ARCEE: I’m joined now by the legendary KRS ONE. Some artists take offense to the title legendary. Do you?
KRS-ONE: What a great opening question, Arcee. It’s apparent you’ve spent a considerable amount of time preparing for our conversation. You’ve done so because I am a legend. To consider me anything less would be the real offense.ARCEE: It becomes more and more difficult to teach kids about the history of hip hop with each passing generation. The average 17 year-old hip hop fan was born in 1991, 5 years after Criminal Minded hit shelves. When you put a record out, are you still talking to the average hip hop listener, or to an older core audience?
KRS-ONE: I’d rather not answer that question. So I’ll answer another one. Can a 17 year old who doesn’t listen to KRS ONE be a fan of hip hop? No. Because I am hip hop. If you’re listening to hip hop, you’re listening to KRS-ONE.
ARCEE: But what if that kid has never heard of you or your music? Is he still listening to you?
KRS-ONE: Let me put it another way. Right now, you have the opportunity to ask hip-hop any question you’d like. Because you are speaking to Hip Hop. I, KRS-ONE, am hip-hop. If Hip Hop were a box of crayons, the only colour would be KRS-ONE.
ARCEE: Ok, my bad. Well Hip Hop, my peers and I have grown old of hearing about your four elements: graffiti, b-boying, emceeing and dj-ing. While there is no question that these elements are the foundation of hip hop, is it possible that we need to let go of such a literal interpretation in order for the music to advance?
KRS-ONE: I could answer that question. But the truth is, Hip Hop doesn’t answer to the media. It would actually be more hip-hop of me to cancel the interview and walk out of here.
ARCEE: But if hip hop doesn’t answer to the media, I’d never be able to conduct an interview.
KRS-ONE: That’s precisely why you’re imagining this.
ARCEE: Oh.
