The Hip Hop Wars: Ch. 9 and Ch. 10

Chapter 9: Role Models

Negative connotation with the word rapper because of mass media’s portrayal.

“We’re not role models” (Rose 188).

Artists and record say that it’s the parents responsibility to “turn it off” and monitor what their kids watch or listen to.

The rappers treat it like a 9-5 job like everybody else.

Nelly states that: “I have an eleven-year-old daughter, and she loves her daddy. And she’s never seen the video that allot of these people were saying.” (Rose 194)

Rose argues that the money and the resources to keep his children from seeing the negative videos that he creates while he is constantly on the road.

“At home parents,” Rose argues, usually cannot watch over their children as much as Nelly thinks. Most parents are taking extra shifts during the night to make ends meet with the bills. Usually the children are left with their grandparents, neighbors or friends within the neighborhood. (Rose 195)

“Just turn it off” (Rose 196)

Basically, the artists today are not arguing with anything the media or parents say about their lyrics. They argue that if they don’t like what they see they can just turn it off. It is not them that is making the children and parents watching the television programs that air these videos.

Once again, Rose argues that the you would never be able to hear the progressive hip hop videos, because you would have to be “psychic” to know when they come on. She also disputes that the executives of BET and MTV for example are the primary problem because they choose the negative videos over the progressive videos. The reason that the negative videos receive more attention and bring in more money. Also, the artists that portray all these negative images are the most popular among young people today. (Rose 196-200)

Chapter 10: Nobody Talks About the Positive in Hip Hop

Philanthropy and Organizations

The media focuses on the unconstructive happenings that occur to some artists. We never hear about the good donations to charities and schools for some of the examples.

Examples: Jay-Z’s Shawn Carter’s Scholarship Fund, P. Diddy’s Daddy’s House, the Ludacris Foundation, 50-Cent’s G-Unity Foundation, Chingy for Change.

“Giving B(l)ack” (Rose 205)

In African-American communities, giving back has been a primary focus since 1700s. A study conducted by the Chronicle of Philanthropy African-Americans give 25% more of their income back to the community. (Rose 205).

Many artists today provide scholarships for many underserved students. Rather than giving to the students that have excelled their whole life, but by giving it to the students that have gone through adversity throughout their life and giving them a chance to benefit from college as well. (Rose 207)

Nelly controversy with Spelman College.

Nelly was going to Spelman College for the Bone Marrow Transplant Charity, because the foundation was named after his sister. (Rose 209)

However, Spelman College wanted to question him about his misogynistic videos as well as the bone marrow drive. Then, Nelly refused to come to the event because he did not want to speak about his videos.

“Blood Money” (Rose 212)

Artists are giving a bad image of the ghetto and hood where they came from. But in t he aspect they are turning around and giving their donations to their community and trying to tell them to stay in school and do well with their lives. Whenever, the young people that they are supporting are being told to sell drugs and be street by these same artists. Mostly, the artists that are doing this are being hypocritical. Not to mention, that most artists that talk to these young people demoralize women.

- Tara Givens and Tyler Hull