Should Hip Hop Be Eradicated?

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY: "Was it Worth the Beating?"

A few weeks ago, one of my readers e-mailed me and indicated that he was a proponent of the total eradication of Hip Hop. In his mind, it could not be redeemed or saved, but was too destructive to be allowed to continue unchallenged.

At the time I thought his view was extreme. First, it is impossible to eradicate anything (“ How‘s that War on Drugs going“). Second, Hip Hop is a broad musical genre and all Hip Hop artists aren’t spewing misogynistic lyrics . Third and most important, at that point in the development of this blog, I didn’t want to get into a debate with people about whether Hip Hop can be redeemed. I would have spent all of my time fighting off indignant Hip Hop apologists.

However, recently I stumbled across a report courtesy of Mirror On America: The Rap On Culture & Why Cosby Was Right. The report is the result of research conducted on young African Americans in Ohio:" How Anti-Educational Messages in the Media, at Home, & on the Street Hold Back African-American Youth." I e-mailed the authors of the report because many of the gender specific findings focused mainly on African American boys and I think more attention needs to be paid to African American girls. For example, one of the anecdotes is about taking a group of young black males to the child support office after a mentor discovers several of his mentees “might” be teenaged fathers. There is no correlating anecdote about what it’s like to be a young Black teenaged mother. What about OUR DAUGHTERS? The gender bias within the report notwithstanding, the results are absolutely horrifying.

• In 2002, only 59 percent of African-American students in Ohio high schools graduated. That compares to a graduation rate of 84 percent for white students in Ohio, according to a 2006 report by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research.
• Nationwide, the high school dropout rate for African-American males is nearly double the rate of their white counterparts. Students who drop out of high school are more likely to be poor, engage in violent behavior and end up in prison.
• Male and female students with low academic achievement are twice as likely to become parents by their senior year of high school, compared to their more studious counterparts.
• Roughly three-fourths of Ohio prison inmates dropped out of high school.

For all of you leaping up to point the finger at White America, retake your seats! This study actually ties the Hip Hop culture to the achievement gap between African American students and their counterparts in other groups.

Contrary to some beliefs, achievement gaps between Black or Hispanic students and White or Asian students cannot be completely explained by economic disadvantage...Hip-hop culture has come under scrutiny of late, following the racist and sexist comments by radio host Don Imus. Much of the attention has focused on misogynist, violent images pervasive in the industry. However, we consider anti-education messages often found in the music equally harmful. These have led far too many African-Americans, particularly boys and young men, to believe that academic excellence is undesirable, or simply not “cool.” The excesses of music artists, along with the exploits of athletes, have contributed to a false sense of confidence among urban youth that other opportunities abound for those who do not take their education and responsibilities as young men seriously.

What are you going to do in a post industrial era without the entry-level credential to enter the workforce, a High School Diploma? How are you ever going to have the slightest chance to fully participate in the economy without a High School Diploma?

The NAACP is wasting time at its national convention to bury the “N-word.” When you have hundreds of thousands of African American youth committing financial suicide by dropping out of school, does the “ N-word” really matter? Where is the funeral for high school drop outs?

The typical response from Hip Hop apologists are that the artists are merely reflecting their upbringing and that it is a legitimate form of artistic expression. But is this merely art, or is it more sinister? According to this report, Hip Hop isn’t merely reflecting culture, it is driving culture and not in a good way. If Hip Hop were a cancer, would we be content to destroy only a few of the cancerous cells? Probably not

My challenge to my readers. Read this report. It is only 16 pages and come back and let me know what you think. If the stakes are this high, can Hip Hop be saved or should it be eradicated?

Attention all Coca Cola stockholders: You are about to give 400 million dollars to 50 Cent. Yep. That's not a typo 400 million dollars. Way to be a responsible corporate citizen! Why don't y'all take time to thank Warren Buffet and Berkshire Hathaway, one of Coke's largest stakeholders: Mr. Warren Buffett,Berkshire Hathaway Corporation, 3555 Farnam Street,
Omaha, NE 68131

Now how many of y'all think Defunding the War on Black Women is a joke? 400 million dollars. Hip Hop is not about making music. It is about making money. Part of the reason this purchase was so palatable is because 50 Cent was mainstreamed. Stop Funding Foolishness!

