runtheplacered post=18.68737.642162 said:
vdgmprgrmr post=18.68737.641973 said:
(NOTE: All references to "rap" are references to gangster rap, unless otherwise noted.)
Then just say gangster rap, then? Rather then insulting thousands of other performers with sweeping generalizations.
Anyway, it's not any particular rappers fault that John Doe wants to go out and smoke crack and demean women. Some marketing department somewhere, years ago, found out that records like that would sell. So, they sold those records. Other marketing departments saw the trend and jumped on the bandwagon. Is it some random gangster rappers fault that their records sell so well? Of course not, they're making a paycheck. I personally blame a lack of decent role models, marketing departments, and parents.
I've already said all this and didn't get a decent rebuttal. I have a feeling The Escapist isn't the best place to find an intellectual conversation on music and its cultural impact.
Ive been addressing this, so Ill address you specifically
Good point on Rap and Gangster Rap being different, and I have put an effort into saying Gangsta rap in my criticism.
Secondly, I don't exactly blame the artists per se. Millions of dollars can make someone do crazy things to get millions more. However, just because its understandable doesn't make it good. If your in High School, and all of your friends pick on the fat kid, and you pick on the fat kid too, what you just did is understandable, but its still not right. Making money by presenting damaging stereotypes for black people with no one really calling you out on it is completely understandable, because a few extra 0's goes a long way towards self-justification. Hell, Im prepared to say that after a long work week at the grocery store, I would be able to convince myself that a lot of things are okay for a few million dollars and legions of fans. So yes, the real bad guys are the rich execs who will do anything for a buck, but a good deal of rap artists are not exactly helping, and might even be deluded into thinking there gods gift to man. Actually, many are deluded into having some kind of divinity fantasy, about as dangerously prideful as you can get.
There are things that should not be exposed to children, and among them are Gangster Rap, violent movies, GTA and such. Once you reach an age decided by the parent, you are capable of separating Reality from Fantasy, and media becomes open game. You know that a violent movie is sheer entertainment, same with GTA, you can distinguish the fantasy. But Gangsta Rap artists go to great pains to say that there lyrics are real, and not fantasy. From ostentatious displays of wealth connected strongly with illegal activities in real life, to real life violence, to outright preaching with strong attempts to dissolve the boundary between the song and life, you realize its trying to bridge the gap between entertainment and philosophy. You know GTA is not a philosophy, and thats a major difference.
When it comes right down to it, I can promise you that there are a large number of people who would be a little less racist if it wern't for rap, a few less people who feel uncomfortable if black guy comes into a store, a few less condescending, furtive glares from people who happened to listen to the radio, a few less kids shooting each other in defense of a lifestyle they picked up from there music, a few less things for people who hit there girlfriends to feel good about...the list goes on.
I think the best opinion on Gangsta Rap ive ever heard is presented in The Boondocks. And I was glad to hear it because before that, I was a little quieter on my opinions for fear of being racist. It's just music, and I would appreciate it if Gangsta rappers would treat it that way, and not a platform to preach a philosophy that would make Ayn Rand look like a hippie Philanthrophist.
