References

Bakari Kitwana (2002). The Hip Hop Generation: Young Blacks and the Crisis in African American Culture. New York: Basic Books.
Chang, Jeff (2005). Can’t stop won’t stop: A history of the Hip –hop Generation,
. New York: St. Martins Press.
Craig S. Watkins (2005) Hip Hop Matters: Politics, Pop Culture, and the Struggle for the Soul of a Movement, Boston: Beacon Press
Cornel West (1993). Race Matters. Boston: Beacon Press.
Enemy, Public (1994) White Heaven / Black Hell Lyrics. Whatcha Gone Do Now?
Juzzey, Young (2005) Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101 first Def Jam
Lino, Leno L’s Personal Communication November 2, 2007.
Ralph Ellison (1970). Black America. Time Magazine, 95, 68-72. Abstract retrieved
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Abstract

When you revisit for a moment the view of everything with inter city Americans in terms of their racially imposed status, we become aware of the fact that the harsh reality of the social and economic injustices have failed to keep African Americans -clear of the cultural mainstream; African Americans are in fact one of its major tributaries. In fact, had there been no blacks, certain creative tensions arising from the cross-purposes of whites and blacks would also not have existed. Not only would there have been no Faulkner; there would have been no Zora Neale Hurston, who reached West Indian folklore in Haiti, writing Their Eyes were Watching God in seven weeks. . Thus, also, there would have been no Langston Hughes, who authored Mule Bone; divorces Sheen. Without the presence of Negro American style, our jokes (Monique) our music (N.W.A.) (Niggaz With Attitude) even our sports (Michael Vick) would be lacking. Or what about the birth of "soul." An expression of American diversity within unity, of blackness and whiteness, soul announces the presence of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of funky, secular testimonies. If we can cease approaching America social reality in terms of false concepts as white, nonwhite and intercity culture, and think of these matters in the realistic manner of Western pioneers confront the unknown prairie, maybe we can begin to imagine what the United States would have been, with out blacks in America.

The effect of suburban people

The monetary effect of suburban peoples support of rap without a doubt is enjoyed by rappers, however, they would probably rather it be more popular with African American.

In an interview with L’s from the group Do It Major Entertainment (D.I.M.E.) established in 2004 from Harlem, New York. Told me that “ If you got a song that may be successful, (major) want you to do it again It’s now more business then art” “ We just want the support of inter- city peers and different neighborhoods by promoting unity and diversity. (L. Leno, personal communication, November 4, 2007).

Example: In order to market to the African American audience Rapper Young Jezzy a hardcore Atlanta-based rapper originally planned on having a background role in the music industry as a businessman, not as a rapper. Years before making his first Def Jam album Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101, released in July 2005 he set up Corporate Thugz Entertainment and promoted
Cash Money releases and the controversial Fashion line with the logo of a snowman promoting crack cocaine.

“You know we keep dat white girl, Christina Aguilera my jewlry to loud baby girl I can't hear ya we ain't even tryna hear it if dat money ain't a topic They know we run the streets man them boys betta stop it you know we keep dat white girl, Christina Aguilera my jewlry to loud homeboy i can't hear ya we ain't even tryna hear it if dat money ain't a topi they know we run the streets man them boys best stop it”

Race Matters West ( West, 1993 )

Cornel West, in his book Race Matters West (West, 1993) says that the visibility of young blacks as athletes and entertainment figures in American popular culture are Afro- Americanization of white youth:

The Afro-Americans of white youth has been more a male than female affair given the prominence of male athletes and the cultural weight of male pop artists. This process results in white youth- male and female – imitating and emulating black male styles of walking, talking, dressing and gesticulating in relations to others. The irony in our present moment is that just as young black men are murdered, maimed and imprisoned in record numbers, their styles have become disproportionately influential in shaping popular culture.

" Rapper Delight "

Rap went relatively unnoticed by mainstream music and popular culture industries until independent music entrepreneur Sylvia Robinson released “ Rapper Delight “ in 1979.

Over the next five years rap music was “ discovered” by the music industry, the print media, the fashion industry, and the film industry, each of wish hurried to cash in on what was assumed to be passing fad (Hip – Hop)

We live in an age where corporate mergers, particularly in media and entertainment, have redefined public space (2002).

This process has, rap artists becoming a dominant public voice of this generation through – mega – corporations like Coca-cola and Pepsi, Reebok and Nike sneakers.

Akon marketing with Verizon Wireless

Akon and Verizon Wireless are partnering together on an marketing campaign to promote Verizon Wireless' V CAST services and mobile music capabilities on Verizon Wireless handsets. Akon will be the first music artist to "act" in a Verizon Wireless TV Ad.

Report of conculsions

Unlike the way it was two decade ago when black artists made rhymes for a black audience, today, black artists recognize that when they make an album, only a certain percentage which is well below fifty percent in most cases will be consumed by African Americans. This brings up the question of whether or not rap’s target has been shifted from what it was when the audience was homogenous to the artist.

The extremely popular Sean “Puffy” Combs (Puff Daddy) (1997) was labeled the “New King of Rap” by Rolling Stone magazine. (1997) Combs have admitted that he is not a rapper, but a hit maker who has sampled previously successful songs such as “Every Breath You Take” by the Police, and “The Message,” by Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five featuring Melle Mel. Combs will often use other artists’ rhymes and beats in his own type of music that differs from rap. His music has been referred to as hip-pop; that is, music that is not pop, nor hip-hop, but a combination that is more mainstream and less like traditional rap music.

Inculcation the aim for this paper is to review Corporate America’s influence on the hip-hop crossover into mainstream media. Since the corporate merger of corporate America and hip hop, this genre has evolved from a predominately urban audience to having global appeal. Corporations have exploited many artists by taking advantage of the black artist’s ability to produce and sell mainstream crossover music. We now live in an age where corporate merges are bombarding the viewing public with constant visual and exploitive images of African Americans.

Introduction

“Rap forfeited whatever claim it may have had to particularity by acquiring a mainstream white audience whose taste increasingly determined the nature of the form. What white wanted was not music, but black music, which as result stopped really being neither.’’
- David Samuels

Corporate America’s influence on the hip-hop crossover into mainstream media is very significant. Since the merger of corporate America and hip hop, this genre has evolved from a predominately urban audience to having global appeal. Now media and entertainment such as pop music, film and fashion are among the major forces transmitting culture to this generation of black Americans (Kitwana, 2002). The Hip Hop Generation Corporations have exploited many artists by taking advantage of the black artist’s ability to produce and sell mainstream crossover music.