Okay so I was browsing a hip-hop website recently and I noticed that nearly all of the videos being promoted had something to do with drugs, guns and/or violence. It seems like these same themes keep getting rehashed and never seem to disappear from rap music. The conspiracy theorist in me often wonders if rap music has been hijacked by the "powers that be" to promote self-destruction to young people of color in urban areas across America. I am shocked that there hasn't been a shift away from the "thuggery" that has been prevalent in rap music for several years since usually trends only last a few years at a time. What gives? Is rap music being used to promote self-destruction? I saw a video clip of kids who were probably between ages 7-8 who were dressed up like gangsters and carrying toy guns. What's going on?

This is an old story.

There is a SEGMENT of the genre, that's nothing more than a modern day...

...Minstrel Show



Music for adventurous listeners

tA

Tribal Records

theAudience said:

This is an old story.

There is a SEGMENT of the genre, that's nothing more than a modern day...

...Minstrel Show



Music for adventurous listeners

tA

Tribal Records

Thanks for the clips. I really liked this movie a lot and of course Radical Man 2045....I wonder if it will ever change though

popgodazipa said:

You know I'm with your...I've been railing against rap on these boards for a minute. I do believe it's more of a socioeconomic oppression rather than just urban youth, although they seem to be more prime to its influences. It really says a lot about black culture that it's even allowed to exist in its present form and for so long. We've lost a generation to its ills.

Yeah I remember learning so much from the music of KRS-1 and others from that era and now rappers these days talk about being ghetto rich and being reckless. Where's the balance? I don't have a problem with mindless music but it seems like there are too many people rapping about the same lame stuff over and over again. It's old already and dumb people try to imitate these folks and then their life is ruined.

SeventeenDayze said:

Okay so I was browsing a hip-hop website recently and I noticed that nearly all of the videos being promoted had something to do with drugs, guns and/or violence. It seems like these same themes keep getting rehashed and never seem to disappear from rap music. The conspiracy theorist in me often wonders if rap music has been hijacked by the "powers that be" to promote self-destruction to young people of color in urban areas across America. I am shocked that there hasn't been a shift away from the "thuggery" that has been prevalent in rap music for several years since usually trends only last a few years at a time. What gives? Is rap music being used to promote self-destruction? I saw a video clip of kids who were probably between ages 7-8 who were dressed up like gangsters and carrying toy guns. What's going on?

Griff has answered those questions for the last 5+ years and counting.

Rap was lost once it was taken off the streets and became a way to make a buck.

musicjunky318 said:

Rap was lost once it was taken off the streets and became a way to make a buck.

tony----thanks for the video, will check it out

Junky----yeah that's the thing, I don't understand why certain black males (cough Jay Z cough) glorify themselves as one way, then they hit 40 and now they are "sophisticated" but how exactly are you supposed to go from poverty to millions WITHOUT breaking the law? This is a dream being sold to people who really think they can do the same thing WHILE breaking the law. It's ridiculous. How did he get away with it?

see, culture has been obliterated

music as a whole is finished, this beast called the pop ascension, which began in 1987, absolutely took reign and destroyed this once beautiful expression called music.....

there is an underlying spirit of feel that began to permeate when I was a teenager, specifically 15, where my heart constantly said things were never going to be the same again......

was this entity of the pop ascension brought forth by what we have come to know in the last couple of years as the ILLUMINATI?.....the answer could be yes, the answer could be no

I know one thing though

the pop ascension was real, it acted as the greatest illusionary presence I've ever seeen, and now we are seeing the debris it has left behind and what this negative force has led to

it has destroyed a wave of premier artists, potential artists, luminaries, one in a generation talent, it took Michael Jackson and sent him into oblivion and everytime I think about it, it takes me back to the moment when the travail began

in regards to Rap Music....

