Will Hip-Hop Kill Gospel?

By R. Renee

DISCLAIMER:  When I say Hip-Hop I’m referring to this corporate-controlled hip-hop that’s promoted in the mainstream media.

Why pose this question?

I can’t help but notice how corporate America co-opted true Hip Hop and turned it into a vehicle for promoting materialism (bling bling), violence (gangsta rap), and self-hatred (bitches, ho’s and niggas).

Rap/Hip-Hop which was created from a pure place of creativity, love and consciousness became a tool of the corporate machine.  Corporate gangstas use Rap/Hip-Hop to impose its own agenda onto the masses across the globe.

So Hip-Hop music has suffered. Some of it may sound good, but the message in the music just ain’t good for you.

The Death of R & B

The current state of R & B is an example of how corporate Hip-Hop corrupts other music genres. Corporate Hip-Hop is a cancer that has effectively killed R & B (at least mainstream R & B). And that’s unfortunate because R & B music is where we get our love songs. Those song have a powerful vibration. There’s nothing like a man confessing his love for his woman through song or vice versa. Love songs affirm and celebrate our love for one another.

There’s no love in these R & B songs now. They’re basically low realm, sex songs frontin’ as love songs. The songs devalue women (and men) and reduces them to one dimensional sex objects.

Isn’t that what corporate Hip-Hop does?

We need to get back to the love songs of Teddy Pendergrass, Luther Vandross, Gerald Levert, Lenny Williams, etc. A divorce between Hip-Hop and R & B is long overdue. We need our love songs back.

Is Gospel the Next Victim?

I like Kirk Franklin. I like Mary Mary. I only mention them because they are two of the most popular Gospel acts who blend Gospel with a Hip-Hop (and R & B) flavor. I just hope Gospel artists take note of how corporate thugs hijacked Hip-Hop and how Hip-Hop then corrupted R & B.

Gospel has it’s own powerful message of love. Gospel music proclaims our love for the Most High and the Most High’s love for us. Gospel music is the last bastion for hope for a Black people who have faced and are facing indignities of every manner known to man.

Let’s hope the powerful message of Gospel music doesn’t get pimped out and played out by corporate-controlled Hip-Hop.

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