Comments

[DJ Black Adam]

How do you propose to eliminate a genre of music? I myself don’t support or purchase gangsta music, and Hip Hop is not my “genre” of choice, but how do you suggest we go about this?

[g-e-m2001]

The question isn't HOW, the question is "Should we even try?"
I do not know how we would go about it. I don't know if it is even worth our attempt. Notice that we don't see television ads for cigarettes.

One random thought is to have a "zero tolerance" policy for advertisers and publicly traded companies. We could cripple Urban radio in less than 48 hours if we got proctor and gamble, general motors, the military, and State Farm and Allstate to pull advertisements.

[rikyrah]

First of all, the only ones who split hairs between Hip Hop and Gangster Rap, are intellectuals.

I have been told that Hip Hop is ok, it's the Gangster Rap that is messing things up.

To me, it's all the same. I liken it to cancer. I'm sure that wherever you find cancer, there are still some good cells surrounding the cancer, but in order to get the cancer, you have to take out the good cells surrounding it.

That was the issue that I had with that Oprah special. She had on Common - who is one of the GOOD cells. Instead, she should have had Snoop, 50 Cent, Jay-Z- THE CANCER ITSELF. They hide behind the 'good cells', knowing that the good cells only became modestly household names through a fluke, because we all know where the money in promotion and marketing of this CANCER GOES INTO.

When its put into simplistic terms like' rap music, blaming rhymes', it sounds like those who criticize it are somewhat crazy. It isn't just 'rap music, blaming rhymes', it has an entire CULTURE that has come to DEFINE what is is to be Black.And, it as gone GLOBAL. I tell folks to stop thinking so myopically about things. This Minstrel Show just doesn't define Black people in America; it's ALL OVER THE WORLD. The face of the Black man is now Snoop and Fiddy. The Black woman - L'il Kim and Video Hos.

And, it is a poison for our children because there is absolutely nothing positive that this 'culture' is giving to our children, except setting them up for failure. For the most part, our children DO NOT have the safety net to catch them once they take their involvement in this mess too far.

What angers me most is that our children aren't even the 'target demographic'. They are just gravy money for this poisonous industry. Yet, they are the ones who pay more of a price, of course.

[g-e-m2001]

I think you hit one of the biggest problems on the head. Black folks don't have time for foolishness. We don't get fifteen chances. We don't get a second act. Whether it is fair or not, the truth is that we can least afford frivolity. When you have 60% of black children being raised in single family households. We don't have a safety net. Once we lose them, they are gone. The redemption arc is a myth.

In many families the difference between generations of poverty and moving to the middle class is a single decision.

We are preaching to the choir on these blogs. It is time to take this message to the streets. I am not going to cede the African American culture to the Pro-Prison, Pro-misogyny, Pro-Pimp, Anti- family culture of Hip Hop.

[The Angry Independent]

I don’t think the reader meant that in a literal sense. Clearly it can’t be eradicated.
For one thing, Black America is not ready to take on such a fight, full force. The Black Community (much of it anyway) is in bed with the Rap culture. Therefore, many have not recognized that there is even a problem to begin with or they are stuck in denial. It’s like the woman who is constantly told by her girlfriends that her boyfriend is a no good dog….but, blinded by love...convinced that he loves her, the woman ignores the warnings, until it’s too late.

Where is the sense of urgency in the “Black Community” to deal with this? There is none… certainly not across the board like there should be. Where is the sense of shame? The standards keep going lower and lower. There are also too many Rap apologists who are indirectly telling Black youth that the poison that they are getting is not really poison at all…and that it is safe to drink. Some apologists say that Rap is just a way for urban youth to talk about their life…. Other apologists say that Rap doesn’t directly tell youth to drop out of school, to commit crimes or to demean women… the lyrics are harmless. Rap is not to blame for anything…. The White Man is responsible. Of course all of these arguments are utter bull----. While most Rap is not made up of instructional CD’s and videos for the above, IT DOES represent a culture that degrades women, does not value education, glorifies criminal activity, fast money, and does not value marriage. Rap culture in general is antithetical to the positive values that African American youth should be exposed to.

