New Guest Blog- Why I don't Listen to the Radio

Okay, so today's blog is brought to you by a new friend of As is Hip-Hop, Bea Lesaca of Hard Knock radio. Hopefully, there will be more to come from her in the future.


Has Hip Hop Stopped?
Turning on my radio used to be an exciting experience. I remember before being eager to switch on the stereo & put it on blast, very eager to listen to new Hip Hop jams about to hit the airwaves.


Those were the days...

The Hip Hop that we hear and see being delivered by the media has drastically changed. Aside from the candy coated packaging dripping with money, champagne and hip hop honeys, the message has long deviated from the significant ideas Hip Hop had before.

And it is not even the artists’ fault, (even though we’d like to think it is). I know they seem like they’re the top dogs in the game and maybe they are in some way, but beneath that facade is a “suit” who runs everything ;With a one track mind set to making as much profit as they can, the creative voice of Hip Hop artists will either me limited or even sometimes, shut down. No wonder why many people claim that Hip Hop has died, without even going to heaven.


It’s actually pretty sad but with the loss of creative license, what we get are pre- approved rhymes guaranteed not to piss anyone off. I’d like to think that record companies have checklists that they use before allowing a rapper to record a song with categories that exploit the human need of the younger generation to be rich, powerful and desired. And because the majority of the youth are like lambs that need to be shepherded, one by one they get brainwashed into believing that this is what Hip Hop is only for.


Personally, I try to convince myself that this is just an awkward phase Hip Hop has to get through to end up defining itself. Better yet, think of Hip Hop as a teenager, groping its way to adulthood.  Funny right, but it’s the cold truth. Let it learn from its own mistakes making it stronger and more sensible for the future. It’s a long shot but as Hip Hop is a living and breathing entity, it can go either way.

Although with this issue, let’s keep in mind that not all rappers and hip hoppers are sell outs. There are still those who live Hip Hop in its genuine form, encouraging people to get on the “real action”. On that note, maybe Hip Hop hasn’t really stopped. It just might be that it is currently on pause, waiting for someone to press play.


Bea spends her free time thinking of hip hop and the history of rap music. Check out her latest post on rap video girls at hardknockradio.com.

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