And, while the Democratic Presidential nominee has eclectic tastes (he is a big fan of musicians such as Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, and J-Z, among others), Obama did express his admiration for, and concerns about, Rap music.
As Rolling Stone and the AP report, Senator Obama has reservations about the message of some Rap music. "I am troubled sometimes by the misogyny and materialism of a lot of rap lyrics," he said, "but I think the genius of the art form has shifted the culture and helped to desegregate music." (AP article Obama reveals iPod song list).
While Obama said hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and rappers Jay-Z and Ludacris are "great talents and great businessmen..." he also said, "It would be nice if I could have my daughters listen to their music without me worrying that they were getting bad images of themselves."
Obama's concern is frequently echoed. It is a continuing discussion in the music industry, and is also an important discussion taking place in homes around the world. In short, the problematic message of Rap music is a widely expressed concern.
However, despite the often disconcerting message of its lyrics, and videos, Rap music's commercial success has not been impeded. Rap has found complete acceptance in the world of Pop music. Rap's consistent presence on the top of the music charts is undeniable. For example, at the moment, roughly one-third of the albums included on BillBoard Music's Top-Fifty albums are Rap albums.
It is also argued, perhaps correctly, that it is the materialism and misogyny that drives Rap music's commercial success. While unfortunate, this may be reality. How to address the problem is another issue, and First Amendment protections control.
You can link to Billboard Music and its charts by clicking the IPEB link to the left.
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