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Hip Hop: The Useless Enemy

Hip Hop. With those two short words put together, is a type of music that has taken over modern-day America. This year alone, Hip Hop has been the second most popular form of music in the United States.

Here's what I have to say about this...I am open to all kinds of music; truly I am. I enjoy hip hop. However, the type that I enjoy is pretty much from 1995 and prior. Why? Because most of the lyrics have actual meaning and sense to them, as opposed to now, where much of it it is mindless obscene chatter over catchy hooks and beats.

Recently, a friend and I were out at a club in Tampa, Florida. Her and I sat there in utter disbelief, as we heard 11 songs in a row sound nearly exactly the same. I'm talking the kind of rap that says things like "shakin' that ass", "bangin' those hoes" and thensome. I mean, we actually sat there and listened to each and every one of them in disgust. One by one, the DJ refused to play a half decent song that didn't involve the word "ass" or "titties". I've heard some recent hip hop tracks, which are fun and I actually enjoy, however the majority of hit songs these days, have the most crude lyrics that you would never fathom hearing 30 years ago. I'm talking about licking people up and down, about girls "leaking" being "soaking wet". (Excuse me while I throw up.)

I'm sorry, but when I see people work so hard every day for their money in hopes that someday they will retire in a nice little house in Florida, and then I see these 20 something year old gangsters sit there and literally yell out obscenities with no true talent, as naked women run around in their videos - it disgusts me. Why? Because these gold-encrusted toothed males are literally living in the lap of luxury while promoting not culture and truth but downright disrespect. To top it off, they are showing five ridiculously aesthetically-pleasing vehicles off to the world on the show "Cribs", just because they sold a hit song called "Shake That Laughy Taffy."

Do you see anything wrong with this picture? Not only do I hear my nephews and neices singing these songs, not knowing a damn thing about what they mean or what they imply, but this also sends the message that YOU TOO with NO talent, can make it to the top, if you just talk about having sex with a broad, and obsess over materialistic belongings that you once couldn't afford.

Where did this horrendous subculture come from? The old hip hop was never like this. Truly it wasn't. Here's a little run down:
The main historical eras of hip hop are the old school hip hop era (1970 to 1985), which spanned from the beginning of hip hop until its emergence into the mainstream, and the golden age hip hop era (1985 to 1993). Hip hop arose during the 1970's at block parties in New York City. At such events, DJs began isolating the percussion beats to hit songs – "breakbeat" DJing. As hip hop became popular, performers began speaking while the music played, and became known as MC's (emcees). Does anyone remember The SugarHill Gang, who sang Rapper's Delight? How funny and light hearted was that song. I loved it. I still do this day, know all of the words.

During the 1980s, hip hop began to diversify and develop into a more complex form. At the same time, more sophisticated techniques were developed, including scratching and electronic recording. In the late 1980s, a number of new hip hop styles and subgenres began appearing as the genre gained popularity. Hip hop musicians collaborated with rock bands and spread out into the genres of conscious hip hop, jazz-rap and gangsta rap. Gangsta rap was the beginning of all the negativity of hip hop. While I understand, these people wanted to express the struggle and strife they endured, they could have done it in a much different way than they are doing it now. For example, although Tupac's songs weren't all positive, there were many that were absolutely amazing. While most people born prior to 1980 would most likely beg to differ, as a person who grew up in the 80's and 90's (when hip hop was born), I can honestly say that there was talent in his rhymes.

Now this genre of music isn't just for the black communities, it has now hit the white communities even more so than most. I truly think this kind of music is poisoning our youth.

Here we see the top hip hop songs that are playing at the local hip hop/r&b station:

Here are the CURRENT TOP 5 HIP HOP SONGS, and I will post some lyrics to each, so that you can see the substance in such talentless and tasteless music.

1. Yung Joc - It's Goin' Down

"I'm on that patron so get like me
69 cutlass wit the bucket seats
Beat in my trunk bought it just for the freaks
Catch me in the hood posted at the sto
Pistol in my lap on the phone counting dough
If a girl choose let her do her thang
Just like her mama nice ass, nice brain"

2. Chamillionaire - Ridin'

"Just tryin' to bone, ain't tryin' to have no babies.
Ride clean as hell so I pull in ladies.
Law's on patrol; you know they hate me.
Music turned all the way up and to the maximum;
I can speak for some niggas tryin' to jack for some.
But we packin' somethin' that we have
And, um, will have a nigga locked up in the maximum"

3. Lil Jon' Snap Ya Fingers

"I'm soakin' up tha game, I'm seein' how its done
I ask shawty what they call it, she said tha Pool Palace
Staright from Bankhead, I said you good at it
Do what cha do, you and ya crew
They even got playa's and thugs doin' it too
The mo' that I drank, tha more it's lookin' smooth
I's nothing to a boss, I can do tha shit too"

4. T.I. - What You Know

"See me in ya city sittin pretty kno I'm shining dawg
Ridin wid a couple latin brawds and a china doll
And you kno how we ball
Aye..
Ridin in shiny cars
Aye..
Walk in designer malls
Aye..
Buy everything we saw
You know about me dogg"

5. Ghostface - Back Like That

"You'se a bird you know that, givin that man ten points, like he about to blow that

He probably did you swallow his kids?"

Ok, I had to stop after that line. Um. I'm speechless. It's one thing to hear this garbage on the radio and change the station, but I never really take out the actual time to google the lyrics, and now I'm even more appalled. Who thinks of some of this stuff? Those my friends...are the lyrics our young children are listening to and singing along to on a daily basis. These animals are making millions of dollars on a daily basis over THAT. Shocking? Yes. Any educated individual would absolutely tell you that you're out of your mind to enjoy listening to those lyrics. Granted, yes some of the BEATS and TUNES of those tracks are catchy, but does anyone stop to listen? Apparently not. Honestly, if I could put modern-day hip hop on an island and blow it up. I would.

So I understand many of these kids grew up in 'hood and they are happy that they now have the luxurious items they once could only dream of, however not all artists in other genres had it so good either. Take Shania Twain for example, the most innocently sweet-voiced country singer out there. She made it through hardship before she ever thought of the record charts. In her childhood home, there was often not enough to eat and no electricity. Her father walked out on the family when she was two. And she was left to care for her three younger siblings when her mother and stepfather were killed in a car accident the year she turned 22. Talk about a hard life.

She sings about life, love, the lessons she's learned. You don't her or many others talking about how large their houses are, or what kind of car they drive. Why? Because they are what we call respectable.

Our children are embracing idiot ramblings; so saddening AND maddening.

I will however, take the time out to say that alot of underground hip hop is acceptable, and I only wish that it was more emphasized.

However, the mainstream --- that is not culture. That is utter crap.

If you're going to talk about real hip hop, bring back the old stuff.

Let's bring real music back to the airwaves.