I once told a mentor, a man who was a well known local civil rights activist back in the day, that I was dissapointed that people just gave up in the 70s. Folks got money (and government jobs) and they thought that was all she wrote. What those few left behind was thousands of Black people on the other side of a divide. Within a generation we had (more of):

- poverty
- crack/cocaine
- gang violence
- prison
- teen pregnancy
- racial profiling

Government intervention only seemed to make things worse and mass consumerism was escalating in Black communities (bling, bling). Where was Cosby and his folks then? If not in the streets then where? The middle class was disappearing by then end of the 90s and the divides were widening as well, with no apparent solutions for what was happening to Black youth. Can't blame the music.

In the early years, hip-hip had positive messages. People were either dancing (Kid n Play) or rebelling (Public Enemy), so they industry took over and coopted everything that was hip-hop. They made it more suitable to the masses. Art is a reflection of where people are at any given time and this includes music.

Where was Bill C. and Jesse J. then?