COMMUNITY Let’s Build (Vol4): Real N!gga = Street N!gga

[DOS_patos]

That still does not address what the artist is talking about. If the artist from St Louis is telling you his city/ county extremely racist , has drained their education and resources and put niggas against each other for survival in the form of what we consider a diss record, we should want to investigate that area and pull up the root of the issue versus censoring the artist cause his truth may be too hard to handle

Cool, there’s a message in there.
How often we hear that nowadays vs spinning the block, 39 dudes dead by the end of the song and some chick bootyhole brown?

 

[Ghost313]

Cool, there’s a message in there.
How often we hear that nowadays vs spinning the block, 39 dudes dead by the end of the song and some chick bootyhole brown?

There’s a message in everything, you just need to listen. Niggas just ain’t conditioned to kill from the
Womb, what is making niggas go this route? Why does shorty feel that she has to make thot music? Dig to the root, condemning is not problem solving.

Just like when you parent a child, they may act out, but you try to find out why they are acting out and help them instead of just whooping their ass.

 

[BlackRain]

I think the problem with a lot of us long time rap fans is that we remember what rap was before. We remember the 80s when rap wasn't really violent at all. We remember the 90s when the violence crept in, but there was still so much more. We even remember the 00s when drug talk and violence were at the forefront, but there were still enough alternatives that it felt unfair to say rap was just violence. Now, it really does seem like rap is just sex, drugs, and violence, and you can't really blame that all on modern artists. It's kinda been an evolution.

Things are a little different now though. I always use OB4CL as my example. That was the album that's credited with really kicking of the Mafioso/Cocaine rap movement. So people who don't really listen to rap to truly take something away from it might dismiss it as just promoting drugs and violence. The reality is, if you actually listen to the album, you should come away believing the drug life is fucked up and that violence isn't something street niggas want, it's something they can't seem to escape. That's basically the moral of the album. To some extent, that's the case for all the violent 90s rap. On Ready to Die, Biggie seemed to glorify a lot of bad shit. Then he ended the album making it clear that all that shit fucked him up to the point that he was ready to die.

A lot of rap really doesn't glorify violence as much as people say. It's just that people listen to beats and choruses and witty lines, but don't pay nearly as much attention to the messages a lot of artists try to deliver. I've always liked the artistry of Hip Hop, and I've never once heard a street album and came away from it thinking that's what I wanted to do.

One of the best stances against the "rap only promotes violence" bullshit argument on this site.

 

[DOS_patos]

There’s a message in everything, you just need to listen. Niggas just ain’t conditioned to kill from the
Womb, what is making niggas go this route? Why does shorty feel that she has to make thot music? Dig to the root, condemning is not problem solving.

Just like when you parent a child, they may act out, but you try to find out why they are acting out and help them instead of just whooping their ass.

I can agree but then that message is reaching young impressionable minds who won’t or can’t decipher what’s really being said and thinks that’s what’s cool cuz…..it’s popular.

Falls unto us, the older generations to help guide the youngins away from such shit and do our part in controlling our image.

That goes not just with rap but a lot of the bullshit being pushed to our people under the guise of real nigga shit or whatever.

 

[Ghost313]

I can agree but then that message is reaching young impressionable minds who won’t or can’t decipher what’s really being said and thinks that’s what’s cool cuz…..it’s popular.

Falls unto us, the older generations to help guide the youngins away from such shit and do our part in controlling our image.

That goes not just with rap but a lot of the bullshit being pushed to our people under the guise of real nigga shit or whatever.

I agree, but let’s not silence those living the nightmare. Let’s also teach our youth that this is a call for help. A lot of the youth can relate to the music cause it’s the same shit they are seeing when the radio is off.

 

[Bobjones]

I think the problem with a lot of us long time rap fans is that we remember what rap was before. We remember the 80s when rap wasn't really violent at all. We remember the 90s when the violence crept in, but there was still so much more. We even remember the 00s when drug talk and violence were at the forefront, but there were still enough alternatives that it felt unfair to say rap was just violence. Now, it really does seem like rap is just sex, drugs, and violence, and you can't really blame that all on modern artists. It's kinda been an evolution.

