Rap & The Black Community
So yesterday I was taking a break at work and me a co-worker were having a conversation about the music we like. It turned out we both like hip-hop, especially hip-hop with a "message". He mentioned that he liked older rap because "back then rappers were saying something." We both agreed that nowadays most rap is about having money, getting girls, and violence. Then he said "this is destroying our black communities."
It should be pointed out that I'm African-American. He is of Haitian decent and being that his parents were in government (i think) he has lived in Europe and other parts of the world. I mention this because we are both educated black men and we have different opinions on this subject.
I think the statement "[Rap music} is destroying our black communities" is totally false. I know that the subject matter in a lot of rap music today is misogynistic, violent, and it glorifies crimes. With that said, I don't blame rappers for any of what is going on in black communities. I say this because black communities have been in bad shape since before most of today's rappers were born, so they shouldn't be blamed for these conditions.
The argument can be made that rappers aren't helping the situation because they are glorifying it and profiting from it. I agree 100% with that argument. Am I mad at rappers for doing this? Nope. Some might ask, "how you can not be mad at rappers for this?". That is definitely a good question.
To answer that question I'm going to ask another question: why should I be mad? Rappers use their god given talent to get out of the very situations that they write about in their music. I realize a lot of what they say may shine a negative light on the community but if they don't say it then who will? I mean maybe if somebody other than rappers were talking about what was going on in the black community then maybe something would be done to improve the black community.
The point I'm trying to make is why would I be upset at rappers for making the best out of a bad situation. Should they just stay quiet and stay poor? That would be stupid. Rappers need to keep doing what they are doing and keep getting that money. They need to get as much of it as possible and then maybe they'll help the black community. Nobody else seems to want to.
- D Weezy's blog
- Login or register to post comments
- 875 reads
no..they didn't destroy the hood
but they aren't help build the walls either. I respect Common and Kanye somewhat..but people like Nas and Mos Def have nothing but love from me...because their music changes stuff and keeps it positive.
All the rest of the rappers do is shine the spotlight harder on the hood and confirm racist opinions. They don't even help. But then again I have a theory that a good rapper will spit so many lines on bunk and sing the white man company line..but when they garner enough do ..they stop talking about pimps and hoes and get to the real issues. Jay -Z being an example of this.
Rappers...
I agree that they shine the spotlight harder on the hood. I don't know that confirm racist opinions as much they report what they see in their neighborhood. It's not a racist opinion if it's really happening.
The thing I was trying to convey in my post is what you said about Jay-Z. Like you said he is the perfect example, he talked about selling drugs and going to jail to gain fame and fortune. Now he uses that fame to do good things. Why should we criticize less acclaimed rappers for doing the same thing? To me it falls into the "any means necessary" category.
DivaJ: More on rappers
As for socially conscience rappers like the ones you mentioned (Common, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Dead Prez and many others), they will tell you that they aren't making nearly as much money as the fluff artists out there (Nelly, Three 6 Mafia, even Busta Rhymes to name a few). The reason for this is because they don't sell as many albums.
I agree that all socially conscience rappers are better artists than the fluff artist that I mentioned. The fact is though when it comes down to it all of these dudes started rhyming so that they could make money. Unfortunately being a fluff artists gets you a lot more money than being socially conscience.
As for Nas, let's not forget his best album, Illmatic, pointed out a lot of what goes in the black community and offered little on how to change things. Now granted Nas is one of the best lyricists ever so he deserves a lot more respect than the rappers out today.
I could also make the argument that Nas' career was resurrected when he got into his battle with Jay-Z. That's an issue for another blog. I just don't want you to forget that Nas started out just like all these rappers that are "shining the spotlight harder on the hood".
true D Weezy
In fact .. I once put Nas in the category of Jay -Z based on listening to his early stuff though. You made a good point there.
why people love Scarface?
Bottom line is rappers do not make up stuff. They talk about what goes on their communities therefore they are loved by the hood. You need variety. I love Kanye and Nas, but whatever I do not want to listen to that all the time. Sometimes I want to here some M.O.P. or some old Mobb Deep or Get Rich or Die Trying. Just some gansta shit. Ask yourself why people love Scarface and you will know why people like so called violent they like rap music.
Some rappers do make stuff up
I think some rappers do make stuff up, like Master P. He has all those songs about breaking out of jail and songs about killing people. Obviously, if he did break out of jail or kill people he wouldn't have the opportunity to be in the studio producing albums - not that he is anymore (thankfully).
I don't thnink that rap music is "destroying" communities, but it can have a negative affect on children who idolize these rappers. If a child looks up to Master P, for example, he may not realize that the stuff this rapper is saying is strictly for show. This child may want to immitate his idol.
Or what about P's song "Make Crack Like This", I guess you could argue that songs like that really are bad for the community. That totally gives the wrong message to everybody.
But, at the same time, most people won't buy a rap Cd if it has "uplifing content". I can imagine a rapper going platinum for saying, "I give women respect. I open my girls car door. Drugs are bad. Please go to church. Don't swear."
I guess that's just how society is. And if you try to argue that rappers could make it big with this positive message, look at all the Christian rappers. Can you name any of them? If you can, can their income even compete with that of even the lesser-paid main stream rappers?
