I've always loved rap music. In fact rhyming runs in my family. My daughter can rhyme. I can rhyme. You may think I am joking but know I could give most "Rappers/Hip Hoppers" a run for their money. No really I can. When I was young, I used to awake early on Saturdays and while most of my friends were sleeping in I'd record "YO MTV RAPS WITH FAB5 FREDDY". I had my VCR rigged with my tape recorder. I was probably one of the few kids in America doing this. I loved the beats of Whodini, Kurtis Blow, and the like. I'd play the tapes back in my car for my friends.
I still love Rap music and it's creativity. One of my favorite Artists today is Ludacris. He and Missy Elliot are very creative when it comes to putting lyrics together. I listen when I run or work out. Not when I'm relaxing for sure. I save that for XM SPA or XM Chill. Rap does not relax. It rejuvenates and freshens the muscles for exercises for me.THE PROBLEM I have with Rap Today and some in the past is the Lyrics. It started to bother me when I was a DJ on WJJS in 2002. I was sober and still am, about 32 years old and my time slot was nights. I had a lot of teenagers calling me from local High Schools requesting songs, wanting to talk to "The DJ", send shout-outs to their friends. During this time one of the most popular songs on the radio was The Rapper Nelly's "Ride Wit Me." Here are the Lyrics that bothered me: If you wanna go and get high wit me Smoke a L in the back of the Benz-y Oh why must I feel this way? (Hey, must be the money!). And as he sang these lyrics you heard inhaling and exhaling. This song was Nelly's break through song. It was huge, it was all over the radio and it was played constantly. It was a huge request and people loved it. It had an awesome beat and you could groove to it. I liked it too. until I listened to the lyrics. Are you getting my Vibe now? Young kids were loving this song and it was promoting Drug Use. Of course it's not the only song that contains lyrics that are not suitable for kids or carry a positive message but why do artists have to sing about it? Why do Rap Artists have to sing about getting high, money, cars, houses, bling, women and how they are using them? Do they realize that children are listening to their music? Do you LL Cool J? 50 Cent? Nelly? Eminem? R Kelly? And the list goes on. The real reason Artists sing about negative topics is to appeal to all audiences; people who think drugs are cool and having money is cool, or using women is cool. I know we control what our children listen to don't we? Or do we? These songs are played all over the place; Stores, Restaurants, pick a place. The great thing about being a citizen of the United States is Freedom of Speech right? But what bothers me is that some radio stations that claim to "help the community" and be so much fun actually play music with lyrics that are not cool for kids to hear or even adults! So, this means the owner of the radio station does not care and that the person that runs the station must hear the song and think "this is okay to put on the air". It's all about ratings and money. You must be thinking to yourself, "well Frazier you can always turn the station." But not all songs are offensive. There are a select few. Do we blame the Artists? Yes! Do we blame the Station? This is a tough call. Do you blame the parents who let their kids listen to the station even though 90% of the songs are not offensive? Do I still listen to rap? Of course I do. But when an offensive lyric comes up about smoking pot or taking advantage of a woman I usually just Turn The Dial.
R. Frazier Hughes Jr.
R. Frazier Hughes Jr.
TV & Radio Since 1996