I read this book years ago, a book I've had the opportunity to purchase for myself, and in that book featured the commentary of the forefathers who crafted this music, who blood, sweat, and teared when conceiving

and them forefathers issued a stark warning to the people, as early as 1977-1978, for they knew they had created something noteworthy and profound

they warned if Rap music ever became commercialized, it would be destroyed

and how prophetic their words have played out some 36 years later.......

and yes, it has now become the tool of the oppressor when it was meant to liberate who were trapped by America's social ills

and those who run this country transformed the intent from one of liberation to that of further oppression of the mind

when explicit lyrical content was allowed to be recited on wax, that opened up pandora's box, creating hostility, and generational divide

I've seen not one, not two but THREE generations of youth have been victimized by the influence of what they have heard, and seen, and have internalized these distortions to create their image of themselves and life itself

it's all deliberate

[Edited 10/11/13 3:44am]

SeventeenDayze said:

musicjunky318 said:

Rap was lost once it was taken off the streets and became a way to make a buck.

tony----thanks for the video, will check it out

Junky----yeah that's the thing, I don't understand why certain black males (cough Jay Z cough) glorify themselves as one way, then they hit 40 and now they are "sophisticated" but how exactly are you supposed to go from poverty to millions WITHOUT breaking the law? This is a dream being sold to people who really think they can do the same thing WHILE breaking the law. It's ridiculous. How did he get away with it?

Listen to this Seventeen.

peep Beyond Beats and Rhymes by Bryon Hurt. it's on You Tube in segments. I love Chuck D in this piece, he captures it well, "hip hop hasn't had MEN" as MCs, but rather BOYS who'll bend over and say WHATEVER to go platinum even to the detriment of their own community (Jadakiss says his "daughter has to eat"). it's only a tool of the "oppressor" if he has WILLING participants!

datdude said:

popgodazipa said:

datdude said:

peep Beyond Beats and Rhymes by Bryon Hurt. it's on You Tube in segments. I love Chuck D in this piece, he captures it well, "hip hop hasn't had MEN" as MCs, but rather BOYS who'll bend over and say WHATEVER to go platinum even to the detriment of their own community (Jadakiss says his "daughter has to eat"). it's only a tool of the "oppressor" if he has WILLING participants!

Church!

Right on!

And the participants just lap it up to make a quick buck. Most of them are broke now too.

Empress said:

popgodazipa said:

datdude said: Church!

Right on!

And the participants just lap it up to make a quick buck. Most of them are broke now too.

You're right about the "most of them are broke now" comment! I don't know all of the ins and outs of the music business but can someone explain to me (in plain English) how the record companies shaft the artists over their songs, etc? Doesn't it have something to do with publishing rights, studio fees, etc?

NICE thread!!!!

musicjunky318 said:

Rap was lost once it was taken off the streets and became a way to make a buck.

YEP, the same with hip hop

SeventeenDayze said:

musicjunky318 said:

Rap was lost once it was taken off the streets and became a way to make a buck.

tony----thanks for the video, will check it out

Junky----yeah that's the thing, I don't understand why certain black males (cough Jay Z cough) glorify themselves as one way, then they hit 40 and now they are "sophisticated" but how exactly are you supposed to go from poverty to millions WITHOUT breaking the law? This is a dream being sold to people who really think they can do the same thing WHILE breaking the law. It's ridiculous. How did he get away with it?

Thats because they are not real artists and they dont care about the effect that they have on people. If you go back in time and listen to artists like KRS One and Chuck D they rapped about similiar things but they also tried to educate youth even OUTSIDE of music you will always see MC's like them at school's, in urban communities (I mean in the ghetto) etc speaking to the youth about the real humble beginnings of hip hop. Alot of young people got hip hop/rap twisted but thats because of what is being force fed to them and the shit they hear on the radio. Thats why I was pissed off when people bashed Harry Belafonte for calling out Jay Z. I'm trying to figure out why are people bashing Harry when all he said was THE TRUTH! If you are put in a position to make positive changes and if you are put in a position that can positively influence the youth, WHY NOT DO IT? Especially if you are trying to come off so political and so in touch with the issues and problems that plague everyday people. Why pollute the youth with illusions and bullshit that doesnt exist? Why not influence them to get an education, stay in school, use hip hop positively etc. NONE of these rappers give a damn about influencing the youth, uplifting the BLACK COMMUNITY or keeping it real. All of them are full of shit..

************

I just feel its up to US (the public) to just educate ourselves and our children because otherwise its a lost cause.

SeventeenDayze said:

Empress said:

Right on!

And the participants just lap it up to make a quick buck. Most of them are broke now too.

You're right about the "most of them are broke now" comment! I don't know all of the ins and outs of the music business but can someone explain to me (in plain English) how the record companies shaft the artists over their songs, etc? Doesn't it have something to do with publishing rights, studio fees, etc?

