Rap and Materialism

Red Sky at Morning

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OK. I’m too old to bother listening to gangsta rap but hear me out...

On the occasion when I failed to reach for the controls on the radio, I have listened to my share of rap, from both male and female artists. I couldn’t believe how shallow the sentiments were - the guys seemed to only want to sing about money, cars, lifestyle and the number of “honeyz” they could lure in.


The girls seemed to only care about the wealth and badass credentials of any given potential partner.


Of course this is the sentiments of many self-focussed people, but it seemed almost an exaggerated “hall of mirrors” style distortion.

Couple this with the music industry building up black role models like Kanye and Beyonce, Cardi B and Flo Rida who seem to echo these sentiments repeatedly, and you just have to ask why?
Couple this with the music industry building up black role models like Kanye and Beyonce, Cardi B and Flo Rida who seem to echo these sentiments repeatedly, and you just have to ask why?

Are these issues really the main interest of these artists or are they being provided with a script and a lifestyle by the labels who sign them in order to fulfil some particular agenda?

Just as fashion magazines with their airbrushed images are designed to make ordinary people feel ugly, so these images of lavish success, endless after parties and Hennessy on tap must surely make those who listen feel unsuccessful, disenfranchised and angry?

Just an observation.
 
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Maes17

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OK. I’m too old to bother listening to gangsta rap but hear me out...

On the occasion when I failed to reach for the controls on the radio, I have listened to my share of rap, from both male and female artists. I couldn’t believe how shallow the sentiments were - the guys seemed to only want to sing about money, cars, lifestyle and the number of “honeyz” they could lure in.


The girls seemed to only care about the wealth and badass credentials of any given potential partner.


Of course this is the sentiments of many self-focussed people, but it seemed almost an exaggerated “hall of mirrors” style distortion.

Couple this with the music industry building up black role models like Kanye and Beyonce, Cardi B and Flo Rida who seem to echo these sentiments repeatedly, and you just have to ask why?
Couple this with the music industry building up black role models like Kanye and Beyonce, Cardi B and Flo Rida who seem to echo these sentiments repeatedly, and you just have to ask why?

Are these issues really the main interest of these artists or are they being provided with a script and a lifestyle by the labels who sign them in order to fulfil some particular agenda?

Just as fashion magazines with their airbrushed images are designed to make ordinary people feel ugly, so these images of lavish success, endless after parties and Hennessy on tap must surely make those who listen feel unsuccessful, disenfranchised and angry?

Just an observation.
Depends on the artist. The mainstream acts tend to sing about that cause that’s what the streets strive for. We all want the jordans, supremes, luxury cars. I’m not much for multiple women in bed at once, but if you’re a single bachelor or young lady. That’s your prerogative.

Hip hop has audiences ranging from social justice, pop, hood rich, gangsta etc.

It’a technically the record labels themselves that create and push the content
 

Maes17

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That’a where I was heading really - these guys are a package and give the ideas of the label a voice.
Yeah. It’s all marketing.
Why the hip hop scene though? Idk.

Hip hop communities are generally lower income. Has to be another hopeless chasing ambition to keep them trapped I guess. Idk
 

Wigi

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@Red Sky at Morning
Hi Red, sometimes i'm listening to a christian rap artist named lecrae who often talks in his lyrics about the way the system tries to make him a pawn with all the success that comes with it.

I've seen a clip of one of his song released last year that bugged me a lot, it sounds like he tried to leak informations about the planned covid crisis and blm protests.


You can skip right to the min 2:29 with the people wearing masks and handcuffs, line such as 'your timeline is a hate crime' honestly that's too much in my opinion to be completely random.
Plus note how he's alluding to tupac while saying this.
I don't know if he's part of the system but he's speaking a lot of truths so I'm listening.
 

Maes17

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@Red Sky at Morning
Hi Red, sometimes i'm listening to a christian rap artist named lecrae who often talks in his lyrics about the way the system tries to make him a pawn with all the success that comes with it.

I've seen a clip of one of his song released last year that bugged me a lot, it sounds like he tried to leak informations about the planned covid crisis and blm protests.


You can skip right to the min 2:29 with the people wearing masks and handcuffs, line such as 'your timeline is a hate crime' honestly that's too much in my opinion to be completely random.
Plus note how he's alluding to tupac while saying this.
I don't know if he's part of the system but he's speaking a lot of truths so I'm listening.
Good point.
Some of these songs leave uncanny hints
 

TempestOfTempo

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Originally Hip-Hop/rap was like "Hey look at how I made all this cool style and etc. out of what others threw away! Now Im hot enough to buy things I always wanted, but the real impetus for this success comes from my drive and talent."

Now its more like "Hey, I dont have any real drive or talent but either me or my peoples "knew" someone who put me on, and/or I showed I was willing to torch my creativity and sell an agenda of self-destruction which the old people who control my label and this industry demanded of me."
 

