How should we use Hip Hop to make social change?

the right mc has to step up. it will be cool to be knowledgeable wise and understanding (and be a dope mc/person) again one day.

we need a more accessible and positive immortal tech for the masses. what most people call hip hop, I call 'pop' (and pop has it's place, but hip hop like emo, grunge, punk, and new wave are terribly bastardized words in the music mainstream)

sad that many casual listeners, or anyone who opened their minds to the rap genre itself in years past have since turned their backs, they see and hear the worst of it day to day (every day) on the mass tv and radio.

If I don't get some edutainment soon, I will write it myself, backed financially by Al G and Dave Chappelle, watch out! :P

unless Bono beats me to it

style . when more artists are wearing , and endorsing , clothing with an environmentally conscious angle , kids will learn . the "image" is more effective at delivering a "message" now than anything else - the actual , physical image , as an artist appears in video , etc. - little kids respond to style b4 they're capable of even knowing what a lyric might mean .
and when you put a graphic on something , that's even better . symbolism . it's sub-conscious .

Yes, Dawnh, I totally agree with you. It doesn't sound cool by any means. But how about promoting real things, like studying in an educational program, bettering yourself, or holding down a job? Achieving legitimate goals through hard work.
It seems like the rapper paradigm is that of the corporate raider. Scam your way to the top, play the game (since you a playa'), and take everyone for all they have. Like some some sort of elite grifter. Without sounding too preachy, isn't it time we injected a little wisdom into the mix?

its the labels that control what hits the airwaves.
SO it makes it hard for an artist to be 'Mainstream' and put out some kind of positive message.
On the other hand, you have your underground artists, who are trying to spread messages, and shed light on issues but are less popular and heard.

Great Post!

how about lyrics that don't degrade society or the individual. that'll do it for me.

this is the good stuff, human....!!!

heres what you..can do .. take the N word out of rap songs... stop degrading your own. women.. the verbal..abuse immoral abuse to both black and white women...and you tell me you respect your women??this may or not be related to this topic however point made..

Yeah, I have to agree with mirimysweet. ANything that relates to people as a whole. IN other words, the world really. This generation is starting to see very serious impacts on our life and it's affecting EVERYONE. They should focus on music that inspires people to make a change in the world they live in to improve it.

In response to cadsuch, I didn't say that the rap community is at fault for the decline in education among youth in America, Antmarshall asked what we think Rap/Hip Hop COULD DO to help. I don't think they should do anything but convey the message of the importance of education. I never said that the success of listeners has to do with the success of the Artists themselves. I have done the research and I do think that if Rap/ Hip Hop artists choose to do as ThinkAbroad and myself have suggested, that it would make a difference. thats all.

Education.

How can you use rap, or hip hop to convince people that the process of goal setting and learning to set your own agenda is the secret to success? Look it up. Do some research about the subject.

Your success has nothing to do with my level of success. People need to focus on a systematic process of a personal goals. I can refuse to budge, and lock my heels and refuse to do anything until all the past wrongs have been turned in to rights. And "I" will accomplish NOTHING!

"We" can not accomplish anything. But each individual has no limit to what each individual can accomplish. The first person to become successful at running the 4 minute mile was accomplished by a person who, probably didn't know they could do it. But as soon as it was done, almost ever race after that one was run under the 4 minute mile mark. Society felt it was impossible but individuals went out and ran those sub-4 minute mile foot races.

How can you use rap to share with people that "we" cannot have a personal relationship with God.

But I can.

Prosperous and successful nations are made up of, prosperous and successful communities. Prosperous and successful communities are made up of, guess what, prosperous and successful individuals.

One thing we have to do first is understand that rules for foot races and the rules for football, are not the same. In foot racing, we have rules that don't allow reaching out and tripping the guy who is ahead of you in the foot race. But the rules for football allow tackling and blocking the other players.

The same way for competition. You know.....good old American competition? If I get ahead in the race to success, it can't be because I did something to trip YOU up. I only am successful because I set a goal today, to be better tomorrow. And then I became more successful. I can't become more successful by making sure YOU fail.

As for your question, and this is in no way criticising you or anyone else, for that matter, I think that Hip Hop and Rap personalities should help educate young people that making good grades and speaking proper English, isn't " White" and that in order to make sure that the black race isn't going to be at the bottom of the social class in the generations to come, they must strive to be better educated,So that they can follow in the footsteps of great Black Thinkers, Martin Luther King Jr., Fredrick Douglas, Benjamin Banneker, and so on. In the recent years it has been increasingly popular for all youth to look at education as "uncool". I think it's the responsibility of Popular Celebrities, such as in the Hip Hop/ rap world, to convey the message of the importance of education in america to all young people.