HIP-HOP At the Crossroads

Ebony, Sept, 2001 by Kevin Chappell

In 1996, at his home in Chicago, Farrakhan hosted and moderated discussions between key rappers from the East and West coasts. At the time, he was the only one deemed powerful enough to get these feuding artists into the same room. It has been said that those meetings marked the end of the bicoastal feuding.

What comes out of the dialog and conversation of the summit, only time will tell. But some observers say at least there is constructive talk and a seemingly cooperative attitude among all involved and a willingness to come up with solutions to problems that continue to plague rap music.

A game plan for the future is being laid. "This is the next level of hip-hop," Combs says.