>when the youth are too preoccupied to even left a pen and do
>what they do best i.e. write a song about something then we
>have a problem


I'll just let THAT sit there....

>your attitude that songs dont do anything because their are
>still problems is disgusting.

I *asked* what affect the songs you mentioned had in a practical (not just warm emotionally fuzzy) kinda way. you provided no answer

re: self-awareness

if you're *in* a situation you don't need a song to tell you about it. the fact that you WROTE a song means you are already aware.

I think the songs are (at best) to make others aware - but what good is THAT awareness if it's just emotional and not catalytic to change? (NOTE: THAT IS A QUESTION. If you can refute the premise please do so. Here I'll help you - the popularity of Stevie Wonder's MLK "Happy Birthday" provided and anthem to the pre-existing movement which resulted in the holiday. Dylan's "Hurricane" sparked enough outrage to get the case reopened. The question related to the hip-hop songs should be "is it a song for songs sake" - musical catharsis - or part of a larger effort?)

At WORST these songs can be exploitative of others pain - if the key benefit is you thinking you did something because now people know then it is more about your "good deed" than results. Likewise if the only real change is you making money off the sales (or feeding an organization which is more bureaucratic than effective) then you are now a part of the problem too