JessePS

The Maybach was in NY or is still in NY right now. It was at a pop-up art exhibit.

Justin2JZ

I wonder how much it'll sell for.

LexLaw

Perhaps I should attach a Parental Advisory sticker for the people who hate Hip Hop and all it represents which is obviously only (violence, misogyny, crime). Because we don't see that in other genres of music or entertainment. Never mind that there are many artists who don't simply rap about violence or criminal behavior. What's funny is EVERY genre of music touches on all aspects of society even Country, Rock and Opera. It's just a snapshot of pop culture at that present time. Artists only speak about what exists in the real world. They didn't create it. They're telling a story just as the news does. Yes there are artists who have very limited range and only rap about the aforementioned things. However that's a smaller segment than the people who oppose Hip Hop care to admit.

Another thing that may be of note that people often fail to realize. Hip Hop started out as a small party thing which many folks thought would be a fad. It spoke out against corporate greed, bad social conditions, social oppression and drug warfare on the poor, not Black but Poor and disenfranchised and that covers a wide range of people. It quickly grew and began to cross boundaries all over the world uniting people who otherwise would never relate to one another. Large corporations saw the huge profits to be gained and began to invest in it. It is now the top selling genre of music today and for various reasons despite the decade long fall of the record industry. The biggest consumers of the music itself are not the gangbangers that casual observer assumes. It includes a wide audience of listeners which crosses all demographics, and includes a significant proportion of White surburban kids (and adults).

All of the major labels who now actually own and distribute the music are again White owned corporations who also own other "safe" corporations. Not every rapper raps about guns big rims and fat butts. In fact many are college educated family people. The artists who strive to make good old wholesome music are often ignored by these record labels or are forced by their A&Rs to Thug It Out and be hard if they want their CD dropped, Or simply have to dumb down their music and appearance to "survive and move units". Let's not forgot the significant impact that Commercial radio has on what gets played and what doesn't. So if anyone is "corrupting our culture" by telling us these tales from the hood, perhaps we look upstairs and look for that dude sitting in the corner office. While I don't particularly love all genres of music, I do see the value and necessity in all of them. And as I said previously not everything is for everyone and for good reason. Just because something may not resonate with you doesn't mean that it is garbage or have a place in the world.

Justin2JZ

Great post Lex

tjmhillz

iTrader: (6)

Well said Lex!

LexLaw

Thank you guys...Just felt the need to shed some much needed positive light on Hip Hop and the business surrounding it. It's always easy to trash something or people that you don't know. Often times when people feel discomfort around things or people that they perceive to be different from them they generally make blanket statements based on negative stereotypes. Let's all agree to love different cars for different reasons as they mean different things to us. The same could be said about music or any other passion we share. We all love and desire essentially the same things, we just have different perspectives and approaches based on our "social" education and general life experiences. That said.....Dope video and an even greater album!