Hip Hop Profanity, Misogyny And Violence: Blame The Manufacturer
Hip Hop music is also a product, produced by giant corporations for mass distribution to a carefully targeted and cultivated demographic market. Corporate executives map out multi-year campaigns to increase their share of the targeted market, hiring and firing subordinates - the men and women of Artists and Recordings (A&R) departments - whose job is to find the raw material for the product (artists), and shape it into the package upper management has decreed is most marketable (the artist’s public persona, image, style and behavior). It is a corporate process at every stage of artist “development,” one that was in place long before the artist was “discovered” or signed to the corporate label. What the public sees, hears and consumes is the end result of a process that is integral to the business model crafted by top corporate executives. The artist, the song, the presentation - all of it is a corporate product.
“What the public sees, hears and consumes is the end product of a process that is integral to the business model crafted by top corporate executives.”
Good article you guys might want to check out.
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May 2nd, 2007 at 9:35 am
like ive been saying.
stop putting all the blame on the rappers.
look at the labels also.
finally somebody else brought it up.
May 2nd, 2007 at 12:48 pm
I am so glad that this article was written. I have been saying this sort of thing since people like to use rappers/rap as the scapegoat. unfortunately, I don’t think this article will do much to change anything. the public will continue to blame rappers and rap, and peole like oprah and o’reily will continue their assault on rappers/ rap. Even though those peolpe and their shows are owned bye the same corperations. Its almost a losing battle for these rappers, because they get put in the middle. great post realtalk.
May 2nd, 2007 at 1:23 pm
fukk that, it’s THE RAPPERS doing this to themselves
UNSIGNED RAPPERS are rapping about murdering dudes and selling crack so how are you going to blame labels for that??
u think a lebel told Jeezy to rhyme about trapping?? haha, fukk out of here
May 2nd, 2007 at 2:00 pm
u cant blame the rappers,i say blame the labels because they dictate the music n trends in music also blame the consumers,u cant fully blame cigarette companies for dumbasses who smoke they know the risk like wise for the music the people pick what they wanna hear
May 2nd, 2007 at 2:33 pm
that stayfly guy is not that smart. the labels want the rappers to be more gangster. to make in the music industry you have to be the most gangster ever, they don’t want mosdef, the lupe fiasco, the roots and so fourth. they want the 50’s and the jeezy’s, they want rappers talking about the people they shot, how much drugs they sold, how many hoes they fucked. And it’s funny, because the fbi has a task force in play since 1993 that watches the rappers. So don’t blame the rappers, at least not to much cause the labels are looking for the next 50 and jay z not lupe and mosdef.
May 2nd, 2007 at 3:23 pm
the labels want the rappers that make the most money. bottomline!
the good rappers who point positive pictures about the black community and speak up about important issues only have a limited fanbase. and that fanbase isnt big enuff to bring in the 10mil home and 5 mil abroad sales.
while the cookie cutter gangsta rappers and such reach out to a bunch of people.
a bunch of people who dont think to listen to what these good rappers are speaking of.
“most men would rather die than think…”
-bertrand russell.
and these rappers appeal to the consumers who dont want to think.
white people who think these gangsta acts portray an accurate image of black people make up most of the consumers.
(given that niggas dont buy cds as much.)
but the corporation is what it is. a company, whos main objective is to get money.
the next blame goes to the rappers because if the labels didnt have any artist to exploit than they would have to back real hip hop.
then the blame reaches the fans. if the fans supported good music than the labels would see that and invest more time and money into backing good music. and artist wouldnt have to rely on being a modern day minstrel show just to make money through rap.
May 3rd, 2007 at 9:08 am
@ T Baby
I agree with you, but only to an extent…..I think the first blame has to be placed on the masses(fans). These major labels and record companies have a job to find out what the consumers want, and provide it. If this type of music is in demand, then that’s what these label execs. are going to promote. If there’s no demand, there’s no mass production of that product. We must face it, the problem is with us as people(those that prefer this type of music),we are the consumers, and if we don’t purchase this crap, then eventually they’ll stop producing this crap!!!
May 3rd, 2007 at 4:09 pm
I agree that you have to put the blame on the record labels and cooperations, but you also have to blame the artist. Whether the label picks and chooses which song makes the final cut of an album is irrlevant when the words are coming out of the artist’s mouth. I could have the higher ups choose whatever songs make my album, but at the end of the day I’m responsible for myself and what I say.
May 3rd, 2007 at 4:40 pm
fuck it all the label owners a white,the few black label owners arent makin the moves they should be able to make.look at it like this how many no name rockers or wutever go plat comin outa these no name labels.now marinate on this the south is doin it but whose really goin plat these days.not to put race on it but its the depiction of whats goin on thats the problem n even the rappers themselves are wise enough to know that,what do u think the clipse was talkin bout theres no morals n the industry,funny enough a few dope boys got they morals right n they n the hood.