I know it does. And that is what truly saddens me and many older Americans. It is a sad commentary on the preferences of the younger generation.
Oh? Is it really a sad commentary on the preferences of the "younger generation"? Is it the corruption that "gangster rap" brought that you dislike or is it the music itself?
"Gangster Rap" was promoted by the media, not by the hip hop community. Rap music is poetry, nothing more nothing less. How is poetry a bad thing? Hip hop music came from a much different place than "gangster rap" did. True hip hop is a testament to freedom and is the spoken word of poets from situations that cause them to speak out.
There is a difference between the "four elements" of hip hop and "gangster rap". Gangster rap is nothing more than the words of those who are living lives full of hatred and fear. Hip hop is the message of hope and conscience. Sometimes of love, jealousy, poverty, or other facets of life and experience. This message was twisted by those more interested in the dollar than anything else.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqQXD6bV5kQ
A tribute to Nagasaki and Hiroshima by a Japanese hip hop artist. One who the mainstream would never promote as the messages spread by these types of hip hop artists are counter culture; revolutionary. Those of peace, freedom, love, and tolerance. The message that Krush sends through Aletheuo (Truthspeaking) is that we do not listen to those who are against war (the freaks), that our lives are sucked into corporatism. And that while an entire society was sent to oblivion in the past today we live without reverence to these tragic events. I see nothing but beauty in this type of art. How is this not true?
It is not the choice of the hip hop community to have gangster rap or the faux MTV style of "hip hop" promoted over the real message.
Hip hop consists of four artists:
1. The DJ who modifies the music through mixing and manipulation of vinyl.
2. The MC who contributes spoken word and poetry of a variety of subjects.
3. The graffiti artist who modifies the world around us and changes the environment we are in directly.
4. The dancer or "bboy" who expresses physically the message of the music itself.
None of these elements is respected by MTV or the various music industry executives. They do not promote these messages, and you should be asking why.
Guns, bitches, and bling were
never part of the four elements and
never will be.
Just like we fight against an MSM that spreads lies and distortions music itself is manipulated by the very same forces. Canned and distributed in formulas based on their ability to generate revenue. Some would say deliberately to influence youth culture away from the positive values that the music truly represents.
In
true hip hop culture we have a great and untapped ally against the evils of mankind. Just my 2 copper.
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