Uke

Hip Hop Profanity, Misogyny and Violence: Blame the Manufacturer By Glen Ford


"Corporations have been usurping and reshaping Black mass culture for decades -- hip hop is just the latest product line."


On a Spring day at McDonald's fast food restaurants all across Black America, counter clerks welcome female customers with the greeting, "What you want, bitch?" Female employees flip burgers in see-through outfits and make lewd sexual remarks to pre-teen boys while bussing tables. McDonald's managers position themselves near the exits, arms folded, Glocks protruding from their waistbands, nodding to departing customers, "Have a good day, motherf**kers. Y'all my niggas."

Naturally, the surrounding communities would be upset. A portion of their anger would be directed at the young men and women whose conduct was so destructive of the morals and image of African Americans. Preachers would rail against the willingness of Black youth to debase themselves in such a manner, and politicians would rush to introduce laws making it a crime for public accommodations employees to use profanity or engage in lewd or threatening behavior. However, there can be no doubt that the full wrath of the community and the state would descend like an angry god's vengeance on the real villain: the McDonald's Corporation, the purveyor of the fast food experience product.

Hip Hop music is also a product, produced by giant corporations for mass distribution to a carefully targeted and cultivated demographic market. Corporate executives map out multi-year campaigns to increase their share of the targeted market, hiring and firing subordinates -- the men and women of Artists and Recordings (A&R) departments -- whose job is to find the raw material for the product (artists), and shape it into the package upper management has decreed is most marketable (the artist's public persona, image, style and behavior). It is a corporate process at every stage of artist "development," one that was in place long before the artist was "discovered" or signed to the corporate label. What the public sees, hears and consumes is the end result of a process that is integral to the business model crafted by top corporate executives. The artist, the song, the presentation -- all of it is a corporate product.

Yet, unlike the swift and certain public condemnation that would crash down upon our hypothetical McDonald's-from-Da Hood, the bulk of Black community anger at hip hop products is directed at foul-behaving artists, rather than the corporate Dr. Frankensteins that created and profit from them. As the great French author and revolutionary Franz Fanon would have understood perfectly, colonized and racially oppressed peoples internalize -- take ownership -- of the social pathologies fostered by the oppressor. Thus, the anti-social aspects of commercial hip hop are perceived as a "Black" problem, to be overcome through internal devices (preaching and other forms of collective self-flagellation), rather than viewed as an assault by hostile, outside forces secondarily abetted by opportunists within the group.

In order for our nightmare McDonald's analogy to more closely fit the music industry reality, all the fast food chains would have to provide the same type of profane, low-life, hyper-sexualized, life-devaluing service/product: "Bitch-Burgers" from Burger King, served with "Chronic-Flavored Fries," "Ho Wings" from KFC, dipped in too-hot "187 Murder Sauce." If you wanted fast food, you'd have to patronize one or the other of these thug-themed chains. So, too, with hip hop music.

A handful of entertainment corporations exercise total control of the market, in incestuous (and illegal) conspiratorial concert with corporate-dominated radio. Successful so-called "independent" labels are most often mere subcontractors to the majors, dependent on them for record distribution and business survival. They are no more independent than the owner of a McDonald's franchise, whose product must conform to the standards set by global headquarters in Oak Brook, Illinois.

As "conscious" rapper Paris wrote, there is no viable alternative to the corporate nexus for hip hop artists seeking to reach a mass audience. "WHAT underground?" said Paris. "Do you know how much good material is marginalized because it doesn't fit white cooperate America's ideals of acceptability? Independents can't get radio or video play anymore, at least not through commercial outlets, and most listeners don't acknowledge material that they don't see or hear regularly on the radio or on T.V."

The major record labels actively suppress positive hip hop by withholding promotional support of both the above- and below-the-table variety. Hip hop journalist and activist Davey D reported that Erykah Badu and The Roots' Grammy-winning hit "You Got Me" was initially rejected by the corporate nexus due to its "overtly positive" message..."so palms were greased with the promise that key stations countrywide would get hot ‘summer jam' concert acts in exchange for airplay. According to Questlove [of The Roots], more than $1 million in cash and resources were eventually laid out for the success of that single song."

Black America's hip hop problem cannot be laid at the feet of a few hundredHHthugTupac wayward performers -- and should certainly not be assigned to some inherent pathology in Black culture. African Americans do not control the packaging and dissemination of their culture: corporations and their Black comprador allies and annexes do. The mass Gangsta Rap phenomenon is a boardroom invention. I know.

From 1987 to early 1994, I co-owned and hosted "Rap It Up," the first nationally syndicated radio hip hop music program. During the first half of this period, the Rap genre accomplished its national "breakout" from New York and LA, spreading to all points in between. By 1990, the major labels were preparing to swallow the independent labels that had birthed commercial hip hop, which had evolved into a wondrous mix of party, political and "street"-aggressive subsets. One of the corporate labels (I can't remember which) conducted a study that shocked the industry: The most "active" consumers of Hip Hop, they discovered, were "tweens," the demographic slice between the ages of 11 and 13.

