Hisha Sorel
Senior Member
- Dec 27, 2017
- 192
- 140
Since its founding in New York, rap music has become synonymous with Black identity. This association has sheltered Rap from popular criticism.
Significant critique has unfortunately come from the Right-wing press which, motivated by racism, has accused the genre of causing drug use and gang violence.
These accusations are unsubstantiated and preposterous considering a significant white listening base not involved in gang-crimes.
Fearing being associated with the same bigotry, established publications have refrained from pointing out the obvious transgressions of the genre.
In turn, objectification and abused of women, materialism, racism, ignorance, and violence have continue to define it in expense of the marginalized communities.
Indeed, composers and performers are often Black hence the association.
Yet, the economics of Rap music argues the contrary.
Financing of Rap music through labels is often done by white financiers who take most of the profits.
Consumers; whether through album purchase, streaming, or concerts; are often young white men who are attracted by the urban façade: A young violent Black man, mesmerized by newly ill-gotten gains for which he splashes on drugs, consumer products, and fornication.
In Rap, women are objectified and perceived similarly to a consumer product.
Similarly, violence is glorified, and weakness is frowned upon.
Since the success of gangster Rap, labels have churned more concentrated versions of the music and artists fitting this branding.
The issue here is not imitation but perception and saturation.
The music has shaped and sustained the image of a Black man as a toxic, violent, racist, sexist, abusive, shallow, and materialist human being.
A contrary to traditional values held by most black communities globally.
The traditions of caring, spirituality, humbleness, giving, kinship shaped by the Black struggle against violent white supremacy have been saturated.
Black artist carrying this message simply lack the funds and platform to compete with popular Rap genre hereafter silencing them.
Put it simply, Black people control neither the messaging nor the music.
This is more apparent in the case of rapper Jonathan Lyndale Kirk, known professionally as DaBaby.
Performing in Florida’s “Rolling Loud” concert, DaBaby made homophobic comments.
With support his audience, some Black artists, and forums such as “the shade room”; in line with his rapper persona, DaBaby refused to apologize.
Yet, after financial pressure from concert organizers, Publications, and other financial sources he later retracted his comments and apologized.
The speed of which a rapper can switch from a homophobic street militant to an enlightened artist after financial pressure should inform us on the authenticity of the toxic Rap personas.
Hereafter, it raises a question: is the sexism, racism, ignorance, materialism, and violence, really necessary considering the damage to Black people?
Significant critique has unfortunately come from the Right-wing press which, motivated by racism, has accused the genre of causing drug use and gang violence.
These accusations are unsubstantiated and preposterous considering a significant white listening base not involved in gang-crimes.
Fearing being associated with the same bigotry, established publications have refrained from pointing out the obvious transgressions of the genre.
In turn, objectification and abused of women, materialism, racism, ignorance, and violence have continue to define it in expense of the marginalized communities.
Indeed, composers and performers are often Black hence the association.
Yet, the economics of Rap music argues the contrary.
Financing of Rap music through labels is often done by white financiers who take most of the profits.
Consumers; whether through album purchase, streaming, or concerts; are often young white men who are attracted by the urban façade: A young violent Black man, mesmerized by newly ill-gotten gains for which he splashes on drugs, consumer products, and fornication.
In Rap, women are objectified and perceived similarly to a consumer product.
Similarly, violence is glorified, and weakness is frowned upon.
Since the success of gangster Rap, labels have churned more concentrated versions of the music and artists fitting this branding.
The issue here is not imitation but perception and saturation.
The music has shaped and sustained the image of a Black man as a toxic, violent, racist, sexist, abusive, shallow, and materialist human being.
A contrary to traditional values held by most black communities globally.
The traditions of caring, spirituality, humbleness, giving, kinship shaped by the Black struggle against violent white supremacy have been saturated.
Black artist carrying this message simply lack the funds and platform to compete with popular Rap genre hereafter silencing them.
Put it simply, Black people control neither the messaging nor the music.
This is more apparent in the case of rapper Jonathan Lyndale Kirk, known professionally as DaBaby.
Performing in Florida’s “Rolling Loud” concert, DaBaby made homophobic comments.
With support his audience, some Black artists, and forums such as “the shade room”; in line with his rapper persona, DaBaby refused to apologize.
Yet, after financial pressure from concert organizers, Publications, and other financial sources he later retracted his comments and apologized.
The speed of which a rapper can switch from a homophobic street militant to an enlightened artist after financial pressure should inform us on the authenticity of the toxic Rap personas.
Hereafter, it raises a question: is the sexism, racism, ignorance, materialism, and violence, really necessary considering the damage to Black people?
