here even though he had a dope album, so now we listen to all this pop music. his new shit is garbage,and i say that as a jigga fan. krs on the other hand does tend to go in at the wrong time. but hes never sayin shit that aint true, and to all u niggas who niggas is bitter and broke i didnt know that money made makes u a great M.C.

  37. Toya says:

    Some people shouldn’t talk.

  38. ST says:

    Dude has become a real douchebag

  39. @viklovesoul says:

    Def Jam was a movement before it was a label and more to the point Jay’s album was not on Def Jam!

    Peace
    @viklovesoul

  40. what a tool bag – Jay was not on Def Jam – KRS is as much of a foot in mouth douche bag as kanye is… he’s like a fucking rap tom green – ‘please pay attension to me – please love me’. he makes breathtakingly good astounding rap songs and he is one of the greatest MC’s ever, but between backing 50 over kanye, and THIS, dude needs to spend some time on an island doing some soul searching…

    yes big record labels on the scale of Def Jam are capable of payola, and record buy backs, but if you want people to care what you think KRS, do a Michael Moore and prove it! go to best buy, buy a fkin camcorder and bring us the evidence so that we can restore balance in hip-hop and give Rae, buckshot and slaughterhouse a fair chance!

    shout to YN and B.Dot

    @rajlovesoul

  41. global says:

    I don’t see the contradiction. He’s right Def Jam did put Hip-hop on the map & deserves praises for that but it also destroyed what the ideal of hip-hop in the era of KRS1 was. We all know this so no need 2 disrespect the teacher . He is a big enough man to pay homage as well as as critique-it’s called balance -why r we so afraid of critique. As KRS1 says -now u got White kids, latinos, Africans, Arabs etc. calling themselves Niggers-it’s a damn shame! Some of u should travel globally & see what the influence of hip-hop was & has become- it’s a global battle-hopefully we will all find our soul b4 we completely self-destruct! The interesting part is that most global hip-hop is a lot more 2 the root of what hip-hop was in it’s consciousness- pre multi millions & way 2 much drug abuse!

  42. Corsico says:

    LOL @ the gif!

    Seriously speaking though, Mr. Parker actually makes PLENTY sense. Yes, there WOULD be no hip hop as we know it today – the hip we love AND the hip hop we dislike. Def Jam is both the reason AND the problem.

  43. Danj! says:

    I knew this man was half of a loon when he said that “ahhhh… justice” shit about 9/11.

    -D!

  44. […] Previously: KRS-One: “Def Jam Destroyed Hip-Hop” […]

  45. Jamal says:

    Wow, black people got internet access?

  46. Josh says:

    The only thing ridiculous is that you people fail…ridiculously…at noticing KRS’s backhanded compliment, in which he was witty in stating the “best” that Hip Hop “currently” has to offer is utter garbage.
    KRS – 1

    You morons – 0

    cool gif though.

  47. michelle says:

    There is no contradiction in what he is saying. All he is saying is that the industry respects how intelligent Def Jam has been in literally changing the concept of hip hop and how powerful they acquired, how much domain over the media they have acquired and how they became the main voice in a whole culture. But he acknowledges that this new hip hop concept created by Def Jam is horrible.

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