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CNN asks “Hip-Hop: Art or Poison?”
CNN correspondent Paula Zaun decides to investigate Hip-Hop and it’s related “controversy” - the violence, treatment of women, and gay bashing in an aptly titled special, “Hip-Hop: Art or Poison?” Don’t look for any talk of the positives that hip-hop has created in peeps lives - the hour-long CNN special stays clear of that. This was all about bashing the music and artists. There is just something that bugs me when mainstream media and it’s hosts who really have no clue about the culture - pretend to investigate it. Paula Zaun makes her feelings very clear throughout the special that she doesn’t like hip-hop and the influence it may be having on her own daughter. We loved the part when CNN takes a trip through the nightlife in Charlotte and the guns, drugs, and petty crime it discovers. I wondered what the fuck this part of the show had to do with music - except for the implied connection to hip-hop. The CNN special did include the good thoughts from some notables - except the token “screaming black chick” - who was just plain annoying. We wonder if CNN was really interested in investigating the root causes of crime and violence there may be better places to look. But I guess, politics and war is not as sexy to talk about then Fiddy.
Watch a video excerpt of the CNN special here.
Full show is available at CNN.com
RAPproject.tv on hiatus till early 2008
Video Directors RT! & Cazhhmere talk Hype Williams
Hard To Be Hip-Hop - Classified f/Maestro
BELLY - Birthday Bash Interview
Classic Video - Wu-Tang Clan
February 22nd, 2007 at 4:55 pm
This is typical bullshit….Mass Media trying to blame art for social problems instead of placing responibility on the correct causes…the break down of the family unit…the cutback on innercity programs….the introduction of CRACK…Paula Zuan has no clue about the music….and 55 percent of her viewers are idiots!!!
February 22nd, 2007 at 5:08 pm
I feel like the majoridy of rap/hip-hop is poison. The artists like Akon, who rap about girls shacking their asses, other artists who insist of halfing 3/4 naked girls in their videos, I feel like that is the poison. Then there is the song Runaway by Ludacris and Mary J. Blidge, now that song has meaning, it has emotion, and it has no girls shacking their asses for cash. That song is art.
February 22nd, 2007 at 5:11 pm
Wow, I suck at spelling. Shaking their asses*
I also don’t like the songs that talk about being in gangs, having guns in the videos, that stupid shit. I feel like it is not needed. Why do you want to show off your gun to thousands upon thousands of young teens? That isn’t right! I don’t think Paula Zuan has the right to say that rap/hip-hop causes problems though, she doesn’t know anything about problems.
February 22nd, 2007 at 5:19 pm
Corporate controlled media at its finest: showing only 1 side of the issue. Paula Zaun is CNN’s Bill O’Riley, fuck them both. There is no mention of artists such as Immortal Technique, Saigon, Jedi Mind, or any other artists who choose to speak on issues which are pertinent in today’s society. Instead she decides decides to blame Hip Hop for all of society’s problems. Such ignorance.
February 22nd, 2007 at 5:36 pm
This is what i hate about stupid, ignorant and uneducated suburban white reporters like that trick who dont know what shes talking about. First of all hiphop is an art form and a lifestyle. Its how we can express our feelings & supression; its a state of mind and what we live and breath out here. First of all you can say that hip hop has had a down fall lately with all these new rappers talking lies and portraying a dream life, but the art form itself is the truth, emotional and raw. Secondly, those video chicks choose to be exploited, so instead of blaming the rappers for demeening them go blame their mama for not teaching them any better. Lastly which i hate the most, is that they blame the youth and say that its corrupting our minds; so we go rob ppl and sell crack. Real talk, alot of ppl do take in that super star life and try and actualize it by selling drugs and robbing ppl (just like in their lyrics) but if there were enough well paying jobs and more focus on the youth society alot of this wouldn’t be happening. Ppl think that hip hop is corrupting us, no its saving us from our corrupt society that only allows us to fail and leads us back into the tretcherous hole we call the hood.
February 22nd, 2007 at 5:52 pm
Man thats total bullshit. Trying to say rap is poisin. Rap is just a way to express yourself just like all the other music genres. They blame rap just because ppl easily think that there lyrics are manipulating the world…which is so untrue…rap doesn’t make people kill people, people kill people!…Music is art, and therefor so is rap…and the people who think differently can fuck off seriously!
February 22nd, 2007 at 6:04 pm
To whom this may concern;
Hip-hop is a form of art. Look at death metal & then tell me hip-hop is poison! At least most hip-hop artists aren’t worshiping the devil & in fact there are some hip-hop artists that believe in God & rap about him & even go as far as praising him. These hip-hop artists are also among the top sellers/charts…
They literally sell a good word & they are honest words for the most part…
Open your eyes, these are inspiring artists just trying to show us what they’ve seen/been through in their life & nobody but God himself has the right to judge you, me or any of these artists even though people are judging all of us…
DMX, 2PAC & Eminem are just a few to list that have kept me going through this twisted scary messed up world & to see I’m not alone in this battle is comforting.
If it wasn’t for the freedom of expression where would Americans or Canadians be right now?
Just give it some thought & if your going to judge artists at least have the guts to admitt what these artists are rapping/singing or yelling about came to our world before they you or I did. This is a violent world today & has been for quite sometime now. I don’t even want to imagine never having had the option to hear the words (from hip-hop especially) they had to say & if I didn’t hear & listen to what I do, I can tell you I would likely have lashed out & rebelled against societies ways & be in jail by now if it wasn’t for hearing I’m not alone & how much worse other places actually are…
It gives me hope, faith & strength having the option & being open minded enough to listen to hip-hop…
The media sure is good at focusing on mainly all the bad facts & none of the good unfortunately. Sadness, tragedies & killing are what the media focus on more so then anything good, so look at what media does as well before putting out such statements about others.
In fact the media did it right there yet again… They only showed one side of the story & of course it was the negative side, it makes them money & sells so they put it out there…
I don’t honestly believe any of the people that are in charge of what is put out by the media even care about the impact of the messages they are sending out to everyone, they just care about ratings/money… Just think about it & I’m sure unless your gonna lie to yourself that you’ll find you agree deep down inside…
Scincerely; Raynbow Rotar
February 22nd, 2007 at 6:12 pm
I know plain as day as (hopefully most see that) this a bullshhh! topic and is more or less filler before the War report on CNN…but at the same; just as CNN is not telling the whole story neither are you…dont cut and paste the story otherwise your falling into the same dungeon of retared spit that they are…
P.S. I love you
February 22nd, 2007 at 6:34 pm
Contrivercy over hip hop is a bunch of bullshit, u either like it or u dont! In my eyes yeah theres some poisonus rap, but not cuz its violent, or degrates women, but because there bullshit artists gettin huge reord deals. Cassidy is a joke, Dem Franchize Boyz are a load of shit… thats what i consider poison… Immortal Technique, now thats a fuckin artist
February 22nd, 2007 at 7:02 pm
I think it’s all the same bullshit. When rock and roll started people where saying it was too sexual and perverted kids minds. It doesn’t matter what you say there will always be some over educated I know everything about everything person saying that they do not understand and do not even try to understand. I listen to ll cool J, Will Smith, 50 cent, ludacris, 2pac, biggie, public enemy, every artist that is either fun and has a positive message. I always felt that hip hop was a form of expression that told a story, a story that was about living hard and going through the struggle of life. the girls in the video’s want to be exploited and degraded so let them. maybe they can’t do any better cause they didn’t have the proper majority bred education thaT MOST of these people get. And that stupid viewer’s poll, how many of those voters are suburan white people who are too scared to go out at night. It was completely unfair and using what 50 cent said about using the word “faggot” was edited out of context like anything CNN does. paula zahn is one of those i am woman I have struggled my whole life cause of it. Paula your white and privelged you where born a couple steps higher then the rest of us.
February 22nd, 2007 at 7:03 pm
I am torn when it comes to this subject because I truly believe that some hip hop is art but then there are some artists who focus so much on degrating women and violence that it makes a bad image for rap. Music sends a message whether its planned or not and rap artists need to start lookin at the message that they are sending to people. But thats not just rap artist but every artist out there. They need to be aware that their message is reaching people, young and old alike. for young women to see the girls in those videos dancin around 3/4 naked it sends a poor message to women to allow men to treat them like that. thats how we get the 12 year old girls dressin like hoes and tryin to look 18. The artists themselves need to be looked at not the general hip hop music.
February 22nd, 2007 at 7:06 pm
How can you tell that sweeps week has arrived… Hip Hop is an art form and like all art forms some people will like it some will hate it and some will exploit it. It wasn’t so long ago that people were getting bent out of shape over some other forms of music.
February 22nd, 2007 at 7:30 pm
hey wat can u expect from ppl who dont actually know the history behind hip hop u think just cuz there r drugs n rap video’s n then theres a drug bust ppl just think cuz it was in a music video that it is related which is bullshit its in rock music look at kurt cobain country jonny cash jungle music the hole scene on exstacy y duznt anyone say anything about that how come no one has come to see were snoop dogg is doin coaching a football lil league team is out of the gang scene he should be gettin awards for that shit but thats all i gotta say u cant blame this on anyone but urselves u live in a country that allows guns get rid of that get rid of ur problem dont blame music or movies or tv shows be real. later
February 22nd, 2007 at 7:47 pm
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February 22nd, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Rap is poison? hmmm and Im pretty sure that the Colombine kids werent listening to 50 cent before they shot up there school though. I have been listening to the artform of hip hop all my life and never used that as an excuse of what controls my actions. Music like Heavy Metal, Death Music, Demon worship music etc is poison if you ask me. In this book I read “Hidden History of NY” it had a section that expressed on how crime rates in our black community rises after the slavery period and how “we” were the core for crimes in the US. Following that section it says that a wise man stated: “How can you call someone a criminal that isnt even considered human?” 350+ years of oppression, demoralization and an out right minimizing of a race affected the black community in such a great extent that yes….IT STILL AFFECTS US (blacks) TODAY! Hip hop is the offspring of reality that our dear country hates to admit to. There are black,white, brown, yellow people out there that may blind themselves to our slums in our own country that look similar to Iraq but, these of course are the same people that call an artfrom of reality poison. The millions or billions of dollars spent on this pointless war was never seen in our slums as a hood in every state in the US still exists. These are the same uncle tom mothafukas that complain about hip hop music that do nothing for our own community! So refferring back to my original question: “How can you call someone a criminal that isnt even considered human?” I state this: “If our black music is poison, then the vemon is an offspring of what this country has created!”
February 22nd, 2007 at 8:00 pm
Paula Zahn…eat Cock!
February 22nd, 2007 at 9:06 pm
this is a load of bullshit… music cant be blamed for the worlds problems… this is like in the 60’s when people started blaming rock and roll… its all crap
February 22nd, 2007 at 9:14 pm
Well I would definately agree, this “investigation” is certainly biased. I think that they should have a split panel discussion, having people that both oppose and support hip hop, and come at it from a neutral standpoint, then you would have a definite investigation or forum. It would show the pros and cons, the likes and dislikes of the culture.
February 22nd, 2007 at 9:58 pm
I believe that it is important for everyone to breakdown the problem here. The artists making the music that use’s slander, gang activity references, and glorified living styles to attract it’s listeners are failing to realize one thing, the age demographic that popular music appeals to is kids from 8-17. As an adult it is easy to distinguish between the good content and the bad but a child has difficulty understanding themselves. They are trying to figure out their place in the world usually between this time so when they are subjected to images of, ahem, big booty hoes, gun violence, material obsession, and disrespect towards others than they tend to be a lil impressionable. No one can ever tell me that they never admired or wanted to be like a star of any sort while growing up. But it is unfair for CNN to disregard the fact that there is so much more positive hip hop out there and that there are bigger problems than what our children are listening to. War, famine, epidemics, and the list goes on and on. Before expecting stars to clean up maybe we should clean up the government and there natural ability to lie, cheat, and steal, from the society they so politely call “democratic” Pfffft! I scoff at that. Hip hop is not a poison. It’s the bullshit corporations using sex, drugs, n fancy living to solicit easy targets. And to make Ghetto Supa stars Idols in the eyes of impressionable young minds. Check this link out folks…Spoken word called “when the smoke clearz” You’ll appreciate it if you agree with what I say.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=DY0cVtQlD8s
Keep it real folks
Tara
February 22nd, 2007 at 10:14 pm
WOW
The CNN special reminds me of the content of one of our “Specialty Channels” in Canada like MuchLoud.
I guess the genre of music is “Art”
February 22nd, 2007 at 10:43 pm
I dont know whats going through these people’s heads like they have gone through life without swearing calling someone by a ratial slur anything like that i mean crime has been around for ever the world started on sin like come-on they blame rap and hip-hop for everything bad in the world soon they’ll be saying rap started the Iraq War fuck them. HipHop, Rap, Rock, any kind of music is an art form i dont care who you are or what you say you look deep enough everyone uses Drugs, Guns, Gangs and Women to sell things
February 22nd, 2007 at 11:08 pm
In response to “the squirrels” comment. Yes most people use those to sell things but is it right?? Things are meant to be takin in small intervals and hip hop is the majority when it comes to music. It isn’t that these people haven’t ever done something wrong, its the fact that these people are in a position where they are idolized by kids and send a message to them that it is okay to shoot, lie, steal, and cheat to get what you want which is by their definition, bitches and bling…know what i mean?
February 22nd, 2007 at 11:50 pm
You know what I think is poison? One-sided, mass-media propoganda. If they were going to do this “story”, maybe they should have just called it “Hip-Hop: Poison” and left the word Art out of it, because they had no intention of comparing Hip-Hop to both extremes. Freedom of expression is a beautiful thing, whether it is through news reports or music, or any other form. They say that Hip-Hop encourages violence, sexual-exploitation, and gay-bashing? Well I’m sorry but is there any more ass-shaking going on in a Akon video then there is in a Britney Spears video, where she is rolling around on a bed wearing lingerie with her breasts hanging out? Or a Pussy Cat Dolls video? C’mon people, where is the fairness in that? Does death metal, or Marilyn Manson not glorify violence, and apathy? Did Madonna french kissing Britney and Christina in front of an audience of 40 million people not trivialize gay rights? And if anybody doesn’t want to hear about gang-banging, female bashing, and racial and homosexual slurs, do what I do - - SHUT THE HELL UP AND DON”T BUY IT!!!
February 23rd, 2007 at 12:20 am
Hi i think hip-hop is the best music to listen to this here is some crazy bullshit you should just leave it alone music never hurt noboby i mean this is gay but please don’t take me wrong i’m 12 and i love the news but when it come to messin’ with my music no man just leave it i love it and all my homies love hip-hop also and you can’t stop a gangsta from bein’ a gangsta and you most certainly can’t stop there music i mean you know what it’s like to be a kid don’t you? but for this i’m going to buy all the hip-hop cd’s i can find and 50 cent rock the lyrics rock like P-I-M-P or best freind and everything just don’t touch hip-hop got so leave it the fuck alone and what the HELL IS GAY-BASHING yea sure gay people listen to it so do straight people and when i say people i’m not tryin’ to sound racist but this is old news leave it be
From:kevin”peacemaker”janisch
February 23rd, 2007 at 1:01 am
Love ya site, every clip on here is very informative. Keep Bringing the Truth.
February 23rd, 2007 at 1:45 am
I agree with you rowdy bunny. I think britney spears is a useless tit and should be banned from television period. I don’t buy the music I don’t like but I can say that I wouldn’t want my kids listening to stuff that molds their mind into thinking bad things are god to do. All people in the spotlight should be cautious of what they say and do. Only for the kids man. In my opinion.
February 23rd, 2007 at 5:25 am
Hip-hop is an art per say… I must say however, I am not a big fan of those who rap about “Bling and 20 inch rims”, anybody could rap about that. The “Art”ist’s in rap are those who put emotion and feeling into their lyrics and songs, and have a truth behind them. Etc, Tupac/Biggie/Nas/Rakim/Eminem/Bone Thugs are ALL “Art”ist’s..
February 23rd, 2007 at 5:29 am
o ya, id like to quote a lyric from *Eminem - Sing For The Moment*
“They say music can alter mood’s and talk to you, well can it load a gun up for you and cock it too?..Well if it can, then the next time you assualt a dude, tell the judge it was my fault and i’ll get sued”
people need to start taking responsibity for their own actions.
February 23rd, 2007 at 5:44 am
completly bias… stupid shit…treats women, GAY BASHING. CHOOSES SPECIFIC ARTISTS WHO SPEAK OF CRAP, INSTEAD OF THE OTHERS. WHO ARE THE PPL WHO KEEP THIS SHIT ON TV..THEY OBVIOUSLY WANT US TO SEE THIS…WHY ARENT THEY PLAYI9NG THE “GOOD HIP HOP” THEY JUST KEEP THE SHIT ON THAT EVEN PPL FROM THE HIP HOP SCENE THINK IS SHIT. JUST TO MAKE A Scene,, TO AVOID THE SHIT THATS GOIN ON IN THIS WORLD ALL AROUND US, DISTRACT US FROM REALITY. IT IS NOT THEM THAT PUTS IT ON TV,,ITS THE WHITE FUCKERS WHO LET IT BE PLAYED…WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THHE TV…BLAME THEM..AND ASK THEM WHY. WHY DO THE WOMEN CHOOSE TO BE EXPLOITED,,BECAUSE IT PAYS FUCKERS…. WHY THE FUCK ELSE,,BECAUSE THEY LOVE BEING EXPLOIED,,AND WHY WOULD THEY,,DUE TO LACK OF SELF CONFIDENCE WHICH IS BROUGHT ON BY SHITTY UP BRINGING AND SHITTY KNOWLEDGE IN SCHOOLS AND AMONGST PEERS.. BLAME SOCIETY. BLAME FUCKING NO ONE BUT YOURSELF..WE’RE ALL ABLE TO LEARN, THAT’S WHAT WE GOTTA WAKE UP AND SEE..IF YOU DONT BELIEVE SOMETHING OR SEMI QUESTION IT,,LOOK IT UP IN SIX DIFFERETN CONTEXTS… TALK TO FRENDS ABOUT IT. DONT JUST TAKE ONE PEICE OF INFO FOR TRUTH,,,IF YOU DO , YOUR A FUCKIN IDIOT IGNORATN PERSON. Fuck TV BY THE WAY… WITHOUT US VIEWING IT AND TAKING IT AS LEGIT INFO IT WOULDNT BE SUCH A BIG DEAL,,LOOK AT IT AS ENTERTAINMENT… AND LOOK UP THE TRUTH FOR YOURSELF,,IT IS THERE, JUST GOTTA TAKE THOSE EXTRA STEPS THAT EVERYONE IN THE SOCIETY HAS THE RIGHT TO, AND SEE FOR YOURSELF… PEACE OUT EVERYONE… WE ONLY LIVE ONCE… STAND UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN, DO IT TRUTHFULLY AND BE SMART ABOUT IT.
February 23rd, 2007 at 6:52 am
I have no sound on my computer but I’m still enraged by this! Hip hop is a life style, a state of mind and definitely an artform. It does, however, have characteristict that can scare people, like being very very catching and completely versitile. If you think about it, Hip Hop has a lot of conotations that come along with it such as street violence and drug related problems. Hip Hop should not be blamed for the problems on the streets and if anybody wants to argue I think that they should talk to people like K-os and the remaining members of TLC and the members of Outcast, people who have really made a positive difference in the minds of young hi hop fans. Even Eminem, one of the most violently influencing rappers, puts thoughs of anti racism into young minds he is also a bit of a comic releive amongst those who take themselves too seriously. There should be a fund for a second type of media, young media, and it should be aired around the same time as the local news so that people don’t just hear the one side of the story. You know what? I just realised why this story was aired, because it was on CNN isn’t that USA based? The US medea is set on putting fear into the hearts of Americans, no shock here, this has been happening for centuries. Stuck up people on the top afraid that the truth will be shown to the people. Well sorry bush but the stats are already out… just check the record stores, you’ll then know how America feels, not the ones who fill out serveys… the ones who like music… you know, humans.
February 23rd, 2007 at 6:55 am
I’ve been listening to rap music since I was 13 years old (28 now). I’ve never been in jail, I’ve never robbed anybody, I’ve never hurt anybody. Rap doesn’t make you a thug.
However, to some degree, some people can find glorifying violence cool, and it could lead them to spire for the same kind of ‘cool’ life. However, movies are far far far worse than rap. Rock music which is all about telling your parents to piss off, or to go kill yourself a lot worse than a rapper saying more or less, ‘its either him or me’ when beef goes down.
February 23rd, 2007 at 10:52 am
WOW! Paula Zaun was tryin hard to sway the viewers and even her panel to see things her way! Unfortunately for her, she was unsuccessful! I loved the way each of her panel members referenced to how the white society was the main ethnic group supporting Hip Hop music. I’m a Native American woman who grew up listening to Hip Hop and believe that it is truely an art form! Like Picasso’s paintings, or Shakespeare’s writing…all of it is art is someones eyes. Hip Hop music is a reflection of the world that WE live in…like it or not Paula Zaun, you too live in this same world! So if you wanna blame anybody for why America is sooo fucked with drugs and violence and oh don’t let me forget the SEX… lets see where shall I begin? For one, the media does a pretty damn good job of glorifying all that shit on their own. You also have those “wanna be” artists that are only in the game for the money and fame…who don’t know shit about livin in the ghetto or stugglin to make ends meet. I mean not everyone that listens to Hip Hop is gonna know first hand what that type life is like because they might live in that two-story house with a white picket fence…but all in all if you listen to the lyrics there is something that everyone can relate to. Hip Hop music is music for the people not just for black or latino people…it’s for EVERYBODY!!! Oh and did I mention that I am a mother as well? I have four young children who also listen to Hip Hop and have seen videos…and I’m confident that they are gonna make decisions in their lives based on their values and morals… not because of some lyrics in a SONG!
February 23rd, 2007 at 11:14 am
I may take the time to watch the whole show or I may not…. but for those of you who watched it or read this I would just like to point out that Paula was given an assignment and told the direction of her assignment and she did her job or so they think… all cnn and paula did for me and the people in the know was make her self look stupid…. the government uses the media to control our minds and cnn is a government run “news” channel with specific political views….. the guest she had on the show should be the people you listen to…. what are their views and their qualifications to speak on the subject…. of course the majority of her viewers agreed with her… who do u think her target audience is??? anyway, i could go on and write a book but you will have to pick it up at chapters….
stay focused and stay positive…. i;'’ catch u on the rebound………..
chris
February 23rd, 2007 at 12:13 pm
I didn’t really have time to read all of the other comments, but I like how every example that they used was out of a slim margin of misogynistic mainstream ‘rap’ why didn’t they use examples from Mos Def or Talib Kwali, K-os or dilated peoples? This is just another example of extreme bigotry in WASP america.
February 23rd, 2007 at 12:30 pm
What about all the other images on TV , beer commercials, the constant coverage of the “war ” in Iraq, CNN loves to show graphic pictures of death, destruction, mayhem, what ever they think is news worthy They show clips of Anna Nicole trying to be revived almost every 15 minutes. Before they point the finger at images in Hip Hop what about what they are “portraying” as news kids are more likely to believe what they see on CNN as real over a Rap video, and yes Hip Hop has Lot’s of sexual images and lyrics are at times harsh but they come from somewhere, they come from what these rappers are seeing In there day to day struggles and what life is really like on the streets,or what they have seen growing up and what is around them, when you write a song, a rap or whatever you write what you see and hear and what is going on in the world, I am also sure the record executives also push for the sex thing I mean face it sex sells and it doesn’t just sell records, it sells cars, shampoo,insurance, beer, food, watch some commercials.
