The promotion of negativity has become all too common in the world of hip-hop and rap culture, to the point where the music is associated with violence, drugs and misogyny.
Artists like 50 Cent and Young Jeezy are at the forefront of the violent commercial formula that sells millions of records. This modern day rap image has produced a glorification of gang life among the youth who religiously listen to these rappers.
Fortunately, there are programs working to reverse this trend, using the elements of hip-hop, female empowerment and slam poetry to make a difference.
Hip Hop 360
Unity Care, a San Jose-based youth development center that helps foster children prepare for their emancipation from the foster care system, is doing its part to stop the negativity. Programs like Hip Hop 360 allow children to learn and express themselves hip-hop culture.
The program helps middle-school age students build positive relationships. Hip-Hop 360 exposes students to different elements of hip-hop culture, such as rapping, dancing, art and deejaying. Each element is connected to an educational and life skill.
"When a kid wants to rap, he's not only going to learn to rap, he's also going to learn about metaphors, similes and other techniques that are required to be a good writer," said Gilbert Chaidez, outreach program supervisor at Unity Care.
"A lot of kids drop out of school because they feel that it isn't relevant to them or their neighborhood, so what we try to do is help them tap into their passions and connect that to school to make it relevant for them," Chaidez said.
Hip-Hop 360 organizers agree that the program offers an alternative tone in the negative drone of modern rap.
"Before, artists like N.W.A and Ice Cube represented the reality of the gangster life," said Demone Carter, project coordinator for Hip Hop 360. "Gradually, that reality got blown out of proportion into what it is today. Now it seems like you need a hard luck story to be successful. You need to tell people you got shot or stabbed to sell records."
When comparing old-school and new-school hip-hop, there are similarities and differences. Today, there appears to be more "gangsta" rap.
The popularity of "gangsta" rap has led casual rap fans to believe that all rap promotes the gang image.
This wasn't the case in the late '80s and early '90s, Chaidez said.
"Nowadays, its like "rap" is synonymous with "gangsta," said Chaidez. "Back in the day, rappers exposed the gang life, but it wasn't like that life was the only way. Now, its like living the gang life is the only choice."
On the flipside, old-school artists like De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest weren't considered "gangsta." Likewise, there are a few rappers today who stay away from the violent music broadcasted over the airwaves.
"Guys like Common, Kanye West, Talib Kweli and Mos Def aren't part of the gangsta vibe," said Carter, who himself works to promote positivity by rapping and making music. "Its good to see them so successful, because when I was young I felt like it was impossible to spread that positive vibe and sell records."
5th Element
The objectification and disrespect of women is another unhealthy trend in the mainstream hip-hop world. There are women who will not stand for the labeling of women as booty-shaking instruments.
Vanessa Nisperos is one of those women.
Nisperos runs 5th Element, a San Jose based collective that supports women in hip-hop.
"5th Element promotes female rappers, b-girls, deejays, and graffiti artists," said Nisperos.
She said there is a disparity between hip-hop being played for the mainstream and the hip-hop most people don't hear.
"There is a fine line between commercial hip-hop, which is a business, and produces party music, and real hip-hop, which is a celebration of life and something that brings people together," Nisperos said.
The goal of 5th Element is to empower women and give them their rightful seat in the hip-hop community. "Everyone deserves a place in hip-hop, and women should feel safe in their place," Nisperos said.
Though most of the negative views of women come from male artists, some female artists are responsible as well. Rappers like Lil' Kim and Trina have made careers for themselves by producing provocative videos and proudly referring to themselves with derogatory terms.
"Those female rappers have found a way to make money selling their bodies, just like in any other entertainment form," Nisperos said. "Because of rappers like Lil' Kim, guys will always have an excuse. When we criticize them for disrespecting women, they can say, "Well, Lil' Kim does it too."
Nisperos doesn't think anyone in the mainstream empowers women, but she does respect rappers like Mos Def and Kweli.
"They don't really empower women, but they also don't demean them like (raunchy southern rappers) the Ying Yang Twins."
Youth Speaks
Future hip-hop artists who want their music to be meaningful and genuine must speak now. Programs such as Youth Speaks help them do that and also bring about a comforting picture of the future of hip-hop.
A program that promotes literacy and the spoken word, Youth Speaks is full of young men and women who have an opinion about hip-hop and aren't afraid to express it.
They do this with hard-hitting "slam" poetry, a form of poetry that involves competition and high-powered performance similar to rapping.
"Hip-hop is going downhill and it's promoting the "bling-bling" culture," said Yosimar Reyes, 17, an award-winning poet from Youth Speaks. "It's basically phone sex with a beat."
Influenced by conscious artists like Dead Prez, Common, Mos Def, Kweli and Erykah Badu, Reyes writes about a broad range of subjects in his work.
"I write about a lot of social, political, and family issues," said Reyes.
Panama Dominguez, 18, another Youth Speaks poet, also has strong opinions on the state of hip-hop today.
"Hip-hop is supposed to be positive," Dominguez said.
Inspired by Oakland rap duo Zion I and Latin artist El Roockie, Dominguez writes about his roots and Latino culture. He puts positive messages in his "musical poetry."
Dominguez says that if the right people are put in charge, mainstream hip-hop can become positive and real.
"The people who run hip-hop need to change. The people who run MTV and BET need to go," he said. "If you gave me control of KMEL, we would see a change in a few months."
Dominguez also questions the motives of many artists today. "Hip-hop is a job now, you do it to get money. Even if you want to do it from the heart, you will eventually do it for money."
Based on the violence and negativity displayed by mainstream hip-hop, one might conclude that the culture is dying slowly. Organizations like Unity Care, 5th Element, and Youth Speaks are working hard to resurrect it.