The lack of political correctness in hip hop has ensured critics are often voicing the negative aspects of the culture but is there a deeper meaning to it?
Finding a more politically incorrect genre of music than hip hop would be difficult, especially according to most authorities worldwide. Perhaps its critics are right in thinking that artists merely employ purposely offensive shock tactics to sell records and cause a stir or perhaps just like every other art form hip hop is just a blend of complex contradictions. When it comes to issues like violence and misogyny, hip hop may not have been the genre that said it first – developed in the 1970’s, it’s a relatively new genre - but granted it probably said it the loudest!
Exploitation of Sex?
Hip hop and the so-called gangsta rap sub-genre in particular is notorious for the exploitation of women and sexually explicit lyrics, there’s no doubt about it. Politician and anti-rap actvivist C. Delores Tucker called the genre "pornographic fifth," claiming that it was demeaning and offensive to African-American women. She then stated in 1996 statement following her demfamation suit against the estate of Tupac Shakur, "I feel thousands of young women have been defamed by this greed-driven, race-driven and drug-driven music. This sexist lyrical filth particularly defames Black women, promotes drug use, violence and panders pornography to children."
When asking about why hip hop lyrics must be so crude, surely it would be better to consider British boy band Blue’s 2001 cover version of the 1998 Next single ‘Too Close,’ which is full of innuendo promoting sexual promiscuity – surely somewhat inappropriate for their predominantly pre-teen audience. Admittedly the lyrics of Digital Underground were more perhaps more explicitly crude but often dealt with the importance of having protected sex, even naming their 1990 debut album Sex Packets; which, therefore, does beg the question, what is more immoral?
Glorification
of Drug-Use?Rappers are no angels, in fact plenty quite freely proclaim ‘to be in love with Mary Jane’ in the words of the 1978 Rick James classic. Admittedly the use of cannabis seems to be culturally accepted within the hip hop world (despite being an illegal substance in a vast majority of countries worldwide), as is explained in a 2006 XXL editorial by Byron Crawford, which called substance abuse "The new fourth element of hip-hop." In the genre’s lyricism, however, for just about every reference in favour drug abuse, there is one against.
It could be argued that cannabis is glorified by rappers as artists like Cypress Hill, Dr Dre and countless others. It must be said, however, that they are not the only ones; what about musicians like Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix? Anti-rap activists, such as Tucker, seemed to neglect to highlight the blatant substance abuse of such artists outside the rap community. Surely this is not an issue that should be seen as unique to hip hop.
Glorification of Violence?
Violence is an area of extreme contradiction in hip hop. It seems incongruous that 2pac, often pictured in promotional materials with a gun in his belt, also urged young people to “put the .44 away.” His former label Death Row Records logo could also arguably be seen as promoting violence, as could the famous cross-hair Public Enemy logo and countless album covers but do not always acknowledge the symbolism behind imagery such as this.
Many overlook the powerful message of fighting oppression that such symbols represent. Critics are quick to recognise the word ‘gun’ in hip hop lyricism and seem to develop selective hearing with the messages that follow.In a 2006 article in British newspaper The Independent journalist Sonia Poulton explained that "instead of condemning gangsta rap we should instead question the environments that inspired this music." She also stated that she felt it that condemnation of violent lyrical content was an "uneven playing field," as few condemned John Lennon or Eric Clapton for their gun references. An artist’s work can be interpreted in countless different ways; surely hip hop should be no exception.
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