after 30 years of growing popularity, rap music is now struggling with an alarming sales decline and growing criticism from within about the culture's negative effect on society.
Rap insider Chuck Creekmur, who runs the leading Web site Allhiphop.com, says he got a message from a friend recently "asking me to hook her up with some Red Hot Chili Peppers because she said she's through with rap. A lot of people are sick of rap ... the negativity is just over the top now."
The rapper Nas, considered one of the greats, challenged the condition of the art form when he titled his latest album "Hip-Hop is Dead." It's at least ailing, according to recent statistics: Though music sales are down overall, rap sales slid a whopping 21 percent from 2005 to 2006, and for the first time in 12 years no rap album was among the top 10 sellers of the year.
Rap's day is long past- it's time for something new. I've never been a huge fan of rap, preferring trip hop over hip hop, but enough is enough- everyone's ready for a new sound to come along. I'm not convinced that it has anything to do with rap's violent, misogynist lyrics- it's just time for a new music form to come along. Just look at the current crop of British music acts- retro rock music. Even the techno I hear today isn't significantly different from the tunes I was listening to back in the mid-nineties. How exciting would it be for an entirely new sound to come along now to replace the tired old rock/rap/techno songs that fill the airwaves today?
And note to the obligatory America-bashing at the end of the article-
Yet Banner says there's a reason why acts like KRS-One and Public Enemy don't sell anymore. He recalled that even his own fans rebuffed positive songs he made -- like "Cadillac on 22s," about staying away from street life -- in favor of songs like "Like a Pimp."
"The American public had an opportunity to pick what they wanted from David Banner," he says. "I wish America would just be honest. America is sick. ... America loves violence and sex."
Yeah, America's to blame for your music output.
3 comments:
Hallelujah, Praise be the Lord. About time. Although from the amount it is played around me it will be a while before it seeps through.
Wonder how long it will be before it starts showing on the Classics shows?
Finally!! ! But like Bag says, some dumbass in Marketing will try to re-package it as "Retro-Rap" to keep the sales flowing. Fortunately all those early rappers have either shot each other dead or are in prison for longer still. Maybe when they get out of incarcertation they can have a get together, "Reunion Rappin' With the Oldies!" See how many have bullet-holes in 'em after that event.
Hip Hop is still a culture regardless of album sales.
Rap is in a decline, no doubt. I dont listen to it much nowadays . . . but dead? You wish . . . all its takes is one hot single!
Doesnt even have to be a good single . . .
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