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Photo by Dorothy Hong
Outspoken hip-hop veteran Talib Kweli isn’t happy with Gene Simmons’ recent remarks that he’s “looking forward to the death of rap.” After the Kiss frontman told Rolling Stone that he’s “looking forward to music coming back to lyrics and melody, instead of just talking,”
Talib Kweli couldn’t resist standing up for the genre. This morning he tweeted, “Would it be unfair of me to say I’m looking forward to the death @genesimmons or nah? Chuck Berry shits on Kiss.” Simmons defended his comments, saying, “apparently pointing out that everything is cyclical – even music – is ‘controversial’. People are very easily offended.” To that, Kweli responded, “Pointing out everything is ‘cyclical’ is different than ‘looking forward’ to things dying. Do better, Gene.”
Kweli’s final word on the matter came in the best way possible: quoting lines from KRS-One’s very appropriately titled 2007 single “Hip Hop Lives.” See his instagram post below.