Back In the day Elvis was banned for his gyrating hips the Doors couldn’t say the word Higher on the Ed Sullivan show I’m sure there are thousands more those are just two off the top of my head, as a female watching other woman like that in videos doesn’t offend me , those video chicks are no different than the chicks in car commercials, shampoo commercials where the women actual have an orgasm using the product. Sex is everywhere and is a part of us , Before they
target one group they should think about the overall images on TV shows, commercials, etc…
February 23rd, 2007 at 1:07 pm
All I have to say is that hip pop is dead like Nas said. Some of these stars use it to talk about the money and who is sleeping with who and who is a slut or “a fake gangster” all the women they prefer instead of how it originally started- to use the music to talk about some of the sytemic issues that minorities are facing. The meaning of hip pop is no more. What is wrong with all of us? We can’t say we don’t like what they potray because we buy the CD and we watch as they devalue our beautiful black women. oh yeah while they are clothed from head to toe, the girls are barely wearing anything.
February 23rd, 2007 at 1:08 pm
hey there
well i do kind of believe that hip hop these days is poison…..hip hop for the past decade had lost its tru meaning….Hip Hop is a cultural thing ,, it talks about ppls problems and their dream and now all u listen to is money making and drinking and diamonds and thats not wat life is all about ,,wat happened to the stuggle that ppl face everyday ,,no one really cares about how many cars or wat kind a car a person is driving..most of the ppl dont have food or even cant afford rent or the ppl among them children who are being killed on daily basis in Iraq or Palestine ……i think Hip Hop should go back to the way it used to be REAL ART
thanks
February 23rd, 2007 at 2:21 pm
crime is everywhere….not because of rap n hip hop..they shouldn t try to find a `person in fault`they should rather do something about the growing problem…its easy to blame someone when you feel powerless….i think rap n hip hop just expresses and brings to reality what is already going on…so the should accept it and wake up to the `now a days`rather then put the blame in rap n hip hop…SPEND TIME SOLVING THE PROBLEM RATHER THEN SPENDING TIME BLAMING SOMEONE!!!
February 23rd, 2007 at 2:35 pm
this is bullshit becouse iv been listening to hip hop senc i was a 9 (20 now) i have never done anything “bad” in my life and if i did it wasnt becouse of hip hop it was my own mistake…i have always looked at music as a way of life always loved it and always will but i dont think hip hop is posion at all i just think some people are scared of it for no reason!
February 23rd, 2007 at 2:48 pm
To even use the word”poison” is ignorant! All music is Art, no matter what form of music you listen too. That’s it end of story! What they do in the videos etc. is irrulivant…we are talking about lyrics..thats the issue not who or what is in the video.
So again I say…ALL MUSIC IS ART!
February 23rd, 2007 at 3:28 pm
The media has sunk to a new low! Give me a break, do you actually think this topic has any relevance in light of the war, Global warming, world hunger?? Seriously, if you think rap is poison, than you obviously belive that someones appearence can also kill, right? GET A LIFE!!!!
February 23rd, 2007 at 3:44 pm
HIP HOP IS A WAY OF EXPRESSION
IF YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND..STOP HATING.
THIS IS THE LIFE WE ARE LIVING.
PLUS THE MAJORITY OF FANS ARE CAUCASIANS
SO I DONT SEE A REASON FOR COMPLAINING.
YES, I DO HAVE TO ADMIT LATELY THE MUSIC HAS CHANGED. BACK IN THE EARLY DAYS..IT USE TO BE MORE ABOUT TEACHING KNOWLEDGE BUT NOW THINGS ARE DIFFERENT. IM HERE WITH A CAUSE TO SHOW THAT HIP HOP IS NOT ONLY NEGATIVE. THERE ARE STILL SOME INTELLIGENT MUSICIANS ESPECIALLY FROM TORONTO THAT ARE COMING UP. IM ONE OF THEM & I WOULD LOVE TO SEE CNN & OTHER BIASED TELEVISION STATIONS.. STOP FUKING HATING!!
-THANK YOU-
February 23rd, 2007 at 3:45 pm
HIP HOP IS ART… I FORGOT TO MENTION..
February 23rd, 2007 at 3:45 pm
Who is keeping track of the race of the person buying Cd’s
February 23rd, 2007 at 3:50 pm
honestly hiphop is an art n if u think its anything else u have no idea where it has come from how it has evolved and what the artists are trying to protre like yea there are some artists that are all about the money like 50 cent and g-unit and stupid lil cliques like that but than there are real artists like blackstarr,N.E.R.D,public enemy,dmx,Nas like actually media is just stupid these days trying to take everything and put a negitive spin on it think about it what doesnt the media try to exploit like actually? some people are just stupid when it comes too this kinda stuff they are just scared of what hiphop has become and what it is going to be…this has got to be one of the most redicluas things ive seen on tv..let alone the internet.. what people dont knoe they are afraid of thats the problem all this shit about kids learing soo called “bad” things from hiphop its not the music no kid is gonna be like ohh this song told me to do it or stupid stuff like that like honestly get a life realize your kids are doing this for either attention or because thats how they have been raised to bleave that it isnt wrong to do certain things and really think about it people if ur kids are gonna lisen to music over there parents haha thats just bad parenting and thats all it comes down to..
February 23rd, 2007 at 3:54 pm
WTF?!?!?!?! This is such bullshit! I’m so pissed off right now that I’m not even going to try and watch my words! Maybe if some of these people who are watching CNN (UNINFORMED, IGNORANT MORONS!), actually took the time to learn about the lives of people other than themselves, they might understand that the world isn’t a perfect place! Violence was around LONG before Hip-Hop and Hip-Hop does NOT glorify it! People actually live through this shit and they express that in their music! What ever happened to free speech? Are people afraid of the truth?!?!?!?!?!?! They don’t want to inform their kids about the realities of the lives of others, they’d rather ’shelter’ them from it?!?!?!? Come on!!! Homophobia is not the message that anyone is trying to spread either. It’s my opinion that the word, “faggot” in Hip-Hop is not being used to talk about gay people , it could almost be considered as being used in another context. That’s not what I get out of it anyway but I actually LISTEN to the lyrics so my opinion might not actually count - LOL! As far as the exploitation of women in the videos goes, I’d never degrade myself like that and I’m a woman but I do know that NO woman is going to be in one of these videos unless she chooses to. Who’s fault is that? Hip-Hop’s??? That’s bullshit!!! Look back to the ’80s and the rock videos (all of them!) with NUMEROUS women in next to no clothes!!! Was anyone complaining then like they are now? How can these people ‘vote’ on something they know next to nothing about? Hip-Hop, REAL Hip-Hop is a BEAUTIFUL thing! It’s rugged sometimes - SO WHAT??? It’s reality! If people don’t like it, then they can listen to Barry Manilow! Whatever…People, unless you know what you’re talking about, shut the fuck up! Don’t comment on topics you don’t understand and don’t spread ignorance! That’s the true poison!!! I’m out!!!
February 23rd, 2007 at 4:05 pm
Hi. i’m a musician/emcee from Halifax-deep rooted in hiphop my enetire life, so i know whats good. i never heard about this CNN bullshit until i got a post from you on my myspace page.
i watched the video for the first time here on this rapproject.tv website, and like all of you, i was filled with blind anger towards this nonesense, and i even opened up a page on cnn.com where i could send them my thoughts about their program. So i typed up a groovy letter saying how much of a douchebag Paula Zahn is… and i looked to the left of my message and they had two radial buttons to selet for a category:
FEEDBACK:
Positive ( )
Negative ( )
I clicked on the ‘negative’ option and then stopped. I closed the message window and did not send anything…
why?
By simply watching this video, paula has acheieved her goal of sending out ‘hate’ to us, to our community, to our culture, we should not perpetuate that shit, by either sending it back to her (which is called ‘hate growing’) or by discussing it ourselves (which is called pro-longing hate) Ignore that shit! you know yourselves in your hearts whats true, and hey, since when did any of you give a fuck about what ‘other’ people think anyawys? i sure as hell dont!
Especially bitches like Paula Zahn
Peace \ /
iNTUiT
February 23rd, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Ahaha,what a bounch of bulllllllllllll!!!!! You dont like then dont lisen, dont blame hip/hop for the worlds problems
February 23rd, 2007 at 4:32 pm
fuckin stupid corporate media. Thank god for spots like this that bring the truth behind the corporate lies.
February 23rd, 2007 at 4:40 pm
LOL…poison my ass..whatever….how long have they been saying that for now anyways…..screw them..
February 23rd, 2007 at 4:41 pm
they said the same thing about rock and roll… it’s currupting our youth! OMG! run for you life!
February 23rd, 2007 at 4:44 pm
I didn’t know CNN had done a show like that but then again they’ll do anything to make hip-hop and its artist look bad. It was all a bunch of BULL! Instead of sounding concerned about Hip-Hop Paula Zuan sounded like a racist person. I think crime exsist because of people like her they are to close minded. Yea hip-hop talks about crimes and gays but it’s reality.Hip-hop did not bring crime into this world artist just aren’t afraid to talk about it. Anyways I thouht this episode totally bashed hip-hop its to bad they don’t see the good hip-hop does also. Thanks for posting this!
February 23rd, 2007 at 4:48 pm
As a mother of 3 small children, i think that some hiphop sends a real strong of violence and exploits women. i dont want my boys to grow up with that kind of music…i want them to respect women and i want them to treat women like real people and not sex objects and most videos that i have seen have submissive women or they usually look like tramps in the videos. i wouldn’t want my daughter to grow up and look like them, especially take them on as role models but that is my responsibility to make sure that my kids know good strong values and i am the one to teach them. i believe that music should be a relaxin time and easy to listen to, i don’t believe that music should not be degrading to anyone, *whores, fags, niggas and all the other derogitory remarks that they put in to their music. I think the women are reduced to smut in hip hop videos but i don’t have to listen to it either…So i do like some hip hop but not all of it…i think thats my choice and as far as saying it’s poison, well i am not sure if i can say that outloud to anyone..because i believe that everyone is accountable for their own actions and why blame the music when the people are to blame themselves for their own actions…and to say its art…i don’t think so…i think true art is long lost..i am a true fan of the oldies and the modern music, r&b and easy listen and when i tune into a station with hip hop i just turn the station…no big deal…thats my choice and i make that choice for my children..and someday if they choose to listen to hiphop well that will be their choice as well…but as for now…i don’t have to..anyway, i hope this makes sense to some people. thats my opinion and everyone has their own…
February 23rd, 2007 at 4:52 pm
I did view some of the program that was hosted by Paula at CNN.
Now, I’ll tell you right upfront that Hip-Hop is not my type of music. It’s been around for a long time, yet, it’s not my style.
I know that there are those who use Hip-Hop to promote good causes and to tell what is really going on out in the streets. Some promote Christ Jesus.
However, there is some of the music that really should be banned. I’m not speaking of just Hip-Hop. A lot of this has gone way overboard to where people are almost naked or rubbing against one another. Come on! What kind of a message is that putting out?
Hip-Hop may be getting a bad rap because from what I got from listening to last evening’s program is that they are out to make lots of money and sex sells. Correct me if I’m wrong in my understanding of what I heard. There are some in those lyrics which promote crime. I haven’t followed the whole Hip-Hop history, so, I’m not giving you a really accurate account. I know that from what I listened to last night, that it certainly did not seem as though Hip-Hop was headed in the right direction. What they stated may very well be accurate. However, with large networks such as these, you will find a lot of bias. They do report the facts. However, it’s been my observation that they will lean more to one side or the other. You see much of this pertaining to political parties.
So, I would not have voted in favor of Hip-Hop. Firstly, because I don’t care for that music and if it’s true that its messages are getting worse as well as more sexual, no, not for me.
Now, you could place other music along Hip-Hop which would not get a good rating from me, either, because they are promoting the same stuff. Even some of the so called Christian music leaves one to wonder, at times.
Anyhow, that’s my take on it. For those promoting great messages, go for it!
Terry
February 23rd, 2007 at 4:56 pm
WTF? Are u serious?! God, when are these people going to die!!!! Music has always persicuted, when i was really young i can remember heavy metal was the reason for everything that was wrong in the world. If a kid killed themself it was the music. Anything negative going on amongst the youth is alwayssomehow linked to the music of the time. When i think of the world today, and the poison that exists, i think i may look towards our government, and thier example! Or lack there of. I don’t even have the words to explain how i feel, i am so mad.
Cinder(behind ya all the way)
February 23rd, 2007 at 4:58 pm
I Love that you posted this!!! I think what should really be called into question is…Is CNN really creditable…I mean the terror network is just another medium for the conservatives to force their beliefs upon the media-illiterate public. If you really want to judge what hip-hop artist are saying listen to the lyrics..I have to admit that some degrate women but many of them are speaking from their own personal experiences..so are far as the question asks I think it could be a real form of art in the right hands..but placed in the hands the capitalist investors it could be and often is poisonous.
Like anything else its important to understand and appreciate what you are listening too…I guess thats enough of a rant!!
February 23rd, 2007 at 4:58 pm
Hiphop is art!! that’s it!! It’s of goOd Beat!
Le monde qui font des crimes c’est pas a cause de la music.. Si les gens virent mal c’est pas à cause de la music! Les gens décident découter ou pas!!
En tout cas moi personellement j’aime le hiphop parce que c’est du bon beat!
Cya xox
February 23rd, 2007 at 5:21 pm
Well I was very disturbed by that CNN report. And I guess you have to look at it from everyones point of view….but everyone has their own opinions on everything. And when it came to this report there was some pissed off people when it had 55% as poison….more than half that were actually saying it was art. The point is there is a lot of talented people in the HIP HOP industry…basically they are all talented. Obviously if they have record deals and songs and everything included. It’s talent and talent leads to art…..or can be art. If it wasnt then why would record companies and all the other industries approve it…let it out there. Poison is not the word for HIP HOP neither is ART. I cant think of the word off by heart right now that describes HIP HOP in my mind and in my heart but I know talent is one….and heart. All music for that matter…..but other kinds of music show publicity like going against gays, or bitches and hoes and whatever…its not just hip hop and there is more to hip hop then what they a re seeing….people are just seeing the BAD in things instead of what is really going on….like the stories hip hop is saying…the lives the people have lived….the people they sing about. My point of this wholeeeee thing is that I strongly disagree with HIP HOP being POISON.
February 23rd, 2007 at 5:34 pm
Bush is a poison and i dont see them disin his ass…so they should have a huge cup of shut the hell up i believe…music doesnt make men do shit men make men do shit…which is like hearing all the time oh you wear black your going to hell or you listen to rock music your going to hell…really because i have read the most ancient texts known to man and it doesnt say that anywhere actually…imagine all this crap gets left behind so then what do our grandchildrens grandchildren look forward too…oh right they will be using copies of the hell raiser movies as gospel and by then there should be a billion different translations of the bible then and none like the original…boy wont that be a mess…shit hope they wont get our bulletins or they will be adding thou shalt not play hip hop hahahha..so i hear you on that one and that is just it man lives in the darkness its called ignorance
February 23rd, 2007 at 5:35 pm
I am 100% certain that hip-hop is an ARTform… In fact, it’s one of the most versatile forms of musical expressions in the past decade - however, the fact cannot be omitted that Hip-Hop is at times being represented by poisonous people, infecting youth and easily influnced people with poisonous thoughts & behaviour - the same can be said about rock music when there was a sharp rise in the number of reported suicides when grunge and heavy metal melded - the same can be said about reggae music and the fact that there are more ‘dancehall’ related shootings than with any other genre in toronto… It’s not the music… it’s the people…
Li
February 23rd, 2007 at 5:35 pm
fuck them hipicritacal stupid dumb bitchs .yo hip hop stay up and stay strong because back in the day when it was all rock and roll they tryed the same shit fuck them and fuck offffffff. one love T dot
February 23rd, 2007 at 5:36 pm
Haha I saw an ad for that and I laughed out loud….. I can’t say that I’m a hip-hop or rap fan, but the “report” sounded completely stupid from the title alone….. lol like something coming from the ’80s when rap was first developing!….. so stupid. anyway, just wanted to let you know that while I think a lot of the lyrics are cries for attention (who can outdo who, in terms of leud lyrics), I only think there should be censureship where children might hear. I think everyone should be allowed to listen to whatever they like, but children I think should be spared until they’re old enough to know the difference between what’s appropriate language and appropriate actions and what isn’t…..
That’s just my two cents
Laura
February 23rd, 2007 at 5:37 pm
I watched the ‘report’. I think that it is fucked and a out rage. I like rap I think it is a vital part of music today, is poetry at its best. Something should be done to stop the bashing of Hip-Hop these days before it gets out of hand. Fuck that bitch had no right to say the shit she said. How the fuck is she.
Cheers Jonny
February 23rd, 2007 at 5:47 pm
hip hops dna is funk … funk is made … sweat grunge
and soul … when music is created from technology alone some thing is lost … it fails to be authentic …
incidentally the horniest key is F# …
February 23rd, 2007 at 5:49 pm
first of all, hip-hop is only called a ‘poison’ because of all of the ignorant people that act like they’re in the time of the amish and still fear anything foreign or ‘unusual’ to them and for what i have ta say about them is ’sorry thats its not christian ‘rock’ or whatever but suck it up! if ya don’t like it then change the station.’ i do believe that its an art form cuz some of my absolute favorite songs on my iPod are hip-hop and hip-hop is what you make it. you cannot call something a ‘poison’ unless you are an ignorant close-eared and close-minded person so embrace all kinds of music and if you don’t like it then stick to what you like but don’t bash what you fear or don’t know. so i believe that its an art form!!
February 23rd, 2007 at 5:51 pm
Leave Hip-Hop Alone
February 23rd, 2007 at 5:53 pm
Well first off,many music artist base there music on poetry,every song that has ever been written or produced comes from a pome they wrote,Hip hop and rap are creative artistic ways of getting there pomes across. There pomes are mostly based on what type of up bringing or life they lived,wheather it be from drugs,sex or violence. Hip hop does not promote or contribute to the problems in society- it is society that is contributing to the problem. Hip hop talks about the type of life that is out their and is to make people aware of what is to come. Drugs,sex and violence was always in society before the hiphop industry ever was and for CNN to state other wise is a complete outrage!!!! Hiphop is a form of discusing why the world is the way the world is,I mean think about it outragious costs in society,like housing and food plus the cost of utilities make it real hard for people to afford a descent living,the high demand of highschool education and college grads in the work place make it even harder, this type of music talks about that-talks about how hard it is to live in such a demanding world. Shame on CNN there are alot more real issuse to be talked about then targeting the music industry, for example the war we are at,global warming and how we can prevent the cause of that and oh I don’t know maybe even the real high drug problems out there……but no lets go and verbally attack a industry that no one has the right to do or has no understanding of just because you have issues in your life regarding the kind of music your kids listen to does not mean hiphop is the blame for it.
February 23rd, 2007 at 5:57 pm
Funny how the right-wing owned media reports on something they fear and hate and pass it off as journalism. The reality of the cities and poor society are finally being seen and heard and the natural thing t do is to squash it. (white people play squash don’t they? LOL!) It would be nice and productive, not to mention responsible, for the mainstream media to actually report on the struggles and solutions facing the American poor, but hey, that wouldn’t be sexy enough, would it?
Very cool to bring this to everyone’s attention.
Peace,
Marcus
Canadian White Man
February 23rd, 2007 at 6:10 pm
HIP HOP IS MOTHERFUCKIN ART.
February 23rd, 2007 at 6:18 pm
I don’t think hip hop is poison it is an expression and a reality of what goes on in ones life or around them. If your not raised or know of this way of life then how can u comment or understand what the music is really about! If your not in the music business then stay clear of it and talk about something that u do know about!!
Thats all i have to say!!
February 23rd, 2007 at 6:19 pm
Thanks for bringing the CNN Special to attention. I just watched the short clip and found it completely bewildering and infuriating that whenever any of the guests brought up institutionalized violence/sexism/homophobia as the underlying causes steering some hip hop toward these subjects, Zaun immediately changed the topic to “but what about the degradation of women??!” (I suppose because that is something that she can be indignant about, rather than, say, the institutionalized racism that makes it necessary for Black artists to have a forum to talk about these issues and to express their resistance) without addressing their very legitimate points–had she been actually listening like a good interviewer should, she’d realize that her question had already been answered, regardless of however much she didn’t like the response. I’m not sure I could stomach the rest of the program, but maybe another time! Anyway I just wanted to say that I agree.
Sincerely,
Heather
February 23rd, 2007 at 6:20 pm
paula zahn is a shill to the highest extent. we must take this as envigoration, a small victory. we need to keep hip hop / rap R-E-A-L though.. fuck this gangsta shit.. the fucking gangsta shit is what SUMNER REDSTONE AND MTV and these fucking NWO shills use to OPRESS US, it’s very fucking obvious.. so, KEEP IT REAL TRUE AND DONT SELL OUT, WE GOT THEM ON THE FUCKING ROPES.. learn how to see through propaganda like this.. this video says on the conscious brainwave ‘all rap is what we want to say it is, so we can control it’… what is says on the SUBCONSCIOUS is ‘this is the elite’s fight on the truth movement, we recruit house niggas to destroy the free and independence in america, to keep down the black brother.. to create FEAR.. gangs [and listen.. GANGS dont make u fucking tough if youre just slingin the CIAs coke.. it makes you as much as a fuckin puppet as johnny whitecollar, aight.. wake up], and just scientifically calculated mind control bullshit in so many degrees.. now.. we gotta beat this, but it wont be easy.. we need alot of street jesus’, peachin the truth to his brothers, we gotta keep it strong and never forget if you know how they work, its easy to out smart them.. gotta lay low, strenthen the underground. stay smart, you gotta be educated. doesnt have to be by a school.. but know why and how the system works and dont be slave and tool to it.. rise above, rise above
February 23rd, 2007 at 6:22 pm
I agree with DJ-Tek. They’re only blaming things on themselves for their own stupidity. People shouldn’t be so stupid in thinking that hip-hop “promotes violence” and shit. It’s like the Black Panthers, the government put them in dangerous status, but little did they know, they were only trying to protect their own hood. People forget that hip-hop is a world of truth, like Gil Scott-Heron, who was the founding father of hip-hop. Media erases time, and writes a different voice every day; no one can be heard but the rebels.
February 23rd, 2007 at 6:23 pm
Turn off your tv. CNN is poison. And fuck-witted!
February 23rd, 2007 at 6:34 pm
http://www.dailymotion.com/visited/search/cointelpro/video/xzw8x_fbi-cointelpro-war-on-black-america
here is a video on the black panthers an cointelpro.. this is a MUST SEE, check er out seems relevant.. like they really fuckin care haha
and i gotta give a shout out here, im in cb.. if any ya’ll cats run into a guy, greg targett aka essay, show him some love.. he’s my homes
February 23rd, 2007 at 6:41 pm
This is Bullshit rap and hip hop are not poison that’s just crazy, if i didn’t have music i don’t think i would make it through the day, this is a art for sure, I listen to rap and hip hop and i know my kids will when they get older too, music doesn’t make kids turn bad it’s mostly bad parenting and lack of communication, people hurt people, music doesn’t hurt people.
February 23rd, 2007 at 6:44 pm
she’s just pissy that she wasn’t smart enough to put all that glorious money she earns on cnn into record share’s to make a profit But I bet that if you dig into her financial records and her 401k returns you’d find that like most hypocritical BIGWIGS she’s got finger in the pie too..HipHop is an art not poison-and the chicks in the video are paid to look like that -nobodies forcing them too-they could just as easily get a job at mc’ds or burger king or kmart for that matter its not like their porn stars or anything-Besides for the most part I think she’s just jealous that more people regardless of their race or gender look up to hip-hop stars then they do to a flakie with a blond dye job(bad)on CNN
February 23rd, 2007 at 7:01 pm
ALL U PEOPLE R NUTS!!!