The Black Community will always be too busy bobbing its collective head to the soundtrack of its own destruction.

Figuratively speaking however, it would be nice for Rap be eradicated…. But literally, we all know that won’t happen.

I like some of your ideas on how to fight it. I think that corporate advertisers could be targeted and shamed in such a way that they begin to pull their ads & sponsorships. If enough corporate support could be taken away…. Rap would begin to die a slow death.

[g-e-m2001]

The Black Community will always be too busy bobbing its collective head to the soundtrack of its own destruction.

Well it is time to create some static. We might not be able to stop people from bobbing their heads to the soundtrack of their own destruction, but hopefully we can make them pause long enough to give them a chance to not just walk off a cliff dragging their entire family tree with them.

[The Angry Independent]

Gina:

I agree wholeheartedly... and you are right about dragging their family tree down with them. This stuff has a serious residual impact on so many other people...children especially...and those children miss out on a better life and pass it down to their children...and the cycle continues.

Rikyrah:

Your comments were on point as usual.

I recall a story from Oprah a couple of years back, where she described a trip to S. Africa to meet Mendela... She talked about how she was called the N-word by a S. African when she arrived... he wasn't being malicious...he was just clueless, according to Oprah. He thought that the N-word was what Black Americans wanted to be called, because this is what he saw/heard in Black American Rap culture.

That was a perfect example of how Rap provides a negative example of who we are to the whole world.

*I'm just trying to picture that whole event.... someone calling Oprah the N-word.*

[DJ Black Adam]

@Rikyah:

You wrote:

“First of all, the only ones who split hairs between Hip Hop and Gangster Rap, are intellectuals.”

I don’t agree with that. I think those of us who differentiate between “gangsta rap” and “Hip Hop” are generally musicians who understand genre and sub genre.

I just don’t think it is fair to lump Taleb Kweli, Mos def and the Roots with 50 cent, Snoop Dog and Ludacris. The equivalent would be to lump Luther Vandross or Lional Richie up with R. Kelly and Chris Brown because they both sing “R&B”. Who would do that?

The fact is, that you would have a gang of “Hip Hop” artist jump on board unequivocally for the misogyny and violence to be purged for urban radio if people could just not lump them up with the negative.

And no, I am not a “Hip Hop” apologist. To quote the O’jays, “I love music”. Now, of course I love “People” more than music, so if we had to get rid of all hip hop to stop this drama of misogyny, etc., I would say do it.

Fact is, if we want something done about the issue, Black and Urban Radio must be hit in the pocket books, that’s the only way this stuff comes off the air.

[Fred]

Everyone,

I heard on Joe Madison's radio talk show that several women's groups will attend a Viacom stockholder's meeting tomorrow (5/30/07) to express their outrage over misogynistic, minstrel rap. BAW has the story:

http://www.blackamericaweb.com/site.aspx/bawnews/viacom529

So, the war against minstrel rap is really heating up.

[g-e-m2001]

Thanks Fred. You staying on top of things.

[zillz]

that's ridiculous... eradicating hip-hop is the most ridiculous thing i've ever heard. you can't eradicate a CULTURE. yes Hip-Hop is a culture. It contains MANY elements not just rap. NOT A GENRE OF MUSIC.

Rap is a genre of music.

And music cannot destroy a race of individuals. that comes from socio-economic and geographic turmoil. Poor education in inner cities. Inflation, cheap liquor stores in the hood, etc. stuff like that...but not music. Music is entertainment, sometimes poetry.

That's like saying we can kill all black people if we got rid of KFC. oooooo.

Just don't listen to rap music if you don't like it. Go listen to yolanda adams. Or natalie cole.

Or better yet, fight some causes that are WORTH your energy. Liiiiiiiiiiiiike... darfur genocide. Aids education. Health care and welfare reform. Or the crack dealers that's in your neighborhood that you're too scared to snitch on.

[DJ Black Adam]

@Zillz:

Sorry, KRS One and the Hip Hop god worshipers can keep on insisting that Hip Hop is a culture, thereby above reproach, but it is inane and intellectually fraudulent to posit that it is a "culture", it is a genre of Music that comes from both the Black and Latino CULTURES of New York, specifically the Boogie Down.

