When songs like “Chicken Noodle Soup”, “Laffy Taffy”, and “Lip Gloss” can pass for good Hip Hop (I’d go so far as to say that’s not even Hip Hop, period) then you KNOW somebody had to have sold their soul to the music industry!

Ok, maybe the ‘soul’ thing is a little exaggerated, but there really are more sellout rappers than ever. They are willing to say anything on the mic to get a little single, and a check. Of course most don’t last after thier little single is played out, and when one sellout rapper is all used up, the record companies just sign up the next person take their place and rap about stereotypes. You know, banging, hoes, bling, and the club.

It’s all about hype now than real talent. Sex and drama sell. I don’t know if one person can change things, but I can make sure I do my part and not buy into that sellout rap. So I look for talented artists like Common, Nas, The Roots, and so on. And I’d rather have to look hard for true Hip Hop than ever buy one of Curtis, or Calvin’s albums.

**Give me a thumbs down if you want. But some pastor spouting off ridiculous things about Hip Hop IS NOT HELPING ANYBODY. You CAN’T just go at the rappers. There’s a BIGGER issue. The industry is to blame too because they market rap to be all about sex and drama.

And then most of all, the so-called fans who buy that stuff because if they didn’t then the music execs and sellout rappers wouldn’t have jobs. So give me a thumbs down if you want, but saying things about how rappers sold their souls to the devil definitely isn’t the answer.**

I have around 50 best answers or so in Hip Hop.

But I’m a jack-of-all-trades so I’ve got a couple of religious answers, philosophy, and even astronomy.

That whole Youtube thing was off track.

Hip Hop music makes kids want to smoke marijuana? Um, no. People smoke it because they choose to. Nobody puts a gun to your head and makes you do anything like that. You do it, or not, on your own.

I grew up listening to Hip Hop, and I still do. So why didn’t I end up living all of these stereotypes that the pastor is talking about? What’s so bad about Hip Hop clothing? What’s wrong with Fubu, and Rockawear?

I have some Rockawear drawers on right now, under my Sean Jean jeans, and you know what I’m doing? Sitting at my desk, at work, being a responsible adult WHO HAPPENS TO LISTEN TO AND LOVE HIP HOP.

So that pastor is off base because he is attacking the rappers while ignoring the larger problem that this is a part of. What’s happening with rap ISN’T ANYTHING NEW. Look up your U.S. history. Americans have always brought into anything that has to do with sex and drama. That’s what sells, and the music industry knows it. They did the same thing to rock before rap went mainstream. And finally, none of the rappers, or music execs would have jobs if not for all of the people buying it.

So it’s not fair to put it all on the rappers. Don’t get me wrong though, a lot of them are doing more to HURT things rather than helping, by saying anything on the mic just to get paid.

But like I said, you can’t attack just one head of the monster and expect to fix the problem.