Hip Hop Is Read

Nas - "Daughters" | Music Video

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Sun, 27 May 2012 12:14:00 +0000

Ufck what you heard. Nas is winning. Life Is Good coming soon...

The Truth about the Letter that Shocked the Internet Claiming the Music Industry Promoted Gangsta Rap to Fill Prisons

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Tue, 22 May 2012 20:43:00 +0000

I received this letter from Sebastien Elkouby, a self-professed Hip Hop Culture historian, publicist, and educator. He runs the educational program Global Awareness through Hip Hop Culture and P.R. company S&H Public Relations. The plot thickens...

The Truth about the Anonymous Letter that Shocked the Internet by Claiming that the Music Industry Promoted Gangsta Rap to Fill Prisons

By Sebastien Elkouby

Last month, a controversial anonymous letter entitled “The Secret Meeting That Changed Rap Music and Destroyed a Generation” hit the internet by storm. The letter, which claims that an unnamed top music industry executive promoted gangsta rap to fill private prisons, was republished by hundreds of blogs and websites, and was reposted on countless forums, Twitter, and Facebook profiles. Everyone from Public Enemy’s Chuck D to Freeway Ricky Ross had something to say about it. Various YouTube videos were posted to discuss the anonymous letter, and translations of the letter were posted in French, Spanish, and other languages for international audiences. The Huffington Post even published a critique questioning the validity of the claims made by the anonymous author who, fearing for his wellbeing, provided no names or details that might reveal his identity.

Many skeptics called the letter a hoax due to its poor writing style and general inconsistencies, yet an overwhelming number of people accepted its “facts” at face value. While I have my own concerns regarding the letter’s authenticity, the core message does touch on a frightening reality which doesn’t require any anonymous claims to prove it as truth. This may be why the letter has struck such a nerve with internet audiences. The private prison industrial complex is very real, and the people and entities behind it will go to surprising lengths to sustain it.

Although I haven’t come across any information that confirms the music industry’s investment in private prisons, the idea that the music industry has manipulated rap music to glorify misogyny, violence, drugs, and materialism is a common belief held in Hip Hop circles. Many artists, such as Wise Intelligent and Too Short, have shared their personal experiences which clearly point to a deliberate attempt by the music industry to silence and suppress Hip Hop music with substance.

The idea that music (and media in general) can be used as a medium of social engineering is nothing new. In the 1970’s, Black Music was already being studied by university researchers to learn how it could be manipulated to ultimately increase consumerism in mainstream markets. In 1990, the release of the book “Hit Men: Power Brokers and Fast Money Inside the Music Business” also points to corrupt business practices which place profit over ethics.

What seems to bother skeptics who simply see the anonymous letter as a cheesy conspiracy theory is the lack of verifiable information to back up its astounding claim. Sadly, as unbelievable as it may be, sicker things have happened which were once labeled “conspiracy theories” until the supporting evidence was uncovered and documented. Ridiculing conspiracy theories may be popular amongst self-righteous contrarians, but their mockeries ring hollow in the face of the following real-life documented government conspiracies.

The Tuskegee Experiment
The CIA-Sponsored Crack Epidemic
CoIntelPro

However, the focus of this article is on the claims that music industry executives invested in private prisons and promoted gangsta rap to influence young people into a life of crime, ultimately leading to higher incarceration and increased profits for those investors.

Michelle Alexander, civil rights attorney and author of the bestselling book “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness”, lays out the horrible truth about the private prison industrial complex in painstaking details. And while she makes no mention of the music industry’s involvement, the truth she uncovers is much more sinister than our anonymous letter could ever suggest.

Despite the letter’s elusive origin, is it really so difficult to fathom that a handful of key players in the entertainment industry would plot such a horrifying scheme when the truth is much more twisted than anyone could possibly imagine? But if you still need convincing, the following links should wake you up!

