Is Gangsta rap in violation of human rights?

[thatpatguy]

C-Jane, I hear what you are saying. I fear that I may sound like I'm flip flopping on my position on the issue, and maybe I am.. it's a tough one for sure.

I don't have anything against labelling products that may be inappropriate for certain audiences, it's good to know about this stuff ahead of time sometimes. I also don't have a problem with limiting access to products to minors.

I just don't like the idea of a governing body telling me what I can and cannot purchase if I'm of the age of majority and can make up my own mind as to whether I find something offensive or not.

It's tough though.. where do you draw the line between individual rights and what's best for the society as a whole. Probably something that will never get solved.

I also commend you for standing up for your morals and ideals by fighting with Much Music. I'm all for protests and what not, even if I don't agree with what the protestors want (not to say I don't agree with you, just in general), as long as everything stays peaceful of course.

I hope I'm making sense here.. if not I'm sorry.

It's a killer debate though eh

[Calamity Jane]

Definitely a great debate!

while making my post above, I kept hearing Reverend Lovejoy's wife pleading "Will somebody PLEASE think of the children!??!" (Can't remember the episode/context, though) but I thought many people might read me in that way.

those who know me, however, know better :smirk:

but, really I'm with you...we need to find the balance between creating a safe, healthy, equitable and respectful world to share and raise kids in, while letting people/artists express themsleves.

In no way do I think carte-blanche censorship solves any problems -- by all means keep the debates wide open...but the problem currently being discussed is not cut & dried -- labelling gansta rap CDs will NOT solve the problem b/c there are too many intersecting issues -- poverty & racism in mainstream culture as two exapmles.

But again I do commend this woman for DOING SOMETHING, for raising the issue, for getting people to talk and consider things and possibly begin to CONNECT THE DOTS and think about what kind of world and values we want to live with ---as one final scary thought, remembe that the "kids today" are the ones who will be running things when we're all old & feeble!!!

[PalacePrincess]

that is a very good point CJ.

but one thing that popped in my head when reading that is this:

"the man" was saying the same thing about elvis in the 50s, the beatles in the 60s, led zeppelin/aerosmith in the 70s, punk rock in the late 70s/early 80s, the "grunge movement" in the 90s.....

maybe teenagers are going to be snotty nosed little rebellions no matter what music they listen to...

and yes, there is the argument that "but this gangsta rap problem in the millenium is WAY worse"..... but each one of those previously mentioned decades had parents heralding the same argument.

i don't know. i don't really have a point with this, it just popped into my head.

and the beatles weren't packin' either.

[Diggzz]

Well put, PP...

[d_rawk]

CJ - I hear ya. As much as the PRMC was the favourite verbal-flogging target so many years ago, there is some real value in 'stickering' products. Parents can't be expected to be 'up' on everything new coming down the pike, and it helps to have some guide posts. I'm also not adverse to restricting sales of potentially damaging goods to minors. But that is a far cry from human rights claims. Good for Ms. Smith for raising the issue - I hope she continues to get coverage. But I'm afraid of the implications should she succeed, which I fear would go well beyond what she is intending.

I do wish more of those making hiphop records would recognize what a powerful political tool they have, and the tremendous amount of change they could be promoting while they have the youths' ears. The 'bling' and mutual self-loathing is certainly self-defeating for urban black youth. But the Much Musics and radio stations don't seem willing to give voice to the progessive, political, socially aware music being made in this category. I suppose if you are a white, well-off middle manager, content that actually advocates awareness and change sounds a lot more threatening than content that talks about guns, sluts, and cash.

Let the little fuckers kill themselves, as long as they buy a record or two before they hit the ground. Right?

[thatpatguy]

I think a lot of hip hop artists do understand the power they hold.. the problem is, none of them have major label support and are all underground.

It's a crazy cycle really, crap like 50 Cent sells lots of records, so labels go out to look for more artists like 50 Cent, which pushes out more of this "gangsta rap", which people buy because it's easily accessable and rammed down their throats a lot of the time, which shows labels that it sells, and they go out and look for more of the same.

Like any genre, the real original artists bringing new ideas to the table are swept by the way side, left to struggle with the indepents.

Lastly, just to possibly cover my ass here. From the records I've heard from 50 Cent, I don't think he's a real major offender here, I'm just using him as a familiar name because I'm not really up on my mainstream hip hop artists.

[Calamity Jane]

But the Much Musics and radio stations don't seem willing to give voice to the progessive, political, socially aware music being made in this category. I suppose if you are a white, well-off middle manager, content that actually advocates awareness and change sounds a lot more threatening than content that talks about guns, sluts, and cash.

Let the little fuckers kill themselves, as long as they buy a record or two before they hit the ground. Right?

yep -- you're bang-on here, d_rawk!! It's the "gated-community" mind-set...and reminds me of that great scene in Office Space where skinny white dude, rocking hard to gansta rap, locks his car doors in paranoia when a black youth happens by...

But your point above is well-taken: How can you call something progressive, or even 'art' when it's sole purpose seems to be about making money, [for the 'artist', but moreso for the record company and ALL associated tie-in products: BMW, Fubu, Nike, Corvoisier(?)] and NOT about social change, or at the very least, self reflection, which was, once upon a time, the role artists saw for themselves.

But not all 'art/music' needs to be socially transformative, either. I frequently enjoy a mind-transforming jam-band "eeeeenspired" night....