Concluded from Conservatives vs Rap, maybe Part 2 - 9.7.2007.2
I think it's quite clear that the difference between the two is explicit. To try and justify a subgenre that promotes the very things that Malcolm X spent his life fighting against is unfathomable to me. To say that the difference between these two individuals is nearly misplaced rage and content is like saying the difference between oil and water is only the color of the liquids. I am angered and mystified how anyone could compare the civil rights leaders of the 60s (that actually lead the people) to the spoiled, materialistic, and predominantly convicted felons that comprise rap music today. I further believe that it doesn't take someone that has conservative or right-leaning political feelings to realize this conclusion.
Rap music is under attack today. There is no question on that. But to oversimplify the case by saying that it is merely the efforts of the conservative right to remove this form of music is to belittle the reason why rap, and by its connection hip-hop, is under attack. It is not only the conservative right that feel that the use, or perhaps I should say overuse and in some cases exclusive use, of four letter words in songs is inappropriate. It does not take someone right of center politically to recognize that lyrics supporting drug use and dealing, violent crime, disrespect of women, and lack of education are not something good for children to hear. It may be a fantastic marketing tool to have scantily clad women bouncing their rump, but it's far from fantastic to make it a common cultural activity to do such.
Min. Paul Scott ends his post with the thought that he hopes to give Mr. Bill O'Reilly nightmares of being abducted by gangsta rappers and being forced to watch BET continuously for two days. Perhaps it's my age, but I too would find such a situation a nightmare. I have to believe that it's the prevalence of music videos, and the marketing techniques of Viacom that make anyone find such an event troubling.
Rap music has long had the potential to be a positive force in the black community and the nation as a whole. Hip-hop has had the opportunity to allow young people, especially those that are African-American, to express themselves and take pride in their community. These are not new ideas. Conservatives did not try to stop that. The fact is rap music sold out; the cost was the improvement of the black community. The result is gangsta rap. If you disagree with that listen to any song by Public Enemy and tell me where they promote crime, degradation of women, or wasting money on frivolous baubles. Also consider this, how much money were Grandmaster Flash and Kurtis Blow and Public Enemy paid combined. Take that total, and compare it to how much Kanye West, 50 cent, NAS, or virtually any other top gangsta rapper makes today individually. Consider how much higher the dropout rate for African-Americans have become and how many more young black women become single parents.
Maybe it is conservative or right-leaning to not want children to grow up with a value system that places platinum teeth, above being a father. Perhaps it's unrealistic to expect kids to grow up without trying every drug they've seen in a music video. It may be non-liberal and anti-left to think that the children of today will go farther in their lives with a solid education than if they spend their time locked up in jail.
Perhaps.
This is what I think, what do you think?
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