While I don't disagree that the record company makes the large majority of the money off an artist, it also has to do with the artist living beyond their means. You can't buy Ferrari's, jewels, houses in the Caribbean etc and expect to keep all of that shit if you're not consistantly making and selling music. Many of these so-called artists are here today and gone tomorrow and so are their belongings because they don't own any of them and haven't saved a dime.

Empress said:

SeventeenDayze said:

You're right about the "most of them are broke now" comment! I don't know all of the ins and outs of the music business but can someone explain to me (in plain English) how the record companies shaft the artists over their songs, etc? Doesn't it have something to do with publishing rights, studio fees, etc?

While I don't disagree that the record company makes the large majority of the money off an artist, it also has to do with the artist living beyond their means. You can't buy Ferrari's, jewels, houses in the Caribbean etc and expect to keep all of that shit if you're not consistantly making and selling music. Many of these so-called artists are here today and gone tomorrow and so are their belongings because they don't own any of them and haven't saved a dime.

Don't they rent/lease most of that fancy stuff in the first place? I thought most of that stuff was loaners anyway. But you're right, a lot of them don't save. I wonder if rappers had the mentality of say the folks who run those "beauty supply" places, would the hood look totally different these days? Ponder that

mjscarousal said:

NICE thread!!!!

musicjunky318 said:

Rap was lost once it was taken off the streets and became a way to make a buck.

YEP, the same with hip hop

tony----thanks for the video, will check it out

Junky----yeah that's the thing, I don't understand why certain black males (cough Jay Z cough) glorify themselves as one way, then they hit 40 and now they are "sophisticated" but how exactly are you supposed to go from poverty to millions WITHOUT breaking the law? This is a dream being sold to people who really think they can do the same thing WHILE breaking the law. It's ridiculous. How did he get away with it?

Thats because they are not real artists and they dont care about the effect that they have on people. If you go back in time and listen to artists like KRS One and Chuck D they rapped about similiar things but they also tried to educate youth even OUTSIDE of music you will always see MC's like them at school's, in urban communities (I mean in the ghetto) etc speaking to the youth about the real humble beginnings of hip hop. Alot of young people got hip hop/rap twisted but thats because of what is being force fed to them and the shit they hear on the radio. Thats why I was pissed off when people bashed Harry Belafonte for calling out Jay Z. I'm trying to figure out why are people bashing Harry when all he said was THE TRUTH! If you are put in a position to make positive changes and if you are put in a position that can positively influence the youth, WHY NOT DO IT? Especially if you are trying to come off so political and so in touch with the issues and problems that plague everyday people. Why pollute the youth with illusions and bullshit that doesnt exist? Why not influence them to get an education, stay in school, use hip hop positively etc. NONE of these rappers give a damn about influencing the youth, uplifting the BLACK COMMUNITY or keeping it real. All of them are full of shit..

************

I just feel its up to US (the public) to just educate ourselves and our children because otherwise its a lost cause.

Well, I think Harry is right (I gotta check out the video, or maybe someone could post it here). If you're in such a position of influence, why aren't you using it for good? No other race of people makes music and uses racial slurs against their own EXCEPT for black folks. Why? Who are the label owners, accountants, etc. who are the ones calling the shots? I bet most of them are not black and if you dare called them an ethnic slur in a song you wouldn't have much of a career! Imagine if someone rapped about a song that had ethnic slurs against Jews or Italians, do you think it would sell? I really turned off to Kanye West after Golddigger because he had the whole country saying the N word like it was cool. Now, if someone replaced that with any other ethnic group's ethnic slur, it wouldn't see 30 seconds of airplay!

SeventeenDayze said:

mjscarousal said:

NICE thread!!!!

YEP, the same with hip hop

tony----thanks for the video, will check it out

Junky----yeah that's the thing, I don't understand why certain black males (cough Jay Z cough) glorify themselves as one way, then they hit 40 and now they are "sophisticated" but how exactly are you supposed to go from poverty to millions WITHOUT breaking the law? This is a dream being sold to people who really think they can do the same thing WHILE breaking the law. It's ridiculous. How did he get away with it?

