''Continue To Show the World What Hip Hop Can Be''
6:00AM ET July 6th, 2012
Contributor : Erica Moore
A Rocky Williform Company

In a recent interview with VIBE, superstar producer/rapper will.i.am voiced his support for Nicki Minaj. Minaj has taken criticism in some circles for recording dance pop records like "Starships," but will says that she should be allowed to do what she pleases as an artist.

“I’m proud of Nicki," he said. "You can’t listen to this stuff about not being real hip-hop. You gotta go and get it. Whatever the music is called that’s what it’s called whether it’s hip-hop, pop, rock, gospel or a freaking musical, who cares? Nicki is an artist and she is expressing herself. Why limit yourself?”

“Hip-Hop was broadening itself in the ‘90s,” he says. “You had A Tribe Called Quest and Death Row…you had Lauryn Hill singing and rapping. You had Too Short, Outkast, Nas and the Roots. Hip-Hop was broadening itself. Now hip-hop is limiting itself. If hip-hop is going to continue to limit people I say ‘F-ck hip-hop.’ It’s like the most unhealthiest community.”

“People should really be tripping off the fact that all of our hip-hop heroes are dying," he continued. "Heavy D is dead and Erick Sermon recently had a heart attack. And we still talking about Nicki Minaj doing dance music? Get the f-ck out of here. I want Nicki to continue to show the world what hip-hop can be. It doesn’t have to always be about f-cking this stripper girl or getting money. I would rather be interested to hear what Chuck D thinks than some blogger or radio host.”