So I was browsing YouTube last night checking out some of the new songs that have been coming out over the past few weeks, and I came across Snoop Dogg’s “Wet.” If you haven’t heard/seen it yet, check it out below.

I thought the song was interesting, definitely a different direction for Snoop. I love The Cataracs and anything they’re involved with, but I couldn’t help but think that this was just a cheap attempt to recreate the success of Lil’ Wayne’s “Lollipop.” Beyond that, the song was pretty inoffensive; I didn’t feel one way or the other about it. Anyway, I’m reading the YouTube comments (my first mistake) and all I see is a bunch of people declaring “hip hop is dead!”, “Snoop sold out by using autotune!”, and asking “where is the old Snoop?” I normally don’t pay any mind to these people, but these negative comments were overwhelming, to the point that I only saw like 2 or 3 people trying to defend the song. This really bugged me.

Look, hip hop IS dead, as far as the mainstream is concerned. Get over it. If you’re a fan of “real” hip-hop, no one is saying that you can’t listen to it, but it isn’t going to be played on the radio, and commercial artists are not going to make that kind of music because it isn’t marketable right now. If you want every artist to sound like Lupe Fiasco, then go buy the Lupe Fiasco album and play it to your heart’s content. Love it or hate it, dance/electronica is the future of mainstream music, and any artist who wants to remain relevant is going to move in that direction. I like Talib Kweli, Rhymesayers, Canibus, etc. as much as anybody, but I don’t expect mainstream artists to make that kind of music unless they are trying to appeal exclusively to the very small niche of nostalgic 90′s hip-hop fans.

As far as autotune goes, I’m really tired of hearing people bitch about it at this point. Autotune is now being used as an instrument, like anything else. It doesn’t devalue music. If you don’t like the sound of autotune, again, don’t listen. Saying that every artist, song, etc. that uses autotune sucks is a ridiculous statement. That’s like saying every song that uses a flute sucks. Okay, you personally don’t like the sound of a flute, but an artist isn’t selling out by using it, you just don’t like how that instrument sounds. Autotune is just another instrument, albeit a very popular one at the moment. Besides, when Snoop used autotune in “Sensual Seduction,” I don’t remember anybody complaining. All of a sudden, it’s a tragedy and his career is over. C’mon.

Finally, “where is the old Snoop?” The old Snoop is in 1994. If you want to hear the old Snoop so badly, go buy Doggystyle. I’m sure you can find it for a very reasonable price on Amazon. Artists evolve over time. Has anyone considered that maybe, after almost 20 years in the business, that Snoop wants to try something new? That maybe he’s tired of making the same music over and over again? Times change so the grind changes. The best artists are the ones who can change with the times and still remain fresh and relevant, constantly reinventing themselves yet still retaining that defining swagger or persona in some form. The ones who stick to one style, no matter what is going on in the world around them, no matter how played out and passe their style becomes, are the ones who end up broke. Say what you want about the “new” Snoop, but at least he isn’t still performing “Gin and Juice” alongside Young MC and Sir Mix-a-Lot at county fairs.

The bottom line is, enjoy music. If today’s mainstream music isn’t your taste, that’s cool. But stop expecting the world to start and stop at your convenience. Most hip-hop fans are still living in 1993-2001. That’s your choice, and as I said, there are plenty of great CDs that you can go out and buy and you can be happy in your time capsule. The rest of the world has moved on to 2011, so let us enjoy today.