Hip Hop Taking Criticism While Sales Tank
Posted March 2, 2007 — in KOAR Rants, Music News
In May of last year, KOAR posted an article pointing out the negative influence of trends in Rap, the whoring taking place, and the dark future Hip Hop was facing. Compared to songs on Rock formats, Rap and Hip Hop can be heard on 6 times as many radio stations, with a rotation giving songs 10 times as many spins in a given week. The Urban visibility on MTV outnumbers Rock nearly 2 to 1, not to mention BET, MTV2, MTV Hits and MTV Jams. And yet, despite the massive amounts of exposure, Hip Hop record sales have plummeted 21% from 2005 to 2006. Even though music sales are down, in general, for the first time in 12 years the Top 10 Best Selling Albums of the Year did not include a Hip Hop record.
A recent poll of black Americans by The Associated Press and AOL-Black Voices last year revealed 50 percent of respondents said Hip Hop was a negative force in American society. As criticism increases from African Americans about rap artist’s negative influence on their culture and the perpetuation of stereotypes, Hip Hop fans are starting to question the ethical irresponsibility of the genres biggest players. Additionally, the recent news coverage surrounding the enslavement and murders taking place in Africa to procure the diamonds these artists put in their teeth has been raising long-ignored ethical questions within the Hip Hop community.
While the decline in sales is a dark sign of things to come for the huge industry surrounding Hip Hop, it is also signaling the end of the abhorrent lifestyle that’s been celebrated for too long.
“Similar to what grunge did to glam metal, its going to take a unified movement of musical ingenuity combined with a clear message to overthrow the reigning hedonistic empire.“
Good its about time. Except for a few talented artists the whole rap industry is turning the young black community into a bunch of dumbed down non-english, ebonics speaking, hooga booga knuckleheads who’s only hopes and dreams right now are being a highly paid baller or a rap star.
Uh uh yeah yeah uh yeah uh uuh yeah…
Comment by D-Man — March 3, 2007 @ 7:24 am
Well…Maybe the industry will figure out that the kids that listen to that regurgitated, recycled crap don’t buy the CD’s and aren’t loyal fans. They just download for free…
Comment by jen — March 4, 2007 @ 8:36 am
Hip hop, like a lot of new rock that has come out, has seen an increase in mediocre song writing. Rap used to have memorable hooks and a storyline on occasion. Now, we have the laffy taffy. Rappers just aren’t saying anything anymore. There is no distinction or personality that would draw you to one hip hopper or another in the mainstream.
Comment by Peter Merli — March 4, 2007 @ 10:03 am
The genre has been homogenized…everyone wants to get the same results (Platnium) and that’s why they all look and sound the same! The people that run rap are street crooks and hustlers and know nothing about music or art…sad but true!
Comment by Ron Burgandy — March 4, 2007 @ 9:07 pm
It’s been coming a long time. Rap is nothing but karaoke. I understand why the labels and mtv are so behind the movement. All it takes is a couple generic beats and cliche lyrics and blamo - instant album. Rap is so cliche and boring, the general public is even catching on! About time!
Comment by ERiK — March 9, 2007 @ 9:22 am
[...] Lastly, rap artists will also be held accountable including Snoopy Dog, Ludacris, etc. Certain broadcasters that have millions of viewers are going to dedicate airtime exposing these artists and the people behind these artists including industry executives. Could this be end of the hedonistic empire? Check out the KOAR’s last article ‘Hip Hop Taking Criticism While Sales Tank’. [...]
Pingback by Kings of A&R » KOAR News — April 12, 2007 @ 4:18 pm
[...] Urban is tanking, then you know it’s the end of the line. Read more of KOAR’s continued coverage of this sinking ship. Country is in a bad way, too, but as of now is the last major label [...]
Pingback by Kings of A&R » Hip Hop continues to take criticism — April 19, 2007 @ 3:27 pm
I think it is about time that Rap/Hip-Hop music is on the decline. It portrays a negative imagae on women and is a music that express hate and violence. I think the hip-hop backlash is just getting started and will cause the music genre to die like it did with disco in late 1979.
