Eleven Answers: Truce

Because we're trying to put the "art" back in the "form."

Because we remember what it was like when MCs and groups were actually nice, not rehashed facsimiles of one another, giving big ups to each other because they can’t tell each other apart, like they are now.  Because we remember when MCs did it for the love, not for the paycheck.  We remember when rappers had to earn their respect instead of being able to buy it and trick consumers with flashy ads, crazy cover design and guest appearances.  Because we remember when we weren’t embarrassed of our culture’s videos, songs and mainstream representatives—and we remember when there were no mainstream representatives.  We remember when new music was new.  We remember when positive rap had a place in hip-hop.  We remember when Puff Daddy and Jermaine Dupri were two funny looking, up-and-coming producers, the Cash Money Millionaires were the No Limit Soldiers (who in turn were the Dogg Pound, who in turn were the Death Row Inmates, who in turn were N.W.A.), Jay-Z was a quick-tongued quirky rapper down with Original Flavor, Dru Hill was Jodeci and Wu-Tang’s meteoric rise and descent was years away.