So Old It’s New Again

Exactly what are we to make of Soren Baker’s assertion that the group OutKast “has constantly pushed hip-hop’s stylistic envelope” by “including a harmonica” on one of its singles (“OutKast Proves It’s No Johnny-Come-Lately,” March 26)? Is it evidence of the genre’s paucity of ideas (that such a move could be hailed as a bold creative stroke) or Baker’s ignorance of pop music history?

My guess is that, to justify hip-hop as a totally original music, Baker conveniently ignores all non-hip-hop antecedents in pop. Really, this this envelope was shredded years ago by Dylan, Lennon and Wonder, to say nothing of Borrah Minevitch & His Harmonica Rascals.

GENE SCULATTI

Los Angeles