Thats because they are not real artists and they dont care about the effect that they have on people. If you go back in time and listen to artists like KRS One and Chuck D they rapped about similiar things but they also tried to educate youth even OUTSIDE of music you will always see MC's like them at school's, in urban communities (I mean in the ghetto) etc speaking to the youth about the real humble beginnings of hip hop. Alot of young people got hip hop/rap twisted but thats because of what is being force fed to them and the shit they hear on the radio. Thats why I was pissed off when people bashed Harry Belafonte for calling out Jay Z. I'm trying to figure out why are people bashing Harry when all he said was THE TRUTH! If you are put in a position to make positive changes and if you are put in a position that can positively influence the youth, WHY NOT DO IT? Especially if you are trying to come off so political and so in touch with the issues and problems that plague everyday people. Why pollute the youth with illusions and bullshit that doesnt exist? Why not influence them to get an education, stay in school, use hip hop positively etc. NONE of these rappers give a damn about influencing the youth, uplifting the BLACK COMMUNITY or keeping it real. All of them are full of shit..

************

I just feel its up to US (the public) to just educate ourselves and our children because otherwise its a lost cause.

Well, I think Harry is right (I gotta check out the video, or maybe someone could post it here). If you're in such a position of influence, why aren't you using it for good? No other race of people makes music and uses racial slurs against their own EXCEPT for black folks. Why? Who are the label owners, accountants, etc. who are the ones calling the shots? I bet most of them are not black and if you dare called them an ethnic slur in a song you wouldn't have much of a career! Imagine if someone rapped about a song that had ethnic slurs against Jews or Italians, do you think it would sell? I really turned off to Kanye West after Golddigger because he had the whole country saying the N word like it was cool. Now, if someone replaced that with any other ethnic group's ethnic slur, it wouldn't see 30 seconds of airplay!

And guess what Jay's response was...."my presence is my charity" and then compared himself to Obama LOL

I couldnt believe he said that in response to the legendary Harry Belonfonte, just disrespectful but NOBODY complained about that. Everyone bagged Harry except for a couple of the brave ones. It IS because of legendary actors and activists like Harry Belonfonte that he is able to sell as many records as he does as a black artist. I mean have some respect, so triflin...

There are a couple of videos on this but I'll pick this one...

He didnt use exactly my words but his implications are the same. When "They Dont Really Care About Us" came out folks rioted MJ because of the Jew slur in the song but black folks use the N word like its nothing on the radio and NOTHING is said... smh. I just feel there is problem in the black community and we need to start speaking up and speaking OUT instead of acting all "Angie Mama" with real issues that need to be addressed. If black people made a issue out of every rap song that says the N word, I really think those songs would get pulled or at least censored. We care about the wrong things...

She tried to tell us:

I wonder why some people think rap is supposed to teach their audience something, when other types of music doesn't get the same kind of comments. There were those people saying heavy metal make their listeners commit suicide or worship Satan, but they still didn't say that it's supposed to teach or uplift the community. I don't hear country fans saying that it causes people to be rednecks or hillbillies, because that isn't the case. Blaming rap for problems is no different than saying that listening to goth music makes someone shoot up a mall or school. Did Batman make that guy shoot up a movie theater? Does going to a soccer game make people riot? More than likely if someone is going to do something, they were going to do it anyway. Since is been said that white people purchase the larger percentage of rap records, why doesn't it effect them in the same way, if it causes behavior.

.

Decades ago folks tried to blame comic books, westerns, rock 'n roll, jazz, "race music", The Beatles, 1950's juvenile deliquent movies, cartoons, flappers, Three Stooges, hippies, etc. They always blame something else. In the 1930's, they came up with the Hayes Code for movies, then there were the Hoover/McCarthy witchhunts. If you listen to old blues and country songs, a lot of them have the same kind of subject matter as a gangsta rap song, but maybe without the profanity. Gangs have existed long before there was even a recording industry. It isn't the job of music to teach anything, that's what books and libraries are for.

MickyDolenz said:

I wonder why some people think rap is supposed to teach their audience something, when other types of music doesn't get the same kind of comments. There were those people saying heavy metal make their listeners commit suicide or worship Satan, but they still didn't say that it's supposed to teach or uplift the community. I don't hear country fans saying that it causes people to be rednecks or hillbillies, because that isn't the case. Blaming rap for problems is no different than saying that listening to goth music makes someone shoot up a mall or school. Did Batman make that guy shoot up a movie theater? Does going to a soccer game make people riot? More than likely if someone is going to do something, they were going to do it anyway. Since is been said that white people purchase the larger percentage of rap records, why doesn't it effect them in the same way, if it causes behavior.

