It's hard out here for a pimp

"Martin Scorcese-0, Three Six Mafia-1"

Clearly the line of the night, and one that will resonate in the minds of Academy Award patrons for years to come.

I have to admit, however that there was something profoundly artistic and compelling about 3-6's performance (your thinking...what??). The other day I was disgusted by the fact that they were chosen to perform. After seeing the performance, I had to force myself to ponder the success of this movie, and likewise, this song. What is it about Terrance Howard that America suddenly loves so much? The immediate conclusion is that lightskin black men are back in style (fall back Taye).

But there has to be more to this. 3-6 was so serious about their performance, and we saw (although we didn't understand) their acceptance speech...serious to the point it has me considering the merits of minstrel rap. Think about it...as much as some people hate what we consider to be this degrading representation of black music/culture, have we ever stopped to consider that these dudes might actually be out there pimping, if they we'ren't rapping about it? The fervor in their performance suggests a limited perception of reality and possibilities, that characterizes the mentality of a lot of aspiring minstrel rappers. 3-6, jeezy, TI, and every other minstrel rapper to precede them are essentially all rapping about the same thing- the trap. And like Talib Kweli has so lucidly observed, "the drugs, the basketball, and the rap" is precisely how so many of them envision themselves.

Now I intentionally say "them", as opposed to "we", in spite of the fact that I'm a black male that's a product of an urban environment, which is in fact the mecca for hip hop culture. Although I was a freestyle fanatic myself that had pipe dreams of being a rapper in high school (more so in the mold, of talib, common, canibus, etc.- my idols at the time) I never saw that as the only option, certainly not the most feasible option, and not even the ideal option. The world was never that small to me. And when the only world in which so many urban youth reside- figuratively- becomes increasingly homogenous we have a problem. The problem is not misogynistic, materialistic, and gangsta-ridden hip-hop. The problem is that that sector of hip hop now has a monolopy on all other sectors.

In the 1992 Run DMC song, "Down With the Kings", one of the rappers (forgot who) dropped the line "and after 12th grade I went straight to college." There was nothing taboo about rhyming about college back then. Dumbing down your lyrics was not a priority back then- in fact the opposite was the mantra. That may have been the last time I heard a popular rapper allude to college until Kanye came along. AND RUN DMC WAS COMMERCIAL TOO.

So my point/question is this...although many rappers now abide by the blueprint that Jay Z laid out ("dumbed down to my audience and doubled my dollars"), with the ascent of Kanye, and the "resurrection" of Common, the mainstream may finally have to recognize that "conscious" or "backpacker" (I'll save the problematic contemporary usage of these terms for another post) music is marketable and profitable. But and should they?

Does more Common and less 3-6 mean more lyrics, and more pimping?

Does more Kanye and less Jeezy mean less gangsta music,
but more gangsta activity?

Intereresting stat of the week
# of black homicide victims in 1991: 12,226 (pre-commercialization of gangsta rap)
# of black homicide victims in 2003: 6,912 (post-commercialization of gangsta rap)

Source: FBI

Although I'm one of the most avid opponents of gangsta rap, I think I can tolerate us rapping about killing each other, if it leads to less of us actually doing it. Maybe minstrel rap does more to help than hurt the community than we'd previously thought. Maybe it's time to stop the tirade against BET, before we turn these actors back into gangstas.

Just something to think about.

-Conservative Hip Hop Iconolcast