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By J. MATTHEW COBB "Hip-Hop is like jazz and gospel music, evolved from the people, a form of protest, a form of expression so you can't deny that, nor would I try. But I do believe there needs to be awareness of who we are, how we got here and what that means about staying here." - Oprah Winfrey Since the start of the 1990s, the music best known as rap music, part of the urban world of hip-hop, began its metamorphic process of developing and revealing newer trends and techniques. The progression of rap music allowed barriers of freedom of speech to open up and the world of American ghettos took heed to the opportunity. This led to the creation of gangsta rap. What is both strange and ironic is that hip-hop and gospel music, two totally separate genres, bear only one similar trait that is historically concrete. Both genres were pioneered and supported by the ghettos. Both music genres speak to the conscious of the urban communities - in particular the ghettos, the slums, the forgotten.
Recently, talk show diva and renowned philanthropist Oprah Winfrey spotlighted, for the first time, the presence of hip-hop on her show. For so many hip-hop followers, it was almost unexpected since many, according to AllHipHop.com, have already familiarized themselves with Oprah’s views about hip-hop. While she has acknowledge that she listens to some hip-hop, in particular calmer and pop-oriented artists, she is best known for derailing the misogyny, promiscuity, sexism and the spirit of hatred prevalent in the music. The usage of the “n-word” in black culture was spotlighted on Oprah’s Town Hall forum segment; taped after the controversial meltdown of shock jock Don Imus and his comments made towards the Rutgers women’s basketball team made on his radio program. Rap star Common and rap entrepreneur and CEO & Co-Founder of Def Jam Russell Simmons were just a few of the guests defending the nature of hip-hop. This spotlight on hip-hop, especially after the Imus’ scandal broke, was what many summoned for. After Imus was terminated from his contract with CBS and other media outlets, Winfrey and a few protestors, mainly women who were fed up with being labeled as “hos” and “bitches” in their music, felt it was time for rap artists and the system that boldly supports this nature should become more responsible for breeding this kind of evil. And they hoped, with strong passion and conviction, that they would admit to their own failures. Of course, it didn’t happen. Both Simmons and a very vigilant Kevin Liles, a music executive, aggressively defended hip-hop, summoned that hip-hop was not responsible for Imus’ comments and felt that no one should try to silence the heart of the ‘hood because they have a right to speak their mind. But this happens to be the biggest problem of all. Global rap music, especially since the rise of gangsta rap in the ‘90s, continues to promote and glamorize the hardcore lifestyles of the street and that passion is being supported through rap music’s evolution. Unfortunately, the controversy surrounding rap music’s future has gotten a serious autopsy report that might put a thug and hustler on house arrest. According to Billboard, Soundscan and multiple media reports, rap music is suffering with its greatest decline in its history. Even Wikipedia.com has acknowledged that decline may be connected to the poor reputations connected to materialism, sexism, homophobia and tragic national events such as Columbine High School and the Virginia Tech massacre. Other sources also point to the conservative right and their vocal disposition against the genre. Then there’s the recent exposure of law-breaking being channeled by artists such as Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Foxy Brown and The Game. From 2005 to 2006, the Associated Press announced that rap music sales had dropped a whopping 21 percent and for the first time in its history not one rap album was acknowledged in the year’s top ten albums. Even polls conducted on youth, in particular with the Black Youth Project, have shown their dissatisfaction with the moral conscious of rap music. It’s scary to even say that the media still tries to glamorize the nature of the streets with bling-bling, fancy cars, big pimpin’, platinum hubcaps, 13-karat gold tooth fillings and every sin found in the Good Book. Of course, it is not the full purpose of music to educate and train the children of our country, but it has for so long been a serious influence on their decisions and effects their future. So why now is the black community divided on either supporting or summoning some kind of referendum on rap music? Gospel rappers whom call their brand of rap “holy