Rather see the above links in your inbox or feed reader?
Subscribe to our Links for hand-picked items from around the web
What hip-hop media thinks about you · by Rafi Kam
You’re stupid. Even though last week’s gossip has already been debunked, we can report it to you today as if it’s a fact. We’ll cover our ass by hiding a brief acknowledgment that the headline and previous paragraphs are untrue somewhere in the middle, knowing full damn well that most of you won’t catch it. Then we’ll blame you for not reading the article in the comments. You like being lied to so you won’t hold us accountable anyway. Not the reader, not even the artists being lied about. You’ll all be back tomorrow even if you realize that it was bullshit today.
You’re gullible. If we make something up, it becomes true and we’ll all start saying it.
You’re savage. You’ll watch transfixed while any two people go at each other no matter how little stake you have in the issue or the people.
You’re petty. You really just want to know who can claim the most money, the most sales, the most fame or the most pussy, the “realest hood”, the most dumb beef and the best rapsheet. That’s your culture and those are your elements – gossip and a phony street resume. That’s why the media coverage has replaced the music as the main product of hip-hop. It’s no wonder that hip-hop news sites have taglines about “supplying the swagger” or how they’re “the most dangerous”. MC’s come and go but your news site stays bringing da realness!
You’re disconnected. It doesn’t bother you that the sidebar of your favorite news site reads like a star-studded crime blotter. It won’t phase you to learn that roughly one out of every six SOHH pages indexed by Google have the word “beef”. You don’t mind that violence is part of how you are marketed to. It’s all gravy.
You’re confused – which makes you easy to manipulate. You get active and enraged – just about things you’ve been prodded towards like Net Neutrality or what a morning show DJ said instead of things like say poverty, corporate abuses, how the government continues to fuck you, and so on…
Comments for "What hip-hop media thinks about you"
Now I remember…I was trying to think why I’m not as aware of what goes on in and around the music industry today.
— Amadeo Aug 29, 07:35 PM
sad, but true. truly deep.
— khal Aug 29, 11:07 PM
Damn, that was fucking incredible. It’s rare that I read something that I wish I wrote, but this is definitely that piece.
— Iron Aug 29, 11:59 PM
this is a seriously fucking incredible post. holy shit. i’m blogging this, and i never do that.
— julien Aug 30, 03:27 AM
wow Rafi. You have me talking to the mirror man about this.
I wrote something in support of this at Hip Hop Blogs today.
— Hashim Aug 30, 09:59 AM
Not all media…check out Mictap.com, about the music…Good points though Rafi.
— RebeL Aug 30, 10:45 AM
I don’t think that writing about rap beef presumes that the audience is “savage,” but I think it has more to do with your point that the media coverage has replaced the music as the main product. If I’m going to read (or write) about Trina, I’m not going to waste my time with an analysis of her booty metaphors or any of her other marginal contributions to the genre. Her beef with Gillie was just more interesting than anything she’s done musically. I think thats pretty much the case with all mainstream hip hop that’s currently being released. There’s not a whole lot worth talking about right now as far as the music goes, so the next best thing is to talk about the personalities behind the music.
— fresh Aug 30, 02:54 PM
^That’s funny because Scratch magazine manages to put out an entire issue a month devoid of such “beef” and “ass n’titties” nonsense while sticking to the script discussing music and its related issues, including that which goes on in the “mainstream.” I suppose their DJ/Producer focus gives them to the leeway to delve into the musical/technical end of things, but regardless, the celebrity gossip shitstorm that is mainstream and internet rap reporting needs to evolve into something more respectable or drop dead.
— R.H.S. Aug 30, 03:22 PM
yeah, drop dead is right.
— julien Aug 30, 04:53 PM
Damn, RAFI spit some fire on this jawnt. His baby momma must have laid him down and twisted his meat up something proper for him to come and just kick down people’s doors like that. With that said I think RAFI still held back a little. The Hip-Hop media is beholden to sponsors more than anything else. We are viewed as consumers without a head. Where’s a good ol’ fashioned boycott when you need one. Not the fake boycott where neggars vow not to purchase a Maybach for the month of December, but the real boycott that says that we won’t support ANY Viacom based media operations – CBS, BET, VH-1 and of course MTV. I know you humps to well for that though, just like you tuned in to the Chappelle Show, you will watch the VMA’s.
You humps are already souled out.
— Young Deezy Aug 30, 09:39 PM
oh and yes, I do go to dallaspenn.com for the porn.
— Young Deezy Aug 30, 09:39 PM
Stereotypes and exportation at it’s best,but the media,I careless when it comes to what they think,and I’m greatful for being me and knowing that every project I release,I see progress moving forward.
www.cdbaby.com/truknigthz
— SHEPONE May 3, 07:46 PM
We have raw footage of papoose geeting his ass wipped. We
> want to know how much are you willing to pay if you are interested
> email me.
— ......... Dec 12, 12:24 PM
^ that’s some intrepid irony dawg.
— rafi Dec 12, 01:32 PM