"Hip Hop: Art or Poison?"....Those Are My Only Choices?
Yesterday Im online making my rounds to the various news sites to see whats going on in the world when I come across a report that CNN's Paula Zahn is doing entitled "Hip Hop: Art or Poison?". I decided to TiVo it and see what CNN had to say about hip hop, knowing full well what was going to be said. It discussed the roots of the hip hop culture briefly, boiling it down to the South Bronx, Run DMC, Beastie Boys, and LL Cool J. Nevermind the influences at the start of Melle Mel, Grandmaster Flash, or Sugarhill Gang. The Hip Hop of the 90's got boiled down to 2 Pac, Biggie, and Jay Z. I understand the show is only an hour, but please lets not oversimplify it like that. The duration of the hour talked about the hip hop lifestyle, the jewelry, the cars, the money, the women. Oh and I cant forget the misogyny, homophobia, and the violence. Then like every news show on the 24 hour outlets they had their talking heads debating the topic at hand. And for the most part they were on point with their comments.
As someone who loves hip hop it is very frustrating to me to see reports like this because they are all the same talking about the same thing reinforcing the same qualities about what is getting airplay. Why not go a different direction and do a report on the positivity and creativity in hip hop? One of the talking heads was Michael Eric Dyson, and in one the segments he made reference to Common, Talib Kweli, and Mos Def as artists that had something to say...kudos. But then in another segment he said concious rappers need to get better beats. Really? Sorry, Prof Dyson I have to disagree. As a counterpoint you may want to pick up a copy of the new K-Os album or take a listen at his website: http://www.k-osmusic.com/home.asp. Then tell me they need to improve their beats. I will give CNN credit for including Byron Hurt's film on hip hop in their report.
Im not saying that we should turn a blind eye to the ills of hip hop. In Talib Kweli's new song More/Less, he puts it best, "More rap songs that stress purpose with less misogyny and less curses/Lets put more depth in our verses till they're left at the surface". We know the stereotypes of hip hop because thats what MTV, VH1, BET, and the major record labels are putting out there because it sells. Thats what the white suburban kids want, they want the drugs, the misogyny, and the violence in the music they listen too. 80% of all rap albums sold are bought by white kids. And the record execs of the major labels are white. So to me the logical question becomes shouldnt some of the blame fall upon the execs? Institutional racism? And what does that say about white society? And we're suprised that some priveleged white kids at Duke could be capable of raping a black female? Granted the case turned out to be a farce, but its the underlying issue. Theyre not going to actively promote an album that points out the fact that white execs are running it....ahem The Rape Over (circa "The New Danger" Mos Def). Perhaps if we as a society are appalled at what these rappers on the radio are saying to our children we should take some personal responsibility and monitor what is on their iPod and expose them to other types of music or artforms, maybe point out to them that that lifestyle in surreal. Instead of blaming the rappers, Russell Simmons, or the media, we should take some responsibility and be the adult in our children's lives and be responsible for them and what is shaping their minds.
I am part of the population that has long been fed up with what is on the radio and cant remember the last time I turned or a hip hop station to see what was being played. In my opinion mainstream hip hop is a neo-minstrel show. If you dont think so, go watch the Spike Lee joint Bamboozled and tell me it doesnt fit as an overlay for mainstream hip hop. Mos Def is right, "Hip Hop...modern times...glossy and raw so self-absorbed and immature I cant remember being this bored". And thats what mainstream hip hop has become, a Fake Bonanza. To me, the shit played on the airwaves is inconsequential and we should not be surprised that is what is being bought and sold. Its a shame that the real MCs like Kweli, K-Os, J Live, Mos Def, Common, to name a few are not geting their due. Its a shame that we as a society cant turn on the radio and hear MCs that have someting to say and could possiblely expand our minds. Its a shame "Hip Hop is dead".
As someone who loves hip hop it is very frustrating to me to see reports like this because they are all the same talking about the same thing reinforcing the same qualities about what is getting airplay. Why not go a different direction and do a report on the positivity and creativity in hip hop? One of the talking heads was Michael Eric Dyson, and in one the segments he made reference to Common, Talib Kweli, and Mos Def as artists that had something to say...kudos. But then in another segment he said concious rappers need to get better beats. Really? Sorry, Prof Dyson I have to disagree. As a counterpoint you may want to pick up a copy of the new K-Os album or take a listen at his website: http://www.k-osmusic.com/home.asp. Then tell me they need to improve their beats. I will give CNN credit for including Byron Hurt's film on hip hop in their report.
Im not saying that we should turn a blind eye to the ills of hip hop. In Talib Kweli's new song More/Less, he puts it best, "More rap songs that stress purpose with less misogyny and less curses/Lets put more depth in our verses till they're left at the surface". We know the stereotypes of hip hop because thats what MTV, VH1, BET, and the major record labels are putting out there because it sells. Thats what the white suburban kids want, they want the drugs, the misogyny, and the violence in the music they listen too. 80% of all rap albums sold are bought by white kids. And the record execs of the major labels are white. So to me the logical question becomes shouldnt some of the blame fall upon the execs? Institutional racism? And what does that say about white society? And we're suprised that some priveleged white kids at Duke could be capable of raping a black female? Granted the case turned out to be a farce, but its the underlying issue. Theyre not going to actively promote an album that points out the fact that white execs are running it....ahem The Rape Over (circa "The New Danger" Mos Def). Perhaps if we as a society are appalled at what these rappers on the radio are saying to our children we should take some personal responsibility and monitor what is on their iPod and expose them to other types of music or artforms, maybe point out to them that that lifestyle in surreal. Instead of blaming the rappers, Russell Simmons, or the media, we should take some responsibility and be the adult in our children's lives and be responsible for them and what is shaping their minds.
I am part of the population that has long been fed up with what is on the radio and cant remember the last time I turned or a hip hop station to see what was being played. In my opinion mainstream hip hop is a neo-minstrel show. If you dont think so, go watch the Spike Lee joint Bamboozled and tell me it doesnt fit as an overlay for mainstream hip hop. Mos Def is right, "Hip Hop...modern times...glossy and raw so self-absorbed and immature I cant remember being this bored". And thats what mainstream hip hop has become, a Fake Bonanza. To me, the shit played on the airwaves is inconsequential and we should not be surprised that is what is being bought and sold. Its a shame that the real MCs like Kweli, K-Os, J Live, Mos Def, Common, to name a few are not geting their due. Its a shame that we as a society cant turn on the radio and hear MCs that have someting to say and could possiblely expand our minds. Its a shame "Hip Hop is dead".
posted by ndnokayplayer at 12:19 PM
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