KRS-One: “Def Jam Single-Handedly Destroyed Hip-Hop” [With Exclusive Video]

Prior to jumping onstage on Wednesday’s (September 23) Hip Hop Honors, celebrating Def Jam’s 25th Anniversary,
While the teacher expressed his love and respect for the Def Jam brand, he also fingered them as the reason for hip-hop’s demise.
“Def Jam is the dopest label in hip-hop, in the culture of hip-hop,” he said. “There really would be no hip-hop as we know it today if it wasn’t for Def Jam. But you don’t get that respect without also being the label that single-handedly destroyed hip-hop.”
When asked to elaborate KRS had a list of complaints about the storied brand. “Every time you think of what’s wrong with hip-hop, the lyrics, the commercialized music, one artist being played on the radio all day, things like that, that’s all Def Jam,” he continued. “We respect it. It’s a respect cause we all competing, so Def Jam had the hardest competition, but the hardest competition as I showed the respect, I also showed the truth. And the truth is everybody else had to sit down so Def Jam could be who they are.”
KRS joined D.C. up-and-comer Wale and Travis McCoy of the Gym Class Heroes for a rendition of the Beastie Boys’