There is plenty of skepticism about how mainstream media views Rap and Hip-Hop. This has been an issue since almost the beginning of rap during the 70's. As Rachel E. Sulivan puts it "The criticisms leveled by White politicians, almost all of whom viewed rap as producing potential victimizers". I understand views on hip hop and rap does progressively worsen when you hear that Chief Keef and other rappers like him are some of the biggest names in the game. But what the true flaw is that the political media must stop portraying all rap artist as being all the same and portraying to be evil, and that they should start looking at the other rap artists that truly create a more positive influence in today’s society. Examples of some these artists would be Lupe Fiasco, and Hopsin they create different magnificent pieces of work that in turn makes their fans become more aware of life instead of being young and reckless. Their type of music helps give a more positive view towards Hip-Hop rather than making people view it as a way to brainwash the youth into entering gangs and getting involved with drugs. These rap artist are popular, but they honestly don’t get the credit that the truly deserve instead the media still tries to put them into the same category as being a bad influence towards the youth, but they don't even try to make an attempt on seeing their true message. If more people started listening to these artists and started focusing their attention on the message maybe their perspectives on rap would actually change and make them realize that there still is rap music out there that will change the world for the better.
Some of the objections I have towards one particular skeptic. Eugene Slaven a Marketing Development Writer for Media Research Center, wrote an article depicting rap as a way to missguide its listeners. Within his article “The Truth About Rap Music” he states some good points but all in which I believe were just too noticeable. He mentions that this kind of rap is a terrible influence towards poor black kids. That it makes them more vulnerable to get into to these kind of criminal activity because they see crime on a daily basis. The flaw that he makes with this is that he mentions that he listens to more of underground rap than he does of the more popular artist, but he doesn't even give any type of names of the so called underground rappers that he listens too. Like I had mentioned earlier people just tend to view rap as a way to brainwash the youth into causing negative productivity towards the community. So how is it that someone can be influenced by them if the majority of people have never even heard about them. Slaven said it himself “ I am talking about hardcore rap, underground rap, and rap performed by artists that nine out of ten rap fans have never even heard of.” If you look at the majority of todays hot 100 list of music you'll see that almost 50% of consists of Hip-Hop. This is a big percentage so why is it that he wouldn't just use those type of artists instead of underground rappers that no one knows about.
Yes I can agree with him that some rappers can cause negative messages. But just because the artist portrays himself as a part of a gang or that he uses nothing but profanity in his lyrics doesn’t mean that they are the only ones that can be considered as to being hardcore. My views on being hardcore would be people giving a more aggressive approach with their messages and not caring on what people view them as, and yes also using profanity. Hopsin a fairly famous rap artist can also be considered a hardcore rapper. He may use a lot of profanity throughout his music, but don’t let that be the way you judge him. In most of his music he gives a more positive message to people on to why they shouldn’t do drugs, and how it will only cause them to get caught in the same loop that will never change them. Hopsin had mentioned that YOLO is just a reason for someone to do something stupid.
One song in particular that he gives a message about people should stop following the ways that other rappers guide them in is called “ILL Mind of Hopsin 5”. At the end of the song he mentions “I can guide you if you feel blind I just need you to be willing to travel through my ill mind”. When he says that he tries to make his audience realize that he is there for them to save them although they might be lost. This is truly is a great message but it honestly can not be as widely heard, and understood if people only view it as just vulgar language. This is also can relate to how Rachel E. Sullivan explained how many politicians viewed rap as bad message. She had stated that " President George H. W. Bush also voiced his antirap sentiments when he critized Ice-T and Body Count's song "Cop Killer" But Ironically, neither politician had heard these albums, in fact Bush failed to realize that Body Count was in fact a heavy metal group".
Continuing with the Eugene Slaven's article I can still see how some people may agree with him saying that he used very good people that also think like him. But Slaven using Bill O’Reilly as a good example of someone whom also believes rap is a bad influence for black youths makes his argument weaker. The reason for this is that O’Reilly himself is a person that is very biased and doesn’t fully want to hear the true meaning of something. An example of O’Reilly doing this can be found right here. When O’Reilly told Lupe Fiasco that he is portraying the president as being a terrorist, he would not let Lupe further explains what the true meaning of the song was.
Lupe Fiasco is a another good example on how rap music should be viewed at as intellectual. From "I'm Afraid Chicago is Dying" written by Greg Kot a music critic from the Chicago Tribune he describes Lupe being more viewed as a teacher. Explaining how Lupe creates his music to raise awareness to the things that are happening all around the world. This type of music gives a more positive view towards rap because it also tries to make people steer away from heavy drugs or drinking. Lupe can be viewed as a way to make a more positive effect to its listeners. He may have came across Bill O’Reilly as more of a person that is misguiding children into to trouble but that is not the actual case. When Lupe mentioned that when we were also classified as being terrorists he did not intern make it seem that we are evil in the United States he was more of as trying to say that we shouldn’t contribute on doing the same thing as what other people did to us on 9/11. His real message was to be more at peace than to cause even more destruction than what other people did to us.
His most recent album covered a giant assortment of different topics ranging from politics, drugs, and even just some simple catchy songs that were about having fun just to show his audience that you can still have fun while talking about more important matters in the world.
Not only does he go about giving great music in the album but he even describes that on the album cover itself he was always trying to show a message on using the word losers and making it actually the opposite of what it means. His type of style in the rap industry has influenced his audience in powerful ways. While I watched this video it really did show me how his words impact his fans.
His most recent album covered a giant assortment of different topics ranging from politics, drugs, and even just some simple catchy songs that were about having fun just to show his audience that you can still have fun while talking about more important matters in the world.
Not only does he go about giving great music in the album but he even describes that on the album cover itself he was always trying to show a message on using the word losers and making it actually the opposite of what it means. His type of style in the rap industry has influenced his audience in powerful ways. While I watched this video it really did show me how his words impact his fans.
If interviews like these were done more frequently on rappers rather than ones given by people like Bill O'Reilly they would give a more positive view on how rap can be a positive influence on the youth of this nation. Next time while you listen to the media about a rap artist's do not quickly judge as being a rebel to our society. Take time to listen to their music and understand their message don't just judge the book by its cover. If you have time to listen to how the media views rap then you surely have time to listen to the music. Good inspiring rap music is out there, the artists may not be the biggest names in the music industry but they are out there. These type of artists should be the ones to get more recognition for their work. But the only thing is like how Hopsin had said “I can guide you if you feel blind you just have to be willing to travel through my ill mind”.
