Many of you know that I’ve been publicly venting about the status of hip-hop for the past year with my “Why Hip-Hop Sucks” series. Today, I’m going to get even more specific: NEW YORK HIP-HOP SUCKS!!!

Don’t get me wrong, the best MCs have always come from NY. Plenty of MCs are still making great music on the underground. As far as the mainstream goes, however, New York is dropping the ball. Jay-Z’s retired, 50 Cent decided to get rich and stop trying, and Jadakiss is making songs with Paris Hilton. These days, it seems like the home of hip-hop is more concerned with extra-curricular activities and violence than leading the culture.

Even worse, the South has completely taken over the airwaves. Not that I don’t like the occasional country banger –I like T.I. and “Fresh Azimiz” is the shit despite my Bow Wow issues– but every damn song is beginning to sound the same. Of course, this has as much to do with pay-to-play radio policies as it does declining aesthetic sensibilities. Hopefully, the new payola crackdown will lead to the demise of a whole host of well-paid but untalented artists.

Anyway, I’m not the only one who feels that way. In a recent interview, Ghostface Killah said, “New York be bullshitting. Right now, I say fuck New York. Yeah, I’m from New York, but fuck New York. Because niggas is pussy. They is so quick to jump on the next man’s dick and can’t even deal with what they got in front of they face.” While I wouldn’t use Ghost’s sexist metaphors, I certainly feel his pain.

NEW YORK, STAND UP!