Judge Gets 28 Years for Receiving Money from Private Prison to Send Juveniles to Jail
Lawmakers' relatives work for private prison company
Wells Fargo bank invests in private prisons
Michigan governor cuts Detroit education spending and increases money to prisons
Prisons funded better than schools in Michigan
Prison Industries: "Don't Let Society Improve or We Lose Business"
Top 7 Reasons Why You Should Invest in Private Prison!
Follow the Prison Money Trail: Private prison companies invest millions in elections
How the Political Strategies of Private Prisons Promote Ineffective Incarceration Policies
Private Prison Corporations Are Modern Day Slave Traders
The Prison Industrial Complex
Private prison statistics

And the list goes on.

While there might not have been an actual plot to lead young rap fans to prison like the Pied Piper of Hamelin, the glorification of criminal or risky behavior in mainstream rap couldn’t have possibly been beneficial for young people over the last two generations. And while most of us understand that the so-called “War on Drugs”, not rap music, is responsible for the rising incarceration rate, too many of us seem blind to the fact that Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dogg, Tyga, YG, Kid Ink, French Montana, and all these other guys make millions for the music industry by carelessly promoting behaviors that undoubtedly influence impressionable minds to engage in dangerous (and often illegal) activities.

With more Black men in jail now than at any other time in our nation’s history, we need to move beyond arguing about the validity of incredible conspiracy theories and deal with the reality of undeniable facts: Our youth are in serious jeopardy and it isn’t merely a theory. We must take an active role in educating and empowering young people with the proper information. Or, we can stay stuck in front of our computers debating the authenticity of a grammatically incorrect anonymous letter which reads like a crime thriller whose specific claims are irrelevant, when the frightening truth about the private prison industrial complex is right under our noses.

James Vincent McMorrow, ANTHM & Blu | Sample & Example

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Mon, 21 May 2012 16:23:00 +0000

▲ Sample ▲
&
▼ Example ▼

Produced by RJF

The Tape Deck '12: Volume #25

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Sun, 20 May 2012 21:00:00 +0000

My favorite new volume of The Tape Deck (from volumes #20-#25). Enjoy!

The Tape Deck '12: Volume #24

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Sun, 20 May 2012 19:00:00 +0000

The Tape Deck '12: Volume #23

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Sun, 20 May 2012 18:00:00 +0000

The Tape Deck '12: Volume #22

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Sun, 20 May 2012 16:00:00 +0000

The Tape Deck '12: Volume #21

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Sun, 20 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

The Tape Deck '12: Volume #20

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Sun, 20 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

The Hidden Truth About Hip Hop Conspiracy Theories

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:03:00 +0000

Jay Smooth putting things into perspective, as usual.

4bnza

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:12:00 +0000

Only Argentina...

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Sun, 13 May 2012 08:58:00 +0000

'30 Rock', 'Community', and 'Parks & Recreation' Getting Cancelled Got Me Feeling Like...

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Thu, 10 May 2012 20:10:00 +0000

LINK

Hollywood as Hell... in .gif Form! [Pt. II]

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:48:00 +0000

SMH...

Pt. I

New Goodie Mob Got Me Feeling Like...

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 22:18:00 +0000

"The Secret Meeting that Changed Rap Music and Destroyed a Generation"

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:34:00 +0000

This anonymous letter landed in my inbox about a minute ago:

Hello,

After more than 20 years, I've finally decided to tell the world what I witnessed in 1991, which I believe was one of the biggest turning point in popular music, and ultimately American society. I have struggled for a long time weighing the pros and cons of making this story public as I was reluctant to implicate the individuals who were present that day. So I've simply decided to leave out names and all the details that may risk my personal well being and that of those who were, like me, dragged into something they weren't ready for.

Between the late 80's and early 90’s, I was what you may call a “decision maker” with one of the more established company in the music industry. I came from Europe in the early 80’s and quickly established myself in the business. The industry was different back then. Since technology and media weren’t accessible to people like they are today, the industry had more control over the public and had the means to influence them anyway it wanted. This may explain why in early 1991, I was invited to attend a closed door meeting with a small group of music business insiders to discuss rap music’s new direction. Little did I know that we would be asked to participate in one of the most unethical and destructive business practice I’ve ever seen.

