In the lyrics above from one of my favorite songs, Common laments about the debasement suffered by his true love, real<\/em> hip-hop<\/a> music. The BBC reports on a recent international hip-hop conference <\/a>in Connecticut where it was evident that the love is being kept alive in other countries around the world, countries where artists treat hip-hop music how she was meant to be treated:<\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n <\/p>Rolando Brown, of event sponsors the Hip-hop Association, said the festival highlighted there was “more of a focus on positive community development” outside the US…<\/font> \n <\/p>We have been able to filter out the elements of sex, money and drugs – you don’t get that in Tanzania,” he explained. <\/p>“They are the records that sell and appeal to a wider demographic of people than any type of music…” [Link<\/a>]<\/blockquote>\n\n The BBC article ends with a zinger that perfectly captures the current problem with the crap that passes for music on the radio:<\/p>\n\n I met this girl, when I was ten years oldAnd what I loved most she had so much soul She was old school, when I was just a shorty Never knew throughout my life she would be there for me … Continue reading A recent international hip-hop festival which brought together rap artists from around the world has raised the question of why non-US rap is so political – whereas mainstream American rap appears frivolous…<\/font> \n
“You don’t get airplay if you talk about these things in your music. Over 99% of the rap in Tanzania is in Swahili – and it actually has a political message to it.” \nHowever, many artists in Hartford blamed the current preoccupations of US hip-hop on the music industry, and stressed they believe record labels and radio conglomerates are actively promoting negative stereotypes to bury rap with a positive or political message.
“Being sensational about violence or sex or drugs is a huge part of it,” said Chee Malabar, a rapper with Asian-American act The Himalayan Project<\/a><\/strong>. “It’s easier for Americans to buy into that than it is to look in the mirror and say, ‘some of the social policies and institutional hierarchies are messed up’.
“That’s hard to sell, and ultimately it’s about selling…” [Link<\/a>]<\/blockquote>\n\n“They don’t really want to hear about your opposition to George Bush – they’d much rather hear about what you want to do with George Bush’s wife,” she said.
“They don’t want too much politics or too much sociological content rammed down their throats, because they’re looking at rap as a fantasy – ‘if I can famous, I can get iced-out teeth as well’…” [Link<\/a>]<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"