I AGREE WITH CNN
When people threatin people like they have to myslef for being an artist i want to take it personal considering everyone else uses females lil teenage girls to become famous an fuk them all like for real an then rape them an have orgys an shit
heres an example
this guy kblitz that knows the owner rob at the embassy here in london if it was not for rob kblitz
would not be were he is yet him an his friends threatin me with guns an shit an for real i will put anyone in jail whom trys to hurt me i have that right an i am not gonna let some ignorant asshole take advantage of me
cause they dont have no respect for woman thats why tha bar is such a dive in east london an have had there
liquar lisense revoked so amny times for serving minors
February 23rd, 2007 at 7:04 pm
hey its the same BS that us metalheads have put up with for years only we were accused of being devil worshippers. frank zappa and dee snider stood before the US senate when the parental advisory label first came into effect and defended free speech . to no avail obviously. supposedly the explicit lyrics would corrupt the youth more than the fucked up society that produces fuck ups who reinact lyrics to a violent song. hip hop…metal..its all art to the artful and a release for its listeners.
February 23rd, 2007 at 7:06 pm
Ok check I hate Hip-hop music. But is not poison. Even if I hate it i know that is not poison. Is just people who express themself. It’s sure that some hip-hop group hate each other but what punk hate each other too like goth or whatever. they are not that different. So hip-hop is arts.
February 23rd, 2007 at 7:11 pm
When taking into consideration the demographics of CNN viewers I’m not surprised by this. I have only recently began to appreciate rap and hip-hop, and certainly held a lot of ignorant opinions prior to that.
Some fads, “Ghost Riding”, for example, unfortunately gives ammunition to their arguments, but I think it’s unwise to ignore the notion that foolish people will always do foolish things, regardless of what colour their skin is or what genre of music they prefer.
February 23rd, 2007 at 7:11 pm
I disagree with the findings that rap and or hip hop is a posion. Music of all genres for the majority speak of something to do with life experience. That being a fact the artist who writes lyrics are using experiences in life that they had to write the song. How can that be a poision?
They see it as posion only because they can not relate to the song, the words or to the writers experinces.
Music should not be ones identity unless you are an artist of course, but something that we can identify with.
Lastly, as everything else these days like televison, internet, age appropriate music and the guidence from families is always important.
February 23rd, 2007 at 7:12 pm
dude, for the record, certain elements of hip hop are more poisenous then anything else in modern culture. In the 80’s reagan and his cronies had to fly in coke and cook up into crack and distribute it into the gheto and make certain fellows rich and others in their community really poor but now they dont need to do that anymore because they have cats like 50 cent and radio, fuk it they have sattelite radio, since this week 1 HUMUNGO conglomerate. They are pushin crack through those speakers to enslave the masses with a ghetto mindset.
This is coming from a dude that has been up with the scene for a long time (no spring chicken, been down for more then a minute)
Dont get me wrong, i love the culture of HipHop, pioneered that in my own city. The positive elements in hip hop are also more powerful then anything that exists in modern cuture but thats not whats on the agenda.
I am glad Time Warner companies like CNN are asking those types of questions, and the reality is about 85% of what gets played is poison, but that is on the agenda.
Turn off your radio….turn off that bulllllshit…
fer real though, its important to recognize both sides of the story so you can further emphasize the effort on the positive…
peace kid!
Z
February 23rd, 2007 at 7:20 pm
yeah.. they built up 50 cent and shit, and now they use this against us. [problem reaction solution - google it]. they’ve always created an enemy to fight and then fight them.. this is how these neo cons operate. thats whats goin on in the middle east.. the cocksuckers built this, but we have to be stronger.. even if the world dissipates into anarchy , and they think they can win.. which is what they are planning, order out of chaos, they wont win.. we’re gonna fuck these assholes.. the question is when.. and how..
February 23rd, 2007 at 7:21 pm
In the fifties rock & roll was considered “the devil’s music” and was expected to go away within a year, but instead it grew and grew into what is now considered one of the greatest art forms in history and only time will tell how enduring the art-form called Hip-hop will be. As soon as social commentary cuts too close to the bone, someone creates the hysteria that focuses on all the wrong aspects of that commentary. Hip-hop has given a voice to a huge section of our society that previously had none. So “let it be”.
February 23rd, 2007 at 7:23 pm
all of the ‘poison’ aspects of hip hop are 100 percent a creation of the nwo media. it’s blindly fucking obvious. dont fall for the house niggas.. we are better then that.. we need to take this as a battlae call to give 1 thousand percent. this aint the true voice of the people.. the underground right now is a series of unconnected dots.. you connect the dots.. oh snap.
February 23rd, 2007 at 7:35 pm
So I have to say I am a little torn. In one sense I completely disagree. I do not think hip-hop should be help souly responsible for all of our problems with violence or homophobia. I think the gonvernment has a far larger impact on that. I also think that a lot of hip-hop that isn’t in the mainstream is better in terms of the messages I hear when I turn on Much Music.
What i am torn on is that I really do feel bad when I see these hip-hop videos with the images of women they are promoting. I feel completely degraded when I see these images actually. And when I hear the way some of the artists talk about women it makes me feel inferior and maybe a little sick.
Even if the messages of gun violence are a reflection on our society rather than how the artist actually feels, the message isn’t always being conveyed so well. To me sometimes it comes off as promoting the violence, however that’s just what I see in most MAINSTREAM hip-hop. I’ve heard other hip-hop with messages just as good as anything else. So I don’t agree with attacking the whole genre and calling it poison, but the mainstream message typically seen in rap, I just dislike. I would have to call it poison.
February 23rd, 2007 at 7:36 pm
Ha,
Yeah, I caught that - made the same mention of how absurd and ignorant they are. Sensationalism at its finest.
I mean, art is art. Some is crap, some is benign, some is brilliant and beautiful. AC/DC vs. Radiohead for example.. or Picasso, Dali vs that guy who put the crucifix in a cup of urine. Childish Tagging vs elegant murals of Graffitti.
Extremes exist in all means of communication and art.
To stigmatize an entire genre and people for what has been pushed and hyped by the very corporations that own cnn etc is either abhorrant ignorance or PR genius.
It also strikes me that they didn’t mention the roots of hiphop, the underground, the intelligence and message of the likes of k-os krs1 mosdef public enemy deltron aesop rock etc.
Even ‘art rock’ bands let loose every once in a while, i mean, there is a line between misogyny and having fun. Some groups/people do cross these lines, but I believe they are quickly outcast.
God help us if we’d had CNN in the days of Elvis, we all know what a pervert he was, and how horribly all our parents turned out because of his music.
/glean
February 23rd, 2007 at 7:47 pm
I think to many people are allowed to pass of their bad behavior on such things as hip hop music and so forth. It’s actually pretty sad. I will admit it gives them ideas and about what may be considered cool and all that but come on give me a break. If they didn’t hear it there it would be somewhere else. And may be if your a parent of a young child just explain what is right and wrong and that this is not the type of things you want to see or hear your child saying or doing. Trust me even if you do not swear around your child, someone else will. I think we are all responsible for ourselves and our children. We have to talk to them from the very start about things. If they are raised right then the chances are they of course will make mistakes and try certain things but with any luck they will learn to make the right choices. Regardless of what hip hop music is telling them. I never took hip hop music seriously. I just like the beats and will admit that even if the song was about horrible things being said about a woman I sadley wasn’t really listening. But I do draw the line at racial slurs and comments about people of another race. Funny yet sad i know. But is it poison maybe to the ears at times , but then again I am not mentally unstable. At least not anymore.lol. Parents connect with your kids and lay down the law.
February 23rd, 2007 at 7:48 pm
Man I Hate That Bitch Shes aways PMSING you know
not even with hip hop just everthing.
February 23rd, 2007 at 7:56 pm
If rap/hip-hop is poison, then country, rock&roll, alternative, and so on are also poison. Rap has things it’s not proud of, but don’t sit there and say that others genres of music don’t degrade females, glorify drugs, or just seem soooo inocent for our young listeners. Even movies, WITHOUT HIP-HOP in them would also be poisonous if that were the case. I’m a dj and i spin ALL types of music and i know the scoop on those “non hip-hop” songs i play by white artist that degrade women/talk about drugs/devil crap, etc. (YES EVEN COUNTRY MUSIC!!) I have 2 burst ya’ll bubble on those saying 1 form of music is a poison when in fact, it’s ALL music that has uplifting messages and it’s own share of BS!!
February 23rd, 2007 at 8:33 pm
I Do NOT believe that Hip-hop is a poison, everyone has their own way of expressing how they feel whether it is through Hip-hop,Rock, Country, Metal, Punk etc… I believe that when people are against this music and listen to this genre of music they pick out all the negativitey, and don’t see that there are positive messages aswell. We could sit here and debate all types of music and really it won’t stop. If you are a parent then have it a house rule that your kids don’t listen to Hip-hop or whatever genre of music you are against. Music helps people get through life everyday, I know a lot of teenagers that have thought about suicide, and because of music they knew that they could hold and keep trying. So whatever the type of music… it is ART.
February 23rd, 2007 at 8:38 pm
I don’t understand this! I mean she probably searched for the worst things she could find to show it off because alot of shit I see when I watch Hip-Hop Vids is about politics and war not chicks and sex! I’m not saying it’s not out there, but she’s basing it ALL on that. Not only that but the most disgusting shit I see on women is in all those fucking Britney Spears Videos or Christina Aguilera. This shit is stupid and pisses me off! I kinda wish i never seen this cuz now won’t stop thinking about this!
February 23rd, 2007 at 9:22 pm
well i’m one of the developin’ south african rappers…
hip-hop is art jus like poetry
u c that’s where we as rappers express our feelin’z
about whatever we talkin about in our music
& i think we do have a right 2 say anythin
we wanna say, we livin in democratic countries remember
so it’s our freedom of speech, & if hip-hop
is a poison, then the movies are poisonous too
coz we see naked sluts gettin fucked or is that they prefer? if they don’t want us
2 talk about sex or show some naked bitches in our videos
then obviously they
prefer us 2 c it happenin physically on TV…
4 me that’s bullshit man!! hip-hop is art
BIG UP 4 IT!!!
February 23rd, 2007 at 9:33 pm
well i don’t think puttin the blame & callin our
artists with names is a good idea
u see everyone has their own favourate music
& those who listen 2 hip-hop music do understand
the hip-hop background
so if hip-hop is not your favourite music
jus shut the fuck up u know nothin about it,i can’t say anythin about bitch, Paula Zuan & Bill O’Riley they’re both stupid maddafakaz…fuck them both
February 23rd, 2007 at 9:36 pm
Fucking paranoid control freak censorship. Those corporate assholes aren’t gonna solve any problems by belittling and banning a genre. They’re just gonna make art worse and themselves ignorant. This is a fucking hate crime!
February 23rd, 2007 at 9:37 pm
I watched this last night. Wowww, it was full of shit. They blamed so many things on hip-hop that I thought was whack. These problems existed before hip-hop, but now that these problems are being exposed for the world to see, they think that they can just blame the music. It’s whateverr though. We shouldn’t care what they have to say, because they don’t know the history and what hip-hop is about. They’re ignorant shits. I still hate that they’re so close-minded when it comes to the music.
February 23rd, 2007 at 9:41 pm
Heyyy! thanks for posting this news “report” on myspace! As an aspiring journalist I would have to say that this topic was completely biased and very sad to watch. I love hip hop personally so I do know its not all about gay bashing, objectifying women and violence. Professional should research both sides before airing something this controversial.
February 23rd, 2007 at 10:17 pm
CNN is one of the most biased news source, no wonder they spewed that out about hip-hop music. CNN is basically all propaganda dictated by the President.
February 23rd, 2007 at 10:24 pm
Yeah its all true… blame hip-hop for everything.
Hitler was listening to DMX when he got the idea to sick the dogs out on the jews…
Al Qudia or however you spell that mess was listening to Biggie Smalls when they decided to go to war with the West and slaughter thousands.
The guy who bit off the head of a bat and spit the blood on the crowd must have been listening to some 3 6 Mafia…. no wait he was a rocker…
This is pathetic. I cant even go on about it.
February 23rd, 2007 at 10:40 pm
Well well well as always like the 50,60 so on music always is blamed for the ills of our youth&world.Music has been blamed for so many crimes and bad behaviors that it’s a wonder we allow it!!!!!!Come on people music is art and also an expressing of communicating it’s us as human beings that put the bad spin on it.If we are doing negative things because of some song or music we heard then who’s really to blame?? Have a great day and give this some thought well you listen to your favorite song:-)
February 23rd, 2007 at 11:17 pm
After watching this I am almost embarressed to be white. Apparently Ms.Zahn’s assistant is doing his/her research. At least half of the lyrics on Rap albums praise either the lord or some sort of higher power for everything they have accomplished or gotten through. Jesus walks by Kanye West is a classic example. He was right, republican white middle/upper class folks don’t care about black people. Americans are slaves to crap that the media report about, its high time that everyone start realizing that. Leave rap artists alone, start worrying about that little blonde girl in the school yard that dreams about being the next Paris Hilton or worse yet, Britney Spears.
February 23rd, 2007 at 11:18 pm
I meant that Ms.Zahns assistant is not doing their research. I should always do a read through before hitting send. My bad.
February 24th, 2007 at 12:07 am
I am shocked and appalled that they would dedicate so much time to this subject when it’s a inexplicable war going on.
February 24th, 2007 at 1:35 am
Nothin but double talk, ignoring the underlying facts and unanswered questions here. It’s typical that the media continues to villify black men as they have in the past. They always seem to ingnore and discredit our positive contributions. The bottom line is the negative influences in a small portion of Hip Hop is a double edged sword. On the one hand, it continues to justify and reaffirm negative stereotypes thus keeping people divided and in the dark of what’s really going on. On the other hand it’s making the industry record executives tons of money. Such a fiendish plot but it works time and time again. It’s funny to me that back in the early years of Hip Hop, before it was acknowledged by mainstream America it was considered to be a harmless fad. Artists such as Eric B and Rakim, A Tribe Called Quest, KRS One, Public Enemy etcetera were never critisized for their art the way modern rappers are. They had different messages. Messages that had meaning and encouraged one to pursue knowledge and seek and share information. Why is it that the industry didn’t/doesn’t embrace the positive and empowering artists of the Hip Hop community. Maybe because of it’s positive influence and ability to awaken a sleeping people. Like always the media controls the image and corporations control the money. In order to do that they have to keep people seperated and disorganized. This is bigger than music people. “Let those who hear, HEAR, let those who see, SEE”. WAKE UP!!!!! DON’T LET THEM FOOL YOU ANYMORE!!!
February 24th, 2007 at 1:41 am
Since late eighties to the early ninies, Hip-hop and gang violence have been closely tied together. Hip-hop doesn’t cause violence, people do. It’s not like someone will drop a beat and people will start fighting. This is not a reason for such ignorance amoung individuals. Music is powerful, but it does not result in the magnitude to cause people to harm others. Hip-Hop is not poison, people are just being ignorant - only because they are not aware of its culture. It’s the easy for the government to pass the buck on hip-hop for cause of inner city problems and gang violence becuase rappers who rap about such matters are talked greatly talked about in the media. Hip-hop talks about many social matters, and should not be heavily weighted by one topic glorified on bubble-gum pop radio stations.
February 24th, 2007 at 3:44 am
This stuff really pisses me off. It’s so typical, blame the working black men for the problems in America. I can’t even comment on this issue, I’m so upset!!
February 24th, 2007 at 3:46 am
An ignorant report…
That’s like saying all who drink beer will most likely drive drunk; therefor, we should ban the poison to save you from yourself.
Music is a universal tone regardless of religion, colour, style or genre…
You don’t have to like the bubble gum lyrics of some songs, hell, we’re the biggest critics of our own…but the expression frequency is vast and beautiful requiring high intelligence to comprehend the intricate details.
For those that disagree with me, think about it this way:
If having the power to: I could ban all priests at all churches because a handful of them touched little boys? Should I then go on to say all preists are that poison and offer nothing creditable to anyone? Does that mean if your have Catholic values, I could suggest you’re poisoned & stop you or make you feel dirty about what inspires you? What they should have done is be specific about individual lyrics of some for their report(not hip hop!). Don’t blame the artists of hip hop, blame the parents for not teaching their children basic life values & respect. enough, I’m outyee.
February 24th, 2007 at 4:59 am
yo rap..hiphop.. is a posien and a art form!! ..hip hop is real life becuz it real its whats going on in america/canada…every Ghetto in the world!!… its real life man its whats goin on its real this shit..it aint funny \…,these rappers are talking about is *truuereeeeeeeeee.life! that shit is happenin right now in the society of a nation this is violence man whats goin on ,,to label this as “posion” …is bullshit!
becuz it real life dont icnore it!,this is day to day for these rappers, money makers… hip hop is the streets of the world speakin its minD!
we are a people as a WHOLE .. ya liek there is people who rob people and are livin day to day off dealin drugs an smuggilin ppl but man this is real life..But it needs to change… at the end of the day yea they need to get paid too… its like u come to that point in life where “that Mary JAy give you no more drama” … If u know … half these ppl who are labelin shit dont knwo the half … children who are borm into a life….llook at dealin, and rymin as a way to make a livin, a way to make it out of this project…IF this can’t get me out.. then fuck nothin will!!!!!. its a cycle an life goes on but
at least ppl who live the lifestyle the poor an famous kno . theyve been trough the realness of this cold world. there amuned,,, man its just real i feel sorry for ppl who dont know the real downside of this life… becuz they ignorate!!! an call hip hop poison ahhahah man are u kidding me!! its prob the best thing out there for These kinds our future cuz HIPHOP is good hiphop is:: ur havin the worst day of ur life an one beat can make u live make u strive make u accomplish goals, make u live!!
.the shit u see on tv is the ppl who made it out .who sum big guy in the system found this one an made him rich!..made him see the light AND IM GALD FOR HIP HOP CUZ ITS INSPAR FUCKING ATION to Kids who are livin this real life
hip hop if u didnt kno is a feelin inside u its a lifestyle its a swagger its a hope.. man its whats savin this counrtty by givin kids a hope other then drugs ..its MUSIC!! .. an hell ya they neverahd shit so now they gunna live that shit UPpp..Dugs money girls.. u never had shit nwo im rich the girls want me shiiit … the only way i can explain it is u have to understand an thats it.. rich white folk growin up in roul suberbs aint gunna knwo people need to be understanding not quick to judge!.
“as a goverment as fucin politicans” who i dont giev a fuck about…cuz shit aint better period..no matter who in charge. they all neeeeeeeeeeed to listen open ur ears an understand!!!! man this is a real issue ppl need to adress an not prosecute agiant cuz it is a livly issue.. DONT U GET IT!!???
fuck global warming we need to worry about how ppl are livin today ??? .. an it makes me sad it does becuz every person is capable of real shit an capable of makin it big making that bigg $$$!!!if you can think it u can acomplish it!!… it dnt matter wat race blood or orgin u are.. u can do it trust in THE LORD !! an he can do all an if u believe in him ohh he’ll show u!!!.
LOve ONE FUCIKIN LOVE i wnat to c this world suxceeed an make stero type nothin but a frigment of tha past!!
people are people we are the human race!!!!! an we need to Connect as a wHOLE instead of a race cuz thats the only way WE wil survive.. love all people** u purple? u green ..yello brown ??maan blood is red an blood is thicker then water an thats that,… this shit aint f unny!!
hiphop is posion? well tahs the state of america!!
take a look in the fuckin mirrior mr.bush… time to snap the fuckout of it.
:D Love
February 24th, 2007 at 6:01 am
That was hilarious!Paul Zaun is a joke.I think she’s 15 to 17 years to late to be reporting on this wannabe “Hip Hop is Evil” story.Back then when Ice-t had cop killer,Cube was yelling revolution,N.w.a had fuck the po-lice,Public Enemy had fight the power,when it was actually scaring the shit out of white amerikkka a story like that would of been relevant but this is ho-hum hogwash.You see that clip of N.w.a.Damn how old is that.Wrong decade lady.She knows who her viewers are.Catering to them old Christian conservatives.Big story my ass.You got people like her and Bill O’reilly who clearly hate hip hop trying to either launch an assault or dimminish it’s intergrity.I hate to say it but I think race has alot to do with it.I think she can’t stand the fact her kids listen to the music and thinks that everybody that listens to hip hop is from the hood slangin,pimpin and bangin and if middlesclass white suburb teens listen to it,It will brainwash them into mindless zombies muggin,robbin,slangin,blah,blah,blah,etc.I think parents need to play a more active role in their children’s lifes.Remember those kids of the columbine school massacre,guess what?They tried blaming the music they listened to.Oh yeah,like my cousin Richie accidentally played his weird vinyl R.E.M. record backwards and the hidden message manipulated him to go strangle old man Jay’s cat.Fuck that.I hold the parents accountable…… In the end we got 2 live crew and countless others who fought for freedom of speech back in the day to thank for so ain’t a thing gonna change.Me personally,I’m a b-boy so i’m more in tune with the other 3 elements.Djing,graffiti,and spinning on my head.Peace.
February 24th, 2007 at 6:26 am
Corrections for the nimwits that didn’t get it the first time!
-Meant art or poison for hip hop is evil.
-Dumb ass reporter wanted a bigger story then it would of been bigger back in the early 90’s so that’s what I meant by “relevant” but then again you already know that.
-But to bad she wasn’t around back then.Or good(depends on how you look at it)
February 24th, 2007 at 8:22 am
Most artists that write about the guns, and the drugs, and street are writing from life. From personal experience. Anyone growing up in that culture are going to identify with what they’re saying. And that is ‘get out of the projects, and make a better life than we had’, for yourself. I think it’s a damn shame that the majority of media can’t see past the ‘theatrical’ quality of hiphop writing, of story telling in the form of mc’ing. Yet they’ll turn around and promote the shit out of a movie like ‘Hustle and Flow’(which was good btw). But my point is, is that they’re one in the same. It’s storytelling in the form of film, hiphop is storytelling in the form of music. How hard is that to realise.
Now don’t get me wrong, there is a stigma with young blacks and hiphop, but most of it is absolute bullshit. Some kids buy the albums, and read into the stuff too much, and go out and do something stupid. that is not the fault of the music. This, infact, the fault of the media engine itself.
As a white kid growing up in the city, I was impressionable to all differant kinds of music, not just hiphop. And I can honestly tell you, the kind of crap that you hear about hiphop, is the same kind of stuff you’d hear( and still do, in some cases) about rock music, or heavymetal.
So my point I guess, is that it’s a vicious circle, that happens in music, not just hiphop. The people that build these artists up are the same suckers trying to tear them down.
peace.
February 24th, 2007 at 8:41 am
There was truly clime etc..before hip hop so why is everyone saying that it is because of hip hop?? I think it is someones idea to blame it on hip hop,but it is someones easy way out of problems they are having with peers etc and just want hip hop to go down for it…I don’t like some of the stuff they Rap about as a Mother of two teens, one that likes it one that doesn’t but to say that clime is because of Rap that is stupid to say the least.It is all choices and it is up to everyone on the way they act in the real world..So I say don’t blame it on Rap blame it on choices people make themselves!! Thank You for the chance to talk on this matter…People Please, make Good choices in life!!
February 24th, 2007 at 8:49 am
I feel that Rap is an Art form and that they get blamed for all the crime in our streets and crime was here long ago,so why is it all hip hops fault because people want to be or act stupid with crimes etc…It is up to the person themselves on how they act in life no one person can make them do bad things it is them that acts it out., in the long run not the Rapper that they just listened to.
