Is Rap Music In Trouble?

[unspoken]

I'm going to start off by saying I'm not a fan of rap music. Also, most of the older stuff I will talk about came out before I was in fourth grade. However, at the risk of sounding arrogant, music knowledge and history is a subject that I have a great deal of knowledge about.

What the genre needs is to get back to it's roots. Go back to the mid-80's with a group like Public Enemy. What they spoke about was political issues and the world as they saw it, but did not really resort to the language and outlandish style of relaying that message that the genre has today.

As the time went on, you had NWA and the gangsta rap come out, and that was the beginning of the downfall. While still speaking about issues of their lives, it began to take the path of glorifying the "thug" lifestyle. When it started to become successful, another evolution took place which is a large part of what you see today, with the videos full of ass-shaking and throwing bundles of money at the camera, and such classic lines as "I got ho's in different area codes." Basically, an extremely large part of the genre today is based solely on glorifying hedonism, and hence it brings a mainstream appeal. If rap truly went back to it's roots, I can't say for sure that anything would change with the language, but the mainstream appeal would be lost because a large part of those who buy the albums now wouldn't be able to even remotely relate to what is being said, and certainly wouldn't strive to be like that.

The other problem is that if they tried to clean up rap through legal measures, precedent is already set. In the late 80's, a group by the name of 2 Live Crew came out. Some may remember them for the song Me So Horny. While not violent like the popular gangsta rap of the time, the group was extremely sexually explicit. Several states banned their records from being sold, and even went so far as to have undercover cops attempt to buy the album in stores, and then arrest the owner/clerk of the stores for selling it. The group members themselves were also arrested after performing the songs live in Florida, which was another area where the ban was extended to. Eventually though, the ban based on obscenity laws was overturned by the US Supreme Court. So the legal precedent is there to allow rappers to say pretty much whatever they want as long as it isn't specifically slanderous or hate-speech like.

So basically, rap won't be cleaned up simply because:
1. The companies won't self-impose it since there is too much money to be made from the way it is now.
2. Laws won't clean it up since it could violate free speech rights and the precedent is already set against the law from doing so.

 

[tamarin]

Unspoken, interesting backgrounder! I like it!
Rap has a very large following today. All kinds of white kids buy the trash and try to live the life. Albeit a very toned down version. They wear the outfit, use the gangsta signs, write Thug Life on their knuckles and a few even try to talk and walk like homies. It's all a little ridiculous but it is rap's white audience that is supplying the genre with the green fuel it needs.

 

[eh1eh]

We have bible group parties with soda pop and Christian music, and while we listen to the Christian music we have a television screen that puts up our morals to abide by.

Just a reminder West, don't forget the purple font next time.

 

[eh1eh]

Unspoken, interesting backgrounder! I like it!
Rap has a very large following today. All kinds of white kids buy the trash and try to live the life. Albeit a very toned down version. They wear the outfit, use the gangsta signs, write Thug Life on their knuckles and a few even try to talk and walk like homies. It's all a little ridiculous but it is rap's white audience that is supplying the genre with the green fuel it needs.

Green fuel, good one! Yep, the only thing Whitey needs to complete the scene is some weapons.

 

[s243a]

I'm going to start off by saying I'm not a fan of rap music. Also, most of the older stuff I will talk about came out before I was in fourth grade. However, at the risk of sounding arrogant, music knowledge and history is a subject that I have a great deal of knowledge about.

What the genre needs is to get back to it's roots. Go back to the mid-80's with a group like Public Enemy. What they spoke about was political issues and the world as they saw it, but did not really resort to the language and outlandish style of relaying that message that the genre has today.

As the time went on, you had NWA and the gangsta rap come out, and that was the beginning of the downfall. While still speaking about issues of their lives, it began to take the path of glorifying the "thug" lifestyle. When it started to become successful, another evolution took place which is a large part of what you see today, with the videos full of ass-shaking and throwing bundles of money at the camera, and such classic lines as "I got ho's in different area codes." Basically, an extremely large part of the genre today is based solely on glorifying hedonism, and hence it brings a mainstream appeal. If rap truly went back to it's roots, I can't say for sure that anything would change with the language, but the mainstream appeal would be lost because a large part of those who buy the albums now wouldn't be able to even remotely relate to what is being said, and certainly wouldn't strive to be like that.

The other problem is that if they tried to clean up rap through legal measures, precedent is already set. In the late 80's, a group by the name of 2 Live Crew came out. Some may remember them for the song Me So Horny. While not violent like the popular gangsta rap of the time, the group was extremely sexually explicit. Several states banned their records from being sold, and even went so far as to have undercover cops attempt to buy the album in stores, and then arrest the owner/clerk of the stores for selling it. The group members themselves were also arrested after performing the songs live in Florida, which was another area where the ban was extended to. Eventually though, the ban based on obscenity laws was overturned by the US Supreme Court. So the legal precedent is there to allow rappers to say pretty much whatever they want as long as it isn't specifically slanderous or hate-speech like.

So basically, rap won't be cleaned up simply because:
1. The companies won't self-impose it since there is too much money to be made from the way it is now.
2. Laws won't clean it up since it could violate free speech rights and the precedent is already set against the law from doing so.

