I think you really gotta look at who is approving these rappers for publication. Who is co-signing these rappers that only rap about money, drugs, guns, etc.? Who’s promoting them? Rapping about money and being independent grown is oxymoronic because real money comes from radio spins, streams, downloads, etc. And you need big money to put you in front of the long line of artists. So the gatekeepers and labels can control what kind of subjects and content really gets said in the rap scene. And at the same time, there’s a lack of growth in hip-hop as an art form in the kinds of things it can talk about. Rap is intrinsically linked to the struggles of black people so that’s first and foremost the kind of subject that comes up. What do poor black people want/need? Money? So rapping about money goes hand in hand with the culture that consumes hip-hop. If we want rap to talk about other things, hip-hop as a community needs to branch out and approach other important topics. Climate change, politics, voting rights, voter suppression, rent control, homelessness, wage theft, etc. These things impact impoverished people and minorities hard and we don’t talk about it in our strongest forms of expression because imagine the unifying force for change if record execs allowed that.
@@bulletdancestorm554 well said. They’re always rappers talking about these topics. It’s up to the community and the culture to support their message. Thanks for the comment…
I'm in complete agreement ‼️ guys rapping about nothin but money/ females talkin about nothin but their box, and I like some of the young rappers I would like to hear them touch on other topics. LL has been around as long as he has because he knows how to reach different audiences, his music appeals to a wide range of people. That's how you stay relevant.
Everything here sounded cool but here's how it REALLY breaks down. We can stop saying the people don't support the artists that are independent/underground and their message enough. Many of those artists haven't worked a 9 to 5 in over a decade and have been quietly successful enough to support their families. It's not talked about because being true independent artists is never going to be championed by a system that likes their acts signed to bad deals where the labels get the overwhelming majority of the profits from their brand. What happens if we're allowed to talk all over the airwaves about ownership, independence, the importance of education, spirituality, etc.? We as a group begin to decide to pull away from the mass media system that still pushes narratives of our people being prone to violence, hypersexuality, and in many ways portrays us as inadequate to be leaders while subtly continuing to hint to other groups that black lives are in fact expendable. Certain music subgenres (trap/drill) reinforce negative stereotypes while turning profits with next to no real ownership on our behalf and in fact influences the youth's decision-making which will aid in the already established school to prison pipeline. The labels are promoting them and we need to stop putting certain figures up on a pedestal just because they're successful in said system. NONE of them that are fully ingrained within it are to be trusted.....
@@dawb86 I dont if you know Lupe Fiasco's full story (this is gonna be a long-ass comment, im sorry), but theres a reason why hes my favorite rapper, and not just because hes an amazing lyricist. When Lupe got signed to Atlantic Records he got screwed REALLY badly. Most people know Lupe from his early work like Kick Push (oh the skateboard song) or Daydream (he won a grammy) or Superstar. But just from Food and Liquor he had songs like American Terrorist and Hurt Me Soul. Lupe didnt glorify gang violence and hood life. Even though he LIVED in the westside of Chicago. Even though his producer Chilly Chill caught a case and was sentenced to 44 years for drug offences. Lupe dodged that case and theres a good chance that their whole independent label 1st and 15th was founded through drug sales. Lupe lived and breath street life and gang violence. He chose NOT to represent that in his music. Theres a reason he made a song called Hip Hop Saved My Life. Look at other songs like Little Weapon, Streets on Fire, Dumb It Down. Lupe talks about SOMETHING else. He says it on Mural (Tetsuo and Youth) - "My Rap position was black condition of activism/Ammunition for abolition, missions attacking systems/But they not apt to listen, unless it's dropping on Activision" . Lupe struggled with Atlantic to make the music he wanted. Lasers is famously his WORSE album. Supposedly Atlantic kept sending him beats with choruses already and just wanted him to make verses. F&L2 did poorly, but it continues the theme of Lupe staying away from glorifying gang violence. Songs like Freedom Aint Free, Bitch Bad, Lamborghini Angels, and Cold War are some highlights. This is also the time Lupe gets more outspoken about politics and calls Obama a terrorist and speaks against the violence in Gaza on mainstream television. This is where he lost a lot fans. Eventually with much struggle he finally releases his 5th and final album with Atlantic Tetsuo and Youth, which i would argue is his best album. After this Lupe is releasing independently. He releases Drogas Light (leftover songs from the Lasers era) and masterpiece like Drogas Wave and finally the whole point of my comment is his album Drill Music in Zion. On Faux Nem, imo is singlehandedly one of the strongest musical critique on this rap culture of violence, glorification of drugs and martyrdom mentality in popular hip-hop. Because it COMES from someone who is from the street. It comes from someone who has been screwed over by the rap music machine, and is now independent and able to truly articulate and speak on the culture of both the music and the streets and how it comes together. When other rappers criticize these kinds of topics, i cant take them as seriously.
