Goon Music: Fast Track to Fame & Fortune

 "Catch you suckers hanging
In the hood on the porches
Chopper like raid
Spraying on you cockroaches"-Project Pat

I could be a multi-platinum selling rapper if I rapped about getting
money, shooting enemies with assault weapons, and other nonsense that's
so prevalent in mainstream music. I don't have to be about that life, just sing about goon activity and I'm a multi-millionaire. That formula works for most mainstream rappers and look at them, they're shining. A lot of people don't realize that rappers portray themselves as ruthless gangsters because that's what label executives want. Label execs know sex, money & mayhem sells, so that's what they want their artists singing about. Here's the catch: Many artists have never sold coke, shot an assault weapon or thugged a day in their lives, so why rap about a life you've never lived? REAL gangsters know the deal. They know the downside of street life: Paranoia from wondering if today's going to be their last day; they're into it with a rival and they always have to tote a weapon just in case their enemy catches them off guard, or if their enemy can't get them, they go after loved ones to send a message. Because it's difficult to find a job with a record, a lot of street guys get into hustling. 

Once their business takes off, they have to deal with rivals trying to take over their turf. Anytime a drug dealer is making money on a hot block, there will be competition especially if his rival is in close proximity and they're struggling. You'd think the inner-city gangster life is glamorous with the way mainstream rappers make it seem: Getting money, shopping sprees and carousing with women, but it's not. Once the feds shut down the operation, they're taking that money. What's worse is that young people are influenced by gangster rap so they emulate the lyrics. Just because a rapper says "I'm riding by your spot and shooting up your home" doesn't give you the green light to do it. No, you're going to prison while the artist is making millions living in the suburbs. You have some artists who live their lyrics because they're trying to "keep it real", and end up behind bars. Personally, if you're blessed enough to make it out of the ghetto through music, embrace that. Talk about what you've been through, what you've seen and leave it there. Rappers should not be trying to relive their hood glory days.

What's worse is that some rappers have admitted they don't do the gangster activity they talk about in their music, but they rap about it because it sells. A lot of people are weakminded so they aren't able to separate reality from entertainment, so they emulate their favorite rapper's lyrics and end up catching a case. Is that rapper going to bail them out of prison? No. The only rappers I respect are those who used to be in the streets, but got out of the hood making music. They used rap as their ticket out of the ghetto, and their music is all about what they've been through and seen. These rappers use their music as a teaching tool to steer youth away from the streets, because they've been there. Losing loved ones to violence, having a record, police run-ins, etc. Label executives don't look at the big picture when they're having artists push sex, money & murder in their music, all the execs are looking at is dollar signs; how much money they can make through this artist and a lot of rappers fall for it every time.