Radio stations misrepresent hip-hop

Published: Monday, September 28, 1998

Monday, September 28, 1998

MUSIC: MTV videos, popular songs display narrow view of genre

A good friend of mine and I had an objective conversation about various musical genres, and at some point I asked what he thought about hip-hop. He proceeded to sugar coat his answer as best he could and ended up saying something to the effect of "it's cool, but it doesn't take me to the next level like rock 'n' roll does.

Upon hearing this I asked him what artists he had heard material from. He named a few commercial, pop acts that are about as much a true representation of hip-hop as the Spice Girls are of rock 'n' roll.

Sadly, this conversation represents many people's misfounded views on hip-hop music. As the art form gains increasing acceptance by the same pop culture that once so vehemently rejected it, it is clear that what is seeping through to the masses is a grotesque caricature of what the music represents.

With the help of daytime radio and especially MTV, the most creative examples that hip-hop has to offer have all but been choked out in favor of corny, watered-down commercial garbage that misleads the public as to the essence of the music. As a gross example of this skew that radio perpetuates, New York City's Wu-Tang Clan receives hardly any airplay on their home station, the No. 1-rated Hot 97. This has led to well founded complaints by various members of the group. Most of the hip-hop that Hot 97 and its counterparts choose to play during the day is dance music. Although this music may appeal to the average radio listener it can create a false image of the art.

Recently, Puff Daddy has been hailed by Rolling Stone as hip-hop's new king. Ask the average hip-hop head about that statement and they'll either laugh or shake their head in disgust.

Now, some would ask, what's the problem with someone like a Puff Daddy? After all, isn't it good that he's attracting attention to the music and reaching an audience?

There is never anything wrong with any artist selling millions of records. The problem begins when people associate that artist's work with that of the entire genre.

Commercial hip-hop is not without its merits of course; after all, people need to dance. There is nothing wrong with people liking songs they can party to, but it is important to know that there is more out there than stuff you can dance to.

Like any other form of music, hip-hop has its thinkers and poets, although by listening to the radio, you may never know it. Groups like The Roots, Gang Starr, Hieroglyphics, Mos Def and Talib Kweli (a.k.a. Blackstar), and emcees like Common, Killah Priest and Aceyalone are just a few of what the other side of the genre has to offer. Yet with so much quality material available, it is unlikely that these groups will ever get airplay beyond a cut here and there.

And why?

Because they choose to make original material often using samples that aren't immediately recognizable, or live instruments; and most important of all they don't have a chorus that allows everyone to easily sing along.

The bottom line is that you will not experience the best that hip-hop has to offer by listening to most daytime radio nor by accepting what MTV shoves down your throat.

If people continue to accept this as their only window into the hip-hop world, they will be cheating themselves out of an entire wavelength in the infinite spectrum that is art.

But, hey, if you don't care about thought-provoking music then continue "gettin' jiggy wit' it." Just remember the next time you pass judgement on this form of expression, you may not have all the facts.

Flores is a fifth-year political science student.Tenoch Flores

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