Editor's Thoughts: Why does it take a gun charge for rappers to become social activists?

Can hip hop become socially active without a plea deal?
By Mr. A. Onyeani

Hip hop used to be socially concious of everything political. Now rappers are shook off Rush Limbaugh. What happened to "Fight the power" and N.W.A.'s "F**k the police" type of songs. Rappers nowadays have been caught up in the bling and money of the game that some of them forgot where they came from made the lyrics they wrote. The game has changed from the days when rappers would think about songs to make that spoke volume about the plight of the "ghetto".

The streets haven't changed that much and Hip hop being the billion dollar industry it is now can give a few thousands of dollars back. I read this book by, Dr. Chika A. Onyeani, called Capitalist Ni**er, The Road to Success, that was recently reviewed in Hip Hop Weekly by Cavario as his top pick. Click here to buy the book.
Hip hop says that the streets are what feed them, but then a mansion is where they reside at. I feel these guys on living off the streets though..its not safe in 2009 and Haters are everywhere. What I'd like to see is the same urban capitalism used in the industry of Hip hop applied on a larger scale to the Black community. The Newbos of this industry have to come to terms with social activism being an empowering weapon that will not only help create new fans, but it will also become the norm for others on the come up to follow. Would there be anything wrong with giving 15 cents off of each album sale to a "Guns off the street program" or "Urban Entrepreneur" scholarship?

Hip hop has to try and become proactive in social activism if it hopes to survive in this age of "green" living and a President who started as a commmunity organizer. Check the credits on the back of the next album you buy and see if that hip hop artist truly understands what coming from the streets really means.