--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that people have been claiming…" description: "\"I think that people have been claiming hip-hop as being dead since the moment it started. I think there are people - and I can be included in that cate..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f72/el-p-2359_art_i-think-that-people-have-been-claiming-h_2828977.jpg" --- # I think that people have been claiming hip-hop as being… ![“I think that people have been claiming hip-hop as being dead since the moment it started. I think there are people - and I can be included in that category sometimes - that get frustrated feeling like maybe the industry has handcuffed itself, or trained its artists to do or think about music in a…” quote by El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f72/el-p-2359_art_i-think-that-people-have-been-claiming-h_2828977.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f72/el-p-2359_art_i-think-that-people-have-been-claiming-h_2828977.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f72/el-p-2359_art_i-think-that-people-have-been-claiming-h_2828977.jpg) > “I think that people have been claiming hip-hop as being dead since the moment it started. I think there are people - and I can be included in that category sometimes - that get frustrated feeling like maybe the industry has handcuffed itself, or trained its artists to do or think about music in a way that classically hasn't led to the greatest records in hip-hop.” [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues hip‑hop isn’t dead; the industry sometimes restricts artists, leading to less innovative records. **In simple terms:** Hip‑hop is alive but sometimes constrained by industry expectations. Key Takeaway Support artistic freedom and innovation. Themes music industry creativity frustration innovation Mood critical reflective hopeful Type opinion cultural commentary When to use this quote - record label decisions - artist creative process - genre evolution - industry trends Key Concepts Artistic autonomy commercial pressure cultural evolution Questions to Reflect On - How can artists push boundaries within mainstream? - What changes could revitalize hip‑hop? A Different Perspective Commercial demands can stifle creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Frustrated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frustrated/) [Hip hop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hip-hop/) [Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapper/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I think that people have been claiming hip-hop as being dead since the moment it started.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-think-that-people-have-been-claiming-hip-hop-as-being-dead-since/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [Two records put me over the top with hip-hop. One of them was 'Planet Rock,' and the other had no lyrics - it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-latifah/two-records-put-me-over-the-top-with-hip-hop-one-of-them-was-planet/) [Queen Latifah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-latifah/) > [I get upset when people knock hip-hop, because I can absolutely see the musicality in it. These days, when I'm listening to records by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/i-get-upset-when-people-knock-hip-hop-because-i-can-absolutely-see/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [“Ming Kai gasped for air, a breath he didn’t seem to exhale, and his eyes fluttered shut. “He’s dead,” his replacement wife said, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-wallace/ming-kai-gasped-for-air-a-breath-he-didn-t-seem-to-exhale-and-his/) [Daniel Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-wallace/) > [“She did not understand that there was no such thing as happiness, that the only victory lay in the far future, long after you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/she-did-not-understand-that-there-was-no-such-thing-as-happiness-that/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We're all dead the moment we're born. Just, some of us get there faster than others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-scarrow/we-re-all-dead-the-moment-we-re-born-just-some-of-us-get-there-faster/) [Alex Scarrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-scarrow/) > [There have been those moments in my life - in all of our lives - where you think, "I could literally be dead at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-rains/there-have-been-those-moments-in-my-life-in-all-of-our-lives-where/) Dominic Rains > [I think hip hop is dead. It's all pop now. If you call it hip hop, then you need to stop. Hip hop was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-think-hip-hop-is-dead-it-s-all-pop-now-if-you-call-it-hip-hop-then/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [How can hip hop be dead if Wu-Tang is forever?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rza/how-can-hip-hop-be-dead-if-wu-tang-is-forever/) [RZA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rza/) > [If hip-hop is dead, then let it rest in peace and let's move on to something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-thought/if-hip-hop-is-dead-then-let-it-rest-in-peace-and-let-s-move-on-to/) [Black Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-thought/) > [They told me Hip-Hop dead, so late night, I'm at the cemetary diggin' his grave out, These old niggaz washed up, played out, Whip…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/french-montana/they-told-me-hip-hop-dead-so-late-night-i-m-at-the-cemetary-diggin/) [French Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/french-montana/) > [Nah, I'm not one of those 'hip-hop is dead' people. I just like different artists. I never look at it as one entity. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remy-ma/nah-i-m-not-one-of-those-hip-hop-is-dead-people-i-just-like-different/) [Remy Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/remy-ma/) > [It's not just hip-hop that's dead. Mostly every form of American music is dead. It's been dead. R&B isn't really good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/it-s-not-just-hip-hop-that-s-dead-mostly-every-form-of-american-music/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [Everyone's been on the "hip-hop is dead" campaign for years, and now it's the most unsure-of-itself genre ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/everyone-s-been-on-the-hip-hop-is-dead-campaign-for-years-and-now-it/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [People who say that music is dead or hip-hop is dead are refusing to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erykah-badu/people-who-say-that-music-is-dead-or-hip-hop-is-dead-are-refusing-to/) [Erykah Badu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erykah-badu/) ## More by El-P > [I'm not mad at digital media at all; I just see the importance and beauty of physical media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-m-not-mad-at-digital-media-at-all-i-just-see-the-importance-and/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [Standing up for what you believe is right, as well as standing up for what you believe is funny, standing up for what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/standing-up-for-what-you-believe-is-right-as-well-as-standing-up-for/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [For me, growing up in hip-hop culture, it's all about having the next style, the new fashion, the new way to express yourself, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/for-me-growing-up-in-hip-hop-culture-it-s-all-about-having-the-next/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I definitely grew up on Garfield. I just loved his pessimism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-definitely-grew-up-on-garfield-i-just-loved-his-pessimism/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [Most people aren't happy about being consistent and staying at the same place for years. People want forward progress and motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/most-people-aren-t-happy-about-being-consistent-and-staying-at-the/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [Any issue and any problem, no matter what height you look at it from, no matter how much you extend past the first fractal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/any-issue-and-any-problem-no-matter-what-height-you-look-at-it-from/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I really don't believe in going too far out of your way to hunt down somebody to do a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-really-don-t-believe-in-going-too-far-out-of-your-way-to-hunt-down/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [The last Company Flow reunion show in New York City was pretty insane. Everybody knew all the words to every song; everybody had smiles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/the-last-company-flow-reunion-show-in-new-york-city-was-pretty-insane/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [At a young age, I really wanted to make music and make my own sort of thing. I'm sure if it wasn't music, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/at-a-young-age-i-really-wanted-to-make-music-and-make-my-own-sort-of/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [One of the reasons why I thought it was a good decision to put Def Jux on hold is that it's a hell of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/one-of-the-reasons-why-i-thought-it-was-a-good-decision-to-put-def/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I am trying to change hip-hop music because I do feel there are places people can go with production and the structure of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-am-trying-to-change-hip-hop-music-because-i-do-feel-there-are/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I'm not really one of these people who's been known for particularly hopeful sentiments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-m-not-really-one-of-these-people-who-s-been-known-for-particularly/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I think it's impossible for hip-hop to be a dying art form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-think-it-s-impossible-for-hip-hop-to-be-a-dying-art-form/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I like Das Racist, and so should you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-like-das-racist-and-so-should-you/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I had a boom box with a dual cassette deck and a mic, so I used to make pause tapes. I think a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-had-a-boom-box-with-a-dual-cassette-deck-and-a-mic-so-i-used-to/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) [Explore all 170 El-P quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think that people have been claiming hip-hop as being dead since the moment it started. I think there are people - and I can be included in that category sometimes - that get frustrated feeling like maybe the industry has handcuffed itself, or trained its artists to do or think about music in a way that classically hasn't led to the greatest records in hip-hop.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "El-P" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-think-that-people-have-been-claiming-hip-hop-as-being-dead-since-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-think-that-people-have-been-claiming-hip-hop-as-being-dead-since-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f72/el-p-2359_art_i-think-that-people-have-been-claiming-h_2828977.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f72/el-p-2359_art_i-think-that-people-have-been-claiming-h_2828977.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f72/el-p-2359_art_i-think-that-people-have-been-claiming-h_2828977.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think that people have been claiming hip-hop as being dead since the moment it started. 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