.

Decades ago folks tried to blame comic books, westerns, rock 'n roll, jazz, "race music", The Beatles, 1950's juvenile deliquent movies, cartoons, flappers, Three Stooges, hippies, etc. They always blame something else. In the 1930's, they came up with the Hayes Code for movies, then there were the Hoover/McCarthy witchhunts. If you listen to old blues and country songs, a lot of them have the same kind of subject matter as a gangsta rap song, but maybe without the profanity. Gangs have existed long before there was even a recording industry. It isn't the job of music to teach anything, that's what books and libraries are for.

This discussion isn't about rap music "teaching" anyone as much as it is airing out the fact that this negativity is spouted everywhere that has a direct impact on black youths. Unlike suburban hipster kids whose mommy and daddy have the resources to bail out their kids, the ones who are being 'represented' in rap music (young black kids) are the most vulnerable to the self-destructive mess that's propagated in rap music. There's a huge difference between going through a "phase" versus being a particular race. THAT my friend is the point of this post.

SeventeenDayze said:

This discussion isn't about rap music "teaching" anyone as much as it is airing out the fact that this negativity is spouted everywhere that has a direct impact on black youths. Unlike suburban hipster kids whose mommy and daddy have the resources to bail out their kids, the ones who are being 'represented' in rap music (young black kids) are the most vulnerable to the self-destructive mess that's propagated in rap music. There's a huge difference between going through a "phase" versus being a particular race. THAT my friend is the point of this post.

Did rap music cause this? Did it create the ghetto? Did it create Jim Crow? Does it cause racism? Does it let drugs into the US? Does it cause police profiling? Does it make employees in stores follow black people around? In Africa, there's dictators who are black killing their own people. Is rap the cause of this? Does it make US companies go to other countries to hire cheap sweatshop labor instead of hiring it's own people? Everybody can't go to college. If it was possible for every single kid to go to college, there would be too many people for a limited amount of higher paying jobs. In capitalism, there has to be someone at the top and someone at the bottom for it to work.

MickyDolenz said:

I wonder why some people think rap is supposed to teach their audience something, when other types of music doesn't get the same kind of comments. There were those people saying heavy metal make their listeners commit suicide or worship Satan, but they still didn't say that it's supposed to teach or uplift the community. I don't hear country fans saying that it causes people to be rednecks or hillbillies, because that isn't the case. Blaming rap for problems is no different than saying that listening to goth music makes someone shoot up a mall or school. Did Batman make that guy shoot up a movie theater? Does going to a soccer game make people riot? More than likely if someone is going to do something, they were going to do it anyway. Since is been said that white people purchase the larger percentage of rap records, why doesn't it effect them in the same way, if it causes behavior.

.

Decades ago folks tried to blame comic books, westerns, rock 'n roll, jazz, "race music", The Beatles, 1950's juvenile deliquent movies, cartoons, flappers, Three Stooges, hippies, etc. They always blame something else. In the 1930's, they came up with the Hayes Code for movies, then there were the Hoover/McCarthy witchhunts. If you listen to old blues and country songs, a lot of them have the same kind of subject matter as a gangsta rap song, but maybe without the profanity. Gangs have existed long before there was even a recording industry. It isn't the job of music to teach anything, that's what books and libraries are for.

Whether we want it to or not, rap does "indirectly" influence audiences but my main issue with it is how black people are being falsely exploited. Instead of negatively representing black people, I think the current rappers can positively showcase their strengths whether kids listen to their music or not. Everybody is influence by what they hear and see and form stereotypes and misconceptions so its not just kids that can potentially be affected.

Its not JUST rap music though, its music in general and everything around us (that influences). Your right books and libraries are here to also teach us but music most definitly can also have a great impact on how we view the world around us. It especially has a tremendous impact on young people and is also another source in how they learn and are influence. So yes, by default, it does teach audiences something. I just think its important for certain groups to be educated about what they are listening too. I love hip hop/rap too but I am not going to join a gang or purchase a gun because my favorite rapper said it was "cool" in his rap song but then again I dont think I would leisurely listen to mindless rap music like that unless Im at a club where I dont have control over what is being played lol. Unfornately, other demorgraphics dont have the same education.

