is what is happening in the States also. Other communites don't understand that Hip Hop is not JUST music. It's story telling and street reporting. It's the release of emotion, be it joy or anger through word/dance/writing. It's a feeling and a life-style.

I never equate race with Hip Hop, eventhough Blacks are/were the driving force of the culture. Hip Hop is the problems of inner city living, no matter what color you are. My little black nephew who lives in Middle America has no ideal what this culture is about, so he is a spectator like so many other people who think they validate it because they bought a fucking CD.

The belief that because they (Middle America) now accept Hip Hop as a art-form, therebye giving it validation, are the ones that piss me off.

I do think this forum is the right place for this question. The reason why you didn't get a lot of responses is beacause we just talked about it maybe a week or two before you posted it.

Peace

Pseudonym-less Wendell