How The Mainstream Polluted The River of Hip Hop
It was only a matter of time before I attacked the current state of Hip Hop culture. And yes, I do think that Hip Hop culture, particularly Rap, has reached the nadir of its existence. So, due to the immense amount of thoughts I have on Hip Hop culture, this isn't going to look like a blog, but rather an essay. Yup, its that serious. But since when do my blogs, not look like essays?
Correction
I'm really tired of looking at my iTunes options and seeing Hip Hop and Rap under the category: Genre. Hip Hop is not a genre. Hip Hop is a culture. Here's a little education for those folks who don't know its history. Hip Hop (which originated in The Bronx of New York City) began as a cultural institution that consisted of a DJ, an emcee, break-dancing and graffiti art. In today's world, people use Hip Hop and Rap interchangeably which is wrong. Rap is the genre of music. Its definitely true that graf-art has significantly diminished from Hip Hop because of laws in the U.S. that stipulated spray painting, or applying mediums to surfaces, to public property was/is a federal offense. Although its still done, its mostly done in foreign countries where the local authorities deem graffiti-art as negligible. Graffiti art is beautiful. I've seen some beautiful pictures of graf-art in Singapore and the detail was amazing. Graf-Art's original purpose, to express and articulate the frustrations of the underclass, working class, oppressed, maligned and neglected people, shared many similarities with the original purpose of Rap. Unfortunately, those uses of the art forms have crept away from the culture and are no longer an intricate part of Hip Hop. So if you're an organized person and likes to assort their music: Do not put anything under the genre of Hip Hop. And someone needs to school these companies on Hip Hop so they cease making the same mistake they've been making for too long.
Affluence
Every time I see a Rap video, there are glaring images of gawky chains, watches, and wrists bands laden with diamonds, gold and platinum. Those who are Hip Hop savvy would call this, "ice". There are also extremely rare renditions of cars, expensive clothing, boats, planes, motorcycles and large houses. Again, those who are Hip Hop savvy would call this, "doing it big". Yeah, right. This is definitely ridiculous. Aside from the fact that the majority of the things you see in these videos are rented, including the "ice", it makes absolutely no sense to have these things. I wonder to myself what these so called rappers would be without their fancy clothes and glaring images of dollar signs. If you ask me, I think these people actually use their monetary resources as a sense of affirmation. And thats a shame. Your ascension through the Hip Hop ladder is defined by how much money you accrue. Really? It has absolutely nothing to do with your talent, journey, personality, background, work ethic and positive contributions to the culture. Its all about the money. It is definitely frightening when almost every Rap "artist" equates money with happiness. And too many people are entering the Rap "game" just for the money. There is no respect or appreciation for the art form and that is seen by the content of the music. But I'll get into that later...
Vice
How many Rap songs have you heard, when there isn't a mention of drugs, prostitution/pimping, or killing? You'd probably say very few; maybe even none. <----Problem. Almost every Rapper, and specifically gangsta Rappers, allude to some sort of immoral behavior in their rhymes and glorify it. How is that at all positive? I don't want to hear about how you were so marginalized and underprivileged, that you sought out the informal economy and sold self-destructive substances to your own people as a means of survival. Nor do I want to hear how many "hoes" you have and how many times you've manipulated and objectified women to such a degree that they've become less than human beings in your perception and even sources of income. I do not want you to celebrate your manhood in a song by confirming how many women you've "knocked-off" in an effort to prove that you're a better "man" than I and others. I'm tired of hearing you rhyme about how many lives you taken or the ability you have to take another person's life. I don't care if you're a rabid, ruthless, unmerciful and inhumane murderer and you care very little, or none at all about the lives and well-being of people other than your own. Cutting someone's head off, does not impress me. I am not taken aback by your prowess to pursue women with no respect to their humanity at all. I will never be enamored with your shrewd methods of evading those who "protect and serve" and retrieve substances, then use them as commodities in the neighborhoods populated with people who look just like you. I'm sorry.
