Rap artists repeatedly call women “Bitches and Hoes.” They make reference to being promiscuous with multiple women, glorify carrying guns, selling drugs, smoking weed, and stand by the motto “keeping it real.” But, is “keeping it real” being accountable for their lyrical content.
Opponents of rap music speculate that the lyrical content in some songs have gone too far? They argue that the content is too misogynistic, violent, rebels against American values, and more importantly, provides a generation of youth (of all races and colors) with negative reinforcements and stereotypes.
A double edge sword has continued to exist in that rap artists should be accountable for their lyrical content. However to censor these artists would compromise the validity of the art form. Since the inception of rap music it has been a medium for young African-Americans, born and raised in the inner-city to channel their life experiences and everyday struggles.
Whom (really) are the rap artists cleaning up their lyrics for?
The centerpiece of the debate is the rap consumer. A number of studies have identified White males (13-25) as the leading consumers of rap music. While White youth are typically framed as the victims of the influence of rap music, they account for more than 70 percent of sales according to the Recording Industry Association of America. Also, Whites are the owners of two major rap magazines, The Source and XXL. This raises the question: Have the institutions of white America taken a position on rap music to protect their own interest? Bill Yousman describes White youth identification with black popular culture as Blackophilia. In his research he argues that White youth have developed a fascination with not only rap music but the hip-hop culture.
In the late 1990s, Interscope Records that housed rap artists such as Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dog, and Tupac Shakur came under heavy criticism regarding the lyrical content of their artists. Ted Field, chief financial investor, stated, “I wouldn’t allow my 3 and 10 year old daughters to listen to Snoop Doggy Dog.” In 1997, Forbes Magazine estimated Field’s net worth of Interscope Records at $500 million.
Rap music has evolved into a billion-dollar industry. The major record companies have not led a campaign to censor the lyrical content of these artists, in fact, many of them promote it further perpetuating the negative stereotypes that have branded young African-American males. The companies that distribute rap music (i.e., Interscope Records, Warner Elektra Atlantic (WEA), Polygram,MCA Music Entertainment, BMG Distribution, Atlantic Records, and Sony MusicEntertainment) are all owned by White males. Therefore, an internal question is raised: Why haven’t these music companies exercised some/more degree of control to censor the lyrical content of rap music? Simple, the degradation of the African-American male image is not as important to them as the financial benefit of profiting from it. I am not letting African-American males off the hook, but holding both parties (corporate and the individual) responsible since most of the blame disproportionately falls on the African-American male.
In the words of Tupac Shakur, “Now if I choose to ride/ thuggin’ till the day I die / They don't give a f*^k about us / While I'm kickin rhymes/ Getting to their children’s minds/ Now they give a f*^k about us.”
William T. Hoston is an Assistant Professor at Wichita State University in the Department of Political Science.
3 comments:
Right on!
Never censor an artist. That responsibility lies within the artist and an artist must remain true.
Consumers need to be selective. People should stop supporting the cliches and demand a revival of real and thoughtful music.
Why complain? Everybody knows the black woman is the most unprotected person in American society. I feel what rappers say about women reflect the African Americam male pyche quite well. Look at all the black men who would rather go to prison than work hard, dodge child support payments instead of marrying, and who who don't know how to be a man or how to treat a woman because they were never exposed to two parent home values. LOST CAUSE.
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