[Edited 10/11/13 15:39pm]

GoldDolphin said:

MickyDolenz said:I wonder why some people think rap is supposed to teach their audience something, when other types of music doesn't get the same kind of comments. There were those people saying heavy metal make their listeners commit suicide or worship Satan, but they still didn't say that it's supposed to teach or uplift the community. I don't hear country fans saying that it causes people to be rednecks or hillbillies, because that isn't the case. Blaming rap for problems is no different than saying that listening to goth music makes someone shoot up a mall or school. Did Batman make that guy shoot up a movie theater? Does going to a soccer game make people riot? More than likely if someone is going to do something, they were going to do it anyway. Since is been said that white people purchase the larger percentage of rap records, why doesn't it effect them in the same way, if it causes behavior. . Decades ago folks tried to blame comic books, westerns, rock 'n roll, jazz, "race music", The Beatles, 1950's juvenile deliquent movies, cartoons, flappers, Three Stooges, hippies, etc. They always blame something else. In the 1930's, they came up with the Hayes Code for movies, then there were the Hoover/McCarthy witchhunts. If you listen to old blues and country songs, a lot of them have the same kind of subject matter as a gangsta rap song, but maybe without the profanity. Gangs have existed long before there was even a recording industry. It isn't the job of music to teach anything, that's what books and libraries are for. THANK YOU! U always speak the truth imo!

there's allot of blood on people's hands

I see self destruction every single day in my community

we don't come out the womb, we are not born into this world with self destructive tendency

it is cultivated, tought, encouraged, and we are pointed to that direction

I've seen it transpire since the summer of 1987 when I was 15 years old and you could feel the tidalwave as to what was soon coming forth

but the thing is, there will come a day when we gone all have to wake up and see things exactly for what they are.........

I bet if these young artists who have pursued rap music stress to their music representatives that they will not project self destructive content, that they will not use profanity in their records, then we'll see who's who, and see if they would be given the same opportunity otherwise...

women are now sporting a sea of tattoos on their bodies in these videos and young girls, teenage girls, college age girls, grown women, mature women, women in their 50s and 60s are sporting multi tattoos everywhere in sight.........arms, forearms, wrists, hands, fingers, neck, chest, breasts, shoulderblade, behind the neck, the upper back, the lower back, the entire leg, the upper leg, the lower leg, the calf, the ankle, the feet, toes, stomach.....all of this w/their hair shaved off on the side...............I see it every single day.........wing tattoos, tattoos supposedly representing cultures who don't even represent the tattooed image, flanks, symbols, sentences, paragraphs, anything u can think of.....the whole nine....they have covered up their bodies so much is almost as if you can't even see them

and the only reason they are doing it, is because they see prominent people on tv do it......

women are being masculinized, men are being feminized........

the thug image aint' even real.........it is concocted

that's how bad it's gotten......

[Edited 10/11/13 15:54pm]

MickyDolenz said:

I wonder why some people think rap is supposed to teach their audience something, when other types of music doesn't get the same kind of comments. There were those people saying heavy metal make their listeners commit suicide or worship Satan, but they still didn't say that it's supposed to teach or uplift the community. I don't hear country fans saying that it causes people to be rednecks or hillbillies, because that isn't the case. Blaming rap for problems is no different than saying that listening to goth music makes someone shoot up a mall or school. Did Batman make that guy shoot up a movie theater? Does going to a soccer game make people riot? More than likely if someone is going to do something, they were going to do it anyway. Since is been said that white people purchase the larger percentage of rap records, why doesn't it effect them in the same way, if it causes behavior.

.

Decades ago folks tried to blame comic books, westerns, rock 'n roll, jazz, "race music", The Beatles, 1950's juvenile deliquent movies, cartoons, flappers, Three Stooges, hippies, etc. They always blame something else. In the 1930's, they came up with the Hayes Code for movies, then there were the Hoover/McCarthy witchhunts. If you listen to old blues and country songs, a lot of them have the same kind of subject matter as a gangsta rap song, but maybe without the profanity. Gangs have existed long before there was even a recording industry. It isn't the job of music to teach anything, that's what books and libraries are for.

Truth.

mjscarousal said:

I love hip hop/rap too but I am not going to join a gang or purchase a gun because my favorite rapper said it was "cool" in his rap song but then again I dont think I would leisurely listen to mindless rap music like that unless Im at a club where I dont have control over what is being played lol.

