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That is today’s question. Let me first say that I always have to commend Jay-Z for giving hip-hop something to talk and think about. But with the new song that he recently released and the interviews that he’s done the last two weeks to support the song, this question is begged.

Recently, Jay-Z unleashed his song “D.O.A.” on the hip-hop community. The track, which stands for “Death of Auto-tune,” takes aim at the overuse of what has become a popular staple in recent hip-hop hits.  ”This is anti-Autotune, death of the ringtone/This ain’t for itunes, this ain’t for sing-a-long,” he raps. Later on in the song, he continues, “I know we facin’ a recession/But the music y’all makin’ gonna make it a great depression.”  After the song caused a bit of a stir on the radio and internet, Jay-Z blew it out by showing up at NYC’s Hot 97 Summer Jam as a surprise guest to perform this past weekend. The industry went nuts. Now, auto-tune is the devil.

Last Monday, interviews with radio personalities such as Angie Martinez further added hype to Jay-Z’s song and comeback. In an interview with Chicago radio station WGCI, Jay-Z called the use of autotune in hip-hop a “gimmick.” He said, “I just think in hip-hop, when a trend becomes a gimmick, it’s time to move on.”