Is Hip Hop to blame for a cultural backlash?

Tweet

Is Hip Hop to blame for a Cultural and Societal language Backlash? Of course hip hop is not. That is as crazy as blaming hip hop for the increase in drugs or the increase in crime or the increase in murders, which some of the media have tried to do. All these things are products of our environment. Hip hop artist simply react to the environmnet. But their aggressiveness and power is so strong, they do have a significant influence for what environment is finally shaped. Who decides what songs get played on radio and replayed over and over? For that matter, who decides what comes on TV. According to the Music on Radio special which appeared on PBS, Large corporations, who own most of the radio stations today, decide what will and will not be palyed. They are in business to make money and they play the music they think will lure audiences and sell advertising. The PBS special added, "Large corporations are less willing to take a risk on new or innovative music, and therefore don't offer listeners as much variety". The individual DJ's job is mostly to entertain listeners with talk between songs and introduce the music. He or she usually has little or no choice for song selection at most radio stations. The bottomline is offensive records would not be played if the corporations in charge of the radio stations did not play them. The issue of offensive language in music comes up in the aftermath of the Don Imus controversy. Members of the media and many others attempted to shift the national conversation to an attack against the words and culture of hip hop. The rappers should not be blamed for using the medium to express themselves. Corporations have the opportunity to play diversified artist who might not be the best sellers but they exploit the market place and are really not as concerned about our morals and values. They're in business to make money and if that means exploiting the publics basest instincts thats what they will do. What's not talked about is the underground music industry driving the major labels to compete. Artist for a long time have been pushing their records and creations on the street without the help of a label and making their music heard in the community. These artist are not limited by industries standards, stated or unstated and they use their voice to shock, to incite, and to grab to the attention of the listener. Many of these artist have become so successful in their communities that the major record labels wanted a piece of the pie. Often they try to go out and find artist who are even more controversial and shocking to compete. But the percentage of these artist is very small. Instead of setting a standard, Corporation who own radio stations let their greed be the standard bearer. The artist and rappers are not responsible, they simple use what's available to express their message. The corporations bear the responsibility because they let their greed drive them to the absence of morality and value. Keep rapping rappers and tell it like it is.