Topic: Article Mentioning KC Artists
- May 6, 2007 08:51am by DJEternal Location: KCMO and Chicago, IL
I've never heard of the publication or the author. Neat though. 😉
[url]http://presentmagazine.com/full_content.php?article_id=486&full=yes&pbr=1[/url]
Present Magazine
Full Plate: Letter from the Editor.
Positive Hip Hop for Change?
2007-03-27
Is hip hop getting a bad “rap†after years of sending negative messages about booty and violence? A recent article released by The Associated Press remarked on declining sales of hip hop music and weakening consumer support for the genre after three decades of growing popularity. The article cites a poll of Black Americans by The Associated Press and AOL-Black Voices last year where 50 percent of respondents said hip hop was a negative force in American society. This AP article has been published by media from Fox News to MSNBC.com to The Washington Times, proliferating the idea that rap about pimps, ho’s, violence, bling, and expensive booze is facing a backlash.
Hip hop has also been blamed for a plethora of social ills from drug use, teen pregnancy, and other negative social behavior. Funny, but didn’t 1950’s rock and 1980’s heavy metal both wear that tarnished crown for corrupting youth? Remember Tipper Gore and the Parents Music Resource Center? Politicians, pollsters, parents, religious and community leaders should look at all factors before pinning the blame for social downfall on music once again. Struggling school systems, tight budgets for education, medical care, and police services, easier access to drugs and guns, celebrity party girls as teen role models and tragic tabloid stories, youths with more disposable income and unsupervised time, um…freedom of choice, and just about anything else we can think of could be a contributing factor to social ills that involve sex, crime, and other issues that make us uncomfortable. Historically, hip hop and other music genres are reflective of social issues at any given time rather than the cause of those issues.
Polls, research studies, and market sales are current snapshot indicators of how the public thinks and behaves. Predictably, the poll mentioned above did not take into account the opinions of other races and ethnicities. The articles do not address the fact that many people––namely a wide demographic range of Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, urban and suburban customers––bought the music, watched the videos, danced to club mixes, and adopted hip hop slang and fashion. People drive market demand for hip hop. Forces such as technology (the Internet, iPods), mass media’s homogenization and consolidation, and self-promotion of rap stars and brand names within the music industry helped to create a market over the past two decades, but the rising popularity of hip hop and rap also relied on consumers spending dollars.
The residual effects of hip hop’s marketability can be seen in film, fashion, SUVs, and clothing. Hip hop’s visual and aural style stretches from ghetto street cred to globe-trotting glam. The look, feel, and sound of hip hop culture is continually being reinterpreted in Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the United States. We can thank image-makers such as Puff, Snoop, 50 Cent, Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, and Russell Simmons for influencing suburban and urban youth and adults with money to burn and a (derivative) style to express. While recent album sales are down and polls supposedly indicate what people do not like at the moment, hip hop’s legacy and future as an art form will not be defined by the dollar alone.
Whatever the reason may be for the change in consumer tastes, hip hop isn’t going away. Hip hop’s pervasive impact on American culture has evolved since the message-oriented origins of the Sugar Hill Gang and Run-DMC. Biting social commentary from fierce contenders such as NWA and Public Enemy has given way to some narcissistic and materialistic rap impresarios, one-hit wonders, and savvy marketers. Sure, there’s a place for dancing to the beats of Timbaland, the lyrical groove of Nelly, and the deft productions of Outkast. And, the past two decades have produced strong voices including Tupac Shakur, Eminem, Common, Lauryn Hill, Atmosphere, and Nas spitting distinct, powerful, and personal messages. [b:f62477cc9e]Kansas City boasts its share of talented rappers, crews, and DJs with roots and ties here including Vigalantee, Anti-Crew, Mac Lethal, Miles Bonny, SoundsGood, and Innate Sounds Crew.[/b:f62477cc9e] Domestic consumers may have flipped the switch on easy and disposable consumption of hip hop’s sexist, violent, and materialistic stereotypes. Even so, the genre’s most talented artists with a worthy message to deliver will find an audience whether dollar signs flash or not. Hip hop isn’t going away just yet.
Pete Dulin
Editor
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- May 6, 2007 11:30pm by NRG - livin the art that is life !
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www.myspace.com/nrginmotion world community Location: havenhouse KCK/ 64111 Clinic 4 Life
been following this publication for a while now. they have done some cool stuff including article about west 39th st, the crossroads, hiphop, manny fresh, miles, scribe and more
check them out. they are on line only. subcribe to their playlist too
nrg
- May 17, 2007 07:38pm by machine Location: gladstone
bad "rap"? get it?