There was a significant art (though Criminal in many cases and vandalism) and dance (B-Boy'ing) component once upon a time, but that a Culture does not make,as those things CAME FROM BLACK AND LATINO CULTURE ALSO.

[Fred]

@zillz

Clearly you missed the Oprah episode on how the mass media can negatively affect kids' view of themselves. If you did, here's a clip:

http://whataboutourdaughters.blogspot.com/2007/05/black-children-ashamed-of-way-they-look.html

On a related note, dburt over at Afronerd wonders if the "White is good and beautiful" myth makes Black people more willing to accept the racist stereotypes in minstrel rap:

http://afronerd.blogspot.com/2007/05/will-this-self-hatred-sht-stop-didnt.html

Frankly, dburt is spot on. Mental lynching of Black people via books, TV, etc. to make us slaves has been going on for centuries. Minstrel rap is just a more slick twist on an old trick.

In short, battling minstrel rap is an big a deal as decrying genocide in Darfur. How can you care about the suffering of Black people a world away when you've been brainwashing into only obsessing over guns, sex, and bling?

[Fred]

@ angry independent

Well, maybe the South African who called Oprah the N-Word read the Webster dictionary:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nigger

I fell sick right now.

[Ann]

Hello.

I came across your blog while internet surfing. What an excellent find. I especially enjoyed your broadcast on Akon, "When Chickenheads Come to Roost", and protesting/boycotting advertisers of shows, corporations who degrade black women.

On the black man in Africa who called Oprah and her entourage the N-word, my memory of what he said to her was:

"Hello, niggers!"

That this poor man did not know any better was not a blight on him, but on the purveyors of gangsta rap filth, the sellers of black-woman hatred, by the white CEO pimps such as Geffen Records, Warner Bros, Viacom/Bet and the prostitutes Fitty Cent and Snoopy Dog who grow rich off the backs of black women.

Another take on the word nigger is an article I came across a few years ago concerning a store in Africa called "Niggers". Check it out:

http://kathmanduk2.wordpress.com/2007/04/25/a-store-in-africa-called-niggers-and-a-woman-called-ho

Thanks to the debasing lyrics of rap proliferated around the world, in the eyes of many people, all blacks are niggers, and all black women are hos, no matter what we do, no matter how we carry ourselves in life. Thanks to thug rappers, the original denigration of black people that was started by white people will never have to die a death with the image presented here and abroad that black people are a race of people to be disrespected and defiled. White people are the ones who originally started calling us niggers; white men are the ones who originally started calling black women "black bitches", "wenches", "nigger bitches" and "whores". That there are self-hating, greedy, grasping so-called black men who are taking up the filthy banner of the white man, that there are black men who are out-whiting the white man in their hateful mistreatment of black women, is damnable.

And the blame lays at the feet of the following:

-White CEO owners who control the media (airwaves [radio, television, videos], magazines, etc.)
-Money hungrey, greedy, black-women-hating thug rappers (Snoopy Dog, Ludacris, Jay-Z, Akon,etc.)
-Black people who are more than willing to purchase filth that debases and insults them (consumers, male and female, who pollute their minds with anti-black poison that glorifies anti-education, anti-self control, anti-self respect, anti-black child, poison that glorifies misogyny, especially against black women and girls)

As for ridding the world of rap, that will never happen.

As was stated, there are no cigarette ads on TV, but we all see where cigarettes are still manufactured, marketed, sold and bought.

Facts do have to be faced.

Racism and sexism are a big business. As long as there is money to be had in it, racism/sexism will continue, especially at the expense of black women and girls. Hatred sells. It is a business.

And the degradation of black women sells, with white men and black men in bed with each other fueling this disparagment of black women.

Is there a conspiracy in America to destroy black women, and black children?

You bet there is.

And that there are some black men in bed with the CEOs of major corporations to destroy black women is sick.

Who needs to fear the white race only when you have dead-on-the-inside men (and I call them men with extreme reservation) who will do anything for a buck and the bling.