Things are a little different now though. I always use OB4CL as my example. That was the album that's credited with really kicking of the Mafioso/Cocaine rap movement. So people who don't really listen to rap to truly take something away from it might dismiss it as just promoting drugs and violence. The reality is, if you actually listen to the album, you should come away believing the drug life is fucked up and that violence isn't something street niggas want, it's something they can't seem to escape. That's basically the moral of the album. To some extent, that's the case for all the violent 90s rap. On Ready to Die, Biggie seemed to glorify a lot of bad shit. Then he ended the album making it clear that all that shit fucked him up to the point that he was ready to die.

A lot of rap really doesn't glorify violence as much as people say. It's just that people listen to beats and choruses and witty lines, but don't pay nearly as much attention to the messages a lot of artists try to deliver. I've always liked the artistry of Hip Hop, and I've never once heard a street album and came away from it thinking that's what I wanted to do.

You really think most people walk away from gangsta rap albums with an introspective enough eye to see the underlying message? Seriously doubt it.

Again, I think violent hip hop is more of a symptom than a cause, but it's worth considering how music becomes subculture, and what this means for a genre that promotes drugs and violence. Especially in the internet/social media age.

There's entire followings "extracurricular" to the music itself that play out IRL. There's the promotion of a lot of BS that comes across as personally attainable because the lyrics are meant to be personal tales of struggle by relatable musicians.

...And that stuff ends up with a rapper dead in the streets every year.

It's not just music. It's a lifestyle, and kids in poor communities gobble that up.

 

[DOS_patos]

I agree, but let’s not silence those living the nightmare. Let’s also teach our youth that this is a call for help. A lot of the youth can relate to the music cause it’s the same shit they are seeing when the radio is off.

Agreed but it’s also those that don’t see it that still latch on to it because of the “not really black/ real nigga” stigma.

Like growing up with both parents is bad or doing right by your child is bad.

 

[DOS_patos]

You really think most people walk away from gangsta rap albums with an introspective enough eye to see the underlying message? Seriously doubt it.

Again, I think violent hip hop is more of a symptom than a cause, but it's worth considering how music becomes subculture, and what this means for a genre that promotes drugs and violence. Especially in the internet/social media age.

There's entire followings "extracurricular" to the music itself that play out IRL. There's the promotion of a lot of BS that comes across as personally attainable because the lyrics are meant to be personal tales of struggle by relatable musicians.

...And that stuff ends up with a rapper dead in the streets every year.

It's not just music. It's a lifestyle, and kids in poor communities gobble that up.

So many young rappers died within the last two years it’s crazy.

I can’t blame them all for it tho.
Too many of the elders failed them to the point other kids question the ones they got in they life.

Like an ain’t shit nigga shouldn’t have the same or more influence as a man who had a hard life and can teach what not to do.

 

[The Lonious Monk]

You really think most people walk away from gangsta rap albums with an introspective enough eye to see the underlying message? Seriously doubt it.

Again, I think violent hip hop is more of a symptom than a cause, but it's worth considering how music becomes subculture, and what this means for a genre that promotes drugs and violence. Especially in the internet/social media age.

There's entire followings "extracurricular" to the music itself that play out IRL. There's the promotion of a lot of BS that comes across as personally attainable because the lyrics are meant to be personal tales of struggle by relatable musicians.

...And that stuff ends up with a rapper dead in the streets every year.

It's not just music. It's a lifestyle, and kids in poor communities gobble that up.

Now? Probably not.

Back then? Yeah. Niggas used to debate lyrics. We used to talk about the meanings of songs. When we had assignments in school where we had to find poems and break them down, we used rap verses. I'm not saying every rap fan was like that back then or that every street rap album had a deep meaning. I'm just saying that when I was coming up, we didn't really look street rap music as some guide for what we should have done with our lives. We took it for what it was - niggas talking about how they grew up and what they saw.

