Product of the Environment

Recently I have taken noticed to exposing of the more sensitive sides of rappers. From the Game’s emotional outburst over the selfish attitudes of rappers and Young Buck’s cry for help and understanding to Mr. Curtis Jackson it is clear there is a real problem in hip-hop. That problem has become very clear and that is money. The rap industry is a billion dollar industry and everyone wants a piece of it. Corporate executives formulate plans to exploit every facet of the industry. The video response by Soulja boy to Ice-T made me think that, should we be proud of soulja boy for making his money off of hip-hop and moving out of poverty, then criticize him? I find that we should, at first it seems hypocritical, but so is this industry. I have come believe that I don’t find that many artists who talk about more than the usual topics at the current time in hip-hop are ignored because they don’t fit the look or the sound which ironically is commercialized now as “hood”. Executives often don’t want enlightened or conscious rappers as from a purely financial reason it won’t sell because people either won’t understand it or respect it. Many hip-hop fanatics often argue and say that we do want consciousness in our rhymes and it won’t flop, but to our own dismay the executives are right, Lupe Fiasco being a recent example as his sells were nowhere near platinum status; which in itself is a huge statement about our generation. Hip-hop is art or at least it was, and it has taken a turn for the worst. In order to preserve its integrity people must understand anyone who picks up a brush isn’t a painter and anyone who picks up a mic isn’t a rapper or at least shouldn’t be. But as nature tends to do it will correct its mistakes on its own. When the hip-hop market becomes over crowded, the records will stop selling and the executives will not push as hard. When that occurs all the hustlers who use rap to make money will move on to more lucrative hustles, but those who love and make real hip-hop will stay and persist. As Nas would say “If you a hustler get ya paper, you aint a rapper” and that is true. In the end hip-hop will always be there just under different names or another form, but as for now the industry is in the hands of those who only are concerned with reaping the financial benefits, and the current generations buys it anyway so it won’t stop; we gotta be better for the industry to get better. However the artist should remember as Soulja boy said ironically “Money aint everything”. ~R.Esquire