Jermaine Dupri's Comments on Women; Making the Band; A$AP Rocky

Jermaine Dupri is Hypocritical and Cardi B is Right‍

The hip-hop producer made headlines this week for saying that today's female hip-hop stars are like "strippers rapping." It was a clear shot at Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj, and others. Cardi B quickly clapped back on Instagram and said that she makes the music that people want to hear, and when she tried to do more serious songs like "Be Careful," people didn't like it.

Cardi's response brings up a common irony. People claim that they enjoy high-brow intellectual songs and content much more than they actually do. And the creators of the low brow content often get hated on for it.

But more people watch shows like Vanderpump Rules than shows like The Crown. More people watch Tyler Perry's Madea movies than movies like Moonlight. More people read other hip-hop publications than Trapital. There's a space for everything, and that's ok. The creators of the mass appeal content will always carry a level of responsibility--as they should--but chastising the entire existence of it like Jermaine Dupri did is short-sighted and hypocritical.

Plus, it's not like his So So Def record label was out here creating intellectual masterpieces.

‍Diddy, Don't Bring Back Making the Band!‍

Earlier this week, Diddy said that MTV hit him up to ask if he wants to do a revival of Making the Band, the early 2000s seminal reality show with aspiring rappers trying to break out on Bad Boy Records. The show gave us countless memes like the Top Five Rappers of All Time (Dylan, Dylan, Dylan...), Ness trying to fight everyone, and more.

Diddy posted a short video to Instagram and asked fans to use the hashtag #IWantMyMTB if they want to see it happen. Combs, 49, is seriously considering it.

Should Diddy lean into the nostalgia tip and give these folks what they want?

Trapital recommendation: No, don't do it. Please don't do it.

• Making The Band succeeded because it filled a reality TV void with black hip-hop culture. That void is now dominated by Love and Hip-Hop. MTV's new show would have a lot of ground to cover
• Not all nostalgia marketing is good marketing, especially from MTV. Last year's TRL revival came and went real quick
• Bad Boy was still a force in hip-hop when Making the Band came out. The "I Need a Girl" remixes, Loon, G Dep, and Mario Winans gave the label extended life in the 2000s. But Bad Boy can't pull that same weight today. Besides French Montana, which other artists puts out music that charts?
• A lot of the over-the-top requests and things that made the original show--the fights, Diddy's over-the-top requests for Junior's cheesecake-- are common place in today's reality TV world. These antics won't create the same shock value that they once did

A$AP Rocky detained in Sweden, Nicki Minaj pulls out of Saudi Arabia‍

On July 2, A$AP Rocky was detained in Sweden following an arrest in Stockholm. He was involved in an altercation and has been held up without release ever since. We don't have all the details, but this seems excessive. If he needs to reappear for a court date, then do that. A$AP is a celebrity. He won't be that hard to track down.

As a result, A$AP has had to cancel eleven of his European concerts and festival appearances this month. According to the 30-year-old rapper's lawyers, it has already cost him over $1 million lost revenue. In a sign of solidarity, Tyga, ScHoolboy Q, and Tyler the Creator have cancelled any upcoming shows they have in Sweden.

This past week, Nicki Minaj also cancelled an appearance at a music festival in Saudi Arabia. She took a stand against women's rights and the LGBT community. It's empowering to see rappers use their stage as a platform to stand up for their rights and others--even if it impacts their bottom line. Hopefully it makes a difference.

Free A$AP!​