 

[Ghost313]

Agreed but it’s also those that don’t see it that still latch on to it because of the “not really black/ real nigga” stigma.

Like growing up with both parents is bad or doing right by your child is bad.

That goes back to what is put into us a a youth. Definitely nothing wrong with having 2 parents or having a great upbringing.
That is another tool to divide us so that even when we are getting ahead, we get derailed. The Black Superiority and Inferiority complex shouldn’t exist.

 

[12bitCounsel]

Are we discussing a cultural issue or a moral one?

Sounds like a moral issue to me. In that case, it's the same ancient answer how to fix it: Fear God and keep his commandments. We can do no better than that in this life. Any philosophy attempting to ignore this precept is incorrect fundamentally, and will fail.

 

[Duwop]

It's almost like healthy eating. Everybody gets hungry, but you gotta figure out how to feed yourself with out killing yourself.

Rap music may not be the most healthy music, but you gotta balance it out with enough insight that it doesn't govern your life. And that comes from exposure to more forms of stimulus.. read books, learn arts, play an instrument, have discussions and plan out goals and paths. Create opportunities. It ain't the music alonr... But one can't live life reasonably if that's all that guides them

 

[DOS_patos]

Are we discussing a cultural issue or a moral one?

Sounds like a moral issue to me. In that case, it's the same ancient answer how to fix it: Fear God and keep his commandments. We can do no better than that in this life. Any philosophy attempting to ignore this precept is incorrect fundamentally, and will fail.

Both.

The lack of morals is hurting or damaged the culture.
We should have a moral obligation to see each other win seeing as most of the free world is against us.
Yet, we look at each other as less than or expendable due to the programming we have allowed or not stood against.

Niggas are ok with the destruction of us by any and everything including us.

 

[12bitCounsel]

Both.

The lack of morals is hurting or damaged the culture.
We should have a moral obligation to see each other win seeing as most of the free world is against us.
Yet, we look at each other as less than or expendable due to the programming we have allowed or not stood against.

Niggas are ok with the destruction of us by any and everything including us.

Well now that we know it's both, watch everyone run away from the topic. They don't want to discuss morals. lol.

 

[Freeman]

Power
Power spinoffs
Snowfall
BMF

Dominate the black community

Can black people create a successful black drama that’s cool to certain types of people that isn’t about drugs?

made a conscious effort to stop consuming these shows last year. It hurt not watching the last season of Snowfall but I needed a break.

I get it's just entertainment but damn. We can't be anything but drug dealers and slaves.

 

[The Lonious Monk]

made a conscious effort to stop consuming these shows last year. It hurt not watching the last season of Snowfall but I needed a break.

I get it's just entertainment but damn. We can't be anything but drug dealers and slaves.

I think all those shows like Basketball Wives and Love and Hip Hop are worse. They are basically just distilled ignorance given a black face.

 

[BlackRain]

The interesting thing with these threads is people revealing they don't actually seek out many of the things they say are lacking. Folks keep mentioning the same images being displayed when there are far more options available. If all you're seeing is shows like Snowfall then maybe question why that's all you seek out. Because there's alot of shows, music, podcasts etc that don't cater to those images. To say they don't exist is just a lie. To say you personally don't watch or seek them out is probably more accurate.

 

[Don Dada]

Segregation they live as minorities in their own areas have their own media, music and culture. From this a language develops. We see this in Sweden as well, immigrant youth begin to develop a language that is not only related to mining, but is a cultural phenomenon

 

[Freshb651]

Why does Black America glorify street culture?


Does hiphop play a part?



How can we correct this mentality and conditioning within our community?

I think everything that's wrong in the community stems from Poverty,hip-hop does play a part but it's a small part. Any person with half a brain knows that music/film is entertainment so Hyperbole is used,the youth look up to hip-hop artists because they're viewed as Survivors who come from the same impoverished environments that they come from,so the people who are impoverished want to copy the Survivor.

 

[Focal Point]

A loss in family structure and values... toss in bragging ass niggas that folks want to emulate and some women get wet over and it ain't hard to tell