What do you think?

http://www.youtube.com/wa...V2XBNl5604

Don't really appreciate the overall insinuation that stereotypical imagery is sold exclusively to white people, which is how he finished the poem. (Don't even come with that "_ _% of CDs are purchased by white people" because non-whites are sold on the same imagery). Can't really get around this discussion of race considering the content of the poem!

But that's a minor detail compared to the overwhelmingly thoughtful message he has put out regarding the "price" for selling one's image out to a stereotype, no matter what it is you are catering to (artists of certain gender do this, and non-heterosexual artists do as well).

Cinnie said:

its not sold EXCLUSIVELY to whites but its no denying that they have HISTORICALLY been interested and entertained by it and I feel that some have no problem with blacks defining themselves and reducing themselves to that stereotype

LoveAlive said:

Oh, I agree, how could one deny Minstrelsy? I am often sickened by a lot of the same gimmicks artists choose to put into their work. It gets monotonous. I wouldn't mind seeing more abstract artists be recognized. I guess there isn't a market for that?

The same gimmicks could be used to sell any song or artist image.

I think the flashiness, "making someone envious of my bank account" which the poet had a line about, the idea of someone acting tough has far more to do with how people feel about masculinity or the pursuit of power. It's not too far from the same Type A personality traits that regular old office managers aspire to embody.

These types of ideals would appeal to any race or gender who lives in the American work/consumption culture of "keeping up with the Joneses". Drug dealing is currently used in rap to describe the pursuit of power, and if you believe some of those artists, was ACTUALLY a means to pursuing money. If you look back at the history of songwriting, the best artists were telling stories that may not have completely reflected their life but were great depictions, so the discussion of authenticity to one's history is moot, IMHO.

Drug trafficking is actually something that goes on that is NOT contained to a certain race or community. It is a reality that only rap artists seem to comment on.

That said, whatever could be said about the "irony" of selling drugs in the struggle for hope and peace and fortune is totally played out, at least in the genre of rap. So when this imagery starts getting criticized I usually agree! It hasn't been said in a new way for a long time. Hell, I'd listen to Feist sing a song about dealing drugs if it was done creatively.


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[Edited 2/1/08 12:37pm]