:) LURVE it!!!

amen.

I agree almost entirely with the sentiment of this comment, almost. I do think that gangster rap has its place. It certainly did when NWA and the Geto Boys came on the scene. The current problem is, there is absolutely no balance. Gangsterism has hijacked hip hop and along with it, the image and perception of black people.

Gangster rap and the hood-ism, if you will, do have a place. It's like Chuck D once said, hip hop is black America's CNN. So we, especially the educated among us, need to know what's going on in the heart of the hood. But it's up to us to decry, continually and loudly the utter lack of balance.

And on another note. I was very irritated when I saw the promos for American Gangster on BET. It just sounded like more of exactly what the community doesn't need, another platform that celebrated and glorified that lifestyle. But after watching the show, I was surprisingly impressed. The episodes I've seen have actually been documentary style profiles that pretty even handedly chart the lives of infamous urban gangsters and the consequences they paid for their choices. I generally have problems with BET's content but I've gotta give them kudos for that one bright spot in their programming.

OK, that was my 5 cents and then some.

That's good stuff connease. I 100% agree; in general, hip hop is about life experience, and life has all sorts of elements in it, some of which need to be heard about for some, exactly as you said.

I partially agree with Chuck D's statement; i've always not 100% agreed with it, due to the fact that by its very nature, the music industry is based on selling product, and whenever the $$ are in the picture, there's a struggle between really telling things like it is, and either watering down or embellishing for the sake of the pay.

I haven't checked AG myself--i personally think i'd enjoy something like that; I take issue with the fact that it's financial expedience that primarily influences whether or not a series like that will be put together in the first place, and not a real perceived need to educate, and admonish the people. Perhaps it was, though--I unfortunately don't have a lot of faith in that Viacom affiliate to be motivated by righteous principle though :(

naughty words! naughty words!!


but i agree with the sentiment 100%

Haha, awesome.