The numbers were unprecedented. Even in the early years of Black radio, R&B music's most "active" consumers were at least two or three years older than "tweens." It didn't take a roomful of PhDs in human development science to grasp the ramifications of the data. Early and pre-adolescents of both genders are sexual-socially undeveloped -- uncertain and afraid of the other gender. Tweens revel in honing their newfound skills in profanity; they love to curse. Males, especially, act out their anxieties about females through aggression and derision. This is the cohort for which the major labels would package their hip hop products. Commercial Gangsta Rap was born -- a sub-genre that would lock a whole generation in perpetual arrested social development.

First, the artists would have to be brought into the corporate program. The term "street" became a euphemism for a monsoon of profanity, gratuitous violence, female and male hyper-promiscuity, the most vulgar materialism, and the total suppression of social consciousness. A slew of child acts was recruited to appeal more directly to the core demographic.

Women rappers were coerced to conform to the new order. A young female artist broke down at my kitchen table one afternoon, after we had finished a promotional interview. "They're trying to make me into a whore," she said, sobbing. "They say I'm not ‘street' enough." Her skills on the mic were fine. "They" were the A&R people from her corporate label.

Stories like this abounded during the transition from independent to major label control of hip hop. The thug- and -"ho"ification of the genre is now all but complete.

Blame the manufacturer.

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Tom Yum

That sounds like an excuse, especially on the profanity and violence part. You can chose which words you use; you can chose what actions you will take.

You don't have to use profanity if you don't want to - especially in the case of the talented young lady who wasn't marketed because she wasn't ghetto enough.

The image hurts educated, intelligent, well-spoken black people because they get type cast into a certain image that has never been part of their life or experience.

People curse when bad things happen; people use violence to protect themselves - but randomly? What's the excuse?

The misogyny is more of a male thing than it is a hip-hop thing; its a male reaction toward women who go after men for shallow reasons or loose a woman due to lack of fidelity, but we guys are just as guilty - its a human experience.

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Uke

I posted this so that people who are interested can learn something about the business side of hip hop and dispel some of their preconceived notions about all the artists choosing to portray negative images and messages. This gives an insight into the biz that many aren't aware of.

I felt that an article like this was necessary after having encountered a few so-called hip hop fans who make incredibly stupid statements about a topic that they know little to nothing about, aside from wearing a baseball cap backwards and t-shirts that have the names of urban neighborhoods emblazoned upon them.

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Uke

First, I posted the article. I did not write the post.

Second, did you even read the article? Seems like you didn't otherwise you would have seen the context in which they discuss why artists can't use their own style and image or words IF they want their song/album to see the light of day.

Third, I'm not going to debate an article. Its clear that you read the heading and then responded to the first couple of lines. If you're not interested in reading and learning what the facts and messgae is in the article, then why bother responding with a reply, Tom Yum?

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A solar panel 100 miles by 100 miles (161x161km) in the Mojave Desert (USA) could replace all the coal now burned to generate electricity in the entire U.S.

bigboywasim

In the United States you see this everywhere from magazines to the clubs but when it comes to rap/hip-hop music there is something wrong.

There are many different kinds of rap/hip-hop music. It is poetry and expression. It is part of a culture. Anything done change this music will face heavy resistance.

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Tom Yum

Ever listen to The Pharcyde?

In one of their songs, they make fun of that very aspect of the music industry, mocking a corporate-type guy directing the set of a rap music video trying to make it more "ghetto" and therefore more marketable.

The business-side of many things is obvious enough to those who take the time to think through it.

You're talking about the hip hop consumer?

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Uke

The business side of things is not obvious. If you aren't in the industry, then you don't know what is going on. How could you? And the Pharcyde video may have shown Corporate trying "ghetto-fy" the song and video, but no video to date shows the ramifications that artists face when they try to keep their artistic integrity intact and their music positive.

Its not impossible. Look at Kanye West, but he's the exception, not the rule. The article makes fine points about all this. Try reading it.

I was talking about two or three on this site.

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A solar panel 100 miles by 100 miles (161x161km) in the Mojave Desert (USA) could replace all the coal now burned to generate electricity in the entire U.S.

GonzoStyles

Boo Hoo!

the poor artists being victimized by the music industry what a sob story.

In the digital age to claim that executives are transforming rappers into ghetto thugs shows a lack of commitment on the part of the artist to stay true to his self.

Basically they are selling out and you are trying I guess to defend them or what Im not sure?

Your article quotes the rapper "Paris" as lamenting "Underground. what underground?"

The underground is and will always be where real rap music comes from.

Houston is a perfect example of this, Houston and the Screw style didnt come from the music executives nor was it embraced by them, yet at the moment it is the big trend in Rap music across America, Paul Wall, Mike Jones and Swisha house were not "pushed" into what they do by anyone.

Houston has a long history of Independent rap labels going back to
"Rap-A-Lot" the Ghetto boys independent label. Hell Scarface went to Missouri city junior high, not exactly the fith ward that he is so famous for claiming. But no executive told him to claim fith ward and act like a drug dealer, he did it on his own.

