A Key Economic Factor

[larryJ]

Living in a large urban area, drugs are a part of life, but not a big part of life.  We once had a meth lab in the house across the street from us.  How did we know?  The young man who lived there had lost his father years ago and he had confined his mother to her room because of her severe Alzheimer's.  His older brother had been in prison because of drugs, off and on, more on than off.  We (neighbors) didn't have any contact with him and began to notice cars pulling up and people running into the house and coming right back out.  The police were given the information about the activities from all the neighbors and eventually busted him and closed down the meth lab.  The morning they busted him, he had fallen asleep on the couch while smoking and caught the house on fire, a small fire, but enough to get the fire trucks out.  Once they gained entrance, the meth lab was found and many rifles and handguns were carried out.  It took months to detox the house and it is now used as a half-way house for women who are recovering drug addicts or victims of domestic violence.

All of this is said because I don't think about small town drug problems.  It seems to me that small towns would have a better handle on drug problems because everyone knows everyone else and everyone knows who doesn't belong, etc.

You stated about the next generation is not bettering itself.  I don't see that it is any different than the generation I grew up in, you know, the one that embraced "Sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll".  I worked in Hollywood for a few years where I had to wade through all the hipppies sprawled on the sidewalks smoking pot.  So I don't feel anything is different as far as betterment.  My generation did okay and I am sure the next will survive as well.  Will they be better?  Who knows?  But I don't think things will change much.

Larryj

[Warph]

I think the hip-hop culture has been a much bigger detriment.  Not just to black society, but to urban society in general.

It pains me to say this... the kid finally got something right.  Have you noticed that the hip-hop culture is about as bad as the Obama culture.  The only difference between the two is that the Obama side wear ties.  On Hip-Hop, lets take snoop dog.  Now there's a piece of work.  Pardon my ghetto speak but, this black piece of cruddy trash has made millions off of the kids and young adults today who idolize... IDOLIZE.. this foul mouth clown.  And you gotta wonder what's going on in the mind of these zombie's who listen to this shit.  I've listened to one or two pieces of this clown and all I can think of is, a .45 caliber, 230-grain hollow point XTP would probably fit nicely between snoopy dog's bloodshot eyeballs.

Jeez... now I'm starting to sound like a "Gangsta."

Check out one of his more popular pieces if you dare, "Gangsta Like Me"  (Warning - Very harsh language here):
http://lyrics.rapbasement.com/Snoop%20Dogg_Gangsta%20Like20Me_lyrics_2012.html


 

[Anmar]

ha, warph, lets start an anti- gangsta rap posse

[Varmit]

I don't know about the Hip Hop culture, I think it depends on the artist.  I don't think you can "blame" the music for anything.  Afterall, it is a direct reflection of the culture that spawned it.  Take country music for example.  Rap and country, in a lot of ways, reflect each other, they say the same things just in different ways. 

[Anmar]

culture, not music.  Music is just a part of the culture.  Its a way of living life.  Being bad is good, intelligence is looked down on.  Always look out for yourself, do what makes you feel good.  Spend what you have, don't save anything for tomorrow.  Those are the motto's of the hip hop culture.

Music is mostly just a business.  There are those who use it as a tool to spread their messages, and some even try to improve the ubran culture through music, but sex, drugs, and bling sell better.

[Varmit]

You're right, Anmar.  But I don't think that it is a Hip Hop specific charateristic.