I Posted Something Awhile Back About NW Losing It's Black Communities....

[xpanther206]

This is indirectly related to NW Hip-Hop, I really hope I don't have to explain why. Anyways, so we all know the vast majority of rap music comes from black people from black communities. I posted something awhile back about black people in Seattle-Tacoma MSA & Portland MSA (the only places in the NW where black people live in any significant numbers and the only places in the NW having anything resembling what could be called a "black community") quite simply losing their turf, be it good (moving to better places) or bad (losing good places with a lot of sentimental value, just look at Young E.A.S.T.'s sig).

Just was shown by a professor some more outstanding data sources in geographic population studies, which I used specifically to address this topic and found these interesting and telling numbers:

In 1980, the "average" black person in Seattle lived in a census tract that was 35.5% black. In 2000, the average black person in Seattle lived in a census tract that was 22% black. The overall presence of black people in the city has remained the same (at 9.6%).

For Portland, the same numbers were 37.7% in 1980 and 22.7% in 2000 (with the overall presence of blacks remaining at 7.5%).

So these cities have followed the exact same pattern (one that does not mirror national trends) which essentially says that black people do not live around each other as much in the NW as they used to.

Take this for what it's worth in the context of NW hip-hop, make up your own mind.

 

[Dirty Shoez]

Abortion clinics and "Diversity" at work. Thanks Liberals!

Seriously though.......or no, wait, I was being serious.

 

[JoMoDo]

^^^
Wrong

try gentrification

 

[Dirty Shoez]

Try being brainwashed into believing that if you have another child, you'll be poor for the rest of your life.

 

[Dugless206]

that central intelligence song Real Estate touched on this topic right

 

[xpanther206]

that central intelligence song Real Estate touched on this topic right

Yes it did a wonderful job on this theme.

 

[rwashing34]

Maybe their tired of the rain!

I know it got some bomb green up there, but it rain to much to me. Im used to sunny San Dago!
www.topshelfrecordingshome.com

 

[DJ Coma]

Maybe it's because people are more accepting of each other in those cities which are predominantly liberal. Just because blacks don't live around each other as closely as they used doesn't have to mean it's a bad thing. It could be a positive thing if neighborhoods are becoming more diverse. I could be completely off but it's one way you could look at it.

 

[xpanther206]

Maybe it's because people are more accepting of each other in those cities which are predominantly liberal. Just because blacks don't live around each other as closely as they used doesn't have to mean it's a bad thing. It could be a positive thing if neighborhoods are becoming more diverse. I could be completely off but it's one way you could look at it.

You're right, by a lot of measures it is a good thing.

My argument is, however, that for making rap music, it is not a bad thing, b/c rap music just doesn't come out of areas that are 30-30-30 like it does areas that are closer to 100 percent black, thus this demographic thing could have a negative impact on the music from our region. Basically, rap is from the ghetto (or atleast that's where the consumers want it to be from) and the Northwest clearly does not have one, thus somebody blowing could be a problem.

But on second thought, maybe not b/c you've got guys like Tha Loco coming out of very diverse environments (in his case, Federal Way), and a lot of the old SLR guys from diverse sections of North Seattle.

 

[chiligrrl]

when you analyze that data do you look at income levels as well? if more black people lived in low income housing in earlier census reports and now people are oving into properties of higher monetary value, it can indeed be seen as progress.

a land without a ghetto isnt a bad thing. black people shouldnt be confined to one delapidated neughborhood for a span of 30 years, nor mexican people nor asian people. in the few major cities in washington however, and all of the farm communities you WILL indeed find racially separated if not segregated communities. It is the people who come up who leave neighborhoods. and richer people have less kids.

i guess it can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you look at it, but other demographic information must also be evaluated when considerring which it is.