That's what Jason Gundlach says. Gundlach is a member of Willamette University Hip Hop Congress, a group aimed at promoting social change and cultural awareness through hip hop music. He also performs as part of the hip hop crew The Garden.  
"Hip hop is about freshness, newness, and reinvention," he said. "This aspect of hip hop is reflected neither in the media nor in radio airplay."

Hip Hop Congress is planning Conscious Overdose 2008, a performance that will feature hip hop acts from the West Coast. This year's lineup is headlined by rapper Gift of Gab, of the group Blackalicious. The concert will be held April 12 at Cone Fieldhouse at Willamette University.
"This is the biggest underground hip hop show in Oregon," said Gundlach.

Gundlach's group The Garden consists of five Oregon rappers who perform individually and together. Salemite Jake Espinoza goes by the handle Kid Espi. Gundlach and Lyndon Hansen, also Salem-based musicians, perform as the duo Hot In Pursuit. The final two members of The Garden include Abolish and Amsterdam, both of whom live in Bend.

Gundlach, Espinoza, and Hansen met with Salem Monthly to discuss what hip hop, particularly Northwest hip hop, is about.  

While it is widely known that hip hop originated as a countercultural urban movement, many don't understand that hip hop is a form of countercultural expression that declares, as Gundlach says, "This is where I'm from."  For inner-city African Americans, the violence depicted in their rapping is representative of their experience.  

"A crew is communism at its finest," Hansen said.
The crew is essentially leaderless, with individuals coming together to work on a common goal. This concept is reflected onstage at Garden concerts, as the shows can seem like orchestrated chaos.

Each rapper has a unique style of rapping. For example, the guys describe Espinoza as comfortable and pleasant, the kind of guy a mother would trust her daughter with. Gundlach has a style defined as "cutty," which means he can be quick and witty, crazy and sporadic.  

The live shows are all about having fun. Hip hop groups are active, running around on stage, and sometimes climbing up on each others' shoulders. Hot In Pursuit, for example, has an energetic song titled "High Five"  that creates audience involvement and sets an upbeat tempo.

Salem does not have a venue that would be considered the go-to spot for hip hop. The Garden performs at the Ike Box on occasion, but the crew also does shows throughout Oregon. A look at their calendar for the coming months has them in Portland, Bend, and Eugene, as well as their big Conscious Overdose show.  

Salem-area rappers are interested in developing Salem's hip hop community. Conscious Overdose provides an opportunity for Salem to showcase its hip hop talent. In addition to The Garden, another Conscious Overdose performer, Braille, who performs Christian rap, is also Salem-based.

Braille has opened for James Brown in the past.  
The headliner of Conscious Overdose, Gift of Gab, is one-half of the California duo Blackalicious. This group is legendary within the hip hop world. Ill Insanity is a turntablist trio that was once with the X-ecutioners. Pigeon John is a Southern California rapper who has toured internationally.