"I'm not sure what you mean by making this work for you."

I am an individual. And I take responsibility for myself. There are people who just accept whatever their situation is and go from there. e.g. 'If I'm born into a drug infested area, then that must be all there is to life for me.' There needs to be more education and direction for the youth to let them know they can do whatever they want with their life if they work for it.

"I highly disagree with this statement. Music was the language
and the pulse of the people. Now it is not. Certian music may
speak to some people in important ways, but by and large,
music is nothing more than a commodity. Would Mos droppin the
Rapeover joint be distributed by labels if they're weren't a
market for it? Hell no. I heard Saul Williams talkin about all
the negativity thats on the airwaves and he stated that hip
hop has become Republican. Its not about caring, or community
or anything else it should be about. It is about making
money."

The radio only plays what the people want to hear. Get on an MTA bus or a Metro subway and listen to the headphones of people. G-Unit, Game, Fat Joe, or whatever is hot at the moment is blastin into their ear. That's what they want to hear or they wouldn't have spent $18.99 on a CD. So that's what the radio plays. Now that's not to say these same people wouldn't listen to an OKP artist either. Most of them just haven't been exposed to it. Because the big seller is sex, drugs, and violence. Enter 'The Rapeover'. Mos proved his point most effectively when the track was taken off 'The New Danger' by the powers that be.


"Why do they choose to play that instead of the roots or
blackstar? Thats a tough one. No respect for the culture or
the black community and youth in general is one reason. If
they did care, they would act differently. But more
importantly, they are giving people what they want."

You further prove my point.


"I couldn't disagree more. Some people are, but most don't get
down "real" music. If they did, it would be on the radio. It's
capitalism at work. And it is pure, free-market capitalism
drivin by nothing more than money. There is a big difference
between this and responsible capitalism which will take cuts
in profits if it's for the greater good."

They don't get down to real music because THEY DON'T HEAR IT.
For most people they're only means of music is the radio. They don't have VH1 Soul or for that matter cable. Or the money to experiment with buying 'Like Water For Chocolate' just to see if they like it. They'll listen to what they know they like. Hard beats and so-so lyrics.


"We cant control what our kids see and hear unless we lock them
in a box. Whether radio, tv, magazines, the internet,
billboards when are we not being bombasted by the media.
Pretty much only when we sleep. Its no different for kids. You
can't hide it from them or them it. The best you can do is
teach them to know right from wrong and hope they are smart/
lucky enough to not get caught up in anything too grimy."

That is an apathetic attitude. Of course I can't watch my children 24 hours a day, but the time I do have with them will be positive reinforcement for not just music, but life itself. When I was coming up I was exposed to all the ills that a typical young black man goes through. But the training I recieved from my mother saved my life. And I'm not embellishing. Baltimore City is a beast. So I have to do the same with my kids. Give them all the tools they will need to make the right decision in situations they may find themselves in. Nobody's perfect, so they'll make mistakes, but the mistakes they make won't be fatal ones.