I'll post my opinion on the questions later, but what some people fail to point out is the growing distinction between 'hip-hop' and 'rap', even though these 2 words can be interchangeable, as they do refer to one larger music style.
WHile both are part of the 'hip-hop' community, the style of 'Hip-hop' generally being described folks who follow an east coast sound that usually stresses the use of larger words, metaphors, philosophical language, and not necessarily speaking exactly on the beat, as well as beats made of more abstract sounds and less rooted in music. Although the east coast is the main base of this style in the underground ( Cannibal Ox ) and mainstream ( Nas, Jay-Z ), it can be found everywhere, just as rap can.
The style of 'Rap' usually describes music more dealing with street life, problems of the ghetto, etc. While rap can be found all over as well, it is a more obvious style. Usually in an attempt to stay street, larger words, speakin on the bigger picture, or speaking about abstract topics that 'hip-hop' style rappers oftendo are ignored, in favor of simplicity, and delivering vocals in exact, measured times with the beat is most often used. The 'rap' style, or more specifically gangsta rap, which influenced all 'rap' style rappers was most sharply defined by Snoop's "Doggystyle" in 92. While the West Coast was definitely the first to bring this style mainstream, it can be heard all over. Notorious B.I.G would definitely be considered rap, however elements of his East Coast roots are evidenced in his music. It could be said that siccness.net consists of mostly 'rap' artists, as opposed to 'hip-hop' style atists.
1. Anyone can rap, but the amount of acceptance depends on how they categorize themselves, and where their circles of influence are. For example, a lot of white rappers dont say they 'rap', they call their music 'hip-hop', because they knew if they tried to come off street and really weren't, their phony setup would be exposed. Thus, even though Eminem didn't grow up in a good neighborhood, he still was not inner city Detroit. He grew up in a poor white trailer trash town. And thus, he did not come off as 'Lil Em D', or 'Mista M', a street whiteboy, but a corny 'hip-hopper' with his first and most successful song on beats sounding like Mario Brothers. Of course background and neighborhood plays a factor in rap. Rap started off as music from the poor black community, so the farther one is going to be from this, the harder someone has to work to get accepted.
The twist thrown in is that white kids buy most rap cds, and even tho they supposedly listen to the 'voice of the street', it slowly moves from the actual street to white suburbs. They're going to want to see a white rapper representing them, assuring them that 'White people are mostly squares, except Eminem, except people who listen to Eminem, I listen to Eminem, so I'm cool'. However, they still wanna stay 'down with the streets', so they will wait for word to trickle from the ghetto community that Eminem has been decided wack before they stop buyin his shit.
I see this already happening. With Eminem's new album he's trying to get respect on how he 'can use a gun' and 'was never in a gang but dealt dirty'. As soon as Eminem starts tryin to get street cred back, you know he's over.
Another twist on this is MTV and BET, both commercial stations that need viewers. While the black community contributes 90 percent of all rap/hip-hop, the white community still has to digest it and tune in to keep MTV and BET running. Thus, a politically active black rapper with bad things to say about white people is going to get less play than a 'ghetto bogey man' who 'busts straps and slaps hoes'. While white people buying rap is in one hand an appreciation of black music and the contributions of black people, on the other hand they still don't wanna hear as much about the situation in the streets when spoken in an angry tone.
A larger factor, though, is the quality of music. When good music is produced, no matter what the underlying message, people will want to listen to it.
2. In my opinion top 40 rappers and invasion to the mainstream has just cut the artists from the money makers. While it would be cool for every artist who I think is decent to make a million dollars, it makes sure that folks who are in it for the music keep doin it for the music. I buy local, I support my area. I don't see rap or hip-hop as lesser because radio rappers can 'bling bling' their way to top 40. Ignorant white people are going to have no idea about good music. They are always gonna buy the most over-the-top, joke version of the real thing because they are removed from it. Just as Tupac was halfway between NWA's cop killin and hoe slappin and Tone Loc's unassaulting radio rap, local music, particularly in my opinion bay area rap, finds a good balance between the overdone subjects of 'cash money' and street life.
3. The rise of hip-hop in white suburbia or more specifically the appreciation of black music is nothing new. Everything from Jazz, Soul, and R&B back in the days was largely produced by black people. However the high rise in hip-hop recently can be attributed to a overall lack of quality in recent white music, as well as its appeal to people on a first-listen basis, as well as a general appreciation recently of the culture of minorities. In mainstream white music, there's punk, emo, metal, rave, boy bands, alternative, techno, ska, pop, country, whatever. There's several divisions in music. Black music can generally be classified as 'rap' or 'r&b', ( those are the only styles, but they are the ones that dominate radio and charts ). Hip-hop music appeals to a larger audience than white music because of several factors, such as the relentless striving by many black musicians who see music as a way to elevate themselves from their situation for quality in their music, a general African-American common culture that is a trait white people lack, and a more danceable feel to Hip-Hop and R&B that hits people at a basic level.
4. The largest way white suburbia participates in Hip-Hop culture is on the money end, by buying CDs, and owning record labels that sponsor hip-hop artists. I'm not saying all labels are white or run by white people, just that it is besides actually buying CDs the largest way they contribute to the industry. Musically, the contribution is minimal.
5. Not being a rapper myself, I wouldn't know. I would say that the polarization of most races besides Latino rappers is toward a 'hip-hop' style that is right now more associated with commercialization or the radio. For example, a white or asian rapper is more likely to come through on the hip-hop tip then as a 'street rapper'. Latinos are more prone to release 'street' or 'gangsta style' rap. Black rappers are all over the spectrum.
Im white and mexican, but consider myself white. However, I don't hail from the suburbs.
