Author Thomas Chatterton Williams, has a book,“Losing My Cool: How a Father’s Love and 15,000 Books Beat Hip-Hop Culture,” out where he claimed that hip-hop music is detrimental to African-Americans.
I haven't read the book,however,I think it's an interesting discussion and one that should take place. Many people don't want to deal with the negative influence of Hip Hop but it's real. Some rappers have made it cool to wear your pants hanging off your behind and to have visible tats all over your body. I would be doing a disservice to Hip Hop if I didn't point out the transformation of rappers like Jay-Z from "just a rapper" to Shawn Carter,the businessman. There are countless others I could name who has done great things within the world of Hip Hop. But THIS is a discussion worth having.Hopefully people can have it without accusing people who support this theory as being old,out of touch,selling out or hating.
For those of you that will choose to go that route,let me share this with you. The above rapper name is Plies. He is a self proclaimed "Goon"(GOON has replaced PIMP as the new "it" thing to be in Hip Hop).It was recently discovered that Plies was Valedictorian of his high school class. That sounds like something everyone should be proud of,right. "Not so fast my friend." It was such a "big deal" among some Hip Hop circles that Plies had to call into a radio station,defend his "Goon status" and "address" an article titled,"Plies & Other Smart Rappers EXPOSED". THAT in itself is enough to validate the point Mr.Williams is trying to make in his book.
We are in serious trouble when people have to "address" the "rumor" that they were smart. Sure,I understand the article was an effort to expose "studio gangstas". But the fact that they have to be 'studio gangstas" in the first place,is the tragedy in all of this.
To the question, "Is hip hop holding back young African Americans?" My answer is no. I don't think it is. People are only bound by the prisons/bondage they put themselves in mentally, physically and even spiritually.
ReplyDeleteBoth the examples you gave are perfect examples of that. Plies, high school valedictorian, put himself in the realm of being classified a goon. I'm sure he could have chosen any school inthe country to further his education and become anything other than a rapper. (Not that there is anything wrong with being a rapper by any means.) OR, he could have used that to change the rap game altogether.
Where as Jay-Z, a street drug dealer, put himself in the realm of CEO. He could have chosen to become the next Frank Lucas, or end up dead or in prison.
They both chose what they would eventually become. And what they would be known by.