"I'm goin' back to Black Mountain, me and my razor and gun, Gonna cut her if she stands, shoot her if she run."

I agree that the blues is no stranger to violence. What I am curious about is why we are comparing blues and rap? Is it because both forms originated with the African community? That seems pretty lame. Why would we assume that they are somehow related? I think rap is more analagous to what we call the talking blues. Most of the talking blues I know are highly political and talk about doing some form of violence to someone. The rap beat is very compelling and it's easy to put talking blues lyrics to much of it. Try that at home and see what you think.

Sure, as a middle class white boy, I don't listen to a lot of rap although I'm beginning to think I should start paying attention. There's a message in there and if it didn't have appeal, there'd be no market.

Ever since the music industry threw off its training wheels, nearly all the music our culture has heard has been that for which there is a market. You can find other music but not on the level of widespread national distribution. If the message of violence and rage finds a larger market in some communities than that of peace and love, perhaps the message of peace and love holds no kernel of truth for fans of rap. If that is true, we're much worse off than we thought.

All the music we love best grew out of some social situation or another. If rap also grew out of a social situation, we'd better be listening, not turning a deaf ear. Perhaps we should be writing folk raps with a different message and see where they go.

Just a thought,

- Mark