When I went to school, they had us reading Shakespeare and Edgar Allen Poe, which is just as violent and maybe more so. The Grapes Of Wrath had profanity in it. Why is Shakespeare ok, but not rap or video games? What is the difference?

SeventeenDayze said:

Okay so I was browsing a hip-hop website recently and I noticed that nearly all of the videos being promoted had something to do with drugs, guns and/or violence. It seems like these same themes keep getting rehashed and never seem to disappear from rap music. The conspiracy theorist in me often wonders if rap music has been hijacked by the "powers that be" to promote self-destruction to young people of color in urban areas across America. I am shocked that there hasn't been a shift away from the "thuggery" that has been prevalent in rap music for several years since usually trends only last a few years at a time. What gives? Is rap music being used to promote self-destruction? I saw a video clip of kids who were probably between ages 7-8 who were dressed up like gangsters and carrying toy guns. What's going on?

You know the answer to your question already. Yes the "Powers that be" hijacked the artform years ago. Hell, there was even a rap song called 'Self Destruction'. The problem I have though is regardless of how guns, drugs, thuggery, bufoonery, disrepect of women and the lack of taking personal responsibility is glorified in the music, when does being a parent come into play? Why blame the music or any other creative outlet? How come young girls are constantly on Maury looking for their multiple babies daddies? Somewhere down the line parents put their heads in the sand and refuse to come up for air. Because if they do, then they will have no choice but to look into the mirror and blame themselves for not raising their kids with love and discipline and allowing the media to do the their jobs for them. C'mon 7 years old dressed like a gangsta! Mommy and daddy need a serious ass whooping and a visit from the Child Protective Agency. Good thread...Btw

legendofnothing said:

SeventeenDayze said:

Okay so I was browsing a hip-hop website recently and I noticed that nearly all of the videos being promoted had something to do with drugs, guns and/or violence. It seems like these same themes keep getting rehashed and never seem to disappear from rap music. The conspiracy theorist in me often wonders if rap music has been hijacked by the "powers that be" to promote self-destruction to young people of color in urban areas across America. I am shocked that there hasn't been a shift away from the "thuggery" that has been prevalent in rap music for several years since usually trends only last a few years at a time. What gives? Is rap music being used to promote self-destruction? I saw a video clip of kids who were probably between ages 7-8 who were dressed up like gangsters and carrying toy guns. What's going on?

You know the answer to your question already. Yes the "Powers that be" hijacked the artform years ago. Hell, there was even a rap song called 'Self Destruction'. The problem I have though is regardless of how guns, drugs, thuggery, bufoonery, disrepect of women and the lack of taking personal responsibility is glorified in the music, when does being a parent come into play? Why blame the music or any other creative outlet? How come young girls are constantly on Maury looking for their multiple babies daddies? Somewhere down the line parents put their heads in the sand and refuse to come up for air. Because if they do, then they will have no choice but to look into the mirror and blame themselves for not raising their kids with love and discipline and allowing the media to do the their jobs for them. C'mon 7 years old dressed like a gangsta! Mommy and daddy need a serious ass whooping and a visit from the Child Protective Agency. Good thread...Btw

parents can't be blamed for everything....

I'll never forget in the late 80s, actually 1990, Oprah Winfrey held a program about explicit lyrical content

and a women in the audience (when audiences were allowed to participate in discourse), a black mother in the 30s explain specifically how the music her son was listening too was not only changing his behavior but changing his self image and his outlook on life.........she was a working mother, it wasn't like she was neglecting her child.......

parents can't monitor their children 24 hours a day...it's impossible.......

she told the truth, but the people who should have been listening to her didn't want anything to do with what she said....

it's about making billions and exploitation w/out consideration for what's going to happen down the line

in the late 80s, early 90s, in my hometown, you saw young cats not even had reached puberty yet flashing gang signs, because of what was being projected on television and music and video

we had an infiltration of blood and crip activity that swarmed my neighborhood for about 2 years.......

there was no deviation from the music they was listening to, it was all one single genre after it had been hijacked and commercialized......

and of course, the the gang phenomenon excascerbated because of the drug trade pushed in our communities (facilitated by this government), and it could have been stamped out before the 1980s hit, but law enforcement did not want it to cease......

but as the famous words say "the chickens will come home to roost" sooner or later, more like sooner because it's roosting now