By: Amanda Anderson-Niles
Hip Hop isn’t what it used to be considering these days most of today’s biggest artists rather rap trendy than actually rap about serious issues. This is part of the reason many people have pretty much lost hope in the culture of music that once spoke to political issues that affect African-Americans at alarming rates. Instead, today’s leading artists are rapping disrespectful lyrics regarding Civil Rights icons, and even suggesting date rape is the best way to get enjoyment out of a woman. Of course these rappers are risking plenty, like endorsement deals by not being conscious with their lyrics, but that may not be enough to bring consciousness back to Hip Hop.
One of the biggest trends as of right now in rap is the continuous references made to popular drug “Molly.” Although Kendrick Lamar recently spoke out against it and claimed he feels it’s time for artists to get over their obsession with “Molly,” the one rapper that pretty much put it on the map to other rappers musically, Trinidad James, tells XXL he only raps about it because conscious rap doesn’t sell.
“…There are some artists who make drug references just to look cool, or just trying to appeal to somebody, right? But sh*t, dude, people have been doing that forever. It’s not even about drugs, it can be about anything—cars, whips, jewelry. Artists make music, and some artists talk about sh*t that they really live, but it’s on the listener to decipher if it’s real and if they really f*ck with it or if they’re going along with it because everyone else is. That’s how this game is set up, man. You’ve got people who want to hear about the sh*t that they want, but not the sh*t that they need to hear about. People don’t want to hear positive raps as much as people want to hear negative rap.
“Well, consistently talking about violence, and drugs and b*tches, that’s not the “right thing” to talk about, from a Godly standpoint or from a moral standpoint. But that’s what people want to hear! Like, how many positive rappers are really making it these days?
“But I wasn’t telling you to do molly, I was just telling you about my experience.”
The rapper also goes on to say he can’t be blamed if kids start using Molly and even die from the drug:
“When I made that song I wasn’t thinking about the kid who was going to listen to the song. I was just speaking about my life, and if you can relate, great. But why can’t you relate to the line, “Count your blessings?” No, you want to relate to ,”‘Popped a molly, I’m sweatin’.'” That’s not my fault, you chose to listen and focus on the drug reference. That’s on you, my n*gga. I don’t feel no type of sympathy or anything, because at the end of the day I know what’s right and wrong. I’ve done wrong and I’ve done right, but these people who do stupid sh*t and blame it on rap… get the h*ll out of here. It’s your choice if you want to pull out a gun. I’ll say this though, the music does have an influence, I’m not going to say it doesn’t. But you still have a choice and a conscience that God gave you. So it’s on you.”
He’s so ugly.
At least he’s honest but it’s sad so many rappers feel this way. Thank goodness everyone’s not a coward though and good music/rap still exists.
And this is why he will be nothing more than a one hit wonder!
*Face Palm* I just can’t
This caricature disgusts me. If you have to sell out to sell you shouldn’t be making music.
He is such a coon. A true embarrassment to black people.
And this is the kind of rapper these racist, white music execs pray for. All artists like these do is help destroy the black community. He’s a total sellout to his own people.
He’s very honest. Selfish, but he said what most rappers will never admit. He’s clearly not a stupid person and instead feels his race is doomed, so he’d rather make a profit than waste time trying to save his race. It’s really sad. But this is why I don’t support him, Lil Wayne, and other coons. They are smart but they dumb down their music because they know that’s what the masses want.They’d rather help ruin the race further and profit from it than be a solution.
*Stands up & waves church fan in agreement!*
When I read this the first thing I thought about was Spike Lee’s movie Bamboozled. Spike is such a genius.
That’s cool. He doesn’t get money from me, so he can pretend to be as ignorant as he wants to be. He won’t have longevity in the business either. And that’s his karma.
It’s sad what some people will do for a dollar. He’s making an absolute fool of himself and all blacks but doesn’t care as long as he is making money.
This guy is such a sellout!!! All money isn’t good money!
First off I commend his honesty. We as parents have to watch what our children are listening to and we have to let them know there is a better way because they are young and impressionable. Me now being an adult I listen to the lyrics of a song very carefully and if it is something that I don’t agree with then I don’t listen to it. Yes he says popped a molly I’m sweatin and count your blessings and in God we trust, but I just don’t think that those go together. I also believe that promoting drug use is whether it is Molly or crack needs to stop. The people who promote drug use like that are nothing but followers not leaders. It’s like Rihanna always posting pictures of herself smoking weed it’s for the attention. Ignorance breeds ignorance and some people will do anything for the all might dollar. So what happens when you have been in the industry for a minute are you growing or are you staying the same? We all have to take responsibility for the ways we potray ourselves, but people have got to stop thinking that we are all the same because we are not. Martin Luther King and our ancestors did not fight for us and loose their lives so we could set ourselves back a hundred years. Sometimes we are our own worse enemies. Why would other people try to kill us when we are doing a good job ourselves with some of our actions?