Onyx

Onyx shared their thoughts on Hip Hop’s evolution of style and sound in this VladTV exclusive. The rappers express that while Hip Hop’s sound has always showed progression through the years, the past three years have shown no growth. Fredro Starr mentions while touring internationally, they haven’t been hip to the current sounds in American rap music, but it’s often the same when they do get a chance to hear it. As for the fashion trends in the genre, Jones and Starr says everyone is welcome to wear what they prefer. Since they were ridiculed for wearing baggy pants and shirts during their heyday, the process has come full circle with others slamming the youth for wearing tighter clothes. When it comes to their music, Starr calls the group the new Run-DMC for their ability to perform with any other act and still put on a memorable show.

Onyx spoke with VladTV Battle Rap Journalist Michael Hughes about the payment that battlers currently receive, and also how violence should have no role in Battle Rap or Hip-Hop in general. Fredro Starr specifically stated that he thinks battlers should get paid “way more” than what they are making right now, and spoke on a few ways to increase the overall revenue produced from the lyrical sport. He believes that the individual purse which battlers are given will only increase over time as the demand to watch the sport continues to grow. They then discussed violence in Battle Rap and how it really should have no place in Hip-Hop at all. Fredro didn’t want to name any names, but he stated that the first person who really brought violence into Battle Rap is responsible for the continued incidents that have occurred over the years. Sticky Fingaz then threw in a clever subliminal hint at who was being spoken about.