Exploiting the Music - Rap
By Robert Beverly
(Because the terms Rap and Hip Hop are often used interchangeably in the music industry regardless of the perceived differences, I use the terms as synonyms in this article)
Hip Hop has evolved to a point in which it directly, and even more so, inadvertently affects every facet of American Culture...hell more like mainstream world culture. The very essence of rap music influences everything from McDonalds selling chicken sandwiches to political campaigns. So it only makes sense that the vast majority of industry controlling enterprises would try to profit off of this golden egg manufacturer. Most people can’t even think of music, without Rap coming to mind (whether it be a positive or negative thought), which is why it’s being mass produced and sold like crack on every corner.
Furthermore, in order for a marketing mix to appeal to the largest population of potential consumers it must be formatted, organized and packaged like any other good! And nothing sells like sex, violence and ignorance! Its just like any other good on the shelf. And similarly to all the other products, you want to make each individually wrapped good as similar as possible to the rest of your product line, as to not deviate from the marketing mix, and have some uniformity. Now of course you have different genres of rap, just as a manufacturer has different lines of products. It just so happens that the most popular brand in the rap industry is the gun toting, womanizing, exuberant and energetic, spendthrifting, excessively gaudy lifestyle image. And ironically, the majority of the listeners and viewers have never, and will never experience this lifestyle. Yet they all try to achieve it, mostly to the detriment of their finances. You see it in every club, every upscale hotel, every expensive restaurant and at every major sporting event. People living well beyond their means, in order to experience that lavish lifestyle, even if its only for a few hours. The club is packed with so called men who chase the image of a rapper who does not live that lifestyle himself. And the women consistently objectify themselves, clinging to the same roles portrayed by video vixens on MTVs top 10 playlist. And neither of them have the time nor money to act the rest of this scene out. Its like they have been typed casted, and can’t find another role to play.
The rents past due, your cell phone gets cut off every other month, your kids are starving for attention, your living with your mother working 30hrs a week at a dead end job. Yet you waste time and money on liquor, new club outfits and jewelry just so you can look the part even if you will never get the role. And then complain because you have nothing. But I’m not sure that all this can be laid at the feet of rap. Or can it? Has the growth of rap music, socially stunted the growth of our communities.
Most things in life mature, however, it seems that Rap music epitomizes the Benjamin Button frame work, in that its cultivation stemmed from meaningful verbal expression, and evolved into mindless bantering about materialistic goods and meaningless depictions of violence, sex and drug abuse!! Raps beginning was that of an extremely self aware & sophisticated mindset, and has currently digressed into immature fantasies of an extremely adolescent mind. Rap developed out of a need to verbally express the racial injustices in urban communities at a time when police brutality and racial profiling were at its highest!! !It was born into an era that needed a loud and aggressive voice to represent the disenfranchised and speak for the urban community. It was wild and angry, yet concise, meaningful and spoke with a purpose. As rap got older, it grew immature and became more caged and controlled. It projects an unrealistic view of the urban culture, and creates a want for….well, more! The beat changed from talking about urban plight and political corruption, to money, cash hoes! It went from being free, to being a slave. Yet, none of this could have happened unless we, the people, allowed it to happen.
The rapper lifestyle portrayed in most music videos is something that we all would like to experience, even the rappers themselves! Most of the artist you see in the video can barely afford to shoot that video, let alone live that life. These rappers are typically tied down to a Record Label, and are contractually bound to that label (often referred to as slave contracts). The label often has a large staff of individuals whose sole purpose is to make sure that artist sells. And in most cases, in order for that artist to sell, he has to sell out first. By selling out, I am referring to the artist relinquishing his rights to creativity and artistic expression, which in many cases leaves the artist in the position to play a puppet to the label. And the bottom-line is, you have to go along, to get along. So they rap about the guns, bitches, money, cars and parties in order to sell. And because this lifestyle has been consistently glorified, and it is all that the younger generations see on every music channel they turn to, its what the machine keeps churning out! Yet, clearly there are exceptions to rule, but the point remains the same; there is still a rule. So what happens to the rappers who don’t conform to the system? Well, unless you are a fan of the art and not the people, you simple don’t hear them.
There is a dichotomy in rap, created by two major groupings of those involved in the music industry. Those that are in it for the art, and those that are in it for pure profit. These two groups aren’t mutual exclusive (often times overlapping), yet the way that people from each group perceives rap are distinct from one another. It stands to reason that one who seeks pure profit treats rap like a product. Yet those in it for the art, treat it as such; like art. They see it no differently than a painting, sculptures or poetry. There is a war in rap, a beef if you will: Art vs. Profit. And I’m sorry to say, art has lost many battles over last several years. Profit seems to be the guiding star of rap, yet without direction it has gotten lost. And because rap influences most facets of American Culture, we have all been led astray. Yet I wonder, is it rap that has negatively influenced American Culture, or is it American Culture’s influences that have corrupted rap?
If rap were a person, it would only speak of illustrious wants, instead of dire necessities. It would be unemployed, with bad credit, be poorly educated and have a jail record! It would be irresponsible, self centered and extremely materialistic. It would be vein, abrasive, overtly confrontational, unapologetic, and would be a pathological liar. And that’s just the first impression. Yet surprising, rap would also be extremely intelligent, highly motivated and one of the most successful business men in the world. Ironically enough, rap sounds allot like the worlds view of America. We have much influence over the worlds cultures as far as entertainment. We have one of the most powerful militaries in the world, which is why we can assert ourselves in many countries foreign affairs without much resistance. We are one of the world’s most obese nations. We have an appetite for excess, be it referring to food, oil, huge cars, jewelry, homes, etc. We are extremely arrogant and sell centered. The parallels go on.
In the end, it is possible that rap is America’s projection of itself. The views of violence, womanizing, flashy, careless and arrogant attitudes are the same characteristic some nations see in America. Yet cash is king, so says Capitalism. So as long as those checks keep rolling in, there is no reason for the industry to change. So it all comes down to us, the listeners and viewers. If we stop buying, they will stop selling. Hip hop might have come close to dying, but its not dead yet. By no means am I naïve about rap, and the business. In order for it to exist, profit has to be made. But in order for true rap to survive, there has to be a balance. A yin and yang of profit vs. art, of want vs. need. Otherwise, we will continue to listen to a bunch of noncreative carbon copies. We are the customers. And if we decide that we want something different, they can’t say no. The customer is always right.
“they say that hip-hop is dead, well Im hear to resurrect me” - Commom