So with digital technology it is no ones fault but the artist if they prostitute themselves out to the corporate image just to make it.

The new generation of real artists are done with the so-called music industry
once again thanks to digital technology you can get time in a studio cheap and put out your own records, not to say that rappers haven't being doing this all along (the real ones anyways) but for someone to try and put the fault on the executives for the material that the majority of artists put out is a cop-out.

If you take the low-road and sell out to make money the fault is entirely yours, Because if you value your art and yourself the road to self production is out there, it may be harder then selling out to the big boys, but it has always been this way.

The best example I can think of the the UK rap group known as "The Streets"

http://www.the-streets.co.uk/

The Streets, a group and label solely built by Mike Skinner as a complete in-house recording company, Mike Skinner claims to be able to turn a profit on 30 thousand copies, While the sell out thug's don't amount to anything unless they go platinum. Mike Skinner also manages other groups and artists and puts out some of the most intelligent lyrics you will find, as well as making videos that are top notch, and all without a damn dime from the major labels.

Tom Yum

Yes it is.

Business isn't rocket science, Uke.

I don't require a video/article to tell me that people will do whatever they're told by the management that employs them or get black balled for doing otherwise - that's common sense.

Themes like this repeat themselves again and again, just in a different industry or in slightly different scenarios. Employment in the entertainment industry is "at will" even for the entertainers themselves, I bet most here know what that entails.

Fortunately the music industry is undergoing some technological changes that favor the musician's product, rather than a packaged collection of their songs under a record label marketed to certain groups.

With the right marketing, some musicians can get their material exposed via the internet through different portals and chat rooms.

If it continues to develop this way, the consumer will ultimately decide what they will listen to and will purchase an individual song online for $0.05 to $0.10 as they are starting to do rather than going to the store to buy 12 songs for $19.99 under a record label.

Read it.

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gregimotis

Besides all of what TY said here's something else:


Business will sell exactly what consumers will buy (another obvious business rule)

Corporate business isn't forcing artists to make 'gansta' rap because they want to keep the black man down, they are making 'gansta' rap because people keep buying said (c)rap.

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Tom Yum

The article states:

-The lingo and messages delivered in most mainstream rap music are not socially acceptable or appropriate.

-Said messages are the results of videos and songs that are crafted and purposely marketed to certain subcultures by a music product, produced/run by an oligopolistic rap music industry (me an mah fancy words agin).

-Industry leaders deem certain artists in rap have to sound more ghetto to be more marketable to these sectors (no mention of keeping the black man down) or risk loosing their financial backing and support.

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There's about a handfull of rap tunes that I find entertaining or even downright hillarious, but I don't try to live out the messages or imitate what I see. I've been a fan of rap music since the days of NWA but even then I had a finely tuned filter about what I was hearing; even watched The Message....remember that one, Uke?

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gregimotis

This is the mention of keeping the black man down. Corporate America may be a bastard, but I don't think it's a conspiracy to do anything except make money.

I don't know, I'm having trouble getting my posts straight today.

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I am Tired. Tired. Tired.

Tom Yum

Get yourself a nice cup of Jo, bro.

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Mr. Arieson

People just have to ween themselves off this junk. There is plenty of good hip-hop that does not fall into this category, and hardly anyone is buying it. Despite the fact that it is of higher quality, with better musicianship.

I like the older stuff, DeLaSoul, Public enemy, Tribe called quest-those kinds of things. Well, I don't really like them that much, but I don't feel physically ill when I hear them-like I do when I hear this stuff. Any time a rapper says "Yee-eh" instead of "yeah" it makes me ill.

Uke

That's true. And over 85% of consumers who buy rap CD's and DVD's are White. The article then goes ahead to make an excellent point that most who don't know these facts go on to categorize the misogyny and violence in hip hop as a "Black" problem instead of an issue of money. I didn't think that this article had anything to do with "keeping the Black man down". I thought it gave a clear look at what happens in the music industry when artists try to be positive and go against the machine.

If anyone walked away from this article with the "keeping the Black man down" theme in mind, you probably began reading this article with that theme in mind before you read the first sentence. If you can take that statement that Paris made as a "cop out" or a "keeping the Black man down" implication, then something is wrong with how you digest what you read.

There are White rappers who are forced to rap about the same subjects that Black rappers have to rap about. Eminem is just as disfunctional as anyone in hip hop. Let Eminem come out with a record about staying in school and staying off drugs and then watch how much airplay it gets. This is how the industry works, and this is how it always has. It exploits one people's culture for capitol gain.

Many rappers who try to send a positive message are forced to make comprimises. They have to make an album with 15 tracks talking about street life, and then they might be able to sneak one or two songs that are positive.

I've been listening to rap since the Sugar Hill Gang. All those guys you names are late 80's early 90's.

I would much rather have a rapper saying "Yee-eh" then talk about how much much cocaine they sold or how many people they shot. If the "Yee-eh" bothers you then you just have a problem with the mannerisms of the culture, not the messages.

__________________
A solar panel 100 miles by 100 miles (161x161km) in the Mojave Desert (USA) could replace all the coal now burned to generate electricity in the entire U.S.