The new school underground hip hop is all about being poetic and intelligent. Emcees everywhere are spitting clever, abstract, and even political lyrics over trippy beats for audiences to ponder afterwards. Some of my favourites are Josh Martinez and Sonic Sum--two of the leading names within the poet-emcee community. They must thank the Internet for bringing them fame. Since the day Napster spawned a whole new medium for music, people actually have access to the independent with ease. Teens don't need to get into hip hop through the mainstream and then later discover the real stuff. Today they just need an Internet connection. Kids start their musical journey sooner, leading them to develop a better, more eclectic taste in music.

Two weeks ago I attentively watched a young sober crew take the stage in a small hip hop/spoken word cafe. Mind you, while they understand what the underground means, they cannot seem to fully grasp one critical thing about hip hop--the contents of their lyrics. Like other elements of hip hop such as graffiti and breakdance, rhyming can be improved through private and interactive practice. However, the one thing that the young can't seem to pull off is mature, intelligent lyrics.

It's understandable. Give an emcee a beat and a mic, he/she must come up with something to say. Without any decent rapping we might as well just listen to Tosca--smooth beats without all the yapping. These high school kids know this, and they understand that underground hip hop is full of political and thoughtful poets. Having seen many whack emcees and semi-good rappers, these kids want more than anything the ability to deliver a worthwhile message.

The result: one empty didactic song after another. Not that I mind a song that puts me in my place or points out certain things about society, but the emcee just has to know what he/she is talking about. A problem arises when these emcees like to sound clever and thoughtful, but the lack of wisdom and discernment holds them back.

Perhaps they need to be less ambitious and focus more on what is unique to them. Messages, such as "start thinking for yourself," "fuck the government," and "we need to stand up" are delivered, and while a lot of complex ideas are brought forth, none are explained.

Let's put this into perspective. A teen reads a political book, say George Orwell's Animal Farm, and decides to take the mic and write a song about the government. I'm sorry, but while the book may inspire you, much more must be understood before getting into political art. I can certainly appreciate a song on the reaction to the book, but one that tries too hard to teach and instruct usually lacks substance.

I always want to fully understand the message behind each piece of art, and when I listen to those young emcees, I feel they are speaking beyond what they understand. I am very young as well but I know that experience is a big part of knowlege, and speaking through experiece rather than preaching something one learned in a book can be a lot more powerful.

Of course I admire the amount of talent these people have. They are aware of the world and they care about what's going on. However, there needs to be a lot of growing, and they need to recognize that. A humble attitude is important and healthy for any artist, famous or underground.