Hip-hop article slights rich, complex history
While Nate Holton's article (""The less publicized players in the rap game,"" Feb. 25) indeed highlighted some of rap music's most talented artists, he should be more informed next time he tries to encapsulate 30 years of hip-hop culture into three short paragraphs.
Not only do hip-hop's roots date back to the early '70s, contrary to Holton's statement, he also fails to mention that hip-hop culture typically includes break dancing and graffiti writing in addition to the more popular arts of emceeing and deejaying. He also fails to hit on the fact that hip-hop is a culture, a way of life and it has been more than just ""all about having fun,"" because for many of its artists, it has been a way out of trouble and off the streets.
Also, his view that hip-hop went straight from fun-loving block parties in New York to gangsta and commercial rap across the country is far too simplistic, and categorizing it as such does hip-hop a disservice. Holton wrote, ""Basically, rap music has evolved into hip-hop minus the intellectualism and plus the mainstream appeal,"" but then he goes on to note some highly intellectual rappers who many categorize as ""conscious"" and ""underground"" artists. And while rap fans can debate for hours on end about what those terms mean and who is and is not worthy of those labels, the truth is, if anything, rappers have become progressively more thoughtful and intellectual in their lyrics over the last 30 years.
Yes, rap is more commercialized today than it was 30 years ago, but that does not take away from the fact that ""commercialized"" rap can be intelligent and meaningful, and ""underground"" rap can be violent and what Holton might see as lacking intellectualism, whatever that means. One does not have to like Jay-Z or can think he sells out to make money, but his lyrics are still a social commentary on the ways of the world, and we cannot knock him for that.
I could go on about the many complex factors that have dictated how rap has evolved into what it is today, but the fact remains that it is a creative form of statement and storytelling, and what largely determines its content and sales are the changing times and the wallet of the consumer.
So much of rap and hip-hop are misunderstood'epitomized by one of my professors who remarked last year that he was so amazed to find out that not all rappers are ""gangbangers and misogynists."" The Cardinal does not help us to better understand or accept it with such a brief and sketchy commentary on its history.
Turner ignores deserved wealth of U.S. citizens
Sarah Turner enjoys manipulating statistics to create the generic liberal ""evil rich person"" classist view (""Bush letting corporate polluters slide,"" Feb. 27). In actuality, the IRS also reports that more than half of the income tax revenue comes from only 2 percent of the citizens of this country. Sarah would rather punish those who work harder and smarter to find economic success. Wealthy citizens benefit from the government services (especially social) less than the poor. The poor invest their money in smokes, porn and beer. The wealthy invest in diverse stock portfolios. In actuality, most citizens in this country are wealthy. If you have money in the bank, a place to live, clothes and enough food to eat, then you're among the wealthiest 8 percent of people in the world. Be thankful.