LL moved me to this day, MUSIC 🎶
🦻🏾🦻🏾🦻🏾🦻🏾🦻🏾🐐🐐🐐🐐Talking
I think you really gotta look at who is approving these rappers for publication. Who is co-signing these rappers that only rap about money, drugs, guns, etc.? Who’s promoting them? Rapping about money and being independent grown is oxymoronic because real money comes from radio spins, streams, downloads, etc. And you need big money to put you in front of the long line of artists. So the gatekeepers and labels can control what kind of subjects and content really gets said in the rap scene. And at the same time, there’s a lack of growth in hip-hop as an art form in the kinds of things it can talk about. Rap is intrinsically linked to the struggles of black people so that’s first and foremost the kind of subject that comes up. What do poor black people want/need? Money? So rapping about money goes hand in hand with the culture that consumes hip-hop. If we want rap to talk about other things, hip-hop as a community needs to branch out and approach other important topics. Climate change, politics, voting rights, voter suppression, rent control, homelessness, wage theft, etc. These things impact impoverished people and minorities hard and we don’t talk about it in our strongest forms of expression because imagine the unifying force for change if record execs allowed that.
@@bulletdancestorm554 well said. They’re always rappers talking about these topics. It’s up to the community and the culture to support their message. Thanks for the comment…
I'm in complete agreement ‼️ guys rapping about nothin but money/ females talkin about nothin but their box, and I like some of the young rappers I would like to hear them touch on other topics. LL has been around as long as he has because he knows how to reach different audiences, his music appeals to a wide range of people. That's how you stay relevant.
@@irmamcarthur ✅
Everything here sounded cool but here's how it REALLY breaks down. We can stop saying the people don't support the artists that are independent/underground and their message enough. Many of those artists haven't worked a 9 to 5 in over a decade and have been quietly successful enough to support their families. It's not talked about because being true independent artists is never going to be championed by a system that likes their acts signed to bad deals where the labels get the overwhelming majority of the profits from their brand. What happens if we're allowed to talk all over the airwaves about ownership, independence, the importance of education, spirituality, etc.? We as a group begin to decide to pull away from the mass media system that still pushes narratives of our people being prone to violence, hypersexuality, and in many ways portrays us as inadequate to be leaders while subtly continuing to hint to other groups that black lives are in fact expendable. Certain music subgenres (trap/drill) reinforce negative stereotypes while turning profits with next to no real ownership on our behalf and in fact influences the youth's decision-making which will aid in the already established school to prison pipeline. The labels are promoting them and we need to stop putting certain figures up on a pedestal just because they're successful in said system. NONE of them that are fully ingrained within it are to be trusted.....
@@dawb86 I dont if you know Lupe Fiasco's full story (this is gonna be a long-ass comment, im sorry), but theres a reason why hes my favorite rapper, and not just because hes an amazing lyricist. When Lupe got signed to Atlantic Records he got screwed REALLY badly. Most people know Lupe from his early work like Kick Push (oh the skateboard song) or Daydream (he won a grammy) or Superstar. But just from Food and Liquor he had songs like American Terrorist and Hurt Me Soul. Lupe didnt glorify gang violence and hood life. Even though he LIVED in the westside of Chicago. Even though his producer Chilly Chill caught a case and was sentenced to 44 years for drug offences. Lupe dodged that case and theres a good chance that their whole independent label 1st and 15th was founded through drug sales. Lupe lived and breath street life and gang violence. He chose NOT to represent that in his music. Theres a reason he made a song called Hip Hop Saved My Life. Look at other songs like Little Weapon, Streets on Fire, Dumb It Down. Lupe talks about SOMETHING else. He says it on Mural (Tetsuo and Youth) - "My Rap position was black condition of activism/Ammunition for abolition, missions attacking systems/But they not apt to listen, unless it's dropping on Activision" . Lupe struggled with Atlantic to make the music he wanted. Lasers is famously his WORSE album. Supposedly Atlantic kept sending him beats with choruses already and just wanted him to make verses. F&L2 did poorly, but it continues the theme of Lupe staying away from glorifying gang violence. Songs like Freedom Aint Free, Bitch Bad, Lamborghini Angels, and Cold War are some highlights. This is also the time Lupe gets more outspoken about politics and calls Obama a terrorist and speaks against the violence in Gaza on mainstream television. This is where he lost a lot fans. Eventually with much struggle he finally releases his 5th and final album with Atlantic Tetsuo and Youth, which i would argue is his best album. After this Lupe is releasing independently. He releases Drogas Light (leftover songs from the Lasers era) and masterpiece like Drogas Wave and finally the whole point of my comment is his album Drill Music in Zion. On Faux Nem, imo is singlehandedly one of the strongest musical critique on this rap culture of violence, glorification of drugs and martyrdom mentality in popular hip-hop. Because it COMES from someone who is from the street. It comes from someone who has been screwed over by the rap music machine, and is now independent and able to truly articulate and speak on the culture of both the music and the streets and how it comes together. When other rappers criticize these kinds of topics, i cant take them as seriously.