hip-hop” are also joining the fight to save hip-hop and rap music. While most gospel outlets have yet to expose their markets to this underground brand of gospel, or street gospel, these rappers are also adding to the bowl of frustrations their pains they experience in the industry. In a GospelCity.com article (“The Black Shakespear Chronicles: Is Hip-Hop Dead: Part II"), the article mentions that “as much as mainstream rap causes theologians and common lay folk to cringe, there is a more truthful liberty with the dollar making art form”. The article goes on to cite how holy hip-hop rapper Shonlock felt he was cheated in the Christian market with his signing to an exclusive Contemporary Christian label and their failure to market and support him. While holy hip-hop artists are struggling to find their place in the gospel field, they have also jumped on the defense bandwagon to help support their own genre from attack. An event called “A Prayer 4 Hip-Hop”, sponsored by VIBE Magazine and Gospelcity.com, hopes to shed some light on the hip-hop community and address a number of issues at hand. Performances from Deitrick Haddon, J.A.Z., and Shabach. The event was also deal with the Imus controversy and the aftermath recently stirred up on the Oprah Winfrey Show about hip-hop’s responsibilities to our culture. Anything wrong and immoral is constantly fueled by our environment. VIBE Magazine, a leader in hop-hop media, now feels that the music industry and its components should awaken to the urgency to bring change in its supporting genre. Now they turn to their attention to an alternative - to help aid Holy Hip-Hop and events like “A Prayer 4 Hip-Hop”. Gospel rappers are joining the party including gospel rapper J.A.Z. “It is important for us to show the world that the Hip Hop culture is vast and that there are many artists that love Hip Hop and are dedicated to positively impacting the lives of their audience,” says J.A.Z. He grew up on the streets of Brooklyn and knows very well the ravishing tragedies of the urban world, yet he turned his life to God and hopes to interject spirituality into the lives of his listeners using the music of the ‘hood. But will this alternative work? Is this THE answer or just one of the many answers that hip-hop needs to bring back its former glory? Based on Billboard sales, gospel rappers suffer from making satisfying impressions on the charts and most of this is because there’s no real market willing to carry this safe alternative to what many critics label a hardcore genre. Even Judge Greg Mathis, on his popular TV sitcom, is known for stating that in order to be a successful hip-hop artist, you got to really live the life. The life of a gangsta, pimp, hustler, player - all occupations of the street - are only attached to the heavy dark rhythms, oozing bass and drum machine beats. To clean up the act while using the same methods and formulas of the pervasive hip-hop and rap genre may look like a nice fix, but it’s too unbelievable for many and almost feels like a musical prank. Gospel icon Fred Hammond said in a BET interview that people that are normally unchurched, that like other forms of music, “they really want gospel to be gospel”. “When they want to hear 50 [Cent], they want to hear 50. When they want to hear T.I., they want to hear T.I. They want to hear what they are saying and what they are doing. And when they want to hear gospel, they want to hear it the way they know it.” Hopefully that message, coming from a pioneer of contemporary gospel music, will resinate in the hearts of discouraged holy hip-hop artists and will help bring clarity to why hip-hop has not been fully embraced. The war on hip-hop continues and, like a mighty rushing wind, has strongly altered its own future. Recent reports claim that hip-hop artists and officials are making big, unexpected changes. Master P, known for being one of the enforcers of Dirty South rap and founder of No Limit Records, announced as of May 2007 he was turning away from negative lyrics and will commit to making clean albums. Rap artist Chamillionaire stated he will refrain from using the “n” word or any other curse word on his upcoming album release. Rev. Al Sharpton, whom was very outspoken about his views of Don Imus, is continuing to challenge music execs to make the proper changes and decisions in upcoming album releases. Even Russell Simmons is now jumping on board to make rational changes in his upcoming album releases on Def Jam and to engage in other life-changing alternatives. We shall wait and find out if hip-hop can survive a life of being clean and sober and can overcome rehab. OTHER VALUABLE RESOURCES TO LOOK INTO:
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