...with its constant references to drugs, guns, racial slurs, homesexual violence...should'nt this type of music be more underground?

I mean think about it, isn't kinda strange that we listen to music that constantly refers to 'bun dem', 'kill niggas', 'slang dope', '**** police'. Are we de-sensitised to it, does it matter? Is it important?

Is it representative of 'us' and our feelings?

I say this cos i'm sitting at work listening to my iPod and its some pretty violent shit. Imagine if I plugged my iPod into a loudspeaker, would it be acceptable to play in the workplace?

stick-upKid wrote:


It is if you listen to POP radio programming and POP TV videos. But generally speaking NO, there are a ton of artist putting out good material.

I no longer listen to that type of music. I for one wouldn't play it when my parents where around when I was younger let alone play it at work now that I'm an adult.

Footprints wrote:
this statement is absolute bullshit....so what better "white" music??

lol

All I can say from watching Channel U over here in England, is that the music and the videos get from bad to worst and whats with fine wine...the level of aggressive music on that one channel is just shocking, to say the least.

I think this thread needs a deep analysis of black contemporary meda representation?

Also, it is really imporant to discuss these things because this music constructs how non-black people judge 'our' culture, without understanding the roots of why the artists are so angry and listening to what is being said rather than 'I love hip hop, I love rnb, eh whats his name...'

Ms P.

Black music isnt too commercial - some of if not maybe- certainlya lot of the better or even socially consciousartists (including those with good production)don't get major play unless they take up residence in the designated zone of acceptability.

Black music that gets played on regular media is generally full of bullshit.

But as a whole its very uplifting.

The uplifting tunes are underground. The violent madness and slacknessis easily accesible.

It's a shame...a lot of black music are negative especially for us parents that are bringing up little ones (the future generation)..I have changed my choice of music since I had my child..she's 8..and children tend to copy stuff they don't even know the meaning of what they're saying..it makes me wonder about these artist that writes/sing about stuff ie 'n*gga' 'hoes' 'bitch'...ARE THEY REALLY IDOLS like those kids see them?

(I was in the car with me mate and her kids..and busta's tune came on..the not so clean version and her kids were singing along happily..'I love my bitch'..I nearly fell out the car window!)confused3

If you are finding the majority of 'black' music too violent, aggressive etc then the problem is your taste and what you choose to listen to not 'black' music as a whole.

I believe there are far more genres of black music where those labels cannot be attached, however what gets played most and aired most are the negative kinds of music. So if you like to be dictated to, or choose not to explore the rich variety ofmusic we create, then yes you will come away thinking that 'black music is too commerical and aggressive' or 'a lot of black music are negative'.

When you mention black music what genre of black music are you refering to? judging by the majority of comments mentioned ya'll seem to talking about rap music ,rap is'nt the only black music out there ,what about jazz,funk,soul,blues,reggae ?black music is'nt just about friggin rap and yeah i think the rap thing sucks if you ask me these rapping morons are selling black music out with their bullshit gangsta lyrics to think that all the above genres that i mentioned all had style and quality not to mention an abundance of talent plus some of the lyrics were black concious lyrics that had a message without resorting to using words like nigga,hoes,bitches etc that are detrimental to the black community as a whole ,artists like curtis mayfield, marvin gaye all had black concious lyrics in most of their music these guys had class not like these dumb hip hop buffons like 50 cent and jah rule who just want to make a fast buck regardless of how damaging it can be to black folks.But there is still good black music out especially in jazz,blues,soul,funk,reggae genres you just have to look for it more because its not so mainstream as all that dumb hip hop shite. Yeah black music is not just about friggin hip hop.

You must understand that Hip Hop artists view gangsta rap and are encouraged to pursue that style of the music purely based on sales and image.

The fact of the matter is that the largest consumers of gangsta rap and most hip-hop is white surburbanAmerican males. They love violent music just as much as they love violent games and movies. The moment they lose interest in gangsta rap, the labels will start dropping these artists like stones. The executives at the labels don't care about us, just the sales.

And of course, it disappoints me that even R&B is getting more crass with references to hustling, drug-dealing, N****rs, hoes and b**ches. Artists and groups that didn't swear before are swearing now (listen to K-Ci's My Book and 112's Pleasure and Pain CDs). Why?

Who remembers gentlemen like Freddie Jackson and Alexander O'Neal? We need more like them. Check out Dennis Taylor (of a similar age) for an example.

Kibibi wrote: ______



That's why I'm referring to 'commercial' music. I'm not judging the music itself - infact I'm judging all the people (myself included) who buy the albums and who listen to that music in clubs.

Now, I don't know about you but last time I went raving I didn't go to listen to jazz music. Commercial black music is Hip-hop and RnB. We can say its whiteboys in the surburbs that buy it but how do you explain the clubs? I mean isn't it kind of strange you go clubbing and you hear music with gunshots in it, and lyrics about 'bitches' and 'stompin on n-words' etc?

I love hip-hop. All of it. But that doesn't stop me questioning the content of it, or those who popularise it...