February 24th, 2007 at 9:06 am
okay lemmie just say, hip hop is art. Poision my ass, some rappers/hip-hop artists arnt all about the guns the drugs and the drinking, so dont friggin center out all rappers when every single rapper is different, different opinions, different styles, etc. Take classified for example, he doesnt ever talk about killing someone, hip hop is a form of expression, if you dont like it or think it is effensive, THEN DONT WATCH IT! you are not being FORCED to watch it, if u choose to and dont like it turn it the hell off, dont watch it then bitch about it, saying its poison or effenasive, because alot of the world does enjoy the art expression and the creativity that hip hop provides. Do not make everyone else suffer through this bull about it being poision because everyone is entitled to their own opinion. And yes some rappers do take it a little bit far, but most of them are losers, look at 50 cents first cd, all he talked about was poppin caps and hot bitches bla bla, and that was boring, i stayed away from it. Hip hop music is great for the beats, the expressions they use in their music. Quit saying all hip hop is awful because its not and alot of rappers arnt all about guns and that shit u stated in ur clip. I never once heard u say ANYTHING good about any rapper. So rethink the whole rap thing cuz i can guarantee that alotta people are offended and upset about your segment.
February 24th, 2007 at 9:31 am
if anyone can find the link for the full show, please let me know. thanks
February 24th, 2007 at 10:32 am
Paula Zahn is a media slave…..she is told what to say and when….a mere robot if you will…she has no credibility….its sensationalism people!!!!….thats what sells news….this whole hiphop : art or poison thing….is cnn’s way of marketing itself…RATINGS..RATINGS..RATINGS…
….She is so clueless…We all feel sorry for you Paula…get well soon !!!!….and please, Paula, leave music to the artists..and well leave news to the whores……Peace
February 24th, 2007 at 11:24 am
this is bullshit because crime has been around way before the rap or hip hop music has. The artists only sing about what has been going on in real life n it’s upto the parents to teach their kids that it’s only music. I have been listening to hip hop for a long time and I haven’t did anything to give me a criminal record so I don’t beleive it’s the music…I beleive it’s the kids/teens that are taking the music way to seriuos n acting on the lyrics n they’re blaming the artists for it which is not right.
February 24th, 2007 at 11:51 am
When is this crap going to end?! This “report” is so blatantly one dimensional and transparent that it is almost embarrasing to watch. This type of journalism is not totally surprising coming from CNN who specialize (much more than hip hop) in gratuitous violence, sex, drugs and greed. It is unfortunate that articulate and thoughtful people like Chuck D and Russell Simmons are forced to answer questions from the likes of Ms. Zahn, who asks questions but never listens to the response.
The sad thing is that we all agree that this stuff is BS, but we are the choir (if you follow me). Most people will always associate hip hop with these stereotypes. Even a predominate number of so-called hip hop fans seem more than willing to propagate these myths. Unfortunately, hip hop is not the first predominantly black art form to endure such stigmas. Jazz, blues, rock and roll. All of these have been blamed as causes of social issues when, in truth, they are more often reflections of the issues.
This is not going away. But maybe if enough people get worked up and do something in the face of the obvious misinformation that prevails in today’s media, more understanding can be shed on a culture and art form that is so vital and integral in our society. Peace.
February 24th, 2007 at 11:59 am
you know honestly and truely… its all how you look at it, I personally think hip-hop is a rue art…I think the people who havent lived with hard times (real hard)are the ones who are bashing this…I think people need to lighten up, and relax, I work in the arts, and man if it wasnt for hip-hop I wouldnt have the success I do, as for parents…they are the ones who are responsible for there children, and the parents are in control, they dont want there kids listening to this music…dont let them. As for people trying to say its the cause of violence… thats bull SH*#, voilence is everywhere, its NOT from the music they listen too, its from there childhood experiences. People need to seriously grow the hell up!!!
Last…Live life to the fullest, And dont settle for anyhting less…
February 24th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
i really dont think that hip hop & rap i poison its art and i think it has soul it tells how a rappers life is like and the dont live n a low income part of a city soo i doubt very much that they would be saying half the shit that they are if they had to scrap a living and work hard to get someplace in lif! n if hip hop is poison look at the emo music saying “i want to cut my self” or whatever umm people have different tastes sooo just because they dont like it doesnt mean nobody should! n im a woman n i really dont think its degradeing they didnt put a gun to sum womans head and tell her if you dont wear that bra and underwear that shows your ass n our video were goin to kill u i mean honeslty its not that bad people get a grip!!!!
February 24th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
I would love if anyone would investigate the truth behind crime & poverty. How does hip hop create anything other than some really amazingly poetic music? Expression is a gift. If an artist sees something dark, write about it, sing about it. How else do you help others become aware? How else do you express the truth you’ve seen? I like the saying, Mass media breeds mass deception. Cause it’s so true. I don’t watch tv anymore cause I like to form my own, uninfluenced opinions.
Peace
February 24th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
let me start off by saying I’m a mother of two boys and a little girl and i believe its my responsibility to monitor what they input into their minds until the time they are old enough to make their own decisions. Heaven forbid i not allow my children to express themselves any way they feel creatively. Hip hop is not in any way evil or wrong its expression and if others relate and enjoy it their is no wrong in that. music identifies our heart and the struggles we endured and its important to encourage expression and not stifle it. I believe violence is bred from an individuals desire to do it not from a suggestion from another ultimately we are all responsible for our own actions and can not lay blame on another for our acting out on a desire we may have. Art or poison? Anything that helps us to release our thoughts i believe is art. If anyone believes that expression breeds violence i would recomend going to an art exhibit and you would be surprised at how much violence is portrayed in some forms of artistic expression. Maybe Paula should investigate that…
February 24th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
As a middle class white male I do believe that hip hop and rap culture has been able to tap into the minds of many regardless of their race. There are many artists in the industry that use this artform as a positive form of expression. to discuss relevant social issues and encourage youth that they can strive for a better life outside of what the “ghetto” (as it has been routinely dubbed) would provide.
However, I also see the other emphasis of the culture where violence, gun use, and such lines as “get rich or DIE trying” are factored in. For those haters that say hip hop music is a main cause for increases in violence well that’s just stupid. Would I say that the culture could be considered a Contributing factor??? perhaps just a little. The Hip Hop music scene needs more artists that speak about where their lives have been and if they have lived a life in any ghetto that it is possible to follow through on dreams without getting involved in all the negative. To close the one thing I do think is pretty clear is that 50 Cent is even less talented than he is attractive.
February 24th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
HipHop is poison.
February 24th, 2007 at 2:29 pm
Ok… I just got done watching CNN’s “Hip Hop: Art or Poison”… Look, Hip Hop is not “snitching” about your illegal drug dealings to your own people and killing your community. Hip Hop is not about killing your brother over your drug dealings and then glamorizing it in your music. In turn, once again, “snitching” on yourself or the crew you run with. Hip Hop is not going to jail and being institutionalized, getting out, and telling stories about how great it is to go to jail. Hip Hop is not about killing my family and putting a bullet in my brain if I cross you on the street because you are “Keeping it real”. Hip Hop is not about degrading women. What is on y’all brains?
We all know that people are struggling, times are hard, and gas is high. This music was our voice to get our stories out… It was our CNN, because the media was keeping the crack epidemic under wraps in the 80’s. We were killing ourselves and that is just what they wanted.
Hip Hop was a way to get the story out. Telling the stories of police brutality and what that life style could lead to. Maybe I’m just getting old, but we use to say “say no to crack” and “stop the violence” in our music. Even gangsta rappers had this message back then. When did this mind set change to; sell crack, get rich, and its ok to kill your own people as long as it’s over money? When did it become cool to go to jail? Gangs would rap as a way to stop the violence back in the day. Emcees would battle instead of fight. Cats would B-Boy instead of trying to kill each other. Have we forgotten this? It’s almost as if we are loosing a part of our history.
What y’all don’t understand is this… White America is the one buying all of our music, going to shows, and listening to the radio. There are more white faces in the audience at any Hip Hop show then black. And you are up there telling your stories of pain and street life. Telling stories of how you degrade your women, sell your crack, and how you will kill your own people. You say this stuff on your CD’s, radio shows, and concerts to crowds of mostly white youth. What? That is insane!!!! You make a mockery of your own struggle. No blackface needed anymore.
So, now people think black folks are what they hear in Hip Hop or see on BET. This is not true… Most of us work normal jobs, go to school, and live normal lives to the best of our abilities.
But, what does it matter what I think… I’m not a real Emcee because I have chosen to change my life and try to become part of the solution instead of the problem? Because I don’t talk about it in my music; I have never seen it or lived it? Because I’m “nice with the verbs” and don’t “dumb down” my topics… This makes me a “backpacker” right? Whatever…
Hip Hop is dying and y’all are killing it… The same way y’all are killing our people with all the dope, money, and violence in our community… Y’all are bringing that stuff to Hip Hop and killing it too. But hey, people are buying it and corporate America is making millions off y’all Blackface Sambos!!! “Get rich or die trying” is the motto now… My motto is, “let’s get free”!!! Hopefully the future will get better… I’m going to do my part… I’m teaching my son how to “Up-Rock”!
One
Kas
*jumps off soapbox*
Send all hate mail to : kill_that_negro_now@gmail.com
February 24th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
The poll’s results have to do with what is in the forefront of the musical media today. I think the poll was pretty much accurate. The few that voted against HIP HOP (stating that is is, indeed, poison), clearly are drowning in that of which is saturating the music networks in the present day! The whole segment was a confused piece. It didn’t know what it was trying to say.
50 Cent’s lyrics make me f*cking sick, but the deeper end of this Hip-Hop shit DOES NOT. Please blame POP music as well, for churning out self disrespecting images of WOMEN as well. It’s just that these women IN these videos agree to doing this because they were influenced BEFORE hip-hop, there are social flaws because of the media Before hip-hop…but hip-hop gets the blame mostly because it has blown up so much, I guess.
February 24th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
white people invented rap music thousands of years ago. vikings and celts battled with poetry just as todays freestyle rap battles take place.
do your research on old Europe, look up scaldic. We are the true gangster rappers and also the first, we rapped about battle and honour.Scandinavian poetry was often quite demanding and intricate. Scaldic poetry for instance had a complicated form, using the “heroic meter,” with the lines linked in alliterating pairs, the first line of each pair with two alliterating syllables, and each line required to have internal rhyme. In addition, skaldic poetry frequently referenced stories of the gods and heroes, often by using riddles or complex and subtle references that only a knowledgeable audience would appreciate. Scaldic poetry is of course well known for the kenning, examples of which include “the sweat of the sword” (blood), “the feeder of the raven” (the warrior), or more complex ones that could only be understood with reference to their mythology.
They sat in a hall built only for scaldic and drank and rap battled the night away.
then check africas roots of poetry. thy were called the griots, West African poet, praise singer, and wandering musician, considered a repository of oral tradition. As such they are sometimes also called bards.The word may derive from the French transliteration “guiriot” of the Portuguese word “criado,” which in turn means “servant.”
Scaldic was an art form.
but modern african american rap is garbage and poison.
February 24th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
bullshit bullshit bullshit.these ppl thta say hip hop is poison r all fucken cock blockers and those “safety first” ppl u kno? ppl that “wanna help” u. its gay how that guy didnt understand wot 50 cent said about calling ppl fags.lol i said gay too.e just say it as a comment and nothings directed to gay ppl.and the women part is gay. those girls in the videos wanna be in those videos. if ur against women doing that then wot about men? male models? those girls wana do that and to them its their jobb so ya.hip hop isnt the base of all our “violent” problems its jut ppl attack rap music for it cuz rapperss rap about that. thers alot of other things that contribute to it.but hip hop is still one tho but then again some rock mite too.and that last pole was gay. about half the ppl think hip hop is bad. now that ppl saw that pole they mite start to not like hip hop nd shit. thats a biased pole and thats called voluntary response error. wen ppl r passionate about somehting theyd voluntarily vote on it and normally ppl r against it do that. liek there was a radio survey about if parents would hav kids if they could do it over again and 70% of ppl that phoned in said that wouldn’t hav kids.then they went to ppl sdoors and asked parents and 90% said they would. just all this shit is bs.
February 24th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
We are talking about Hip Hop, not “Vikings and Celts” battle poetry or “West African poet, praise singer, and wandering musicians”… LOL… That’s good that you know some history… But, none of that is Hip Hop… It is what, it is… I’m pretty certain Kool Herc wasn’t thinking about that when he threw his first party on Sedgwick & Cedar… LOL… Good info though.
One
K
Send all hate mail to: kill.that.negro.now@gmail.com
http://www.myspace.com/illnote
February 24th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
That’s just crazy lol!!! CNN what a channel! Hip Hop has its problems but I think that it all began to change when white America (I mean Corporate America) started to get paid from it. I remember the dayz when it was nothing but MIC’s, lyrics, and positive messages. Now it’s like all about the bullshit you own! And how much cash u claim to have! I mean I do not hate that rappers that are out right now but come on, change it up! Get back to basics. If you do gangster rap do!! Just be a little more creative with the topic’s you’re spitting about. To sum it up, produce more lyrics that will make people think. Rather then make black people look as if we’re all about one think!!!!
February 24th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
OKAY, first off, it sucks. All they do is care about materialistic shit that don’t matter in the real world. WHO GIVES A SHIT IF I DON’T HAVE THE BLING OR WHATEVER THEY CALL IT. If your set of living that life JUMP in a lake for all the rest of the world is concerned.
Then to show YOURSELVES a BIASED video on a fucking debate and cut things out b/c you know for a fact that it was true, but did not want to show it. You want to be treated fairly, show a videos with ALL points from BOTH sides. Not JUST the side you like.
Up here mostly ALL the people who listen to rap, think what is seen in the videos is true. Majority of all does drugs and think it is cool to fight.
Then the use the “Excuse” there is too much violence B/C of the government!! WTF??!! STOP fucking blaming others and look at the REASON WHY there is so much violence. People with WEAPONS shooting people over some meaningless shit. And then putting BLAME on the government for wars.
Here in Canada if we don’t like the government in power, we change it, we don’t just sit there and take it. We speak our minds and we tell them what we want and if there is no change, your OUT. IF the president was our prime minister, he would have been OUT the first chance we got.
Most of the women in the videos are fucking ugly as hell, only put the b/c of their bodies. And then are telling people they WANT to do that, hey if they we not being paid, they would in no way in hell would do it.
I hate how 50 cent is so PROUD of the fact he got shot so many times, yes be proud you survived but for fuck sakes he did something wrong to GET shot in the first place. 50 cent is about as worth as his name means and is just as lowly talented.
Hip hop and rap NEEDS to change, because the fact is THE MAJORITY of it sucks and is POISION!! Look back before we had rap, our society was a lot better, better morals and at least HALF as violent, sure there was war and violence but people were not acting like it is today.
Go to Japan, even thou they love rap and all forms of it, they don’t have the lyrics we have, they sing more about positivity and they are one of the lowest crime rates in the world. YET there are millions, why?
B/c the don’t live in a world that talks all the time about violence, nor do they treat one another bad. They don’t get mad over small things, nor take it out on people. The respect everyone and go out of their way to help people. And if OUR society over here would take a chapter on Japan, it would be a lot more happier over here.
Rap and Hip hop went down hill since the 90’s and is just about what people have, what fucked up lives they had and hoes they want or have. The lyrics meant more than it does now, and the artist’s had more talent then the ones today, sorry but it is true. They had more to talk about than just stupid shit and was more interesting to listen to. Give me MC Hammer, before I would take a 50 cent or any other rapper today. MC Hammer was fun and interesting.
People need to set realistic priorities and get real lives, if you want a fucking change, change it, do wait for the government to do it b/c they wont until we stand up against them. Fight for the change, don’t sit there and take it.
There is a reason WHY in Canada we have the lowest crime rates and murders to the USA, b/c we are more realistic and know violence don’t solve anything, it creates more violence and makes the world a more shitty place. Sure people WILL listen to hip hop and rap, but don’t try to fucking live their lives, as if they were gods. Listen to it, don’t imitate what you see.
I am so tired of going to a mall and seeing WHITE boys and girls dressing as if they WERE in the videos and they have ALL the money in the world. When in fact their parents are paying for this shit b/c they are so fucking spoiled to get a job and pay for the shit themselves. That is how your so god like stars get their shit, by working, not from their mother or father.
Plus they look stupid, pants down to their ankles and thinking it LOOKS cool??!! It is funny that they do because it gives normal people something to laugh at when we see them walk by.
So my conclusion is, stop actually trying to live a lifestyle based on what you own, and live it for what you have, a family and friends you love. Live as thou everyone is your family, stop all the violent acts you do (beatings and trying to kill), love your neighbour even if they are assholes, listen to whatever music you like but don’t support bands and artists that glorify murder, violence and demeaning women.
Support artists that live for the real soul of Hip-Hop and rap, b/c it was SUPPOSED to be a positive thing, and now it is more negative than ever. Think for yourselves and express what you like, but not in a violent matter.
February 24th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
i just wanted all you rappers out there to know where rap started. Not in New York not in usa.
hip hop started in the caucasian populations generations ago..actually we were GANGSTER RAPPERS
the bloddy god damn VIKINGS. not the crips or bloods.some of the first Rappers are the VIKINGS. (((RESEARCH THE SCALDIC)))It was OUR artform that has now been stolen and poisoned with GREED. always telling about the necklace, or some golden teeth. Its to make those fools feel better about themselves. not even anything important.Rap is destroying the English language.Rap is also destroying the morals of young white children.
and rap is very RACIST to white people
someone stole our poems and poisoned them
“Swing by on the pale guy. . . . break him in the neck. . . . the guerrilla with the poison tip. . . . shaking pinky up on a dull-ass ice-pick . . . this is Lench Mob. . . . devil, what you want to do; when you see the boot, knew your head is hoohoo “;
–”King of the Jungle”; Da Lench Mob, Planet of da Apes, 1994, Priority Records, Thorn EMI; now called The EMI Group, United Kingdom.
“Like my niggas from South Central Los Angeles they found that they couldn’t handle us; Bloods, CRIPS, on the same squad, with the Essays up, and nigga, it’s time to rob and mob and break the white man off something lovely”;
–”The Day the Niggaz Took Over”; Dr Dre, The Chronic, 1993, Interscope Records, under Time Warner in 1993.
“Kill the white people; we gonna make them hurt; kill the white people; but buy my record first; ha, ha, ha”;
“Kill d’White People”; –Apache, Apache Ain’t Shit, 1993, Tommy Boy Music, Time Warner, USA.
RAP IS POISON(ED) i guess not POISON
Poisoned.
February 24th, 2007 at 3:52 pm
thats just straight up BULLSHIT, thats all i got to say..
February 24th, 2007 at 3:52 pm
rap sucks
February 24th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
prove its bullshit missss23
February 24th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
This is ridiculous… why don’t they talk about rock and roll and that punk music? That’s the kind of music that’s really hurting youth these days. Talking about suicide and shit. HIP HOP is real and that is the only thing we have to express what and how we feel and the shit we go through every day… So why do they always gottah criticize us… Violence existed before Hip Hop and it’s gonna exist after Hip Hop… So all that nonsense their speaking is just bullshit. STAIGHT UP!!!!!!
February 24th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
RAP SUCKS GET OVER IT YOU U MORONS
February 24th, 2007 at 5:37 pm
This piece was poorly put together and glamourized. I stopped trying to get my information from news-zines like CNN a very long time ago. Far be it from me to defend hip-hop, but, this argument of blaming an art form for the ills of any society is such a backward statement that it isnt really worth discussion. Ultimate this will only sell more records–it’s probably a conspiracy by the record companies to boost sales.
February 24th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
Hey Predator:
U SUCK….I can feel the racism in your tone!!
February 24th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
i think that this controversy is hugely exaggerated by the hip-hop bashers of our societies. I think there are a lot more subjects surrounding violence than hip-hop. the media pinpoints rap as the cause of violent behaviour in the youth today, just as they have been stereotyping videogames and other less appealing causes. the fact of the matter is that some people do agree with paula zahn, stating whether or not hip-hop is considered poison. in the eyes of this community, hip-hop is not poison, but it IS art. it is a channel for people to get out their emotions, feelings, political and everyday issues. sure there’s going to be violence.. cause’ there’s so much out there, it’s bound to reflect upon us in some way. but where do they get the right to assume that hip-hop is responsible for this. i think it’s bullshit.
February 24th, 2007 at 5:54 pm
Ya’ll are getting of the subject. Who cares what whoever thinks about where rap came from. And if you think it sucks, fine leave it alone, simple & plain. The point is as long as hip-hip remains a form of a way to express yourself it will NEVER die. Whether you choose 2 express it about YOUR life, YOUR materialism, YOUR feelings toward something you’re against, something as simple about how bad or good your day went, YOUR bad experiences, YOUR positive influences, i can go on & on people. As much as ya’ll love 2 hate it, rap is EVERYWHERE!! From white people doing it in everything from food to car commercials, to disney and kids rapping about their favorite cartoon, to radio with a guy name gary rapping for a CEDRA commercial.
February 24th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
hey mikey:
U SUCK….i can feel the weakness in your tone!!
February 24th, 2007 at 6:02 pm
CNN isn’t any different from any other news media. They all pinpoint and bring out the bad things in everything & everyone. Their bitterness for the rap thing is not surprising. The difference is instead of being that racial neighbor that would call the cops on you because your hip-hop music is too loud, they can show their ignorant opinions and hate through a news source to make themselves feel better. Little do they know that’s it own war they’re trying to start up.
February 24th, 2007 at 6:02 pm
I agree and I disagree. I think a great point was made during that heavily edited clip, and that is, that these top CEO’s and music execs, are the ones that give these artists the means to spew out some awful shit. I’m sick of mainstream hip hop. It’s all about the same shit, money, bitches, drugs, killing, rap rivalries, jewellry and cars. Before I even hear a new 50 cent song, I know what it’s going to sound like and what the content is going to be. Do I believe it’s a poison? No, I believe artist like Jay-Z, Nas, and The Roots save it from being poison. And if any hip hop artists are reading this…MAKE GOOD MUSIC! Enough with the pimping bullshit…we get it, you’re rich, now can you be the artist you were before the contract? Also, enough with the half nude women in videos, as soon as I see a woman gyrating on the hood of a fucking car I change the channel. I’m sick of it and am now so desensitized to it that it’s actually starting to piss me off. The CNN clip has a point, some hip hop is poison, but ultimately, we make our own decisions, don’t let your kids listen to hip hop if the content is not to your standards.
February 24th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
I wish we could start blaming ourselves for the outcome of society today, instead of masking it behind music. Music is the only pure thing of this fucking planet, wether its rap or metal.
February 24th, 2007 at 6:28 pm
What people have to realize is that the mainstream hip hop IS GOVERNED and CONTROLLED by those top CEOS & record execs. It’s not a black man that’s in power at these record companies for SONY, CLEAR CHANNEL, BMG, and so forth! I would NOT get put on and given a record deal if I sat there and rhymed about the cold war out there and the cover up of our dying troops, or messed up media portraying such ignorance, or a positive message to the youth about how they can be the next JORDAN or OPRAH! I’d have to simplify my rhyme, talk about the same ol same ol and make it appealing and interesting to th youth. The youth is targeted by these companies just like the cigarette companies. Rappers are the cigarettes created from these companies. How many times have you heard artist complain and switch labels because of creative differences. The companies says, NOPE, change that, create this image, and then these rappers get sucked up in their own image and imitate to the fullest. Pick your poison though, if your kid comes home saying “son of a bitch”, rap doesnt have to be involved in that. He might have got it from their friend who just happened to be watching FAMILY GUY or THAT 70′S SHOW!! Every music genre has it’s “SO CALLED POISON”!! Country, metal, alt, pop, reggae, whatever YOU love.