The meeting was held at a private residence on the outskirts of Los Angeles. I remember about 25 to 30 people being there, most of them familiar faces. Speaking to those I knew, we joked about the theme of the meeting as many of us did not care for rap music and failed to see the purpose of being invited to a private gathering to discuss its future. Among the attendees was a small group of unfamiliar faces who stayed to themselves and made no attempt to socialize beyond their circle. Based on their behavior and formal appearances, they didn't seem to be in our industry. Our casual chatter was interrupted when we were asked to sign a confidentiality agreement preventing us from publicly discussing the information presented during the meeting. Needless to say, this intrigued and in some cases disturbed many of us. The agreement was only a page long but very clear on the matter and consequences which stated that violating the terms would result in job termination. We asked several people what this meeting was about and the reason for such secrecy but couldn't find anyone who had answers for us. A few people refused to sign and walked out. No one stopped them. I was tempted to follow but curiosity got the best of me. A man who was part of the “unfamiliar” group collected the agreements from us.

Quickly after the meeting began, one of my industry colleagues (who shall remain nameless like everyone else) thanked us for attending. He then gave the floor to a man who only introduced himself by first name and gave no further details about his personal background. I think he was the owner of the residence but it was never confirmed. He briefly praised all of us for the success we had achieved in our industry and congratulated us for being selected as part of this small group of “decision makers”. At this point I begin to feel slightly uncomfortable at the strangeness of this gathering. The subject quickly changed as the speaker went on to tell us that the respective companies we represented had invested in a very profitable industry which could become even more rewarding with our active involvement. He explained that the companies we work for had invested millions into the building of privately owned prisons and that our positions of influence in the music industry would actually impact the profitability of these investments. I remember many of us in the group immediately looking at each other in confusion. At the time, I didn’t know what a private prison was but I wasn't the only one. Sure enough, someone asked what these prisons were and what any of this had to do with us. We were told that these prisons were built by privately owned companies who received funding from the government based on the number of inmates. The more inmates, the more money the government would pay these prisons. It was also made clear to us that since these prisons are privately owned, as they become publicly traded, we’d be able to buy shares. Most of us were taken back by this. Again, a couple of people asked what this had to do with us. At this point, my industry colleague who had first opened the meeting took the floor again and answered our questions. He told us that since our employers had become silent investors in this prison business, it was now in their interest to make sure that these prisons remained filled. Our job would be to help make this happen by marketing music which promotes criminal behavior, rap being the music of choice. He assured us that this would be a great situation for us because rap music was becoming an increasingly profitable market for our companies, and as employee, we’d also be able to buy personal stocks in these prisons. Immediately, silence came over the room. You could have heard a pin drop. I remember looking around to make sure I wasn't dreaming and saw half of the people with dropped jaws. My daze was interrupted when someone shouted, “Is this a f****** joke?” At this point things became chaotic. Two of the men who were part of the “unfamiliar” group grabbed the man who shouted out and attempted to remove him from the house. A few of us, myself included, tried to intervene. One of them pulled out a gun and we all backed off. They separated us from the crowd and all four of us were escorted outside. My industry colleague who had opened the meeting earlier hurried out to meet us and reminded us that we had signed agreement and would suffer the consequences of speaking about this publicly or even with those who attended the meeting. I asked him why he was involved with something this corrupt and he replied that it was bigger than the music business and nothing we’d want to challenge without risking consequences. We all protested and as he walked back into the house I remember word for word the last thing he said, “It’s out of my hands now. Remember you signed an agreement.” He then closed the door behind him. The men rushed us to our cars and actually watched until we drove off.

A million things were going through my mind as I drove away and I eventually decided to pull over and park on a side street in order to collect my thoughts. I replayed everything in my mind repeatedly and it all seemed very surreal to me. I was angry with myself for not having taken a more active role in questioning what had been presented to us. I'd like to believe the shock of it all is what suspended my better nature. After what seemed like an eternity, I was able to calm myself enough to make it home. I didn't talk or call anyone that night. The next day back at the office, I was visibly out of it but blamed it on being under the weather. No one else in my department had been invited to the meeting and I felt a sense of guilt for not being able to share what I had witnessed. I thought about contacting the 3 others who wear kicked out of the house but I didn't remember their names and thought that tracking them down would probably bring unwanted attention. I considered speaking out publicly at the risk of losing my job but I realized I’d probably be jeopardizing more than my job and I wasn't willing to risk anything happening to my family. I thought about those men with guns and wondered who they were? I had been told that this was bigger than the music business and all I could do was let my imagination run free. There were no answers and no one to talk to. I tried to do a little bit of research on private prisons but didn’t uncover anything about the music business’ involvement. However, the information I did find confirmed how dangerous this prison business really was. Days turned into weeks and weeks into months. Eventually, it was as if the meeting had never taken place. It all seemed surreal. I became more reclusive and stopped going to any industry events unless professionally obligated to do so. On two occasions, I found myself attending the same function as my former colleague. Both times, our eyes met but nothing more was exchanged.