[Zola]

First you complained that hip-hop culture is driving young black students to drop out of school and therefore never "going to have the slightest chance to fully participate in the economy" then within the same blog you slam coporate america for allowing a hip hop artist, himself a young black man, to not only participate in our economy, but to actually play a starring role and garner wealth. If you want you black males to create wealth for themselves and their communities that is great, but you must acknowledge that wealth and capitalism do not revolve around your own moral indignation.

[g-e-m2001]

Zola,

I believe in capitalism. I don't believe in getting rich at all costs irrespective of the damage you cause to others in that quest. HIp Hop isn't the only way for these young men to be entrepreneurial. Second, black folks aren't the ones making most of the money in this pyramid scheme, just musical sharecroppers.

[Martin Jackson]

I think there is too much time spent on people trying to battle hip-hop as a whole...but wiser to attack the bad elements in the culture and try to promote the good.

we shouldn't allow the rappers that want to push the ideal that the only way black man to make it is to sell drugs or sell women's bodies to rule the air waves.

as for the article about the effects of popular hip-hop images have on African Americans focusing mostly on males and over looking females. I think it is understandable because at least when it comes to people's outlook on education it is effecting boys more then girls.

the image being pushed over and over agian is that the only way for a Black man to make it isn't to go to college and get a good job it's sell drugs, pimp, rap, etc.

as many negitive images that commerical hip-hop places on women the ideal that Black women don't have a place in education isn't really being pushed like it is on guys.

even with all the negative images that many rappers spread about women the ideal that a black woman can't do well in school or go to college isn't really one of them.

plus the number of Black woman going to college is much wider then the number of Black men. So I can see the reason that some feel the need to focus on trying to get black boys to go to college a bit more then black girls, giving that black girls are alot more likely to be moving in that way then their male counter-parts.

[Ace]

Although I'm a bit late, I have to weigh in on this, especially as a Black male who graduated from college and high school on time while also being a huge rap music fan.

We all know about the problems that are within rap music. These are as blatant as the day is long. And I won't attempt to argue that they are positive. If anything, I'm with the chorus in saying that these need to be gotten rid of as it makes Black people look bad.

But, the report points to an important point: the schools and families are not demanding enough of the Black youth. My high school would not accept mediocrity. As well, my teachers would help me if I had a problem with the work. They actually maintained an interest in how I was doing. When I got C's, that was unacceptable in my home. My mom, although not overinvolved, made sure I stayed on my game. And, yes, I came from a single parent household as well. She worked 50-60 hours a week, so, in the end, I had to take life upon myself.

What my high school career was is what this report suggested we do for the most part: become responsible for ourselves. I don't really buy the component about the male role models. I never had a male role model in my life. If anything, the males that I grew up around were all failures.

But, I'm getting away from why I started to write this comment. The reason that I started writing this comment is that this report is a clear example of the fact that we are letting ourselves down. People blame rap music because it's the easy out. Yes, it is violent, misogynistic, nihilistic, materialistic, but it's not the true problem.

The true problem is that Black America has become too complacent. Kids don't go to school because no one in the school cares about whether they succeed or fail. Because of it, they never learn that there is nothing wrong with actually wanting to do well in school. They never learn that there is anything past their block that they can strive to. And no one ever puts them in line to make sure that they don't end up like their boys who got sent to jail and that going to jail only makes you a fool. But, rap music, that cultural scourge of youth, is there so let's blame it for Black Youth's truancy. We didn't have it around when we were growing up and we came out all right, so that's clearly the problem, right? Absolutely wrong. Rap is nowhere near close to the problem. We are the problem and WE are also the solution.

And, to address hip-hop and rap, it is not an intellectual distinction between the two. Hip-hop is culture. Rap is the music of hip-hop. Hip-hop isn't about being Black. Hip-hop is about being young and not having a voice to express yourself through traditional forms because no one has given you respect. Hip-hop is a reclamation of the urban experience from the poachers who come into our communities, ruin our health, and fleece us of our money. The music is a display of this frustration along with showing that these underrepresented groups have just as much talent as everyone else. They have created a new vernacular and a new culture which has resonated with so many young people like myself. It was born out of my own experience, and I could relate to it because of that fact. This is why hip-hop exists in places from Brazil to Japan in the way that it exists in the underground of America: as a purely expressive, storytelling, talent-driven form.

