Hip Hop: The Bane of My Existence?

I know that yesterday I said that I was going to write this rant against Hip Hop Music. But...something happened to me today. I went out to have dinner with some of my colleagues from Amherst, MA when this kid asked me about the bus. I answered him and I went on to my dinner date. On my way home, there he was at the bus stop. Since we remembered each other, we started talking. His name is John. He grew up around my old neighborhood first, then South Boston, and finally in Brighton. He lives across the street from me in the projects. He's had a hard life. His moms is in the hospital (for those who don't know me...I'm the type of stranger that people feel comfortable opening up to)(darn, I just ended that phrase with a preposition...but I don't feel like going back and fixing it). The only positive thing I heard from him was the fact that he has a hip hop group, they perform at Avalon, they are about to be signed, and he feels happy knowing that he has the talent to be a MC. I even tested him when he told me that his group has some songs out there just for the women. So I asked him, "When you say songs for women, do you mean 'hey girl come over here and drop that thang' or 'hey ma, I'm happy that I know you.'" He said, "Songs like that are disrespectful to women. I have a mom and she taught me right." After that I was like, "hmmm..." I gave him pointers. Ways to get his music out there. I told him about how I was a deejay at WRBB (Northeastern Univ's radio station) and that when I was there I would sometimes play the music from unknown artists. While I was giving him pointers, I was thinking in the back of my head, "Max, you are seriously giving him some help??? Don't you know that this could mean that there will be another hip hop group out there just to annoy you?!" But for some reason I was okay with that. Want to know why???

Well...

In this day and time, it's hard to find an inner-city kid who believes that he or she can use their minds to get out of the ghetto. Most of them have hoop or microphone dreams. I really want this kid to make it. I just met him and I really wish that I could mentor him. It's weird, isn't it? My heart always goes out to the plight of teenagers. I think that they have it the hardest this day and time. When I was 17, I was worrying about college and how I was going to get out of going to my Prom. He's 17 and he has 6 friends in jail, a sick mom, brothers and sisters, and he's unemployed. Yes, so am I...but trust me, it's different. So here's the decision I made in the back of my head. I could give John some pointers and he figures out a way to get out of the projects along with his parents. Or I could keep silent and he becomes desperate and finally turns to a life of crime just to eat. What would you do?

Now...don't get me wrong. This does not mean that I'm going out there to get Snoop's recent album. I haven't changed. 50 Cent can keep his magic stick to himself! Pharell can't get it his way with me. I will always be the girl from the ghetto who cringes whenever she is forced to listen to hip hop music. It's hard! Whenever I play spades (and Kaylay I can't believe that we lost to a team of scrubs!!! I mean they don't even bid their kings!!!!!) my boys (because I am ALWAYS the only girl on the table...lol) love to listen to hip hop so I decide to bring a cd of mix music along with my cd for myself. This past time, I burned my cd the wrong way...so there I was...blocking my ears only to have to listen to "Magic Stick" as well as a Southern song that kept repeating the word "booty" over and over and over and over and over and over and over and well, you get the point! My mood began to change. I started to become lethargic instead of concentrating on the game, I want to hurry up and leave the room. I spent most of my time trying not to listen to the words that my game was thrown off. So now you know Kaylay...hip hop music softens my spades skills! So the next time we play, make sure that I have my own music.

C'mon can you blame me for not liking hip hop? It teaches teenage girls and women that if they want to be popular they have to drop it like it's hot, dress promiscuously, that you must do whatever you need to do to keep your man (even if it means degrading yourself), etc. It teaches men of all ages and races that women are expendable. That they don't have to treat us right because we are a dime a dozen. It's a horrible music in my eyes. There is so much junk out there that I have given up on trying to find artists out there who are positive. So is hip hop still the bane of my existence? OF COURSE IT IS!!!! But for kids like John who see it was their only vehicle to get out of the ghetto, then I say, "Okay. Good luck! Please remember who you were before you got into the business and try to keep those characteristics!" But as for me...I take it personally when you give me cooked carrots, when you tell me that the only reason why I listen to different types of music and I am articulate is because I went to an all White school, and finally when you play nothing but hip hop music in my presence.

That is all for now...until then readers,

Love, Peace, and Hair Grease!!!!!

I know...

I know...it's been a long time since I wrote you all something. Well I won't this morning. It's 1:56 am and I am still a bit wired from playing spades tonight. But I need to go to bed. I promise tomorrow there shall be a new entry. I shall title this one, "Hip-Hop Music: The Bane of My Existence!"

Until then kiddies,

Luv, Peace, and Hair Grease!!!!