February 24th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Total bullshit. If I was to talk about my life story to these reporters they would say oh shit hip hop did something good for this cat. Fuck these one minded people. And I betcha Paula back in the 80’s was dancing to Bust a Move and thats how she became a mom lol.Peace folks
February 24th, 2007 at 8:50 pm
hip hop is not poison. thats like saying abstract art is poison. Its a type of expression. Hip hop has always been about story telling. It just so happens that the story that the rappers that are “big” today are about drugs, guns and women. We as a culture of violence from movies video games etc. will more than likley be interested in hip hop that involves the same type of messages. People need to understand that hip hop isnt just 50 cent the game and other gangster rappers, there are various different types of hip hop with so many different messages. ie. Talib Kweli, Mos Def, The Roots, Digable Planets the list could go on forever. Hip hop schouldnt be blamed for making our culture violent we have to look at what our culture emphasises first before we can point any fingers.
February 24th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
i think that this is just bullshit, i feel that hip-hop is an art a person isnt created by music they r who they chose 2 be,nhot just hip-hop displays violence and hate,we as listeners chose to behave the way we do.
crystal.
February 24th, 2007 at 9:30 pm
I disagree with the comment about the “token ’screaming black chick’.” I think she had a valid point about the necessity for any prospective entertainer to get educated about contracts. It was a lesson brought to my attention when I taught in Buffalo Public Schools. The parents of some of my students are involved in the local Hip-Hop scene, and were kind enough to speak to some of my classes about the type of education needed for anyone in the entertainment industry. According to their advice: “The ability to read a contract is the first order of business. Next is the ability to negotiate a contract. Also, never forget that entertainment is a business, and like any other business, it involves capital, expenditures, and good, ethical accounting practices to keep the business profitable and keep the Tax Man from sending you to jail.” They also talked about entertainers and sports figures who died impoverished because they did not know how to protect themselves. You may have found the “screaming” delivery to be “annoying,” but the argument was valid.
February 24th, 2007 at 9:56 pm
I think the editors of the above clip should have kept it unedited. We have no idea what has been taken out…it just seemed that they were arguing the “poison” case and not the “art” case. I have a feeling “Rap Project” left some of it out. But say they didn’t, to say that hip/hop and rap today as we know it is not a poison is sticking your head into the sand. It is an art form obviously but mainstream hip hop, and any mainstream genre really, have become toxic to actual good music. Music that has a message, that actually says something, that’s creative and NOT redundant. I think it promotes violence, discrimination against women and races, it promotes materialism in its worst form. It’s becoming boring. The scary thought is, is that people are becoming so desensitized to it that these artists are going to have to resort to more extreme’s. It’s cyclical and it sucks. I don’t agree with CNN points on rap but I do think mainstream music in ALL forms, are becoming poison. It’s not about ART anymore, it’s about the cash. That’s poison.
February 24th, 2007 at 10:17 pm
So hip hop isn’t poison? I heard a 12 year old girl singing, “My humps, my humps…my lovely lady lumps, check it out!” The Black Eyed Peas are a part of hip hop and you’re claiming that that song is ART? Or how about, “My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard, they’re life, it’s better than yours, damn right it’s better than yours, I could teach you but I have to charge”? They’re something to be said for writing a great song, whether you’re mainstream, indie, or underground. Hip hop, rock, pop, alternative, adult contemporary, any genre that writes junk, something that’s not slightly creative, is poison. Because this shit is dumbing us down. It’s unfortunate that the good hip hop/rap, even if it contains violence and hardship, will probably never see the light of day unless a cash cow can be made out of it. What CNN failed to realize is that if you took the violent content, drugs, bitches, pimps, cars out of the music, it wouldn’t be off the streets. These people get their shit from somewhere right? Unfortunately we the public, mostly like our Hump songs, and our milkshake songs. There are some great mainstream hip/hop artists but they are so few and far in between, that when it comes to mainstream hip/hop, it’s hard to call it art.
February 24th, 2007 at 10:26 pm
That there is bull shit, they just goin after hip-hop because they beleive its the easiest target. this paticular host, wats her name paula. clearly does not like it so she is attempting to destroy it. buh one thing that i notice clearly is how hip-hop is constantly attacked by the media, while they say nothing about other genres that promote the same things as well as other issues they hide and refuse to achnoledge. such as how some styles of rock known commonly as emo, the lyrics talk about the one girl always who left them or that they left and cannot get back and how depressed they are about it. bands dedicate entire albums to this stupidness yet when being depressed became popular wit preteens and it still is nobody is doing anything, they just take more depressed kids and put them on drugs. also metal, metal music has always encouraged violence. i hear more graphic lyrics in a metal song than i do in hip-hop. so wat is the poisin, the culture that brings to light the issues that exist in the current social system, or the culture that promotes for kids to be depressed, and if nothing goes right to give up. hip-hop promotes working to get the job done and doing what you have to do to get it done. i challenge any o you to find another genre of music that does that which is not related to a religeon.
February 24th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
Hip Hop is an art. Okay, lets blame hip hop for all the crime and shit thats goin on… and then lets look at this. im from pittsburgh, every year another city school or two shuts down anymore, puttin kids from different and rival neighborhoods together. Supression. In many ways. First your increasing the teacher per student ratio, making less time for one on one for the students who do struggle and try. second these kids start bangin on eachother and shit. Hip hops not doin this. the government is. the people are. hip hop is art, yea it talks about playin jump out boy or stick up kid or your everyday hussla, but thats what we’re forced to do. even if we go to jobs dressed up and talk all proper and shit, ma fuckas will still hire the preppy lookin rich boy first. so how else are we supposed to do it? hussle hard, until we can make a legit business into it OR get caught in it
February 25th, 2007 at 1:19 am
the clip doesnt seem complete but the question tries to fit it into two categories, 1st mistake. I think you have to look at just what ‘poison’ means and the fekn context of it. like who is it poisoning, and why is it poison, compared to what… etc. what a stupid question its so biased, but it stirs up controversy right so thats good i guess. but why not ask a real question, like ‘what do u think hip/rap is doing to society?’ and ‘why’ and doesnt it just reflect what we want anyway? or would it be so popular? i dont know. but i do know i like listenin to shyte that actually says something, not just rhymes-for-monay, and thats where it stemmed from, Martin L. King, and blacks speaking what they felt, really FELT, one the street corner then with beats in the background voicing their oppression, which actually meant something.Oneluv.
February 25th, 2007 at 2:00 am
I think that “people” need to get a grip on reality. 1. if 50 Cent and other rappers want to rap about the shit they rap about then that is their chocie. And as for the women in their vids it is the womens choice to be in them shaking their asses. I’ve grown up listening to Run DMC and NWA and other group like that and even back in the day lyrics were just as bad if not worse.
I like Eminem and I sure in the hell wouldnt go out and rape or kill anyone. My brother is 11 yrs old and think that Em is cool shit but treats women like they are goddess.
So whatever the fuck Paula and her “crew” were talking about they need to rethink they shit
February 25th, 2007 at 8:57 am
Its all bullshit… ALL MUSIC IS ART! If parents dont want there kids to listen to it.. Dont buy them the fuckin CDS … they just want somehing to bitch about.. Its stupid.. !!
Hollie
February 25th, 2007 at 10:17 am
To me all this is, is another case of problems in the world being blammed on music, they blame metal music for suicides and violence, they say its demonic when all it is, is music, rap an hip hop I may not be the biggest fan of it but hell it is art not poison the government and such like them are poison, rap is simply people getting their stories out in a way people who call it poison can’t understand.
February 25th, 2007 at 10:32 am
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could ship Paula Zaun and the 55% who blame hip hop for our troubled youth to an island far far away??
Come on!!! It’s time people stop blaming music for people who make poor decisions in life. If Paula is so concerned about her kids then she should get off her ass and talk to her kids and discipline them about life, drugs, sex…Seems to me that parents are always blaming some music artist when the shit hits the fan with their kids…remember the Columbine story…didn’t they try to blame Marylin Manson for that shit. Wake up!! The problem starts at home, start talking to your kids and you’ll find it ain’t the music!!
Here’s a little something for Paula.
“HIP HOP IS A BEAUTIFUL THING AND I LOVE IT;
IF YOU DON’T WELL THATS FINE THAT’S YOUR PEROGITIVE; BUT THAT DON’T MEAN YOU TRY TO PUT IT DOWN; CAUSE’ THERE AIN’T NOTHING U CAN SAY OR DO…HIP HOP WILL ALWAYS BE AROUND!!”
BEOTCH!!
February 25th, 2007 at 11:20 am
it’s incorrect to suggest that hip-hop as a whole is poison. hip-hop is an art form, and like any art form consists of feelings and messages. while not all of the messages are positive, it rather depends upon the artists as to what messages they choose to present. you can look at a small portion of artists, not just musicians, choose to brand them as dangerous, and choose not to look at the artform as a whole. however in doing so you ignore the fact that there are many artists expressing messages of hope, love, and peace. hip-hop is a huge industry, not just in north america but all over the world, and the commercialization of hip-hop has lead many consumers to be subjected to only a very select number of artists who are suddenly representing their artform as a whole. in all of this, the consumer loses out on not only great artists, but the messages they can provide.
on the other hand, we cannot paint the consumer as a child being lead through the darkness, nor a sheep following a shepherd. messages are prevalent in all artforms, and the consumer must be held responsible for absorbing that message or rejecting it. the messages must be taken in the proper context and understood. while a great many consumers are content to be the aforementioned sheep, all have the choice to step away from the herd and explore their world, to seek out artists who aren’t under the umbrella of a corporate giant selling them clothing and fastfood. they’re out there, and they’re not hard to find if people would actually look. it is irresponsible to imply that the artists or the corporations have all the control, just as it is incorrect to make bold sweeping statements like “hip-hop is a poison”.
art is about expression. what you take from art is up to you.
February 25th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
RavP (Producer), how can u pass the blame off hip-hop onto another topic isnt that the same thing as what this stupid video is about how music in general is being blamed for violence in the americas sure u dont get metal but thats no reason to bash it man, i dont like rap but ill still defend the art side of it
February 25th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
CNN=poison
Rap is a unique Art that onlu certain minds can understand.
February 25th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
I think a better debate would be “is it art or business?”
This debate is a lower-intelligence version of the “does art imitate life or does life imitate art?” debate. It always saddens me to see people blame their problems on music (or art or religion for that matter), when the real problems come from how we chose to treat eachother.
As a number of commenters have pointed out, this is not a new thing. It has actually been going on for centuries: in the mid twentieth century people burned rock n roll records, in the early twentieth century Stravinsky wrote a ballet that caused a riot in the audience, heated debates about musical style preceded the French Revolution, etc.
Today it’s just a different type of music being used as a scapegoat.
As for hip-hop showing women in a negative light, I would like to comment that many other forms of commercial music do the same. If we believe this is so wrong and offensive, why do we allow this to determine our buying habits?
I wish people would take more responsibility for themselves!
February 25th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
hip hop / rap is an artform desighned to give a voice to the ppl, it lets them vent,have fun, deal with problems in their lives or ones that surround them on a daily basis, some artists paint a hypathetical picture, useing imagination to capture a story in music form…-if a screen writer writes a script that involves drugs, murder,falacious women,and acts of violence.. does it mean he is responsible for the the problems of todays sociaty? i dont think so,…..55% say this art form is poison,i say if hip hop culture is the poison…then… society in general are its makers, some ppl fear what they dont understand
February 25th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
I think this is a perfect example of the ‘media’ using it’s propaganda to put a politically correct spin on something a lot of people know nothing about. They want hip hop to portray an image of everything taboo: stealing, cheating, discrimination, ‘illegal’ activities, ect. Hip hop has succeeded due to this fact alone. It’s every young persons dream (in america) to be rebellious and get what they need how they want. All the adults (baby boomers) on the other hand feel that hard work and ‘good will t’wards man’ is the goal. What a lot of people in america don’t realize is that their country is run on violence, it’s the fuel. Up until the last generation (pre-internet), people of america have been fooled into an illusion of freedom. They were living the dream. Now with communication at a level never before seen, people (kids) have a clear idea of what’s actually going on. Presidential scandals are passed off as an everyday occurrance. It’s generally known that the national economy is as successful as it is because america sells guns & ammo to countries they also go to war with. There hasn’t been a time in the history of america when they haven’t been at war. Blah blah blah.
Sex: who isn’t trying to sell it? It’s something like 70% of all internet use is for pornography. Let’s not fool ourselves, chicks wanna be ho-bags. Sorry to be blunt but your lil’ Suzy can’t wait till she’s old enough to wear that heavy eye-makeup and micro-skirt (not to be fooled with a mini-skirt). It’ll make her more sexy, mature, popular, and hell, maybe even score enough money to support herself and her habits.
I could go on for hours, but all of this is based around the power of being cool. It’s something that captivates the hearts and minds of todays young people. Success isn’t rewarding enough anymore, especially if it means that you end up being a square because of it. Status is the new success. It’s what separates leaders from followers. Hip hop is breaking the same ice today as Elvis and The Beatles did in the 50s and 60s. I call it the generation gap. As hippy cool as a lot of the baby boomers are, they are still tied to traditions and ideals forced upon them by their parents. I’m not saying I agree with the violence in hip hop. I really think kids need positive role-models, but they are smart these days and can see through bullshit. That’s why they turn to hip hop. The raw lyrics and impacting beats fill them with insight beyond their backyard, without the feeling of trying to be controlled or contained. It’s this energy that will drive the upcoming generation into the mindset required to make necessary changes. Old traditions must die, there is no place for them in the future. I wonder how many hip hop fans actually saw this story or even took it seriously. They probably just shook their head and said it was ‘gay’.
February 25th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
well tell you the truth im not into rap music but in know where all you are coming from i mean the crime COULD! be from the music but i doubt it but umm… basicly all these teenagers have atitude now and days what does fighting solve nothing i used to be a “gangster” i grew outta it pretending to be sumthing that your not what fun is that be yourself having a criminal rec. what fun is that its no fun at all but what it all comes down to i wouldnt blame the music teenagers just take it the wrong way for example its like hidden messages behind rock tracks right when you reverse them its like that they think its all money and beign all kool no the rappers like 50 and them thier just doing what they love personally i think they get confused cause thats just how thier expressing thier music through clothing not actually going out and shooting ppl and drugs and shit its like for another example you look at punks at gangsters you look at 50 cent you look at greenday greenday+clothing=punk
50cent+clothing=gangsters there ya go thier just taking it all wrong so ya what it all comes down to tho. is its not music thats making crimes nor is it helping it at all but you know dont stop what you love doing just because sumone else makes stupit mistakes dont blame music its like if they came out to rock music and said that cause i love rock than itd kinda piss me off but like i said its not the music they have minds of thier own period!!!!!!!!!!!
February 26th, 2007 at 12:34 am
Man, it’s so funny how the Amercan media is always looking for excuses for America’s violent nature. If it’s not hip hop, its video games. If it’s not video games, its movies. And so on…
It just kills me to the media potray hip hop in such a negative light. The shit they’re talkin bout is only a small portion of hip hop. Hip hop runs far deeper than the comercial artists of today.
I grew up on the hip hop of the 80’s and 90’s. I kinda laugh at some of the comercial shit out there these days, but the less know artists (IMO have way more talent than theses comercial fools)don’t get the play they deserve. And man, the underground scene is dope. Hip hop is a culture. Hip Hop is an essesnce of life. As is many other forms of music. Those frauds and fakes that cloud the real heart of the culture are what the media focus’s on, not the REAL HIP HOP. SO fuck Paula Zaun, fuck CNN, FUCK THE MEDIA.
Hip Hop will never die, and Canadian HIP HOP is on the rise…….
February 26th, 2007 at 12:48 am
fuck CNN. listen to the birds and the trees, and be gone like a breeze on a summer day. peace to those who know and to those who dont.
February 26th, 2007 at 1:19 am
If Paula Zahn and CNN are so concerned with violence, and in particular the degradation of women, than they would be more concerned with the root of the problem as opposed to pointing the finger at hip hop. We live in a country where women are still getting paid less than men for the same job and let’s see the statistics on rape now are 2 in 7 women are sexually assaulted every year in the U.S.? I highly doubt that all these hip hop stars have time to do all that degradation on their own with their busy schedules.
This is an embarrassment to CNN, they really should have thought this through. Although a few of the people made some very valid points in rebutting Paula, making very valid statements about PLAYBOY, and Maxim also degrading women and the fact that the rich executives and CEOS of these labels “who have a lot of say, WAY more than the artist actually, in what goes on the record and the radio” are the ones seeing most of the money off of this “promotion of violence and degradation.” YES GUYS WE HEARD YOU EVEN THOUGH THEY TRIED TO EDIT THE ENDS OF YOUR SENTENCES OUT.
The truth is real hip hop is not about violence or degradation of women. A lot of it is educational and relays a message from the inner city ghettos, and tells stories people should REALLY here, about poverty and the desperation of the lower middle class in this country.
I don’t listen to a lot of mainstream “hip hop” myself, because a lot of it offends me, but DIG DEEPER, there is a lot of really good stuff out there, “renee” lost boys is a very strong love story PRAISING a woman, Medusa is a female artist who is quite amazing, this is just to name a few, Paula, what are you listening to? Did you sift through all the good stuff so you could complain about black people…I’m sorry I mean hip hop? (cough* cough*)
And way to throw some gay bashing in there too, very classy move. I love how people play the gay community as a wild card they can use in the most desperate hands. Gay bashing is a problem YES, but let me tell you we have way bigger sources than hip hop to deal with. (another good point made in the rebuttal by the way)
I’m a woman and I’m a lesbian. To be honest I was more offended by the words of Paula Zahn than any hip hop song I’ve heard lately.
February 26th, 2007 at 1:47 am
Okay…yes rap/hiphop at times objectifies women…it isn’t any different than motley crue, poison, zztop, van halen or whatever other hairband from the eighties and nineties did in their videos, they even dressed like women? Why didn’t they talk about other artists in the rap/hip hop community that have more politically aware lyrics other than fifty cent??? They forgot the positive tip rappers like Will Smith hahahaha and good ol LL Cool J, RUN DMC…IT”S ALL LOOOVE!
Paula Zahn is a dumb ass. fiddy cent…boourns
February 26th, 2007 at 1:58 am
I agree that this is completely ignorant and ridiculous.
That being said- all of you who decided to bring metal into this or whatever, you’re fighting a wrong with a wrong. Art is art. Music is music. Theres no good or bad.. If you’re going to preach acceptance, then you’ve gotta include everything. It’s a mistake to say rap isn’t the poison, some other music is.
CNN is propagating ignorance and it scares me that people out there actually think things like this. People hear about how 50 Cent got shot, but not about what Common has to say about peace. It hurts.
February 26th, 2007 at 6:31 am
Next they should do a special interview on how heavy metal and pop alt. rock causes white suburban teens to have keggers, streak through neighbourhoods, drink drive, throw toilet paper over trees, and go on shooting sprees in malls and schools.
February 26th, 2007 at 10:28 am
So here it is again. Two sides. Media and music. CNN i guess wants their share of the HIP-HOP money and since this reporter can’t rap. This is her ART FORM to do it. I am not a reporter but i thought they are to give both sides of the story and let us deside, what is ART or POISON.
I am not a rapper. Nor do i sometimes care for the naked women and the guns etc. in a video. But i am old enough to accept the art form it is. I do enjoy some Hip Hop artist. Mary J Bleige, Eminem, Lauren Hill, even R Kelly. For me music ALL MUSIC is an art form and at the same time can be poisoness. It all comes down to our own minds. For me i shall listen to music that will inspire me, make me laugh, make me even sometimes cry. Music is meant to inspire us all. And i know for some right now that is Hip Hop. Who am i to judge that. Who is anyone to judge that.
God does not judge us. God loves us. So just love each other please. Be kind to each other.
February 26th, 2007 at 11:36 am
Ha..This shit is funny..like you said you can’t fight a wrong wit a wrong..So what is Hip Hop and Rap they only music Videos with half naked girls in it I don’t think so..Every where there are half naked women around..Even when you walkin on da street… You know the gay bashin thin well then what about the chrisitans they belive that gays are sick and that they need to be saved..If god didn’t want same sex he would have never let us decided how we want to live our life…Its not the music is all the Fucked up people that listent to the music and well are just Fucked up anyway who the fuck watches CNN anyway…HIP HOP FO LIFE
Peace
February 26th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
Music is a creative expresion whihc formulates in a specisic time and era…In the 60’s it was rock…in the 30’s it was jazz…blues…now its hip hop/rap…
obviously music is a way for people to release what they feel about the world around them…
CNN is a ridiculous channel…worst than FOX even in my opinion…they miss the point on everyhing…and sensationalize anything they come across…
people who buy into CNN will never understand hip-hop…or the evolution of music…or I would go as far as to say MUSIC at all!!!!
AND that;s their loss…
( love how the next story was about ANna Nicole…hahaha…CNN is a mockery!)
February 26th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
I am so sick of this one-sided bullshit. They go and pick the most commercial people, the worst spokespersons (sometimes), the worst rappers (fucc a 50!) to highlight in their examinations of hip hop. Where is KRS? Professor Griff, Common, Mos Def, Talib — I mean damn anyone representing the positive spectrum of hip hop.
While I agree hip hop is suffering under a deluge of Lil’s, Youngs, and other miscellaneous bullshit artist— there is still REAL hip hop—that is true to the ART out here. It’s just like the media to be subjective and just present one side of the story!
February 26th, 2007 at 2:03 pm
CNN is a right wing network therefore anything media form that isn’t somewhat right wing will be attacked. HOWEVER, we are being manipulated by the editors of this CNN clip as it was obviously heavily edited. So edited that the points didn’t flow…I think Rap Project should put the whole thing up and really let us decide for ourselves. It makes them no better than CNN.
February 26th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
We can’t post the whole CNN show here as that would definitely cross the line into copyright infringement. While we can’t seem to find the whole show at CNN.com right now… I’ve heard it’s up on YouTube. We just show excerpts to open up the debate (though admittedly, we did edit it way down from it’s original length - but that was more for audience entertainment then manipulation.)
February 26th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
This is so much typical bull shit because most of these people are white and don’t know shit about the streets. Because hip-hop is mostly an escape for most people.
February 26th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
i wish i could say i was suprised but.. this is the reality of it man no matter how hard u push and grind your music and your culture theres still generations of old and young people who will just never ever get it … im fine with that i know what hip hop is to me its my life and i dont plan on changing it ever…..
spit
February 26th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
I am 100% certain that hip-hop is an ARTform… In fact, it’s one of the most versatile forms of musical expressions in the past decade - however, the fact cannot be omitted that Hip-Hop is at times being represented by poisonous people, infecting youth and easily influnced people with poisonous thoughts & behaviour - the same can be said about rock music when there was a sharp rise in the number of reported suicides when grunge and heavy metal melded - the same can be said about reggae music and the fact that there are more ‘dancehall’ related shootings than with any other genre in toronto… It’s not the music… it’s the people…
A final note, everything in Western society is one-sided/biased, that should not be a surprise to anyone, people of colour are NOT the majority therefore, images, reports, and other depictions of “problematic” issues will ALWAYS be done to appeal to the majority group as long as it is coming from a major network.
There is power in numbers and I would gladly sign a pettition to CNN for a formal retraction of the story or an on-air apology.. RAP project, what do you think?