Good post. Even if gangster rap went back to its roots it would lose alot of white kids but not all of them. When gangster rap first came out I new a white guy that was into it. I thought the music then was funny but a little over the top. In terms of violence gangster rap really calmed down. In terms of glorying hedonism as you call it. Well, they certainly cranked that up. What's the message: you got the woman, drugs and money then your are all that no matter how you get there.

P.S. The only reason more white kids by it is because there are more white people in the states then black people.

 

[Tonington]

The rap I grew up listening to has been replaced. For the most part now it's Hip-pop. There are still some artists out there that have thought provoking lyrics instead of the tripe, laden with tired old rap cliches. The gangster rap has been pushed as the norm, cred given to artists with gun-shot wounds and a wrap-sheet. Rather regrettable I think.

 

[DurkaDurka]

Edmonton is slum city, sad to say its even worse then Winnipeg.

High population of crime related people.. scum city as I like to call it.

Edmonton is far from being a slum city... have you ever been there?

 

[L Gilbert]

Durk, I think that's why Eh reminded it to use the purple font.

 

[talloola]

So basically, rap won't be cleaned up simply because:
1. The companies won't self-impose it since there is too much money to be made from the way it is now.
2. Laws won't clean it up since it could violate free speech rights and the precedent is already set against the law from doing so.[/quote]

So, that means they degrade women, talk about doing awful things to them. But, that
Imas guy, loses his job, and probably most of his reputation, (if he had any), and can
end up in the govenors mansion, at a meeting, to opologize, as he should, but these
"mentally challenged' rappers, who all seem to be big males, who have the brains of
little children, and songs that don't even have a 'tune', can 'rymne' away, adult nursery
rymnes, while they grab their crotch, and make movements which also make them look
like they are mentally challenged. Is it because they are black, than noone dares to
kick all of their ugly butts out of a recording room, and bring a little respectability back
into music which is listened to by very young people, and, of course they will glom onto
it like the young teenagers they are, and think it is cool.
I am a woman, and I protest, I hate them, and their publishers, who care nothing about
us, just the almighty dollar. Where is the limit on this freedom of speech thing, and why
didn't it apply to Don Imas, if it applys to that scum.

 

[Josephine]

I agree as a woman, that rap is crap!
It's degrading and insulting and preaches about violence in general and violence against women. Slaping the bitch down and whatnot, every woman is a ho and a bitch. Disrespectuful and disgusting and yet, people allow this to continue. If music was preaching about this behaviour against blacks or jews there would be an outcry like you couldn't believe. ( which i would agree with...don't get me wrong!!!) I just believe that violence against women and this type of hatred and slander against women is much more accepted by society on whole.

 

[tamarin]

Josephine, remember this is music, and in yours and Durka's world, there might be connection but not necessarily disproportionate cause...when making certain assumptions. Hmmmmmmmmm...

 

[unspoken]

So basically, rap won't be cleaned up simply because:
1. The companies won't self-impose it since there is too much money to be made from the way it is now.
2. Laws won't clean it up since it could violate free speech rights and the precedent is already set against the law from doing so.

So, that means they degrade women, talk about doing awful things to them. But, that
Imas guy, loses his job, and probably most of his reputation, (if he had any), and can
end up in the govenors mansion, at a meeting, to opologize, as he should, but these
"mentally challenged' rappers, who all seem to be big males, who have the brains of
little children, and songs that don't even have a 'tune', can 'rymne' away, adult nursery
rymnes, while they grab their crotch, and make movements which also make them look
like they are mentally challenged. Is it because they are black, than noone dares to
kick all of their ugly butts out of a recording room, and bring a little respectability back
into music which is listened to by very young people, and, of course they will glom onto
it like the young teenagers they are, and think it is cool.
I am a woman, and I protest, I hate them, and their publishers, who care nothing about
us, just the almighty dollar. Where is the limit on this freedom of speech thing, and why
didn't it apply to Don Imas, if it applys to that scum.

My comments were not defending rappers, I was simply taking an objective look at the situation. And Imus' show wasn't cancelled because of his comments, it was cancelled because the special-interest groups pressured advertisers into dropping their support, which in turn got the radio station to drop Imus because the $$$ weren't rolling in any more.

 

[Jay]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Miseducation_of_Lauryn_Hill

 

[L Gilbert]

It's a form of art. Pretty much untouchable. Suggestion is to not listen to it.
I find Picasso's paintings really offensive but I don't want them "cleaned up" or banned. Other people like them.

 

[tamarin]

My neighbour's kid does Picasso's and her mom posts them on the fridge. I never would have thought the tyke was capable of gallery art!

 

[L Gilbert]

lol. Mine did a few good jobs too. Sometimes not even using paper.
We actually left a few up on the walls.

 

[s243a]

I got an idea. A rap news cast. Basically you rap the news so it becomes art and you then can say whatever you want.

 

[L Gilbert]

I refuse. I don't like rap/hiphop. You can't make me. So there.

 

[talloola]

It's pretty obvious that you have to be a woman to 'understand' the hurt and humiliation these
songs, and other such comments cause, as these posts show. There is nothing wrong with the
posts, but the only one who really 'gets' it, is also a woman.

 

[L Gilbert]

Well, if I could actually understand what anyone was actually saying in that rap/hiphop stuff, I might be alarmed but so far they might as well be speaking in Venusian to me.