As the months passed, rap music had definitely changed direction. I was never a fan of it but even I could tell the difference. Rap acts that talked about politics or harmless fun were quickly fading away as gangster rap started dominating the airwaves. Only a few months had passed since the meeting but I suspect that the ideas presented that day had been successfully implemented. It was as if the order has been given to all major label executives. The music was climbing the charts and most companies when more than happy to capitalize on it. Each one was churning out their very own gangster rap acts on an assembly line. Everyone bought into it, consumers included. Violence and drug use became a central theme in most rap music. I spoke to a few of my peers in the industry to get their opinions on the new trend but was told repeatedly that it was all about supply and demand. Sadly many of them even expressed that the music reinforced their prejudice of minorities.

I officially quit the music business in 1993 but my heart had already left months before. I broke ties with the majority of my peers and removed myself from this thing I had once loved. I took some time off, returned to Europe for a few years, settled out of state, and lived a “quiet” life away from the world of entertainment. As the years passed, I managed to keep my secret, fearful of sharing it with the wrong person but also a little ashamed of not having had the balls to blow the whistle. But as rap got worse, my guilt grew. Fortunately, in the late 90’s, having the internet as a resource which wasn't at my disposal in the early days made it easier for me to investigate what is now labeled the prison industrial complex. Now that I have a greater understanding of how private prisons operate, things make much more sense than they ever have. I see how the criminalization of rap music played a big part in promoting racial stereotypes and misguided so many impressionable young minds into adopting these glorified criminal behaviors which often lead to incarceration. Twenty years of guilt is a heavy load to carry but the least I can do now is to share my story, hoping that fans of rap music realize how they’ve been used for the past 2 decades. Although I plan on remaining anonymous for obvious reasons, my goal now is to get this information out to as many people as possible. Please help me spread the word. Hopefully, others who attended the meeting back in 1991 will be inspired by this and tell their own stories. Most importantly, if only one life has been touched by my story, I pray it makes the weight of my guilt a little more tolerable.

Thank you.

Thank You, Based Ron...

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:11:00 +0000

Ka - "Summer" | Music Video

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 20:12:00 +0000

The .GIF Is Strong With This One...

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:33:00 +0000

LOL Comment of the Week/Month/Year

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:56:00 +0000

Photo of young Blake Griffin (and brother Taylor), posted on Boxden.

Comment: "nigga looks like a bi-racial sid phillips in the 2nd pic"

Hologram 2Pac...

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 07:38:00 +0000

...some of the most disrespectful sh*t I've ever seen. Let that man rest in peace!!!

...and yet, so f*cking cool...

What do you think?

Going Down... TONIGHT!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 18:40:00 +0000

Stay tuned... literally.

DOOMSTARKS - 'Swift & Changeable: The Prequel'

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 02:16:00 +0000

Hip Hop Is Read on DatPiff? Game got real!!!

Zomblaze's 'Dronk Noise'

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 09:07:00 +0000

Two years ago, I told you about trip-hop producer Crookram and his full-length LP Through Windows, released via the Hungarian-based label Budabeats. The latest in the catalog is Zomblaze's Dronk Noise, a sample-filled mixture of hellishly gritty and glitchy sound palettes. My computer speakers never even had a chance...

Download: Zomblaze - Dronk Noise

MP3: Zomblaze - "Drunk and Stoned"

MP3: Zomblaze - "Van Jó Minden Rosszban"

Vote for... Santorum(?)!

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 20:11:00 +0000