Li
February 26th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
dont forget y’all that you can go to the CNN website and tell them how you feel as well, as far as i’m concerned CNN might as well be ET because the trash that they cover and speak is all the same. in all of the many comments left here which make great points and express the anger i felt as well one thing i didnt find being discussed is the MANY artists who they left out of their discussion. they basically brought together the macaroni and cheese of hip hop…50cent excetera. what about outkast, mos def, dead prez, erykah badu, ursula rucker??? did they even speak about any women in hip hop when discussion how degrading it is or did they just show clips from some fools video…that shit exists in ALL music and especially pop music, which is where i place almost any music on popular radio INCLUDING all the blingbling fools. if you like that kind of “hip hop,” i am sorry to offend, everyones taste is their own. i just want to make the point that they left out SO much of hip hop, the depth and the positivity and in the parts i saw, not one lady’s contribution and presence in hip hop was discussed, they made it seem like in hip hop women are only a bunch of shaking naked asses and that is just not the case, so who is degrading women now?
February 26th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
I seen this it was very biased but i thought it had a couple of good points… one was that the art form is being fulled because of money. you see this with the blatant showcase of money and woman.
On the flipside this article was way off about some content and messages and thats because the producers(CNN) don’t understand that its 90% entertainment.
But there is a huge problem with hiphop when everybody out sounds the same….
February 26th, 2007 at 6:01 pm
Am I the only one that notices that 80’s rock was just as bad if not worse then hip hop for sex, drugs and rock’n'roll. (motley cru as an example) but now it hip hop which some songs have the same themes are a ‘poison’… keeping in mind it only turned to poison once it becomes overwhelmingly popular in middle - white- America. Funny that Hip hop is not a poison in Canada yet we listen to the same music as they do. Is it because it is coming from predominantly black rappers to a white audience? The racism is so transparent it is almost sick.
They said Rock’n'roll was ‘the devils music’ back when Elvis was shaking his hips and Little Richard was ‘tutti fruiti’in his way through the club scene at the time.
CNN apparently has nothing better to report on…. I mean there’s not a war going on or anything!
February 26th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
50 Cent is poison.
Immortal Technique is not.
Simple. I.T raps about life, about poverty, crime etc, 50 Cent raps about unnecessary stupid immature shit. They may have a point with this video, but I must say it’s vary biased.
This is like saying Heavy Metal is the devils music. The only genre of heavy metal which is related to Satan is black metal. Heavy metal is the most diverse music out there now and has been for some time, do a little research into it, you might like it.
I believe the degrading women part, but like I said, it’s only a fair amount, you can’t blame it all. What you see on TV sells, porn sells, sex sells, fans buy it. This stuff earns for the record companies. If the government want to do something about this aspect, don’t bash the rap, bash the producers.
February 26th, 2007 at 6:46 pm
“Reports” like this are so typical of what ignorant people in society believe…I’m sorry but we are living in the safest, least violent period of time since our existence on the planet, so you can’t go around blaming rap lyrics for “poisoning” our culture with violence, when violence rates are actually decreasing just as rap music is increasing in popularity - the statistics just don’t work. Women have been degraded, and made to be second class citizens for centuries, so you can’t blame rap for a problem that isn’t a new one. Nowadays I’d like to think that we are living in an incredibly liberated time. Female dancers who choose to be in rap videos do so because it is their choice, and they are participating in rap as an art form. As someone mentioned below, most forms of music and art at one time or another were looked down upon because they went against the traditional grain. If you don’t like rap music, don’t listen to it. If you don’t like rap videos,then don’t watch them. Spend that time saving America from something that is actually a problem,like, say, ridiculous ‘wars on terror.’ Something tells me that Bush didn’t invade Iraq because he’s been up all night watching 50 cent videos on MTV.
February 26th, 2007 at 6:58 pm
cnn is poison.
February 26th, 2007 at 9:33 pm
My man Crazy Beatz up in Ont told me to check this out post so I did. I believe this is just another way to make publicity. Saying ” rap music ” is the cause of volience in america and around the world, is like saying ” metal music ” is the cause of suicide. Just because you hear lyrics expressed in an art form protraying volience or the idea of gang bangers doesn’t mean that people take that shit seriously. Hip Hop music is an art form from a poetic stand point that when first discovered mostly did enable the idea of gangs, guns, killing, and being on top. These people breathed that lifestyle, they seen it and to be able to bring that into an art form and express it so people can see is not poison. Rap and Hip Hop now is not hardly about that anymore, its more about parties, fast cars, bling, money, and beautiful women. In any genre of music you could debate that it protrays ideas or voices opinons bad and good. People just got to realized it is not a lifestyle as much as it is an art form. To even put this debate on TV would just trigger people to respond and that is what they wanted.
February 26th, 2007 at 10:23 pm
Here’s the thing… this story is as ridiculous as Paula Zaun herself. They are not interested in journalism or the truth for that matter. They are interested in creating and maintaining an environment of fear. The day CNN does an insightful, well researched, openly represented news piece is the day that… well… it’ll never happen.
February 26th, 2007 at 11:47 pm
Art or Poison? Needs not to be answered just like the question needs not be asked.
On the real… *urgh *sigh… it’s too ridiculous for me to even respond.
I’ll say this… The truth will always be heard for those who seek it.
www.dj-o.net
February 26th, 2007 at 11:53 pm
Did anyone else notice that Paula Zahn has no fucken idea what she was talkin’ about. Ey-ey-ey, what a bunch of ignorant mutha fuckas. No one focuses on the positives of Rap music. Take me for example. Rap music and Hip Hop culture gave me somethin’ to live for. Gave me somethin’ that I could use when I feel like nobody in the world understands me. And a bunch of other positive stuff. Does anyone realize that the women in the videos are THERE BY CHOICE!!!!!!! The rappers didn’t hold a knife to their throat and say “bitch, you gon’ be in my video or I’ll kill you!!!!!” Fuck CNN. They played nothin’ but Anna Nicole Smith shit for like a goddamn week straight. FUCK Y’ALL!!!!!!
Hip Hop Will NEVER DIE…BIATCH!!!!!!!!!!!
February 26th, 2007 at 11:53 pm
Alright…I understand what they are talking about with the whole…”making woman look like meat” kinda thing. But how can you ever say that rap/hip-hop…any of it causes people to go out and kill each other?! You can’t…there is no proof of that. I listen to rap…and by brother is in an underground hip hop group…but I am your typical white girl…ditzy and all!!! Opinions are opinions though…and thank goodness they are just that! I’m sure if they looked into something like pop music or country…they would find something just as bad to debate about!!! We just have to let it slide!
February 27th, 2007 at 1:15 am
I have been a competitive hip hop dance for 9 years, i have grown into this life style, it is NOT poison, it is an art, it takes alot of talent to be a hip hop dancer, rapping takes skill, and the style is comforble, i find this video bullshit, they actin like they know everything about the hip hop culture, they assume hip hop with crime, but crime happens in any kind of group, ethnic group, culture, country, and everywhere in the world, so to stero type hip hop isnt fair, alot of bad things happen, preists molest little boys, religion is a culture/worship, is religion art, love, or poison? i dont know if these ignorant idiots who are saying hip hop is poison just dont know what they are talking about.
I have been with take it to tha floor productions dancing with them, and its just not about the music, the dance, the words its a way of life you grow into and most of the majority of the people i know who are in the hip hop culture usually are great people, this is like, is Classic rock, music, or just crap ass singing? Are church choirs talnted, or just so fucking brain washed their singing about a non existant thing.
This is a bullshit video and it pisses me off CNN are that much of fucking idiots, i can rant all day but ill stop now.
February 27th, 2007 at 7:11 am
Ok Ok this is stupid shit…Who ever started this must be trina get they name out like some of us underground artist i think thats all that is who ever started it get real …..And face it Hip Hop is life get wit us or get the hell from round us
February 27th, 2007 at 9:48 am
I have to say that hip hop is not at all poison…They need to look at that screamo shit that talks so much about depression and death and shit… My daughter listens to that crap and well I amnot impressed with the screamo stuff and how it presents itself to kids….So really to say that hip hop is poision then they really need to look at all types of music and what it represents and not pin point to just one type of music..
February 27th, 2007 at 10:15 am
I’m sick to my stomach after seeing this. Hip-hop is music, expression. I’m choking on my own rage here. Christ, what is wrong with you people. cnn why… why… the network should be ashamed of itself. Hip-hop does not raise gangsters, dumb ass parents do. I can’t even believe what I just watched.
-whoever linked me this from my ‘myspace/spurrell, thank you
February 27th, 2007 at 11:11 am
k, fist of all, i dint exactly watch that, but i like hip hop and it is not a poisson… like seriously… the reporter had nothing better to do so it decided to try and make this big deal over music… like seriously get over it…. theres way worser shit out htere and music… stop waisting your time with it and go deal with important shit… like holy fuck peopel… n e ways… later
February 27th, 2007 at 11:59 am
I like all kinds of music, and yes even hip hop. I am a DJ and I will not play any music on my shows that talks about killing people,bad words,things like that because of the time slot I dj on. I do play them on my own time. I feel that it is the parents job to sencer what the kids are hearing and watching on TV. If people think it is all bad then remove your TV’s and radio’s out of your homes. People are selling there bodies on TV all the time. Just because they have music with ladies dancing don’t make them bad people. I feel people can make there own choices in life and hear what they want to hear. “This is your life not anyone eleses. If you raise your kids the right way, then they will learn right from wrong. If they want to join gangs and do drugs then they have to live with that. Music is an art that is very cool. So all you people that do make music your life. KEEP IT UP!!!! TY
February 27th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
I like hip hop. People have choices to make, you can choose to be good to others or choose to fight and kill. some peolpe live to see others being killed. But does not mean that it’s because they listen to some type of music and the music told them to go kill someone you still have you own mind to choose how you want to live your life.
February 27th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
[…] Caught a bulletin from Ms Chickee of CJAM radio (Windsor/Detroit) on Myspace. this is the first i heard of Paula Zahn’s CNN segment last week on Hip Hop; Art or Poison? what was interesting was how completely UNMOVED i was about the whole discussion. i think the last time i got heated about some ditached, ratings hungry journalist’s opinion about the state of hip hop was the last time i got mad about a Yo Mama Joke. I no longer take Yo Mama Jokes as disparaging disses on my mother. Nor do i take Paula Zahn’s opinion of Hip Hop seriously. […]
February 27th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
THERE IS A WAR ON HIP HOP. THIS GUY HAS A PLAN TO WIN THE WAR, JOIN HIS ARMY TODAY
MYSPACE.COM/GIDEONSARMY
February 28th, 2007 at 2:22 am
First of all, I wanna know why there is so rarely made a distinction between hip-hop and gangsta-rap. Hip-hop is a positive, empowering and familiar (family-er) movement; a culture and a set of ideals that are in essence the polar opposite of so much negativity, violence and degeneracy that is the target of all this controversy.
Second: Don’t get your knickers in a twist, Matt. Rap music wouldn’t be what it is without this controversy. Elvis was the king BECAUSE the previous generation disapproved of his message and suggestive ‘gyrations’ on stage. They thought the Beatles were hardcore. You think 50 cent would sell any damn records at all if your parents thought he was a fine upstanding young man?
Third: Let’s defend freedom of expression and our freedom to listen to whatever music we want. Getting all defensive about something we believe in and saying “I don’t know what you’re talking about. There’s no such thing as negative music with a negative message made by bad fucking people”… I mean who are you kidding? You know you don’t want little kids listening to hardcore shit. It’s not made for their ears. It’s not good for them. That doesn’t mean it shouldn’t exist. I don’t think we need to be completely irresponsible in order to make our point here. You start defending every rap artist out there; you’re just as bad as Paula Zaun attacking all of them. There are many different kinds of rap music with many different kinds of messages made by many different kinds of artists. Be specific, or else you’re just arguing to be argumentative.
Finally, I’m a white man. (bet you didn’t see that coming) I didn’t grow up on hip-hop. I grew up listening to something called “Death-Metal”; the same music incidentally that the Trench-Coat Mafia had in their disc-mans when they mowed down their school-mates with fully automatic weapons. The difference between me and them is that my parents made sure I grew up with an understanding of what it means to be respectful and honorable and just decent for God’s sake. You wanna fight a war Gideon? I have two suggestions for you, sincerely. First, get off your ass and do a little research. Find out what hip-hop is, because I don’t believe for one second that you have the first clue. Honestly, prove me wrong. Get back on this forum and tell us all what you plan to fight against.
Second, once you’ve realized that a war against hip-hop makes about as much sense as a war against agriculture, and you’re still feeling a little surly, might I suggest a war against degenerate fucking parents who don’t care enough to make sure their kids grow up knowing the difference between right and wrong, and having the consciousness to know the difference between wisdom and sensationalism.
H.
February 28th, 2007 at 1:20 pm
thats unbelievably ludicrous! but surprise, suprise right?! its all about small mindedness. you know, the thing that gets me is that the media is so controlled by the “higher ups” in this world that their purpose has been forgotten. the purpose of informing people as a whole and being a voice for the people.
as far as i can see from this segment, they must be finding it difficult to find subjects happening in the world that are worthy of an informative discussion! this is an old topic thats been beaten into the ground! pathetic in this day and age that freedom of speech is still so daunting and threatened! but as i said before….if the medias freedom is as stifled as we’re to believe it is, then they certainly must be grasping!! oh and of course there are the ratings to think of!
sdar
February 28th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
I saw this so-called “debate” live on CNN, and being a hip hop artist, i find this to be so incredible one-sided it hurts… like fuck, first off 50 cent is not hiphop, okay, that cat is fuckin “MAINSTREAM RAP” and thats the guy makin money, supported by some of the biggest labels and corparations in the music industry!! no one can say 50 cent represents HIPHOP…why dont they interview/listen to artists like JEDI MIND TRICKS, or IMMORTAL TECHNIQUE…yah they talk about guns, bitches and money… but in a focused and “real” context…groups like these bring up issues greater then 50 cents entire writing group is capable of! war, violence, drugs, religion, racism…everything, but they speak reality instead of glorifying it… yah they might exagerate and ellaborate but over all hiphop is freedom of speach–expression with no borders…leave the real emcees, dj’s, graffiti artists, b-boys and beat-boxers in the HIP HOP category…and keep fuckin 50 cent out ur mouth… tell aftermath/shady records to put me in dre’s studio and make me a music video and ill tell u bitch ass white chick reporters the truth…end of discussion… peace and respect to everyone in support of true hiphop and against this onesided argument…a poisen?…naw hiphop is about the only thing alotta kids got.. 1L….Immaculate
February 28th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Plug out of the idiocy of the propaganda box and tune in to the frequency of the Amethyst Rocks.
Read Saul Williams:
The Dead Emcee Scrolls
1love
February 28th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
after watchin this id seriously like to run up to this bitch on tha street,,u know,,ill roll up in my navigator limo tint,,bumpin some old skool gravediggaz…lol….i say if u dont like poison than dont eat it nahh mean…if u dont like crack,,u dont smoke it,and if u dont like CNN u can always change it NBC n if u anythin like me and u dont believe a word Big News Corps. say…well fuck it git ya ass in tha studio and drop someof dat gangsta shit…lol peace
February 28th, 2007 at 9:34 pm
It seems pretty easy to look at the bad parts of hip hop and brush the good aside. It was all good to have ghettos and all the injustice that goes along with them as long as the people in them kept quiet but now that black people found a way out by any means necessary its a problem. Hell no I have a problem with the fact that violence, drugs and pimping is what a lot of those artists were raised with. But they turned it into art. Not like George W who had a nanny 10 maids and all the happieness money can buy but still needed to find violence everywhere he could. I’m not saying all rap is good but it’s not all bad. Some artist are just exploiting a culture but that culture was created by the same society that is now outraged. They should be outraged that people had to grow up in those violent, dirt poor situations. They should be finding ways to give the people in the slums and the gutters better ways out than selling drugs, killing people and selling ass. Changing what they see will be the only way to change what rappers rap about. Black people also need to take some responsibility. They rap about what they saw but now that we have there attention lets rap about what needs to get done to make it better for our kids. So they don’t have to see the same things. The black artists before us broke down barriers and spoke about ways to rise up. I think its time we show some appreciation to our ancestors and not forget what they struggled so hard to give us; a better tomorrow. And oh yeah lets not point the finger at the rappers, point the finger at the corporations making all the money that helps keep people down.
March 1st, 2007 at 1:38 pm
Society seems to feel better when blame is pointed at certain individuals which of course is true because cnn brought it to their living rooms,I have realized so many people have closed minds which will never be opened to anything to different that doesn’t effect them directly or step into their little bubbles which they call their life. I am happy not to be in that category and have to dig deeper and actually think for myself which has been passed down to my children. Rap and hip hop has become a huge money making business which follow the trends of whatever is making money at the moment. Montel had a show with a real camera being used by kids living in a hotel that many call home and the murders they witness and the so called good guys and abuse of their own they bring. Wake up and start using your minds, we have become robots in this time and age. Thank you for bringing us the issues. I am working on a screenplay about a friend who spend 14 years in the pen and how it happened, what happened in there, because again noone knows or cares about these issues and it is shocking what happens behind these institutions doors. Keep up the great work!!
peace
March 2nd, 2007 at 11:50 am
[…] We’ve been blown away at RAPproject.tv to the avalanche of comments regarding the CNN story, “Hip-Hop Art or Poison” We wanted to do something CNN didn’t think to do with their bullshit expose - actually speak to a socially conscious emcee. MINDBENDER has been on Toronto’s hip-hop for more then a minute. Besides droppin’ some cool beats over the last few years - Mindbender has authored many articles for Canada’s best known hip-hop publications. We loved when Mindbender came with “comparing Pharoahe Monch to Shakespeare” line. Speaking of Pharoahe Monch he is apart of a cool set next Thursday in Toronto part of the Canadian Music Week. Mindbender hosts. We’ll be there. […]
March 2nd, 2007 at 4:18 pm
i jus am apalled at wat they said bout hip hop they missed wat rap is all bout completly they nvr even showed the better side of hip hop we do have artists out there that are defiling what esencialy is hip-hop but they nvr looked at the ROOTS of hip hop where it started what its about and the scene with the girl talkin bout the jewls was jus pointless i was jus like wtf
March 2nd, 2007 at 11:19 pm
here me, here me, you fucko’s. This is the truth, “hip-hop” aint no muzak, it is a poison, it is infecting the minds of subburban immigrants, yo. CNN is the most trusted source for anything in this world bizatches. If you think your cool cause you spell words funny, and you wear baggy clothes, and listen to really loud “bass”, bass is not music, it is an artificial movement of air, i repeat that, for you people who are slow, HIP HOP, IS NOT MUSIC, it never has been, and it never will be, so go out and listen to some real music, done by musicians, not “artist’s”.
Peace out,
Prophylactic.Wrapper
March 2nd, 2007 at 11:27 pm
While I’ll agree that this argument by CNN really didn’t examine the other side of the issue, I also really don’t find that there is much of an argument at all to BE discussed. First of all, as incoherent as the last message was, there was some valid points. I don’t believe hip hop is music, or at least not a respectable form. I despise the hip hop lifestyle, and I feel it is at least somewhat responsible for the staggering crime rates in the US. It promotes violence, sexism, and homophobia, among others. I also find it quite funny that while nearly every hip hop supporter that left a response pointed out how “ignorant” the report was, that barely any of the messages were coherent enough to make sense at all. I respect the fact that everyone has a right to their own opinion, and also the fact that you are passionate enough about the issue to leave a message showing that, but my personal standpoint on the “music”, is that I hope to God that 20 years down the road, I will not still be hearing this shit on the radio.
“Peace”
March 3rd, 2007 at 4:15 am
this was very interesting to watch and i’m glad i got to see it because people really want to put A blame on hip hop…they can’t swallow the fact that this artform, that was once considered a fad broad casted on the news, is now being broad casted as either art or poison….i agree that hip hop does glorify violence but it’s the bigger picture here that’s not being looked at. I am a music artist in hip hop but not from america but i from canada…i may not truely know the ways of living in America but i do know about hip hop and this is crazy to put it under the option of poison. Thats a Heavy Heavy HEAVY blame to put down when this country has so much turbulence outside of the hiphop community and the country it’s self. Theres so much of the same thing hip hop is talking about in america and the whole world to speak on but Hiphop just has the loudest voice in entertainment and the media….People who don’t listen to hiphop may never understand and people who do not know the harsh life styles of SOME rappers live probably will never understand so…. they see the noise, success and influence hiphop is making around the world and cant see anything else to whats causing violence and expoitation of women like she said….but she gotta think violence and this type of exploitation was going on waaaaaay before hiphop and it still is going on out side of hiphop…whew…hit me up on myspace/jaykin if you wanna hit me with some feed back
March 3rd, 2007 at 7:25 am
Although I would argue the fact that alot of hip hop these days is wack- there seems to be an agenda here for Paula Zahn. This is about middle american white society being scared of black people on the fringes. The US is an incredibly segregated place and the popularity of hip hop has meant that what used to be hidden away in the ghettos that john and mary smith never had to see is now in their face every day- their kids listen to it, and want to dress like 50 Cent and it scares the shit out of them.
The argument of why is homophopia in Hip Hop, or of the degradation of women - is laughable when you consider that their US president is obviously homophobic himself, starts unjust wars that kills alot more people than a 50 Cent video and all the while Paula probably grew up listening to Rock music from the 70s 80s and 90s where scantily clad women were a staple in videos.
I wouldn’t downplay the fact that this macho posturing in hip hop needs to stop- or at least more of a balance to show, but it seems people like CNN would rather focus on one rather than the other because its convenient. Much the same way their politics in world events has increasingly leant on the right in other world events.
March 3rd, 2007 at 10:40 am
Yes, some is a poison. I am not saying that all rap is bad. People like 2pac, Biggie, DMX and Emenim actually have something to say… It means something. This other bullshit about money, hoes and clothes sucks ass. It’s ghetto bullshit that influeces young people to act like what they see in a video or hear in the lyrics. It influences them to think you have to dress and act like a thug! Not to mention that the lyrics in some of these “rap” songs are about as adolecent as a 3 yr. old! I mean “you scared, you scared, let me get my tech 9 in the trunk?” are you fucking serious?
Yes, rap is a poison to a certian degree!
March 3rd, 2007 at 1:36 pm
This is typical and proves that people will do anything to make a story out of nothing. these people are just afraid that rap can have a message like all the others genres of music. there are problems with every genres and yes hip hop might swear more often than lets say country,r n b,pop,jazz and blues, but in the end they are just expressing the anger towards all that is unfair in their own way. even if everything is candy coated with bling.
March 3rd, 2007 at 4:03 pm
The year is 2007. When will everybody WAKE UP?? If it isn’t part of the solution, it’s part of the problem!
ANY PERSON who sends out a message that illegal drugs, pimping and prostitution, exploitation, guns, violent gangs, bigotry, hatred (and all other examples of filth in this world)… is in any way acceptable - should not be allowed to “express” themselves to the mass public… PERIOD!!
Let them find a milk carton somewhere to stand on and preach on the street corner until someone whacks them over the head with a pipe.
People (esp. children) ARE influenced by what they see, read and hear from the media - ITS A FACT!! We LEARN to hate! We LEARN to glorify drugs. We can also LEARN to love and help others less fortunate.
I’m not suggesting some giant hippy world filled with flowers. But those of us in the position to make a difference (Paula Zaun et al) should stop feeding the public ignorant, blanket conclusions about the influence of an entire genre of music.
