ALL Music is Exploited--But Hip-Hop is The Worst

Whenever there is an issue with politics, justice and almost any other issue of the world, you can bet that money is involved. Money is essentially the 'root of all evil'. On this blog I have talked much about the exploitation of Hip-Hop. Money, as you can guess, is the root of this problem. Once artists like N.W.A and Ice Cube arrived on the Hip-Hop scene, there was an increase in sales for Hip-Hop. Dollar signs replaced the eyes of corporations. They decided to take that 'street life' theme and blow it up. The took the content about misogyny and flashy jewelry and made it to where it dominated rap music.

Before I go further, I must explain that rap music is not the only genre being exploited. Country music and Pop music (can you believe it!) are both victims of exploitation . For Country music, the corporations play on the stereotypes of country people: big trucks and getting drunk. For Pop music, it overemphasizes catchy hooks and melodies, and by sometimes having a corporation or political marketing agenda (which is a topic for another article!). Music today is a commodity. Ken Hirschkop, in the book Music and Politics of Culture, put it best: The diversity and innovation in performance and reception typical of popular music is erased when the music is abstracted and placed onto the capitalist circuit of radio playlist, promotional tour and record/cassette/CD sales. Even though he was discussing pop music, the concept does not excluded music genres as a whole. Anything produced has the opportunity to be exploited by capitalism. That is not to say that capitalism is bad. It is just a product of its own exploitation, but again that is another topic.

Music has much influential power. It is one of the strongest influential powers in the world. Why do you think corporations who have no love and desire for music spend so much time and put so much money into it. By limiting the content you are limiting its consumers to their own personal growth. However that is the difference between the exploitation of Hip Hop and the exploitation of Pop and Country music. The exploitations of Pop and Country limits its consumers from creativity and education of different styles of people. The exploitation of Hip-Hop results in those same limitations but more. Consumers of hip-hop, in terms of buying power, is essentially white. However it is directed towards and produced by African Americans. Generally speaking, African Americans tend to only listen to Hip-Hop or R&B but of course their are some exceptions. With that being said, the exploitation of Hip-Hop restricts an entire race. It is no secret that the Black community is in a deep rut. We have the most buying power but no assets. Generations of people who do not know their history. Black on Black crime. This is not to say that the exploitation of Hip-Hop is the sole cause of these problems but it adds to the fuel when it has the potential to put the fire out. I may be bias since I am an African American, but an exploitation that holds a race back from liberation is the worst exploitation of all.

When it comes to placing the blame for racial problems, many people throw shade at Hip Hop. Sometimes it is done rightfully so and sometimes it is not. Recently MSNBC reported that the disgusting racial chant by SAE fraternity is a result of Hip-Hop. Do you believe that statement holds some truth to it? Stay tuned and find out my opinion in my next article. Love and Peace.