Comment by Bill Eddy Jr. — April 28, 2007 @ 10:34 am
I’m a thirty year old black female and I was there when hip hop started to gain ground in NYC. I believe that the innovators of rap and hip hop had plans on rap bringing us as a people up to a higher level through expressing talents that may not have been “the norm”. Let’s not forget that our music had been stolen right out from under us and renamed for years in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. Rap was hard to duplicate because it was telling a story. A specific story of a whole lifestlye. I feel that the reason it’s sales have been going down is because of the fact that those of us who were there in the beginning are all grown up now. We have children and realize that the turn that the music of hip hop has taken is not necessariy in a positive direction. So we don’t buy it. We don’t allow our kids to listen to it because a lot of it is deragatory and senseless and glorifies illegal activity. However, the ones who don’t have children or simply don’t care what their children are exposed to are the ones who will buy one copy and make copies to sell. So one one level there are sales. Huge sales. Trust me, I live in an area where it is very hard to find a person who has purchased a CD the right way. The problem is that since hustling has been glorified in such a negative light, the artists in the industry are being hustled themselves. So in the end, the artists and the street hustlers will lose because they are pimping each other. Don’t get me wrong, I realize that not all hip hop artists are negative; however, one rotten apple can indeed spoil the bunch. I still love old school hip hop, and concious rap. We need more positive artists, both famous and underground, to step up to the plate and take over their craft. Change the message and change the way you are perceived!
Comment by Lady J — June 5, 2007 @ 10:27 am
I’m disappointed in about 90% of what people have said in this post regarding this issue, and sorry for you country lovers but but hip hop won’t ever die, the main component of hip hop is the struggle. were not pimping ourselves because hustling has been glorified we’re doing it because we’re starving. The struggle isn’t over hip hop has always been the black CNN, the images are negative because our environments are negative. Whats happening is, instead of us being a step n’ fetch show to watch and laugh at, people are really starting to be successful and actually Do positive things. Hip hop isn’t just what you hear on the radio. they decide whats heard not us! there are so many positive MC’s and rappers that virtually change the world with lyrics, like other have done (and anyone who agrees with the above statements can’t lie and say they’ve never bob’d their head to some hip hop that made you feel like no other music could) but its impossible to be heard without a major label, and look who gets signed.. “laffy taffy”. Our communities have a long way to go but its going to take hip hop to inspire us to overcome. We were born for this.
Comment by Alioune X — July 19, 2007 @ 7:12 pm
Alioune X:
Give me a break, please. “Hip-Hop” is not a religion. It’s not even a way of life. What’s phony is a belief that Hip-Hop is more than it is–a form of music.
If a person doesn’t care for Hip-Hop, it doesn’t mean their ethnicity or authenticity as a human being should be questioned.
Many of the “Keep It Real” crowd isn’t offering a better alternative to what the South is generally offering. Most rappers condone the selling of drugs (”hustling”–don’t try to clean-up the term)… and “metaphors” about a microphone or battling another “MC” is a total wast of time, also.
So, 99.99% of the choices in Hip-Hop include selling of drugs, prostitution, pimping, drug usage, “battling MC’s”, “destroying microphones” or some other mindless dribble.
I hate the majority of what people choose to do with Hip-Hop, but I enjoy the bare-bones artform, itself.
Lady J: you seem like a thoughtful, intelligent person with valid points.
“So we don’t buy it. We don’t allow our kids to listen to it because a lot of it is deragatory and senseless and glorifies illegal activity. However, the ones who don’t have children or simply don’t care what their children are exposed to are the ones who will buy one copy and make copies to sell.”
… exactly.
Comment by Clark — August 4, 2007 @ 9:36 am
Kevin King Ceo Fharro Recordings ATL Yea that is correct the lure of the rain man is Ruling in this industry I have to fight my Artist to create songs with positive content and they are positive kidds. So What’s the Deal,Record companies A&R Are Not Rewarded for dicovering postitive content the Fast Buck rules as with most industies, so we do a mix and stay true to the story telling part of this music for instance my company spent thousands on a Song Called How it addz up
to broadcast the importance of Fatherhood in our community we blasted it out to 7000 radio stations very costly got very little air play in our country but landed a good spot in the UK what’s up with that and they love it on chioce radio UK, We are not given up we know this is gonna turn full circle and Fharro Recording will be right there with the right songs that educate and entertain yes we can have the best of both world demand it. peace Ps Lets Save Hip Hop From This industry induced Coma, Peace Be Still
Comment by Kevin King — August 23, 2007 @ 7:48 pm
This article, and more importantly, your comments, have proven to be the general consensus about hip hop, and why shouldnt it be? Hip hop artists have claimed to be doing something positive for children by donating money to charity and whatnot, which is great. The problem is their music is still glorifying illegal activity and violent, which is what the receivers of their charity will hear. That’s not a role mode, no one asked Jeffrey Dahmer to donate money. Beyond drug dealing and pimping women, hip hop is ultra-violent, berating us with 17 songs threatening the listner to acknowledge how tough the artist is…please…no one cares how many guns you have or pending court cases you got, you look like a fool, and the reason that hip hop artists of THIS nature arent taken seriously by businesses and professionals. Now..on a shameless note listen to my “conscious” hip hop at http://www.myspace.com/dirty845
Comment by Face value — September 4, 2007 @ 5:34 am