Start delving deeper. Find the INDIVIDUALS from ALL WALKS OF LIFE with the largest and most negative impact on society - and expose them all for what they truly are!! There isn’t enough air-time for them all! And if its discovered that a “gansta rappa” or 2 is near the top of the list - at least now its a legit claim
March 4th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
You people are so ignorant always trying to go blame Hip hop on the killings in this world. Doesn’t this lady have anything better to do than go around & try to go put ones culture down. I am thirteen years old & me & my friends will sit in front of the t.v. & look at “gangsta rap” & not once has my mom had to pick me up from the police department for anything.HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOO!!!!! you need to be focusing on important subjects like why are Americans obssesed over plastic surgery,celebrities,money…etc while children are on the other side of this country dying of hunger,thrist, & every other disease you can think of.Stupid people…..also don’t you think these lady’s in these videos being “exploited” know that they will be in front of millions of viewers everyday shaking their assess. Bringing down metal saying it causes suicide,& Mexicans latinos etc. aren’t going to make them go anywhere. And certainly saying hip hop is a poison is not going to make everybody stop listening to it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 5th, 2007 at 12:53 am
Fuck Paula Zahn.
She’s an ignorant woman who has been sheltered from the truth of hip-hop. Each individual, even the annoying black lady, made a valid point and it seems she just didnt give a fuck.
So fuck Paula Zahn and the producers of CNN and CNN itself for letting something so judgemental and idiotic reach the masses.
March 5th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
She was like any other journalist who wants to paint a picture that only he/she see’s in their own mind, a boxed in mind, unopen to new things. The way hip hop is talked about in that segment reminds me of the way rock and roll was accepted initially in our country, and there you had a form of music ultimately discussing peace, love and drugs. I only wish hip-hop heads/emcees and artists had their own damn network to broadcast their own documentaries, like “CNN: Truth or Assumption”, “Paula Zahn: Headhunter or Truth Bearer”. Ultimately, hip hop is a movement that can’t be fucked with, and people like Paula can’t accept the fact that women CHOOSE to be in those videos, beg, ask, suck poles to be in those videos. She should focus on something more abusive to our society, like our government.
March 5th, 2007 at 5:26 pm
All I can say is “THAT”S CRAP!!!!”" So, I guess if there was NO Hip-Hop, then all the crime would just magically be GONE!!!. WELL I CALL BULLSH@#!!!! I can’t believe that 55% of ppl would agree with that crap. What will they blame next!!! Country music??? They should try to focus on the really problems that are out there and STOP trying to blame something that is ART!! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!
March 5th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
I say Hip Hop is an art, it takes alot of talent to be an amazing Hip Hop artist… and i believe that the media like to Twist the truth all the time… FUCK THE MEDIA…
So Long and Goodnight
Love
Stu
March 5th, 2007 at 10:50 pm
Is this for real? lol why is the media making such a big deal about the lyrics in a song. So basicaly its ok for the presedent to ask people to put their lives in danger every day with the violence of war. But they arent allowed to express it. No matter where you look there is violence everywhere. I am also a gamer, and there is more violence in alot of the games out there. Not to mention on the t.v as well. I think that whoever is blaming hiphop for whatever reason, is just looking for an excuse to point a finger. You can influence a person yes by such gesture’s in song lyrics ect…but it is up to a person to make the choice to go out and shoot someone not because the song told them to. Thats stupid and childish to blame these artists who are working to make a living for themselves. You might as well say that the next time your going to do something inhuman that the devil told you to. Each person is a human being are they not?. No one has the power to make a person do anything. To each their own will.
March 6th, 2007 at 1:37 am
BELEIVE THE MEDIA.
March 6th, 2007 at 10:00 am
People should stop blaming hip-hop as a poison. People need to be responsible for their actions. This has happen before. In the 70’s they blame rock and roll for drugs etc. People need not to blame music period.
March 6th, 2007 at 2:08 pm
rap is something you do hip hop is something you live. true hip hop opens eyes minds and foe the sleepers ears. opinions are like assholes and enve paula is i mean has one so let her spit her poisinous venom just dont stand too close. when has the media ever respected any contributions made by Africans in America? how was the west won? what were the columbine assassins listening to leading up to that fateful moment? poison is what spews from the mouth of a so called religious leader saying go over there and assassinate so and so. Bush who is not officially pres of the u.s(thievery) is the biggest gangsta anyone with a tv in the us sees(daily) hollywood existed long before hip hop and the dont stop making billions off of violence , sex, drugs, brainwash through subliminalism, stereotype reinforcement gay bashing, racism, sexism, alcoholism, death and destruction. (hollywood art or poison?) “how can polar bears swing off vines of the gorilla.. please check your reasoning cause there’s something you missed…” … if you dont live or even observe this culture first hand dont judge it for judge ye not lest ye may be judged for the judgement ye judged so shall ye be judged…it wasnt poison nor a concern for the pitiful Mrs Zahn until her daughter was a listener. 50 cent is not hip hop he’s a rap star…kweli, doom, madlib, the roots, mos def, lootpack, murs,sean p, blackmoon, wu tang clan, the tribe, east to west coast and worldwide real hip hop lives and breathes..neither of which 20 + years of exposure to “POISON” will allow you to do.
the truth cannot be killed only temporarily concealed…be truth, save the music yall
March 6th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Lets hope the people at cnn aren’t as dumb as the question is hip hop art or poison. First of all Hip Hop is a culture. Second if u’re going to disect and break down the lyrics of rappers, u should also check the lyrics of mainstream rock music. In most cases woman do come up on the short end of the stick, but remember also that these individuals as stars are exposed to a life where woman are constantly tossing themselves at ‘em. It’s the common discussion of, if i call one particlar girl a bitch, am i referring to all woman. Hip Hop is a reflection of urban life in most cases, everyone wants better in life, different strokes for different folks. I understand what 50 cent says when he uses the word faggot, he isn’t dissin or suggestin u go out and kill gays. Another thing that needs to stop is takin the negative and running with it, there are plenty of rappers that speadk on positive isssues. why not do a piece asking people to focus on the positive side of Hip Hop. Music is an expression, Lyrics is a reflection, each individual has the freedom of speech to say and do what they feel. It’s time to hold individuals responsible for whatever the issue is, instead of tryin to make it seem like the culture as a whole should be abolished. There is sex all over TV. Cartoons have sexual content. as well as violence and drug related content, to blame hip hop for anything would be stupid. Those who struggle will always look for a way to eat, it isn’t hip hop that denies these people of jobs or better livin, it’s the economic system which they excist in. I found this to be a smack in the face to the culture that represents the urban youth. you can’t control hip hop, but u can control what they watch and buy CONTROL YOUR KIDS…Hip Hop is not the problem, infact it’s a solution for alot of less fortunate people.
March 6th, 2007 at 7:52 pm
As a mom of 4 where are the parents? If they have instilled good values in their kids they should be fine. Now my kids are too young for most rap music right now (oldest is 10) but at the same time if they do happen to see the videos I explain to them thing they do not understand or here is one change the channel. It is not just rap music how about Brittney Spears some of her stuff got a little too old for kids as well as Christina’s.
Again I will say parents have to take more responsibility for their kids and the need to have more control.
March 6th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
This CNN “report” is so completely irrelevant to the actual culture of hip hop itself. They go blaming every issue that society has on a specific culture instead of accepting that the mass mediais responsible for the crime, the violence, anything that we have problems with in our lifestyle. I’m not too big of a hip-hop fan, but I accept the culture and its meaning for what it is and what it strives to be. It is and should be considered an art. Not the cause of our problems. The lyrical content of some of those songs is quite meaningful and passionate, trying to wake up those who refuse to change the world around them. These critics of hip-hop who have absolutely no idea about the music and the culture have to learn to view the real problems behind the scenes that cause our society to be what it is. That hour was a complete joke, and excuse me Paula Zaun, I want my time back. Maybe if you spend an hour exploring the real issues instead of try find a scapegoat, then the world would be a better place.
March 6th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
i think this video and everything said is total bull shit !! and the way the owmen are in the video is there choice if they didnt wanna be like that then they wouldnt be up in it it dont disrespect women at all !!! yall just wack okay ?? so leave hip hop da hell alone cuz it aint poison its an art and i love it !! and all hip hop aint about everything yall say it is !! so fuck off !!! hip hop is ma lyfe !! all yall rappers keep doin what ya do best and dont let no one bring yall down !!! fuck da haters !!
i love yall !!
March 6th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
These folks are just pissed cuz they aint in on the game! They all sit and watch violent movies, play violent games and worse yet soap operas. I represent some of the hardest core rap artists in the game…….real gangsta players, but in real life they are the most honorable and respectful folks ive ever met. I am a 42 yo white female in the industry as a promoter for rap artists. I love what I do and all the artists I work with love me too!!! I am also involved with destiny builders ministry that is set up for the rap industry and we believe that God loves us all regardless of what we done last night!!!! check me out on myspace @ www.myspace.com/bornonthe4thofjuly1
God Bless and keep rappin~~~~
FIRECRACKER
March 6th, 2007 at 10:49 pm
Hip-Hop poison? bullshit! this is the way i see it. music is art and art can be expressed in anyway onewantsto express it. so all these other people sayin that hip-hop ain’t art are just looking for a reason why we have so many pronlems in our society.
March 6th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
Wow- this is some serious bull. I will agree that a lot of today’s hip hop is crap and all they do is rap about bitches and hoes, but rap doesn’t cause crime- people cause crime. This is just strung out media trying to find something to blame today’s crime on - ha, like video games and speeding! COme on. The media really has to stop reading so far into things and just let criminals take their full rap (lol) for the crimes they commit.
March 7th, 2007 at 12:28 am
well if the 55% think hip hop is a poison then 90% of the human race should be dead!
crime, drugs, and crimes of passion were there before rap ever came to the surface
March 7th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
Cultural artforms have a dialectic relationship with society. It is no surprise that a network such as CNN would broadcast such a segment without taking into account such basic notions dealing with the artform in question. It is of no surprise hip hop is being yet again critiqued due to its sometimes negative aspects, while the positive achievements of mostly “non-white” parties are ignored. They just couldn’t wait until “black” history month was over to get this one out could they! Peace.
March 7th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
I love how this video was edited. Completely true. Yes there are some fucked up things about hip-hop and there are so called “video-girls” but with every genre of music you have to take the good with the bad. There are so many beautiful songs made in hip-hop. There are some really bad and unnecessary ones. Paula Zuan is retarded. I used retarded on purpose to prove a point. 50 Cent used the word “faggot”. The same way it is used when I say retarded. Its slang it doesn’t mean the technnical definition of the word. Maybe Paula needs to go back and take 4th grade again. SLANG. When I say retarded I mean she is stupid, dumb, unnecessary, ridiculous, and uneducated and has no idea what she is talking about. Music is a way to tell a story. If you don’t want to hear it don’t listen to it. I’ll be honest I love every part of hip hop. I listen to the dirty hip hop and the clean hip hop, but to me it is all beautiful. Listen once to one bar of hip hop. Distinguish the melodic values and that is enough for me. It is a genre of music completely separate from the rest. ART.
March 7th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
Music is not black and white. There are grey areas.
March 7th, 2007 at 2:26 pm
I also love how Paula takes her side of it being poison and shows every bad part of hip hop and none of the good and THEN asks viewers to vote. Dumb, incompetent woman. I’m sorry. This video just enraged me. FUCK HER.
March 7th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
This is STUPID! That is the most BIASED thing ive ever seen in my life. Why is it they show the terrible things in hiphop videos and they dun show the good things?? And trust me.. there are A LOT of good things.
March 8th, 2007 at 12:20 pm
Funny, who doesn’t hate you when you go from nothing to something, especially the person whom you oppressed and to become a multi-billion dollar industry. She picked the right people to defend Hip-Hop which really made her look foolish for siding against Hip Hop. My thing is, for CNN to allow the person conducting the story to be biased and to air this, let’s you know we live in a time when there are no rules and concerns. Same example was displayed in New Orleans with Katrina. All I can say is get yours, but not at the expense of others. You don’t want the blood on yo hands. Everybody else who’s violating, be it a rapper, CEO, news reporter or whatever, will have their price to pay. Don’t become like them!
Holla,
Zarian
March 8th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
I think Hip Hop is complete trash. it is evil… and offers little inspiration to our culture. It does offer extreemly infectious, poisionous solutions for the underbelly of america to engage in. Prostitution, abuse, drugs is all it is glorifying. Very little of it talks about issues or ways to inspire us to be better people. I don’t hear messages like, “stay in school, fight like hell to get an education”.. “be an individual stand for something that is good”…. “love your woman or brother”…. who cares about reptilian wealth, leave that for Bush”… nothing or very little. There maybe one or two rappers that are sensible, poets with a cause or insight, but they are so obscure that i don’t even know thier names.. but yet i know who Robert Johnson, Bo diddly and Missippi John Hurt is…. so what is the real mark that hip hop and rap as made on us. I beleive it underminds Black Americans. What happen to the educated, sharply dressed, eloquently spoken Black America that we had in the 60’s? It devolutionized and deterriorated into rappers in the 80’s and now the image of Black America has completely hit the lowest point… Who is perpetuating this image?..
March 9th, 2007 at 1:08 am
Remember the first amendment? The one that has to do with freedom of speech and expression? This goes for any form of music, rap, metal, punk whatever. If you don’t like it, don’t listen to it. Simple as that. We humans are a violent species,you can’t blame music for that. We were killing each other long, long before rap. Did the Nazis have hip-hop? No. Did Polpot? No. Shit, people where killing each other when all we had was Mozart and Bach. Did anybody blame them for any violence that took place in that time period. I’m pretty sure not. Rap isn’t poison, CNN is. The major news media does way more damage than hip-hop.
March 14th, 2007 at 7:50 am
It is sad when our people, and I am talking about black people, can not see the root of their own exploitation. Regardless of the fact that hip hop has provided a voice for the disinfranchised around the world we can not negate the fact that we have also taken part in some nihilistic behavior. When you look at the rate of black on black crime, sexual violence against black women and the rate in which black boys go to prision there is nothing glamorous and cool about that. We are not making the most of the money off rap white people are. We are not getting the support for other forms of representation because we have now taken on the role of perpetuating our own negative stereotypes. I am sorry but what hip hop is doing in some instances is equavalent to selling crack. We need to recognize that what is happening in hip hop is the propulgation of white supremacy. Look at your history, remember the slave trade, remember that they thought of us as the missing link, remember that we were not human or worthy. Paula Zhan does not necessarily help the cause because she and her daughter are not the true victims of hip hop we are.
March 14th, 2007 at 11:04 am
It is very sad CNN has got a negative and racist attitude towards black people also lack of historical understanding. We are living in the 21st Century CNN are hanging on to the white supermacist ideals of the slave trade,racism and apartheid.Paula Zhan does not support the idea of equal rights.
March 14th, 2007 at 11:45 am
i just want to say this lil show CNN did is total bull BUT i will give them this rap/hip hop today is NOTHING like what it was back in the day when Run DMC & Public Enemy were doing there thing i mean rap today is nothing more then girls, money, and cars i mean if u cant think of something els to rap about don’t rap ive turned to listening to the underground and turned away from this commercial stuff. the underground rap raps about life and thats what rap todau needs to go back to like look at 2pacs song Dear Mama that song is art he talks about the times he spent with his mother and the struggles he had to go throw with her this is what rappers today need to go back to the meaningful aspect of rap no more of this “i have a gun goin shoot u and get paid $10,000 then go get a hoe to shake it for me bullshit” grow up and get back to whats real.
March 14th, 2007 at 12:34 pm
This whole thing is the equivalent of saying punk rock supports Neo-Nazi ideology simply because you may see the odd skinhead at a punk show, or you know, something equally generalizing. I’ll be the first to admit ‘mainstream’ Hip Hop is mind numbing and contributes nothing to society, but it’s the easiest to market by the big companies. The thing is, like any genre, it only represents a fraction of the art form. It’s further proof people do NOT like to do the research on things they have no interest in, should they find it alters their result for the report. The bigwigs at CNN probably said “Hip Hop is bullshit set to a beat, go prove it”, and a few hours of the typical rotation at BET, you have the results of “research”. That’s not research in the slightest. That’s idiocy. If this was school, someone would be getting an E, and boys and girls, that’s damn close to a failing F. There’s been violence, crime, and misogyny in every century, it’s not something brought in by a 30 year old genre of music. Paula Zahn really needs to stop thinking just because she’s pretty, she doesn’t have to do her homework.
March 14th, 2007 at 1:17 pm
I would like to say poison and art. I’m not much of a hip hop listener, and I live in one of the whitest towns in Canada lol. But I have seen hip hop and herd some of it too, I like it, I don’t think its fucked up, I don’t want to go sell crack and shot people!
If you were to put on some one hit wonder rapper (50 cent) I would be greatly annoyed, but again I say, I would not go out and sell crack and shoot people! There’s a small margin of wanna be’s out there who bring the culture down (intentionaly or by there own ignorance)! Guidos whom I recently had the mispleasure of reading up on, would be one of these people, and no I don’t me “these people” lol.
I’m from a punk/hardcore scene in my city, we have the same problem with assholes. People who literally go around kicking and punching NOTHING trying to look and sound cool. Creating a hallow and misviewed section of a greater whole. People see these stupid ass individuals and assume we all are like that. Bull shit! Media taking advantage of something they don’t understand once again, check out CrimeThink, its a underground company (like 10 dudes ina basement lol) they made this movie on the Seatle riots, media had a once sided opinion that was toally bullshit… Im getting off topic here.
In short, mother fuckers acting stupid are seen by media, and media uses it against something differnt and misunderstood so they can frighten people away from it. Hip Hop is art, but the art has poison around it taking away from the beauty.
March 14th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
Typical!! Thats all it is! I’m not saying I agree or appreciate every song or every video within hip hop music but what about the rock song from back in the day that talked about gettin high etc…There is in my opinion More Good Hip hip than Bad and why not talk about the good that these artists do? No cant mention that can you Paula? It makes me sick that you have a President of you own country The Land of Freedom, that has still been in-effective when it comes to Katrina aftermath. What is George Bush doing right now to rebuild that community? Stop blaming everything on hiphop - there are bigger issues you can do a segment on?? Are you that hard up for a story? and further more if you dont like it then turn off the radio or tv! Funny how hip hop is considered to be poizon but Corporate America will use it to sell their Hamburgers or Beer or Sneakers or even Sporting events! Face it - Hip hop is not going anywhere!
Kandy
March 14th, 2007 at 2:30 pm
This is by far the worst debate i’ve ever heard of in my life. The debate itself is far more controversial than the topic. And to question the women and the way they are dressed in vidoes, is just nonsense. We all know, sex sells, you see it in almost every commercial on t.v. So why single out hip hop atrists for using this method in order to make sales? IT IS AN ART, it is an art of self expression, mixed with poetry, which should be admired, not questioned. Painting and scultures of naked people done by the worlds greatest atrists are look upon as Art. But poetry, which reflects on real life situations that matter, gets turned into the form of music, and it no longer concidered art? And the ladie on that interview has absolutly no right to comment on the work of and artist, EVER. Of course she wouldnt understand the reason emcees talk about certain things. SHe is not from the places emcees are from, she hasent seen the things they have seen. Until she steps into the life of a hip hop artist before the fame and money, she should keep her opinion to herself. This was a stab at the talents of those who make art just like any other artist, and i feel strongly that it was more of a stab at the life style among hip hop supporters accross the world. CNN YOU NEED TO STICK TO WORLD NEWS, NOT INSULTING THOSE WHO HAVE AN INTELLIGENCE LEVEL YOU COULD NEVER COMPREHEND!
Brett Avery
Windsor, ON, Canada
March 14th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
what it tells me is we are a poison’d artists some do this some do that some watch this and some watch that some spread positive energy some do not but we are all in need of some more positive movement and we are getting lazy by just showing how effected we are? im shure i could go on and on on how fucked up we are but we are all artists and its all art its expression but we do need to spread some love a little more our mirror is black and getting dirty! peace!
March 14th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
….
March 14th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
art or poison thats stupid wording
March 14th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
I’m a Tail-End Baby Boomer, so I missed a lot of the “Movement.” I was still quite young when I watched the older Boomers revolutionize sex. “If people want to go naked, they should. People should be free to make love with any partner they choose. Marriage is just a piece of paper. Humans aren’t meant to be monogamous. (Or maybe women are, but men certainly aren’t). There’s nothing wrong with the human body. A woman’s body is beautiful and shouldn’t be hidden.” So now the Front-End Boomers are dissing hip hop for being the result of the Sexual Revolution. As for violence, I just heard a song on a 60s oldies station that I hadn’t heard since I was a little girl. Don’t know the name, but the words go, “Bang! Bang! I shot my lover down.” I remember Neil Young singing, “Down by the river, I shot my lady.” My favorite 60s sex lyric is from Led Zeppelin: “Squeeze my lemon till the juice runs down my leg” (I’d like to hear a hip hop version of that - I’m sure someone’s done it, but I’m not exposed to much of the genre). Someone mentioned David Lee Roth earlier - I remember his 80s video where a woman wore a crop shirt that basically covered her nipples and not much else, and thong hot pants, that basically covered her pubic hair and not much else. That was a few years before Tipper “Boomer” Gore started her censorship crusade. Thanks to her, there are Parental Advisories on these CDs. The Boomers who chanted, “If it feels good, do it,” long ago became their parents: “Do as I say, not as I do.” Speaking of which, their idol Bill Clinton doesn’t treat women very well - not even his own wife and daughter. So why are they picking on hip hop?
March 14th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
People are up and arms because minorities are also getting rich off of this as well as the record executives. People are doing for themselves. We are making an impact on the white youth. No one cared when it was just Black people listening to and making the music. Oh now we have a problem?
Hip-Hop is a way to tell stories. Our stories arent always pretty. I do take issue with a lot of the language and degrading images in hip-hop but I am positive that this will change for the better.
If you raise your children right they will sort through whats good and whats junk. People have the power to listen, not listen to buy or not buy.
There are a lot of hip-hop artists who have a positive message to send out there and they aren’t being promoted in the media. Notice there was no mention of the roots of hip-hop or about those who spread a positive message? Is anyone surprised?
Hip-hop is bad, hip-hop is all poison. Maybe if you watch CNN it is.
March 14th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
Why dose the media focus n the bad in Hip Hop and call the whole artform into question.
In my 34 years never have I seen a debate on Heavy Metal or even Grunge music.
As Naught By Nature said “Cussin’ wasn’t nothin’ ’till the Blackman rapped…”
I find it to be more racist media propaganda!!!
Stand up people of all colors who love Hip Hop and tell these people to talk about the good as well as the bad.
How come they didn’t speak more on the good Hip Hop and the positive messages.
This is typical banter from the hypocritical and biased News giants trying to force their false opinions down Americas collective throats.
I repeat: I find it to be more racist media propaganda!!!
March 14th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
It is not fair, that cause a few commerical rapper
hip hop is getting shited on. I’m a b-boy and hip hop is an art. There is a lot more to hip hop then the half naked girls, drugs, cars, and guns. Those are the things that commerical rappers sing about. Now, lets not confuse hip hop wit commerical rap. the war that cnn has is wit commerical rap, and they
can blame the rich white people that have fucked up the music bussiness, cause they want to get richer using rapper that do it for the money, an not out of love for hip hop. Wat I suggest to cnn is to listen to Nas new single “Hip Hop is dead”, cause it is. Don’t blame the shit on Hip Hop. Your
fight is wit commerical rap.
March 14th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Sorry.. Although I believe in freedom of expression, I think it can be done without the profanity. Yes, I do think hiphop is an art, as is rap but I really think the form of art degrades itself when it stoops to attacks on women as sex objects, when it degrades women calling us bitches and ho’s etc., when it “supports” gangs and robberies, vioelence and hate, and when every other word is a cuss word. I do however enjoy some of the rap out there that is clean and I do enjoy some of the hiphop too. Like NHL hockey, things just need to be less focus to hate. It would be quite differnt if some of the songs about hate and violence had a lesson to learn in it meant to teach or morals to represent. You must realise that what you play or display is also a representation of “yourself” and who you like or choose to be. If you want people to see you as a mouthy punk person who degrades women the by all means, make your choice as being that. People can take that as your face value and choose to shun you. You are here in this world to set forth an example. If you have a gift as a DJ and can make either a negative impact with that gift or a positive impact then take your silver spoon and run with it and if you want to look like a loser then you can’t expect CNN or whoever to not want to club you over the head with your silver spoon.
