Why do african-americans look up to the ghetto life so much when its clear it's not beneficial for the future?

Question

Like, whats appealing listening and glorifying music that encourages 'thug' life, sleeping with 'bitches', bragging about buying junk you don't need and showing it off, and shooting people?

I mean, do any rappers with 'street cred' ever rap about anything that is productive, beneficial, and 'helpful' to the rest of the world? Seems they blab on about vanity, selfishness, and how to steal from others and cry about not getting 'respect'. It's a crappy message that inspires their youth to not acheive education to better themselves.

Answer 1

Amen, brother.

Answer 2

Inspiration is not what street cred rap is about. It's a commentary about the world right in from of your eyes it's in your face and it's not pretty. It's painful, and it seems hopeless. It's a cry for not so much help as it is for attention. Don't look the other way, don't pretend it's not here. It may be an ugly truth, but it is a truth.
Somehow we've always found it's easier to believe the negative and not the positive, as if we're not worthy of the positive. It's easier to accept that you're a piece of crap than to believe that who you are and where you come from means very little as to where you can go.
Hope is a much harder sell when the reality of the street is staring you in the face.

Answer 3

Look around you man its not just african-americans. And the reason people glorify these ideas is that all they see is someone who made it supposedly living that lifestyle. The thing that most of those people (whites, asians, blacks, whatever) dont know is that most of those rich people (50 cent) are actually little Bit*hes that dont evne go to clubs or sleep around. They dont realise that most of the hip hop culture has become a prostitute selling cliches that the big bosses (mostly whites) want people to perceive about the culture. Hip hop is selling itself for a few bucks and is losing all its integrity and now affecting a vast part of the population in a negative manner. The people who hold ganster figures in high praise haven't learned better and just lack the education to know that there's no way a ''thug life'' will benefit them at the end. People that think like that need to wake up and see that this wont take them anywhere and that its just an image used for profits. Real gangsters aren't on TV unless its the 10 oclock news.

all in all ignorance is the word to sum this up

-Rick-

Answer 4

Because it's whats makes money.
If morality, education or helping others made them fast money, they'd push that instead.

Note though, that by and large, African Americans don't run the big record companies, who are the ones really pushing this stuff. They make the money from rappers' thug images and bad behaviour, but get to lie low and remain unseen.

The analogy is the drug industry; if you think that the 2-bit pushers or 'lords' are the ones who control the industry, you are sorely mistaken. The big bosses remain unseen, and they or their connections are often so high in government, society or public office as to be untouchable.

Having said that, it's a pity the rappers prefer to enjoy their wealth at the expense of the youth, and the people who look up to them, rather than trying to be good role models.

Answer 5

well... you have to look at it from a different point of view: the here and now. yeah rapping/ living thinking about productive things like education, a real job/ career makes perfectly clear sense but all those things are not quite beneficial to them immediately. School doesn't pay off until you graduate and get a degree and a well paying job, even a real career does not pay off immediately. On the other hand the "thug life" and showing off shows immediate success, even though it is not long term success. They rap about selling drugs and other things that shows it is quick money. So all in all, i think the answer to ur question is that most rappers lack foresight for their long term future and would rather rap about what sells, the quick and easy money and the hedonist lifestyle.

Answer 6

Why not look up to rappers? They were poor, had no access to the education that many other people do, and they got outta the ghetto with music and sports. More power to them. Besides, ghettos can be filled with violence and hopeless sometimes, but a lot of times there are strong family bonds and ties in some neighborhoods. Stop stereotyping people.

Answer 7

ok first of all youth should be listening to music for fun and looking to their parents for advice about the future
second of all nobody looks up to the "ghetto life" people rap about it b cuz it happens it happens with whites asians mexicans there are not only black hoes and bitches
and next on the list it's not like it's pretend this is what is happening everyday so why not sing about what u know
dont b mad cause they can afford "junk" they may think the things that u have is "junk" remember to each his own? what r they supposed to rap about going to the opera? u go with what u know most people in the hood have never been to an opera nor would they like to go...they have more important things to do with their money..like buy food and pay rent...

Answer 8

and you got your info from where


they dont rap about the ghetto because its there, they rap about it because that was their life. Living in the ghetto myself doesn't mean im blabbing about vanity, selfishness, and how to steal from others and cry about it due to being all them, its because sometimes thats all you can afford. I make 10 dollars an hour with benefits working for the board of education where i live its not glamourous but it pays the bills i dont plan on living in the ghetto all my life but for you to sit up and say it only happens in the "ghetto" r u blind or stupid or both cause check your neighbors out in your dollyworld imagination neighborhood and you'll see the apple doesn't fall far from the tree

Answer 9

Very true. But that's just how society has grown these days. Nobody can just stop it all, but hundreds of years from now it won't exist anymore, then again neither will we. Some people have just grown into that lifestyle , in their neighborhood and school, everywhere. Unfortunatly, It is just their way of life. PLUS most rapper DO benifit from it, their hip hop millionares. But you should have said SOME African-Americans, becasuse there are TONS of extremely smart and talented African-Americans, smarter than Americans. Just as "ghetto" is to African-Americans, "trailer trash" is to White Americans.

Answer 10

i ask myself this same thing. I dont think the intention of rappers is to glorify ghetto life though. they sing about what they know, how they live and their pain. Yes, sometimes it comes off as encouraging it, maybe its because its become such a part of thier identity, they cant see past it. I wonder why still its so hard for some blacks/latinos to improve thier situation.

Answer 11

Most music spews stupid crap. Gangsta rappers speak about the only thing they know. It's all they've known since birth. Try NWA 'Express Yourself' or Coolio's 'Fantastic Ride'. There is some neat stuff out there. Unfortunate that the message they try to put out to the world about their plight is often misunderstood and glorified. Don't forget how much rock was simply about sex and drugs. And much of it is considered classic.