mUsiC iNDuStry

Hip hop music is consistently attacked... some argue it demeans women, others say it promotes drugs or violence, or both. On the flip side, there are plenty of people who defend hip hop, and counter that it's an authentic expression of black culture.
But is this true if you have listened to what is played now and the messages they do not have a meaning. If I stood on a street corner and attempted to sell you crack, pimp you a ho, or pulled a gun on you, are you going to call me an artist? 99% of rap is crap!

Yes the style, format and presentation can be considered an art form, but you can't categorize most all of its vile nonsense as art. Are you kidding me? If I published the lyrics of rap music into a book, would you let your child read that book? Would you let your schools teach it? You would be marching on the streets in protest! At least I hope you would. @

But most of these hip hop artists are from the states and our society just take it all in, try copy their life style and grow attitudes like them. But the messages they send are not constructive and do not help the youth of our nation.
I am a huge Hip Hop fan, but the mainstream rap trend when you listen to the lyrics does not seem to SAY anything. For example Ushers new song:
LOVE IN THIS CLUB
Doin’ it on purpose winding and workin’ itI can tell by the way you lookin’ at me girlI wanna make love in this club(make love in this club, in this club, in this club)I wanna make love in this club(in this club, in this club, in this club)You got some friends rollin’ wit you baby then that's coolYou can leave them with my niggas let em know that I got youIf you didn’t know, you’re the only thing that’s on my mindCuz the way I'm staring miss you got me wantin to give it to you all night
I wanna make love (in this club in this club, in this club)I wanna make love (in this club in this club, in this club)I wanna make love (in this club, in this club, in this club)I wanna make love in this club (in this club, in this club)I’m what you want, I’m what you needHe got you trapped, I’ll set you freeSexually, mentally, physically, emotionallyI’ll be like your medicine, you’ll take every dose of meIt’s going down on aisle 3, I’ll bag you like some groceriesAnd every time you think about it you gon’ want some more of meAbout to hit the club, make a movie yeah rated RPulled up like a trap star,That's if you have yo regular carYou wanna make love to a thug in the club with his Sice on87 jeans and a fresh pair of Nikes onOn the couch, on the table, on the bar, or on the floorYou can meet me in the bathroom yeah you know I’m trying goTonight it's ...If we keep touching like thisI know you scaredThey don't know what we doin...Keep it up girl I swearI'ma give it to you none stopAnd I don't care who's watchin
Or even soldier boyhe is the new young craze but the inner message he is sending in his song is vulgar and it is a huge hit, everybody is doing the soldier boy. But not all artists, but most of the new one's I’ve seen only talk about the same cliché topics (drugs, pimping, gangs, bling bling big cars etc.).
When compared to the underground artists it seems like "rap" (vs. the broader Hip Hop) has been hijacked by the upper echelons of the media in order to reinforce the stereotypes that have been keeping minorities in poverty. It is pathetic nothing constructive is being sent out their.
It is fed by a consumer market that wants to see or hear a particular image or lifestyle portrayed. These raps "artists" are given a voice simply because of the number of units they can move in the record industry. Their message is the last consideration when a record company publishes/presses a record.
This is obvious because if there were any ethical considerations before such records are produced, something might be paid to what is being promoted: lifestyles, which themselves promote themes that are racist, sexist, and promote a drug culture.