Male Chauvinism
Sigh.... I think this one pains me a little more than others. It really saddens me how we treat our women in Hip Hop culture. I've seen a innumerable amount of music videos, you tube videos, TV Shows and films related to Hip Hop culture that completely objectify women . Females in Hip Hop are, for the most part, treated as voluptuous pieces of steak that one can order and consume at their own disposal. There is absolutely no respect. Scantily clad, promiscuous, submissive and hyper-sexualized women should not be a palpable image in Hip Hop. All that does is communicates messages to our young women that their bodies are the most significant part of their person hood. They must succumb to the will of men and wait on the whims of their male-counterparts, especially those who have ridiculous amounts of money and resources. Are you serious? Women are not pieces of meat. And they shouldn't be treated as such. You can add the lyrical content to the mix as well. I've heard too many times in rap songs, incendiary lyrics that imply women are only objects to be pursued for entertainment and sex. And this has too much to do with the themes of masculinity associated with Hip Hop culture. Its deplorable by all means. Yet, rap songs are decorated with content that suggest women are inferior beings only to be thought of as sources of male affirmation. Misogyny is pervading Hip Hop in a sad way. Thats why you see all these girls shaking their tales in videos and dance competitions. It's because they want the male audience to be receptive and the current culture of Hip Hop has taught the male conscious to only respond to the bodies of women.
The Content
The lyrical content of Rap has definitely reached the depths of stupidity and ignorance. Almost every rapper assimilates these bubble gum rhymes in their songs that actually say nothing. All I hear, are well thought out metaphors and similes that I cannot relate to, at all. The content of rap music has increasingly become inane. None of these "artists" are actually devising songs that are worthy of appreciation. In mainstream rap, there are hardly any songs that I'll keep in my library and deem them as classics so I can listen to them when I'm wallowing in a rocking chair. I don't want to be 40 in my family van with my wife and children, and the radio plays one of these throwback rap songs and I'm galvanized by the mentioning of it. What would I look like parading to the beat and lyrics of "I Get Money" in front of my 12 year old daughter? I'll answer that for you. Stupid. And thats what most Rap consumers (and I don't mean only financial consuming but the act of consuming) look like now while listening to that stuff. Though, the majority of them are more ignorant than stupid. I'm all for the freedom of speech. Hell, I definitely need it. But the problem with the lyrical content of rap is that there is an overwhelming amount of people who internalize what these guys are saying. Consequently, they behave and act in ways that are reflecting of what they're listening to. If Rap can influence your dialog in the profound way that is does most people's, imagine what kind of people we'd have walking around if rappers actually incorporated real dialect and significant ideas in their music. Not only would it be extremely creative, but the original purpose of Rap would begin to float again. To uplift.
The lyrical content of Rap has definitely reached the depths of stupidity and ignorance. Almost every rapper assimilates these bubble gum rhymes in their songs that actually say nothing. All I hear, are well thought out metaphors and similes that I cannot relate to, at all. The content of rap music has increasingly become inane. None of these "artists" are actually devising songs that are worthy of appreciation. In mainstream rap, there are hardly any songs that I'll keep in my library and deem them as classics so I can listen to them when I'm wallowing in a rocking chair. I don't want to be 40 in my family van with my wife and children, and the radio plays one of these throwback rap songs and I'm galvanized by the mentioning of it. What would I look like parading to the beat and lyrics of "I Get Money" in front of my 12 year old daughter? I'll answer that for you. Stupid. And thats what most Rap consumers (and I don't mean only financial consuming but the act of consuming) look like now while listening to that stuff. Though, the majority of them are more ignorant than stupid. I'm all for the freedom of speech. Hell, I definitely need it. But the problem with the lyrical content of rap is that there is an overwhelming amount of people who internalize what these guys are saying. Consequently, they behave and act in ways that are reflecting of what they're listening to. If Rap can influence your dialog in the profound way that is does most people's, imagine what kind of people we'd have walking around if rappers actually incorporated real dialect and significant ideas in their music. Not only would it be extremely creative, but the original purpose of Rap would begin to float again. To uplift.
