I was reading about a new documentary called Behind the Beats, about the politics of rap music and how it affects todays youths, and also how socially-aware rap music (i.e., the earlier form) escapes most youths and how most don't understand it, and so the more prevalent form for impressionable teens ends up being the more simplistic and easier to copy gangsta. The over-riding theme of the director is that this is a CRYING SHAME.

Another theme that he brings up is that him being black, he isn't allowed to NOT like rap music, as that would brand him a traitor to his race. That's bullshit and it's also not, as people are creatures of their environment. If you grew up with a political movements and that's all you know, not following that movement can have you branded as an outsider.

I think that music can be both polarizing as well as democratic but you have to leave your geopolitical perspective to understand the latter. You identify yourself by the music you listen to, it's akin to nationality and ethnicity, but unlike the others, you don't have to ascribe yourself to a musical genre permanently. You can change as many times as you want. It's a sad case when a person only listens to one genre in their entire life. It's like you never left your zip code.

So in this regard, I shake my fist against Top 40 Radio!! ToPopular Radio only plays 2%, if that, of what is actually out there and actually plays a big role in keeping the vast urban populations out there completely ignorant from the the real art forms of aural humanity. It's like being stuck on NBC, ABC, and CBS and shutting yourself off from the other gazillion terestrial television channels.

So frackin' get out there: go to a music store and crate dig, go online to Internet radio, join a community radio service, read Pitchfork and like other URLs, start your own pirate station. Bring down corporate payola, stop feeding Top 40, and realize that yes, Gwen Stefani is untalented and Beyonce really has a terrible voice!