March 14th, 2007 at 6:33 pm
What makes me sick in comment to the sample of 50 cent video is the fact that these guys are all completely dressed head to toe while women are walking behind them like puppy dogs in bras and panties. It’s not only Rap and Hip hop that does this though but the society. Look at the shampoo commercials of women strutting across the screen in towels flipping their hair. Why isn’t the shoe on the other foot so we see MEN as that. Why not have men advertising mops and household cleaners. There was a Coca Cola commercial that I loved. It had executive women up in the office window watching and woohing a shirtless male construction worker. The commercial was very quickly pulled off the market as being “sexist”. Why is it so wrong for women to oogle at the men for a change and the men to be the sex objects? Look at all of the strip joints with female strippers..Men can go in without door passes and the strip joints are all over the place. There are very few male strippers out there in comparison and at that, when women want to see them they need to pay a door pass the pay for each item of clothing to be removed. Seems women are acting as quote “b_tches” being female dogs and sitting and rolling over as men say. We are not making enough demands of men. Our daughters are being trained by society to be and mock what we learn in the media. We grow up playing with Barbie thinking we should be like her. I’m ashamed to say that Avril our Canadian superstar took a stand at one time and then suddenly she began acting the very part she spoke up against. Look at Cher and Madonna, both very powerful women in the music industry who quickly removed their clothing and made themselves sex objects. We should be backing down and saying NO MORE!! Women hold more power than we care to see. We are the world. Without us there’d be no men. Look who is the majority in raising our sons– Women. We should be taking away those things our sons are being taught and make the media change and create more EQUALITY. Why are there no women in the NHL? Just because we are mothers who bare children doesn’t mean we must “liberate” by becoming men either. We can just be who we want to be. Do our god given right in simply being mothers or become lumber jacks. Why should we degrade ourselves and allow ourselves to be degraded. I challenge Maddonna, the “hottest” superstar to make a stand to create change for her own children. Teach your daughter you don’t need to take off your clothing and be naked to be attractive. You can be attractive in nickers and a turtle neck. You can be an ARTIST without opening your legs and enticing men.
March 14th, 2007 at 8:50 pm
Hip-hop, poetry, music, jazz…artforms that express. Like jazz when it started out, hip-hop is hated. Why? Because it’s honest and truthful about subjects quietly deemed ‘taboo’? Chuck D is right, there is just a small margin of hip-hop being exploited and those who reep the benefits are not those who live the life from which hip-hop was sown.
I wonder why death metal, porn, action flicks, etc. aren’t targeted and called poison. Is it because these things are more relatable to the mainstram masses? I certainly don’t understand the lyrics in a lot of death metal songs. Some are very offensive - without shame.
March 14th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Mtv, is runnin this rap shit
Viacom is runnin this rap shit
AOL and Time Warner runnin this rap shit
We poke out the asses for a chance to cash in
Cocaine, is runnin this rap shit
Hennessey, is runnin this rap shit
Quasi-homosexuals is runnin this rap shit
Watch out we run the world
March 14th, 2007 at 10:22 pm
Ok, first of all, if we were to criticise a genre, it would have to be country, because that ‘music’ is bullshit and it hurts my ears. Secondly, rap is not poison, it is a form of art, i’d like to see any of you motherfuckers try to sing that fast, and come up with lyrics that actually make sense to our generation, not some shit like “aww i lost my wife, my car and my dog” come on, who the fuck cares!! Seriously, stop dissing rappers, they are talented people too, and they deserve some recognition.
March 15th, 2007 at 2:16 am
Wow This society is more screwed up than i thought, i cant believe they actually had a CNN exclusive on Hip Hop, and how “poiseness” is……what a load of shit…….that really blows my mind……..HipHop is art. The News is Poison….
March 15th, 2007 at 9:41 am
I believe that if there are parents are there that are concerned about the messages that various artists send, perhaps they should actually communicate with thier children. They should also begin to get in touch with the state of the world and WHY these artists are communicating thier observations and feelings about the world in such a raw manner.
The world is an offensive place these days, I’m surprised given the news they apparently report, that they are not more aware of this fact. The attitude of this un-informed journalist makes me sick to my stomach. The lack of intelligence in this report on the side of those that state that Hip hop is poison is appalling but not suprising.
There IS offensive content in the lyrics but it’s that content that adds further impact to the messages these artists are sending.
Perhaps CNN should focus more on the “war on terror” and the “war on drugs”, as Bush’s administration is still failing the public and requires thier help in creating a smoke screen for thier incompetence.
I think Hip Hop is most definitely and art form and I personally enjoy it.
March 15th, 2007 at 11:32 am
In any genre of music you will find artists that contribute in a negitive way, it is not just present in hip hop. The Hip hop community is more open and vocal about their opinions and struggles than other artists and this may be a reason why there is more of a negitive view of hip hop artists. There are parent advisorys on cd jackets to warn parents of mature content. Everyone is free to express their thoughts and views. As a parent it is my job to make sure that my child listens to apropriate music, and when he comes to me with a song that is questionable it is my job to explain to him the message behind the language. The poison in America today is not the music, or even the lifestlye behind the music, it is the over a million children having to raise themselves. The real question should be where are the parents?
March 15th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
Of course Hip-hop is a form of art.
In the sense that it is a form of expression in relation to sociey.
but as they mentionned in the CNN interview, it does prone violence by means of lyrics; if our society wasn’t so violent, then maybe it wouldn’t do so, or maybe wouldn’t exist.
I must admit they were wrong when associating images of crime scene after speaking of these lyrics, journalism shouldn’t be engaged, but the people on this site were as wrong doing by editing the CNN clip in order to force their view to the viewers of this site. In the end is someone wright? I don’t think so, is hip-hop art or poison? neither, Let’s just call it an art form that expresses the poison of society; as society may get it to speak of violence sex and drugs, it may get society to be violent, have mindless sex and use drugs… It’s a vicious circle!
March 17th, 2007 at 12:17 am
[…] CNN asks “Hip-Hop: Art or Poison?”Public Enemy - LIVE! in TorontoPublic Enemy - 20 years in the making”I’d compare Pharoahe Monch to Shakespeare.” - MindBender”I like you peoples…” - Borat SagdiyevForest “Ghost Dog” Whitaker wins an OscarPoint Blank - Born and Raised in the Ghetto “Bob Marley… I used to sell him weed.” - Don LettsThe “My Adidas” Story - Run DMCHip-Hop Summit with Russell Simmons LINKS WE LOVE […]
March 17th, 2007 at 10:56 am
This situation reminded me of another CNN poll that I responded to where I bucked the tide of the majority of the CNN viewers that responded. The situation I am referring to was Bill Gates testimony concerning the need to import an unlimited amount of foreign high tech workers. I agreed with Bill Gates, and I think this should not be a problem. However, the Lou Dobbs poll showed more than 90% of the viewer disagreed with me. I think the bigger minded, younger crowd are turning more and more to the internet, and the reporting on the internet is filled with less bias than the US TV channels, where an amazing amount of propaganda gets broadcast. To be honest with you, I really don’t have much time for the TV bullshit anymore. The computer and the internet are better communication mediums. People can say what they think without having someone else rephrase it, and edit out the main points.
March 17th, 2007 at 3:32 pm
I totally agree with DJ Tek-9! Just like the media to say something like this!
March 19th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
hiphop is not bad!!…alot of the music people make is realy bad!…we all know that!
..it is freedom of speach, but enough is enough!!…and we all know who’s making the crap!!…even though these people might be living in bullshit and writing/expressing themselves..nothing wrong with that!…its bullshit when people live by that bullshit!!!….stop bosting about crap!…
…i would say that 90 percent of the hiphop heads in the world are big time followers!!!…so what they see on tv or listen to on the radio or at home or out…whatever….they do it!
PeaceLoveUnity&Respect
March 20th, 2007 at 8:23 pm
Yo man its all some hipocrit shit if ya askin me. They use us to make cheese then shit on us. Fuck them it aint gonna stop me from makin my moeny. They can bitch all they want. But hip-hop and its artist aint goin nowhere anytime soon. Keep doin ya thing yall and to hell with these anna nicole watchin no life robot muhfuckas. They can eat a dick!
March 21st, 2007 at 4:38 pm
This Bitch doesn’t know any thing. She’s speaking as a mother and not as a journalist. A REAL journalist would have gotten some comments from the people who do listen to it, not just the old hypocrites she has on there…
March 23rd, 2007 at 4:51 pm
Rap just like metal, rock, R&B, reggae, etc…
are ALL ART!!!!!!!
I have been listening to rap since I was 12(now 25)and it’s great to see the change in the music.
All the genres have change over time so what’s the big fuckin’ deal?!
Rap is an ART!!!!!!
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:12 pm
Cnn is desperate righht there, they know we hold the future
March 24th, 2007 at 9:22 pm
well i agree with this video. hip hop is poison. “artists” if you can call them that go around saying in their lyrics that gang banging innocent people, pistol wipping some poor old man, calling women disrespetful words, and many other things are OK. if this was anyother genre of music there would be lawsuits against anyone who had anything to do with the song. so whay is it ok for guys like 50 cent to say these things????
if promoting violence is ok then why is it not ok for young children who hear it is ok to go out and be violent?????
do we really want to be telling children that it is ok for them to go out and call everyone they see a whore, bitch, or cunt?????
if think think it is ok you should go see a doctor, you inconciderate bastards.
krys
March 29th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
hease right man rap know hase change alote know but thats no reason to insult it the only reason she is pull shit on it is becasue she dasint have a thing for it
March 30th, 2007 at 9:58 am
Wow almost 300 bills of comments on this vid, and mine to be the same as most… Poison is only bad if you take it… So enjoy the music, take it as you want, we have drugs and guns for other reasons… don’t shit on our plate cause you plate already has shit on it…
Peace love and soultrain all…
April 1st, 2007 at 9:50 am
Hip Hop is only poision because everybody wants to glorifiy Drugs an Guns, if half the rappers out there today tried to get their starts promoting cheerful emotions and joy joy feelings, they wouldn’t make the cut. It still surprises me how Kanye west/Nas/Blackeyed peas, and rappers that encourage all races to stop the hate”n” and start the participation, one Nation(all of its “People”)under the sun Nahmean.
Cnn is not poision but they seem to get around like a disease, say you be sittin watching the price is right? and homeboy calls you up and starts ripin you to tune in CNN only to see some kids leg blown off or another soilder killd by road side device. Why does News have to always be ShitLuck and HardTimes. Guns and Drugs i guess !!! Chuck D keepin it Real
April 3rd, 2007 at 4:04 pm
I dont think its the rappper’s fault. Its the industry controlling them , they dont necessarily want to make music thats all about drugs ,sex, and violence but it sells and they wont get sighned by major labels unless they do. Common, Phaoroah Monch are exceptiontions . I blame it on radio if artists like Common got more spins then they would sell more and that would change things.
April 3rd, 2007 at 11:59 pm
I am shocked that CNN did not censor these comments… But then again, Americans aren’t listening to the messages; they’re just watching the pictures.
April 4th, 2007 at 4:35 am
This is a sad day.Poison,whats poison?What they talk everyday is poison.How do u report something u no nothing about.Who cares how many people sell out,they do it to eat so ontill she knows what that means her talk is cheap cnn is cheap and her words will never make since.Hip hip is life, and what r people scared of most life and what it means.If your real and understand life nothing is poison its all Gods words.Peace and love to everthing real.
April 4th, 2007 at 10:53 am
Hip Hop is a form of protest, no not all Hip Hop artists are giving a good message, but neither are the leaders of our countries. Freedon of Speech is in question when only one group is singled out with this type of reporting. As a woman I am only degraded if I allow myself to be. To use Enquirer tactics in what is supposed to be a hard hitting news segment (all robberies are apparently because of Hip Hop) is just plain poor reporting and sensationalism, not what I expect from a news agency. The real question is where is the leadership in our countries that show our young people the difference between right and wrong? I believe that parents have to take some responsibility in how their children react to any music ….. music is a channel that allows us to express our displeasure at what is happening in our world today, a form of protest and should be given the respect it deserves. It wasn’t that long ago that rock and roll was called the devils music so I guess the cycle continues. Respect one another is the only true answer.
April 4th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
I’m not a big fan of hip hop, but I don’t believe that hip hop can change the human’s personalities!
sometimes CNN says too much BS.
April 5th, 2007 at 9:07 am
NEWs UPDATE:
It seems CNN’s Ms. Paula Zaun has been having an affair, got caught by her hubby and is now gettin’ a divorce. Could Hip-Hop be to blame? Ms. Zaun was so concerned about the effects of rap music on her impressionable children - we wonder the impact her own behaviour might have?
read the details here.
April 5th, 2007 at 9:43 am
Paula Zaun was caught having an affair with a married man. She was “happily” married too before the new broke. I wonder what music influenced her to do that?
April 6th, 2007 at 9:26 pm
With everything that is going on in the world with fighting, judging, prejudism, etc. The music has become more violent in their words. There is to much violence out there now, and with the words of calling people the “N” word, or Bitches etc. it isn’t necessary. I don’t like the songs with people calling other’s the N word, I never have. I find it so disrespectful, and it is a reminder of what the world culture use to do to black people. Sure people want to get their anger and opinions out there, but calling people names or judging people for who they are is not a good way to do it. Getting your message out there through your songs is one thing, you just don’t need to use the words you do in the songs. I won’t watch movies or listen to songs if they have certain words them in it because it frustrates me and upsets me a great deal how people can verbally abuse another person, race, culture, sexual preferences etc. You can say what you want to say without it. I guess that’s it.
April 8th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
CNN’s only responsibility is to bring the news- to bring viewers an un-biased opinion…however all that chick brought was a reason to hate.
i think CNN is poison, hip-hop is an art of arts and should be looked deeper beyond the lyrics to feel the beats, judgeing a culture as a whole is completely wasteful, it’s like painting every person with the same paint brush.
asking if hip-hop is art or poison is like asking if piccasso is priceless or trash…it’s all in the eye of the beholder!
April 9th, 2007 at 8:03 pm
this is by far the stupidest shit i have ever heard..
first off what they are talking about is rap not hip hop, hip hop is not a ganra it is more of a lifestyle. a lifestyle that contains 4 elements, now if u asked a few of the rappers that are famous most of them probobly dont know about the 4 elements of hip hop those who do not are the the rappers who sing about grills and cars and money. that is not hip hop
that is rap
hip hop music contains true meaning and rarly talks about materialistic needs.
well back to the hip hop elements the four hip hop elements are Djing, Mcing, Bboying, tagging. hip hop artist usualy have 2 or more elements although you can have just one.
most hip hop has meaning, for example binary star- honest expression, they explain it all
April 12th, 2007 at 12:56 am
You know the problem with Tokens…it’s a small part representing all…theres some great stuff goin on, and in any great investigation…that has any validity..there should be representation of both…not a one sided F-up
April 13th, 2007 at 11:47 am
shit’s wack, but i do agree the hip-hop, if i can call it that, that they are focusing on is “poison” but not really, it’s just mainstream bling rap. maybe they should listen to atmosphere or some def jukies and see what the real deal is.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
I just want to say people all ways want to talk about hip hop, what about all the other hard core music the white people listen to they don’t never say any thing bout that, but in a way some things rapers say in there songs or bad but it’s pertty much goin on in the world right now they just puttin it out there i don’t think its poison i think it’s what in our head
April 16th, 2007 at 9:56 pm
first thing crack was introduced by the C.I.A. to keep the population of blacks down this show only tells people what they wanna hear..if u know anything about the scene u dont belive its poison if u dont know u will belive anything they tell u. its media at its best its total bullshit
April 17th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
I cant beleave todays sociey.I do not watch CNN but i must say that this is why! It is hard enough living in this world of many cultures and trying to live, love and be happy with out the One’s who R misleadding and confussed about the MANY great experiences that can make them feel great, or expand their minds to experience the love that most music put out!It can be all about the beat baby* So poison it is not. As far as CNN “DRAMA” and “MISLEADDING” cause they just don’t know!
I say they should say SORRY to all and make that on a show cause like some say “Ignoratance
comes in many shapes ,sizes,and forms and that one was one of them!” Reporters do lie but we dont cut them down for it!
sherrisharebear
April 26th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
You know why can’t the media just shut up. Why’s that?
ANSWER:
CNN probably is owned by the idiots who are ruining hip hop and can’t say too much bad about it or provide the better lyricists to criticize.
April 27th, 2007 at 1:59 pm
PAULA ZAUN SEEMS TO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HIP HOP AND DECIDED TO BASH IT WITH NO FACTS AND BASICALLY ASSUMES THAT HIP HOP IS POISON BASED ON WHAT SHE SEES IN THE VIDEOS AND WHAT SHE HEARS ON THE LYRICS., AND CNN SUPPORTS AND DELIVERS THIS IGNORANT DISCUSSION , A NETWORK THAT’S MANAGED BY CORPORATE AMERICA, THE SAME PEOPLE THAT ARE INVESTING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN HIP HOP.
HIP HOP TO US IS THE WAY WE LIVE AND OUR FORM OF EXPRESSION, SO WE TELL IT LIKE IT IS, YOU CAN’T COMPARE AN INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS RAISED IN THE HOOD WITH SOMEONE THAT WAS RAISED IN SUBURBIA, IT’S JUST NOT THE SAME LIFE STYLE. THEY NOT EXPOSED TO THE LIFE WE LIVE, BUT YET WE MANAGE TO MAKE SOMETHING POSITIVE OUT SOMETHING NEGATIVE.
BUT NOW DAYS HIP HOP IS ENTERTAINMENT JUST LIKE A HOLLYWOOD MOVIE, A VIDEO GAME OR A BOOK. AND WITH A WRITER, A PRODUCER AND PERFORMER YOU CAN CREATE ENTERTAINMENT.
BUT IF SCARFACE IS MY FAVORITE MOVIE AM I SUPOSE TO TURN INTO A BIG CRIMINAL?. NO!, IT’S ONLY A MOVIE!
A MOVIE CAN CONTAIN SEXUAL AND EXPLICIT CONTENT JUST LIKE IN ANY OTHER TYPE OF GENRE OF MUSIC NOT JUST HIP HOP.
PARENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR KIDS BEHAVIOR AND WHEN THEY NOT DOING THE RIGHT JOB THEY LOOK FOR SOMETHING TO BLAME AND THEY CHOOSE TO BLAME HIP HOP SINCE HEAVY METAL IT’S NO LONGER MAINSTREAM MUSIC…
IF CNN WANTS TO DO A REAL RESEARCH ON HIP HOP THEY NEED TO SPEND A YEAR FILMING IN THE PROJECTS AND SEE HOW WE MAKE THE BEST OUT OF THE LITTLE BIT WE HAVE, SEE WHAT WE REALLY MEAN WHEN WE USE WORDS THAT CNN FINDS OFFENSIVE BUT TO US THEY’RE NOT.
MAYBE CNN SHOULD DO A REALITY SHOW AND SEND PAULA ZAUN TO LIVE IN A DA HOOD FOR A FEW MONTHS SO SHE CAN UNDERSTAND AND EXPERIENCE HIP HOP AND SEE THE REAL POINT OF VIEW, LOL.
BUT CNN IS REALLY LOOKING LIKE POISON TO ME FOR PORTRAYING ONLY THE NEGATIVE SIDE OF HIP HOP. NEGATIVE JUST TO THEM THAT IS….
May 4th, 2007 at 11:49 am
Never, would it be my intention to disrspect the freedom of speech, in the aspect of any music. The keyword is freedom, and freedom is justice. Most of the time the music is self centered, and they wonder why its not accepted as a whole. I really see no talent in a couple of men around the age of 25 or older, throwing their mouths off, witth little dancing skills. Last I heard bands contained instruments. Now the beat boxing part is cool.The competition to fight for a place in hip hop is not a fight its a chase, into someone else’s shadow. “Where is the independance?” I myself like some rappers. For the most part they add clutter and disatisfaction to my mind. I do not like to believe in violence. If thats is what you grew up with, leave it in the past. Somethings are just better left unsaid. You are most powerful in your present. The power of the future is bigger than this music, I dont see how in anyway its a miracle. I don’t believe this is anywhere near, the best anyone can ever do with their life. This topic is very important. The younger generations may not see the difference between violence on television and violence in their own backyard. Seeing it on tv, by the people they admire, really doesnt turn them away from it. It intrduces them to the concept that people get away with things. No matter how much money they make, there is most definately an alterantive to speaking your mind in any way, shape or form. Be a leader, not a follower. - Bobbi-
November 26th, 2007 at 4:49 am
I find this ironic… It’s cool to make money off hip hop and endorse it as long as it does so, but let’s call it poison in the society at the same time!!
But one thing that I really never understood is the whole “degradation of women”. ARE YOU SERIOUS?! It actually makes me laugh that they’ve even been pushing that “campaign” for so long. Pardon me if I’m wrong, but that ‘degradation’ is music video modeling. These women CHOOSE to be in the videos. As far as the verbal thing, the way I see it the majority of the population say the same thing about women… it’s just behind closed doors.
Sometimes it feels like it’s really pointless to even waste my ‘breath’ on this, but at the end of the day all I can say is that people are scared of what they don’t understand… or what they’re jealous of… which is young entrepreneurs making more money than them!!
DYSTINKT WIT’ IT! available on iTunes NOW!!
July 5th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
wow. this is basically the exact same thing as about 20years ago when Tipper Gore and a bunch of other people decided that rock was degrading women, and encouraging violence. It’s all stupid. I am not saying I like most of the rap being played today, but what the media is trying to tell people is just stupid. Although from a rappers perspective, no publicity is bad publicity. Technically all it does is make a teenager want the music more as a act of rebellion. In the end, rap will win, and rich, suburbanites are bound to fail.
February 26th, 2009 at 1:32 am
[…] This past weekend, I was feeding my need for my form of heroine: facebook and blogs, when I came across a Toronto-based blog, The Rap Project where it discussed a CNN program called NOW, hosted by Paula Zahn. NOW aired a special “investigation” on February 21st, debating whether hip-hop was an art or a poison. Two days later, Zahn intensified my anger by accusing hip-hop for fuelling gay-bashing. Watching the clips and reading the transcripts, I was outraged. I felt like I was watching an amateur documentary that was only presenting one side of a story. But this is CNN here, not Michael Moore. This was a direct form of discrimination against a lifestyle and culture, and like any other, it can equally affect the lives of millions in every region, of every class and of every background worldwide, negatively or positively. I do not even know where to begin with my rebuttal or if I should even bother. Why is hip-hop always targeted? How come the white, upper-class American mainstream media never target the Lindsay Lohan’s of today for raping their young daughters of their innocence or the encouraged suicides from the emo-culture or the Rock N Roll scene of the 1980s (or ever) where they had bands like Mötley Crüe and Black Sabbath (god bless their cheesy music) who probably fucked more groupies and encouraged more drugs-use than any rap star? They my as well just target youth culture as a whole and ban the adolescent experience. I witness optimism in the hip-hop culture everyday. This optimism is what society needs to showcase and focus on and not the gangbusting bling-bling image we see on MTV. I really don’t know what else to say except thank god I’m Canadian and thank god for CBC. MVexposé: Big Philly aka Phillysophical […]