The Ploy
Well, it seems like every southern rapper is doing it nowadays and its working. Shoot, Hip Hop moguls would say Rap is flourishing right now and the culture has purged the pit falls of Hip Hop with refreshing and creatively new ideas. Yeah right. Every new rapper is doing the same thing. Get some hypnotic beat with a catchy chorus and throw a dance on that thing. Think about every new rap song thats out and tell me if it does not have those elements. Right. What the capitalists pigs atop the Hip Hop ladder see is an ignorant ass demographic who is enticed by the idea of seeing modern day minstrel shows like T-Pain and Plies take over your TV Screens and iPods. Thats how they're making all their money. They are recycling the same images and themes, that I've mentioned in this blog, that appeal to certain groups of people. Sad....And people are falling for it. Those guys with ties and suits that tell people like Rick Ross to actually go and buy diamond necklaces to help to create that image should be held culpable. But nobody thinks about them. Bottom line. Ignorance is making Rap money. It might be a lucrative vocation for the rappers, but its only self-destructive for the consumers and draining Hip Hop of its beauty.
Well, it seems like every southern rapper is doing it nowadays and its working. Shoot, Hip Hop moguls would say Rap is flourishing right now and the culture has purged the pit falls of Hip Hop with refreshing and creatively new ideas. Yeah right. Every new rapper is doing the same thing. Get some hypnotic beat with a catchy chorus and throw a dance on that thing. Think about every new rap song thats out and tell me if it does not have those elements. Right. What the capitalists pigs atop the Hip Hop ladder see is an ignorant ass demographic who is enticed by the idea of seeing modern day minstrel shows like T-Pain and Plies take over your TV Screens and iPods. Thats how they're making all their money. They are recycling the same images and themes, that I've mentioned in this blog, that appeal to certain groups of people. Sad....And people are falling for it. Those guys with ties and suits that tell people like Rick Ross to actually go and buy diamond necklaces to help to create that image should be held culpable. But nobody thinks about them. Bottom line. Ignorance is making Rap money. It might be a lucrative vocation for the rappers, but its only self-destructive for the consumers and draining Hip Hop of its beauty.
Dear Consumers,
You've been had! You've been tricked! Led astray! Hoodwinked! Bamboozled!
And you know what? I charge the Rapping Man. Brothers and sisters, I'm here to tell you that I charge the Rapping Man with being the most misogynistic person on earth. I charge the Rapping Man with being the most volatile on earth. I charge the Rapping Man with being the most degrading man on earth. I charge the Rapping Man for feeding you garbage for nearly over 20 years. I charge the Rapping Man for rhyming about lifestyles that most of you will never have. I charge the Rapping Man with serving you utter and complete filth. I charge the Rapping Man for treating your women with no respect or dignity. I charge the Rapping Man for depriving your and my kind, of valuable music. He can't deny the charges. You can't deny the charges. I'm here to tell you, that I charge the Rapping Man. And he needs to stop jiving.
Sincerely, Choir Boy.
P.S.:
Malcolm X was the isht
Parting Thoughts:
Do I care too much?
Nope. The problem arises when I don't care enough.
I'm soooo ready for the summer to come.
I've fallen in love with stir fry.
I hope next semester will be very fruitful for me.
Oh yeah, since this blog was so dense, I wanted to leave you all with something funny.
http://www.superdeluxe.com/sd/contentDetail.do?id=D81F2344BF5AC7BBDF72CDEA065DF6EC64D4197F95A17CBF
By the way, Hip Hop is Dead.
I agree with this post. Hip Hop is a culture...but many times I like to put anything that isn't aligning with the original nature of Hip Hop under "Rap".
ReplyDeleteI call that which is the embodiment of the culture: Hip Hop, because it has earned the title.
50 Cent? Rap
Mars iLL? Hip Hop
I say those two names because 50 doesn't make anything worth listening to. Music is more than for just enjoyment. It's more than an exchange between consumer and producer. More than just formulas and profit. Anyone who makes music to honor the Art, I can respect what they do. I can't respect 50. He's a braggart.
I disagree with people who say Hip Hop has a "dark side". Naw. It wasn't born with one. It broke through darkness. It was a light out of a dark, oppressed environment. So, anything opposite of it is a perversion of the original. Period.