Give Your Opinion on the HOTTEST DEBATES:
http://realitycheck.bloggerparty.com
I don't think rap music is
I don't think rap music is destroying the black community, but I def think it's part of the problem.
See to people like us-mid 20's, college educated, working class-we're able to seperate fact from fiction.
We're also able to listen to the music and know "Well thats one path of life, I don't have to take it."
But for millions of kids that are growing up poor, father/motherless, that concept is a lot harder to impart onto them. They see things they want but can't have, and then hear this music telling them "one path" they can take to get it and it seems much easier/quicker then 16+ years of school and struggling.
Little do they know.
While I wish rappers would/could be more educational/positive, it doens't sell records and I understand that to them, it's really just another hustle and like weezy said, I can't be mad at them for that. It's not their JOB to raise other people children...but if they cared as much as they said they cared, they would be more conscience about the stuff they say.
With that being said, there are stats(or were a few years ago) that say more white kids buy rap music then blacks. I know thats probably because they didn't/couldn't track the number of albums sold boot legged, but my point is, if whites are making up 50% of sales, why isn't rap music destroying the white community?
Because it's not the music. it's lack of family support that is destroying our community. And if we could figure out how to fix that...a lot of our problems would be solved.
rap and the destructioin of the black community!
Some excellent points are being made that the world is unfarily singling out rappers with respect to them making up the stories in the lyrics. Country and Western singers, and virtually every creative artist for that matter that plays an instrument--will make up a story and tell it.
What no one has really touched on is the spiritual aspect of music---and how it affects all of us on that level. White kids are in fact affected by Rap Music. They simply have a different cultural support system to fall back on. There are more seams in their saftey net, than what African American youth can expect to find.
Most black youth can relate to the lyrics on a personal level--and therefore are affected moreso on that level as a result. The world has been conditioned to see the rap artist and his image as menance, whereas the world can take the image of an 'Eminem' as about as serious as a grain of salt.
Personally, I have no respect or like for the 'Eminems'' of the world. This is simply a repackaged deal. Give it time, and this young fella will turn his back on the culture that made him rich.
Support systems
You talk about us being mid-20's, college educated, working class and how we are able to separate fact from fiction. I say that is true, but I would counter by saying we have been listening to rap music since we were little kids.
So what makes us different from the kids who chose the violent path. It's like you said we had the right kind of support system and they didn't. This is why I don't agree when you say that rap is part of the problem. Talking about the problem, which is what rap does, is not the problem. The problem is like you said there aren't enough support systems in the black community.
Making Stuff Up
Oh and on the topic of rappers being part of all they're lyrics-
I agree with reality on this one...while I'm sure some of them do/have done/have seen some shit, there's no way that all those guys do all that stuff.
Thats another problem with rap music in the eyes of youth that bugs me.
Rap music is a form of Oral Tradition..and yes the tradition has changed a lot but the fact is, back in the day when people would sit around fires and such telling stories they were just that-stories to entertain. To feed the mind.
Why then does every rapper have to come from an incredibly violent background to write about incredibly violent topics? Because if he doesn't he's "not real."
To me that's bullshit. We let actors "play" roles. Authors can write about children being raped, or gangsters beating the shit outta snitches with bats. Hell watch Hostel. And tell me if you think those actors, writers, directors have done any of that shit?
Look at rock stars and pop stars...if the backstreet boys were having their heart broken as much as they sang about it, those muthafuckas would be wearing white face paint and rocking trench coats.
So why do all other entertainers get a pass, but for some reason, rappers can't rap about "stories" in their mind?
Rap Credibility
To answer your question about why rappers can't rap about stories in their mind, I say it's because there are actual rappers who have lived through what other rappers are just writing about.
Obviously this happens in every genre, but the thing with rap is that rappers call each other on it. Somewhere along the line in rap's history it became a necessity for a rapper to go through certain things in order for his music to be credible. Credibility plays a huge role, for better or worse, in the success of a rapper.
A reality behind the rap!
Good point about the Backstreet Boys! I cut my teeth on jazz, but I like all kinds of music. What led me to jazz and funk back in the day--was that these cats could play an instrument. Much of the economic background of rap music ain't controlled by the African American. This puts it in the hands of those who make billions off of "Black Misery".
What I've pointed out to my sons, is that once the rap artist gets a taste of the "American Dream", everything after that point in a sense becomes a sell-out. The American Dream is an extraordinary phenomenon. If you could see behind the scenes, these folks live on top of the hill---their kids attend the finest schools---they have the best lawyers---the best financial plans---and the neighborhoods they live in reflect that finest that life has to offer in this realm.
Now, the same goes for a rock star, a rap star, a jazz musician, a mafia boss, a federal judge etc. They all live side by side in the neighborhoods that embellish the "American Dream."
Even jazz, is a by-product of the misery of a culture oppressed. Take any music, of any time period, and you have a window into the 'soul' of the times. Take away the misery and oppression of a people, and the poetry of the soul will change accordingly.
I do not mean that they do
I do not mean that they do not make up things about their own lives. I mean that they dont make up stuff that does not go on in their neighborhoods. Snce I am STILL hungover, I cannot elaborate.