SPECIAL KAY’E
CLAP (T)RAP II
I wrote last month about the decline in the quality of popular black music
today. Our experiences seem to have been funnelled into this narrow-minded,
limited spectrum, to the point where it comes across that sex and crime are
all we’re about. I worried about the corrosive effect this might be
having, particularly on our youth.
Only a handful of people probably share my views on this though and nothing
we think, say or do is likely to make any difference. Sexual content in songs
is going to get more explicit, as is its depiction in videos. Violence in
rap songs and videos is probably going to get more graphic, too. Attitudes
towards sex, love and life among young people are probably going to get more
casual and more self-centred, with increasing emphasis on short-term gratification
rather than long-term fulfilment.
But why do we project images that fuel racist stereotypes? Some clues: while
many hip hop and R&B artistes make millions from their output, corporate
investors make much more. While artistes are
supposed to be the ones determining what’s played on the radio, it’s
becoming increasingly clear that it’s radio (and those who control it)
that determine what kind of music black artistes make. Who are these corporate
investors and who owns the radio stations? The music industry is often referred
to as a game. But who’s really
winning here? Who’s playing and who’s being played? The whole
thing’s a circus and we’re the clowns.
Too many of our young black men believe their options are
limited to either becoming a rapper, athlete (which, in this country, translates
to Premiership footballer) or drug dealer. They are grossly over-represented
in the criminal justice system. Drug activity on the streets and estates of
many UK cities is just like that depicted on any American TV cop show. Gun
crime is up. Kids carry knives to school and use them, and with the latest
phenomenon, so-called ‘happy slapping’, it appears our young people
are becoming more and more desensitised to violence and are treating each
other in ways that can only be described as increasingly dehumanising. Our
love affair with the US seems to be paying dividends.
There are now more than a million people living with HIV in the US. Half of
all new diagnoses were in blacks (African Americans) even though they make
up just 13 per cent of the population. Sixty-five per cent of Aids deaths
are among African Americans as are new teen Aids cases and 67 per cent of
new Aids cases are among women. In the UK we already know young black people
aged between 16 and 24 are six or seven times more likely to be diagnosed
with an STI than their white counterparts. We also know HIV and Aids
disproportionately
affect black people and that people are being diagnosed at a younger and younger
age. Just a few weeks ago it was reported in the papers that a boy aged 14
had been diagnosed with HIV. The youngster reportedly said he thought HIV
was something only “older people” get. I fear for the future.
I don’t blame all of this on music. Deadbeat or absent dads, a failing
education system, the demise of discipline, increasing peer and media pressure
and the lack of constructive activities for young people all play their part.
Society doesn’t invest in children or young people. They’re often
at the bottom of the political agenda, if they feature at all, only becoming
relevant when they’ve turned to crime or ‘anti-social behaviour’.
By that time, it’s often too late. Politicians tough-talk about ‘yob
culture’ and ‘feral youths’ but when will those in power
learn that tackling the symptoms, while ignoring the causes, achieves nothing?
As parents, uncles, aunts, big brothers and sisters, we can’t possibly
address all of those issues in one swoop but we’ve got to start somewhere.
We can start by ensuring that we counter any negative messages coming from
popular black culture with some positive core values that were passed down
to us. It could make all the difference. It’s worth a try, surely? And
I don’t believe all black music is rubbish. There’s still some
good quality stuff to be found. But the artistes behind it are not the ones
burning up the charts. No multi-platinum sales for them. Some are struggling;
some have even given up. Soul is practically dead even though many top selling
hip hop and R&B records are covers or sample soul classics.
Of the three US rappers who’ve ever (consistently) had anything constructive
to say, two are dead and the third says he’s retired from the industry.
Draw your own conclusions.
ekaggwa@ukcoalition.org