Journeyman

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Its psychological warfare. On a spiritual level its demonic warfare.
I agree, but I do think hip-hop began as an original movement from communities that got hijacked by the powers that be. I think they did the same with other genres of music. It's part of their divide and rule tactics and they also use it to move the culture in the direction they want.

There was a definite change in hip-hop in the nineties. It used to have some intelligent, thoughtful lyricists preaching empowerment, this got replaced by the gangsta celebration of violence and thug life. This account may explain just how and why this happened:

 

TempestOfTempo

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I agree, but I do think hip-hop began as an original movement from communities that got hijacked by the powers that be. I think they did the same with other genres of music. It's part of their divide and rule tactics and they also use it to move the culture in the direction they want.

There was a definite change in hip-hop in the nineties. It used to have some intelligent, thoughtful lyricists preaching empowerment, this got replaced by the gangsta celebration of violence and thug life. This account may explain just how and why this happened:

The gangster ish was initially valid as well... now its a tool of TPTB to perpetuate negativity, violence and ultimately subservience to the agenda. But initially gangster rap was very different, and very valid.
 

Journeyman

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The gangster ish was initially valid as well... now its a tool of TPTB to perpetuate negativity, violence and ultimately subservience to the agenda. But initially gangster rap was very different, and very valid.
I'm sure there were genuine voices from the street at the start of the gangsta phase, but the decision to promote this version of hip-hop over and above the many different and more positive and life affirming ones, that I think came from above.

Check the link that I posted above if you have time. I can't verify it, but it stuck with me ever since I read it.
 

TempestOfTempo

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I'm sure there were genuine voices from the street at the start of the gangsta phase, but the decision to promote this version of hip-hop over and above the many different and more positive and life affirming ones, that I think came from above.

Check the link that I posted above if you have time. I can't verify it, but it stuck with me ever since I read it.
Yup I was hep to that video and I belive that something akin to the posters response was afoot. Too many things add up and point directly towards a concerted, multi-industry agenda...
 

recure

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Like the majority of mainstream music, a few people of a certain ethnoreligious predisposition (who own the record labels) are responsible for the commercialization of hip-hop and the promotion of "gangster rap": Rick Rubin, Jerry Heller, Leor Cohen and Seymour Stein. When you understand what these people are about, the rest will fall into place.

 

sickgirl15

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I agree, but I do think hip-hop began as an original movement from communities that got hijacked by the powers that be. I think they did the same with other genres of music. It's part of their divide and rule tactics and they also use it to move the culture in the direction they want.

There was a definite change in hip-hop in the nineties. It used to have some intelligent, thoughtful lyricists preaching empowerment, this got replaced by the gangsta celebration of violence and thug life. This account may explain just how and why this happened:

Exactly! I love old school hip hop/rap music! It was all about having a good time, partying, and there were also, as you said intelligent lyricists preaching empowerment, which was a very good influence for people. Now, in my opinion, the “powers that be” chose to put a different message out there. Gangsta rap music glamorizes gangs, violence, drugs, being involved in serious criminal activity that could land a person behind bars for a very long time if they get caught (you can get away with crime 100 times... all it takes it that ONE time of you getting caught by law enforcement, and you could lose everything; all the blood money you risked your life to hustle, your cars, houses, and most importantly... your freedom). Is it really worth it?! In my observations (I’ve lived in “the hood” before in a large city), very few lucky criminals are able to either get out of their dangerous lifestyles alive, and not end up doing hard time locked up in prison. I am also both offended & disgusted by all of the misogyny and glamorization of prostitution as well. Selling your soul, and getting money to let strange men penetrate you is NOT “empowering.” Not one bit. Drug addiction is anything but “glamorous.” When I lived in the hood, I saw very young, cocky criminals (who were obviously influenced by this music) end up getting shot, killed, or arrested regularly. I think “the powers that be” put this negative style of music out there to brainwash naive & easily influenced young people to wrongly aspire to get into that lifestyle and end up “just another tragic statistic.” Think about it....
 

Sunshine

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I agree, but I do think hip-hop began as an original movement from communities that got hijacked by the powers that be. I think they did the same with other genres of music. It's part of their divide and rule tactics and they also use it to move the culture in the direction they want.

There was a definite change in hip-hop in the nineties. It used to have some intelligent, thoughtful lyricists preaching empowerment, this got replaced by the gangsta celebration of violence and thug life. This account may explain just how and why this happened:


I was just thinking about this yesterday. I was like, "How the heck did hip-hop go from Queen Latifah singing 'Ladies First' to Cardi B pre-emptively debasing herself with stuff like 'W.A.P.' ? Everywhere else, there's supposed to be this big movement to empower women and end discriminatory thinking and practices, and here we have the very music that started a cognitive revolution in communities of color, not merely refusing to participate, but actually working toward the reverse--convincing young girls to base their value on their appearance and willingness to be promiscuous."

At the time, it made no sense to me, but now, having read these other comments, it makes perfect sense. The movement got hijacked and is being used to weaken the abilities and potentials of the people on the lower end of the American socio-political spectrum. The better to keep them in mental chains with.... SMDH
 
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