When was the last time u heard some brothers playing instruments.was it mint condition, the time ewf, .we black musicians cant get no love because record companies only want thugged out rappers to make money and pimp.yet this rap music that glorfies subhuman conditions such as proverty and ghetto life.we know they are there but do we need to brag about it.some rappers almost champion for living in them, the same way they get street credit for a bullet wound.this is sick.most of the rap songs offer no hope or demise of these conditions,or hope of rising above them.some of the artist even live out there violent dreams, getting the stage confused with the streets.the term thug was once an insult, now it is celebrated with tatoos.only in black urban america.now what are we giving our youth to inspire to b. all they see is rappers and all they hear are gunshot .there once was a time rappers were a little more positive.run dmc, public enemy, but they are considered soft now.how about encouraging the kids to get skilled playing music 4 real.duke ellington and miles would turn over in there graves if u placed todays radio on top of it.
what you young blacks and whites have to say.because im beggining to c u white brothers walking around with your pants hanging off you guys to. this mess is getting contagious.look out white boys the rapping thugs comming at you.

I agree with your comment and yes it is a shame how our people glorify this type of life in music. Children and for that matter adults too need real music to listen to. I don't even listen to the radio anymore-the music that is played is quite simply gross. I mean nothing is off limits anymore-it's just sad .

i say it every few days and i will say it again I CANT STAND NI*#AS no mater what color they may be !!

If we are going to complain about this then it looks like we need to start owning some record labels and distribution companies. Where is the black Warner Brothers? Other races are not going to take responsiblity for our image. We have to do that ourselves.

For every 50 cent there is a Common or Talib that they didn't sign, white buisness men could care less about the stereotypical images that they help perpetuate. It's only about what they feel will make money, and there is more money in sex and violence than trying to promote a rapper with a positive image. They know that.

Hip Hop is missing a balance. Yeah we need the 50 cent because that lifestyle happens.. it's real. The problem is there are more 50 cents than Common's and Chuck Ds out here now, but like I said.. don't expect these major labels to do anything about it. We have to, otherwise complaining and creating anti- rap thread after thread on prince.org does nothing.
[Edited 5/2/06 12:13pm]

Meloh9 said:

I hear you every time we manage to have a record company we sell it.....Berry Gordy? Russell Simmons?

and I love this Quote by Ani Difranco.. I have used it before and I will share it again because I never would have put it this way


It's so maddening to me when people who start criticizing this culture of violence point to rappers and say, this guy is promoting violence, and look at him toting around his guns. Meanwhile, there is an army of white businessmen behind him who are selling this. That one rapper wouldn't begin to have the power to promote violence throughout the society; it takes a whole lot of businesspeople to do that. It's interesting how when people do start pointing fingers, it only goes so far. It rarely seems to hit the actual power structure behind it all.

- Ani Difranco



I say its the major labels. Even back in the day groups like N.W.A were gangsters, but even they had a political message, and so did the Ghetto Boys, they stop signing these kinds of acts. I know plenty of rappers on the underground Hip Hop scene that talk about more than sex and violence.. but unless the majors feel like it is going to make money.. you wont hear this kind of music on the radio.

Meloh9 said:

100% true. We tend to forget that the "Image" is like the Drug, but then Radio and Mtv and BET are like the Pushers of the Drug, and i think the Record companies are like the Cop that looks the other way while all this goes down. I said it before and i will say it again, If they can Fine a radio station for something Howard Stern says then a Record company should get hit with fines every time some artist gets shot, arrested, jailed, whatever it may be, you'll see how fast labels will start looking into a past of an artist before they sign them,

joelmarable said:

More like John Legend. Who, although overrated, is both immensely popular and does not "glorify subhuman conditions".

Meloh9 said:

BREAKING NEWS:Some members of T.I.'s entourage were shot on I-75 here in Cincinnati.T.I.performed @ Bogarts and attended an afterparty @ Club Ritz.There was a situation @ the club which lead to the shooting.That's all the details I have right now.Stop the violence.

as i was saying this rap game is just like thugs on wheels this mess is going round and round wont stop until us blacks do something.

joelmarable said:

Thugs on wheels.....I like that.

joelmarable said:

true that

I'm just saying we get anti - rap threads all the time now. Gangsters run the music buisness. Their is a bigger problem. But I agree a lot of youth think everything is just gravy like it is.