Rap can be, and usually is, about something other than selling drugs, but the White media establishment has made rap music into the new minstrel form and we only see these clowns all of the time. Rappers who actually respect the fundamentals laid down by the founders and don't promote junk get no radio play because white media wants to keep us down. I'm sick of the Black community coming down on all of hip-hop because of a few bad seeds. These idiots that are being pimped by the white media don't represent most of hip-hop, the hip-hop that likes to have fun and tells kids that there's nothing wrong with wanting to read a book and learn something and doesn't glorify the lifestyle of the street.

So, all of you people mad at hip-hop, take your anger and focus it on getting our youth through school. Rap music can change if people stop buying it. The white media and the minstrels only respond to money. The only way the game will change is if people stop buying it, which is starting to happen. The kids will only learn to stop buying it by staying in school and learning that rappers are terrible role models and understanding that there is more to life than standing on a street corner.

I apologize for this being so long, but I think that hip-hop culture and rap music can have a positive effect with regards to enlightening Black youth and exposing the brutality of urban existence to cultures that are not familiar with it. It does this for me, and I'm confident that I'm not alone with regards to this.

[Anonymous]

Wow. This is the most ridiculous thing ever? Hip Hop should be eradicated. How can you honestly blame Hip Hop and gangster rap for all of african american community's problems? Please cite me 1 damn article that proves a relationship between the music on listens to and behavior. I dont mean no of this effects on attitude crap. I need a paper that says yes music has a direct impact on behavior.

Do some research and you'll see that there isnt any folks!!! The idea that music has an large effect on you is just preposterous. There is so many other things out there that have a bigger impact.

[Mike]

you cant eliminate hip-hop. right now the music industry pushes what sells and the gangstaish stuff sells. todays world revolves around money, so its no wonder seeing the glamorous lives and money of hip-hop artists its gonna sell. i think there will always be some music out there that will be controversial but as long as it sells then its not gonna stop. look at all celebreties. they are pretty much all bad role models. but you are only gonna single out the rappers? that doesn't make much sense when you got lindsey lohan out running around with paris hilton.

[Czheck]

i cant believe im even seeing this. I WISH YOU WOULD TRY TO ELIMINATE HIP-HOP try to take the food right out of my hand and i will BITE you so hard that u will forget about youre PETTY morals and realize your IGNORANCE. i dont care what you think about hip-hop. i will elimainate your rock n roll,your emo,your R and B preaching exatacy all that will be destoryed before you even damage my hip-hop. i take great offence to this and will now make it my mission to spred hip-hop around the globe as i have been doing. i have never said a racist line in any of my raps i do not degrade women (any refferance to a woman is usualy respect but your too old to realize what the lyrics mean.) and if you think you can CENSOR everything you see your no better than prescott bush and rockafeller who sold oil to the nazis.Hip-Hop is what it is ENTERTAINMENT some of these people are wrapped way to much in there life to realize it. i guess you can sing about suicide but not the harsh realites out there? some girls are hoes they do it for a living if you dont believe me you better ask somebody. i hope people know that theres a difference. You are what you make yourself hip-hop music didnt make hoes. hoes made themselfs. how can you blame a whole genre of music for stuff you dont think is apporpriate? i really hope this doesnt even get approved it would really prove my point on how ignorant people are.if this was such a big deal to you guys dont listen to it real talk.Banning music is just as bad if not worse than burning books.you have no argument and i am right (feel free to prove me wrong). if you think you do have something to say say it. I cant believe people are disrespecting greats like 2pac and snoop dogg some of the greatest entertainers ever.Hip-hop believe it or not is a great resource for self improvement half these artists came from less than nothing they wouldnt have gotten a chance in life without music. if anything needs to be silenced its these specific artists:Souljuh boy,t pain (extacy promoter),and this emo stuff i see.i am not for censoring. i hope i become rich and famous just to make yall mad.if you have gotten nothing from this you didnt try hard enough.if anything has degraded women its movies and televison get your facts st8 or how people say round my block czheckyofacts fool-Czheck "often hated never duplicated" *all comments made are the direct opinion of Czheck and should not be taken in offence Czheck is just trying to make his point go burn a book you nazi*