Ayy, dawg, that label is that slave ship
Owners got them whips and rappers is slaves
I really don't give two rips about rap, but I really think literally nothing should be compared to or equated with slavery. How does that hypothetical conversation go?
Slave "I was taken away from my family and sold at an auction when I was 15, and since then I work 16 hours a day for no money in the hot sun..."
Rapper "I feel ya homey, I mean, my record contract only advanced us a couple hundred thousand for our last album..."
And if being a recording artist is so tough, go do something else. Places are hiring.
It's not that simple my man. If it was they wouldn't be concerned about some things and issues.
But it did its job. It got you talking about slavery right?
Also, these are their relatives, their ancestors. It's like saying if you were of jewish decent, that you can't compare mistreatment to Nazi Germany. It's like saying, us natives can't compare assimilation of our people to our ancestors.
And why can't they?
To me, working for money that keeps inflating and keeps getting more difficult to basically live with all the damn debt people have, is the modern evolution of Slavery. It just has a more prettier label on it now.
But, you also do not understand the music business and what happens behind the scenes in the rap world. All of these underground rappers talk about how the music business is. They talk about how these music executives manipulated Rap and infiltrated it to become the manufactured rap you see today. Those executives knew how influential Rap is to the youth, so they corrupted it into the mainstream rap that has lyrics that only talk about Thots and their WAP.
I would highly suggest that if you want to really understand rap and it's culture and how it relates and is influential for the black community or more so the oppressed, I would NOT listen to mainstream rap, but rather search for rappers such as Dead Prez, Immortal Technique, KRS-ONE, Talib Kweli, Jedi Mind Tricks. These rappers do not subscribe to that mainstream executive music business products.
These guys understand what is in these record contracts, and what is required of them once they sign that contract. And how difficult it is to get out of that contract while not tarnishing your career as a music artist.
Rap is an art. I dare any of you to make a rap and have it mean something, from the heart, and have a good flow, with some nice poetic words.
I also highly recommend reading this book...
https://mkasante.com/books/its-bigger-than-hip-hop/It’s Bigger Than Hip Hop takes a bold look at the rise of a generation that sees beyond the smoke and mirrors of corporate-manufactured rap and is building a movement that will change not only the face of pop culture, but the world.
MK Asante, a passionate young poet, professor, filmmaker, and activist who represents this new movement, uses hip hop as a springboard for a larger discussion about the urgent social and political issues affecting the hip-hop and post-hip-hop generations.
Through insightful anecdotes, scholarship, revolutionary rap lyrics, personal encounters, and conversations with youth across the globe as well as icons such as Chuck D and Maya Angelou, Asante illuminates a shift that can be felt in the crowded spoken-word joints in post-Katrina New Orleans, seen in the rise of youth-led organizations committed to social justice, and heard around the world chanting “It’s bigger than hip hop.”
Here's an example of a heartfelt, from the heart, rap song with poetic lyrics....
Immortal Technique - You Never Know