Rap and Racism

I love Rap/Hip-hop and because of that I go to strenuous lengths in my day to day to know what’s going on in rap.  I also buy my music.   Either off ITunes or at a music store because I believe the quality is better and that there is an artist I want to support…Okay mainly just because of the quality.  Here’s a list of some of my favorites.

Favorite rapper of all time: Lupe Fiasco.

New school Favorites:  J Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Big Sean, and Yelawolf (Macklemore Joey Bada$$ may soon make the list)

Favorite rap groups: Outkast (obviously) A Tribe Called Quest, and Nas and Damien

Favorite Label: G.O.O.D Music.

That being said, The link below is Complexmusic.com claiming that white people who listen to
“ignorant rap,” a type of rap that pays little attention to lyricism “feels racist (link below).”

http://www.complex.com/music/2012/11/25-things-everyone-thinks-about-hip-hop-but-nobody-will-say/ignorant-rap

While some other points that Complex Music makes are quite witty, this particular article puts a dangerous hated label on white people like me who enjoy sometimes listening to people like 2Chainz, Waka Flocka Flame, and Chief Keef.  Listen, I don’t go around talking about how hood I am.  No one does that but children, pre teens, and people who are “hood (the first two are Little Wayne’s fault anyway).”  While this article does retreat a little on its accusations of racism, the retreat begins when you are about seventy five percent through the article.  It is then when it tells you just what sect of society is racist, specifically:  “(A) white person (whose) interest in a hip-hop artist seems driven almost entirely by how hood they are, how "real" they seem, it suggests they may, in fact, have a less-than-real relationship with black people, in general.”Until this is read describing who exactly is racist, the gripping title: “When white people enjoy "ignorant rap," it feels racist” is resonating in your head.  Racism exist this is true.  But let’s point the finger at those who still keep the confederate flag hanging on their front lawn and not people who like a genre of music.