When the Sugar Hill Gang took rap music mainstream I didn't think it would last. And I was one of those fans who used to write out the lyrics to "Rapper's Delight" and memorize the best lines. Rap was the music of my youth. I was trying to learn how to work a turntable well before I got an electric guitar. Then when Public Enemy took centerstage I really thought rap could affect social change. But as great as they were, P.E. couldn't compete with so-called gangsta rap. You could still hear songs of some socio-political import, but soon they'd be drowned out by voices advocating violence, sexism and material success at any cost - along with rap's central theme of egotism conveyed through a litany of tropes about a rapper's irrepressible sense of self. Perhaps because of that (probably not in spite of) rap did more than survive its awkward stage; it has flourished to become the music genre of choice among young people. No doubt a large percentage of mainstream car audio enthusiasts are into high-performance sound systems because of rap, more than any other genre of music. When you pull up to a vehicle that's bumpin' some tune you can bet it's a rap track. Kudos to the artists, producers and labels for their collective success. But it hasn't been without some cost, and an insidious one at that. This has nothing to do with the actual music, beats, MC'ing, arrangements and what have you; rather, the problem is with certain ideas that rappers preach, be it avarice, violence or sexism.
I was playing some music off my iPod in the car when one of my favorite tracks started to play. I sang along, "I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one." Ordinarily I would've kept chorusing Jay-Z, but with Don Imus stories still running in the news I stopped to consider the language in the song. It never really occurred to me; but then I don't suppose Imus gave much thought to characterizing the Rutgers basketball team as a bunch of "nappy-headed hos" until people got upset. I don't want to argue the First Amendment here or the problem with political correctness or even whether or not Imus should've been fired. What I'm interested in is the general question of cultural influence, and how it pertains to hip-hop music. The notion that in the 21st century we celebrate a genre of music that tends to denigrate or demean women seems outrageous when you take a step back. It's no wonder that some women live in fear. I read a report on how navigation systems give female drivers a sense of security when they're in areas they're not familiar with. News to me. I think of a nav unit as something to prevent me from getting lost. Security and reassurance don't even make my list. TeleNav (www.telenav.com) sponsored the survey that found 60 percent of women felt safer with nav in their cars. Forty-five percent said they got lost in unfamiliar neighborhoods. There might not be a direct link between rap music that conveys ideas about sexism and women driving in fear when they happen to drive into a "scary" part of town, but it does indicate a problem with society in general. And that's the real point about hip-hop music. It isn't the music that creates the problem. It may perpetuate sexism, for example, but it's not the source - no pun intended. If rappers sing about greed, that's because we have a society that worships financial success. If rappers sing about killing each other, that's because we live in culture that too easily convinces itself that violence is a necessary evil. And if rappers sing about treating women as objects, that's because men continue to enjoy a position of superiority and aren't willing to give that up. Power is the language of rap. No surprise, since power is the language of our politicians and CEOs. You either pull yourself by the bootstraps or you get strapped. I'm not saying we should take 50, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, etc. out of the disc changer. All I'm saying is that it doesn't hurt to examine the music we listen to and how it influences us even behind our backs. Besides, if people start banning stuff then I might have to take The Roots, P.E., Jurassic 5, Jay-Z, Eric B & Rakim and the rest out of my rotation and that just isn't happening. Nothing gives my subwoofer system a workout like those guys. As they say, peace!
Next Month
Look for our Sound Quality/Product special in the September issue. We review a ton of gear, including a broad range of component speakers at different price points. Plus, we begin our series on Vehicle Makeovers. Find out your chances of getting sponsored to do your own vehicle makeover.