The funny thing about rap and hip-hop is that a lot of the white kids who buy it ARE middle class. It's the old need to rebel against parental (or other) authority that makes angry music so popular among children who haven't a CLUE about the living conditions that spawn the anger and frustration. When I was a teenager, I gravitated to world-weary, depressing, cynical performers like Jethro Tull, The Strawbs and others, when I'd barely lived long enough to have justification for cynicism. (Actually, I'm STILL drawn to that type of music - anyone else like The Cowboy Junkies?)

If I were a psychologist (which I'm not) I'd say it reflects teenagers' need to separate themselves from their parents' generation. Still, I find affluent kids mimicking an underpriveleged culture just to feel "cool", and merchants making a profit off the trends, to be distasteful.