Straight Outta Compton: The Truth About NWA & Hip Hop
Well, it is official, Straight Outta of Compton, the biopic surrounding the most prolific rap group in history, NWA, is now is theaters. And so far, the reviews have been exceptional. While the movie, itself, is experiencing success, it has shed new light on the group and the role it played in the paradigmatic shift in the direction of hip hop. While I will personally assert that some of the points made in the following content lacks the depth and complexity to surrender absolute validation on any suggestion made here, I do suggest that the authors are successful in offering some reasonable possibilities that deserve to be examined through the lens of critical thought.
While I have not yet made up my mind if I will see this movie or not, I must admit that my decision will not be based as much on “principle” as far as standing against what this movie represents, as much as it will be a part of an ongoing withdrawal of spending money in the white economy whenever possible. While blacks lack the complete infrastructure to completely withdraw from the white economy, or any other economy that is, in some way, hostile toward blacks in general or in a specific nature, it is important to spend wisely in other economies.
While I don’t believe that either of the pieces of content listed below has the depth and detail to sustain its assertion, I am more than certain that they each can stand on their own as the foundation for more in-depth research into the matter. However, for someone to put in the necessary effort and time, they would have to have a mindset that the outcome would have meaning.
My academic background demands that any hypotheses that are presented must be supported with an abundance of pragmatic and empirical evidence to underwrite the theory and claims set forth in the hypothesis. In other words, I believe in using “scientific method”, the body of techniques used for investigating phenomena, compiling new knowledge or correcting and integrating previous knowledge.
First, there must be a formulation of a question, then there must be an hypothesis that serves to provide the theoretical answer to the question. While the hypothesis can only serve as organized conjecture, it sets the stage for the calculated prediction, which is the development of the logical consequences of the hypothesis. Following would be a number of ways to test and analyze the hypothetical presentation. As the process moves forward, there also has to be the ability to replicate results, withstand external review and record the data to be lucidly presented.
While the content below falls below the aforementioned standards, it does make some eloquent points that deserve our attention. Allow me to acknowledge that there will be those who simply want to dismiss the very idea that music could have the power to make the type of impact that is suggested here; however, I would assert that such an unengaged dismissal is most often attributed to emotionalism and cognitive dissonance. Dismissing the idea of what is presented here without being able to subject the theory upon which the dismissal is based to the same level of scrutiny as suggested for the original theory means that the dismissal would be considered conjecture as well.
I don’t intend to present a position here. Personally, I admit to listening to NWA, and while I would suggest that their music didn’t entice me to do anything that I was not already capable of; it definitely did not challenge me to elevate myself in the way that the music of more conscious groups such as Public Enemy and Boogie Down Productions.
I would suggest that the question that this content should present is actually dichotomous. The first half of the question should be: Did the music of NWA usher in a new era in hip hop that promoted self-hatred, fratricide, misogyny and chaos? The second half of the dichotomy to this question would be: If so, how do we use the this blueprint to create a positive music base that is capable of reprogramming our youth in a positive way? Discovering the answers to these questions, will be the beginning to building a power mechanism that will help prepare our youth. ~ Dr. Rick Wallace, Ph.D.
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Straight Outta Compton: The Truth About NWA & Hip Hop
Written by: Sebastien Elkouby
In early 2012, a controversial anonymous letter entitled “The Secret Meeting That Changed Rap Music and Destroyed a Generation” hit the internet by storm. The letter, which claims that an unnamed top music industry executive promoted gangsta rap to fill private prisons, was published by hundreds of blogs and websites and was reposted on countless forums, Twitter and Facebook profiles. Across social media, everyone from Public Enemy’s Chuck D to Freeway Ricky Ross had something to say about it. Various YouTube videos were posted to discuss the anonymous letter and translations of the letter were posted in French, Spanish and other languages for international audiences. The Huffington Post even published a critique questioning the validity of the claims made by the anonymous author who, fearing for his well being, provided no names or details that might reveal his identity.
Many skeptics called the letter a hoax due to its poor writing style and general inconsistencies, yet an overwhelming number of people accepted its “facts” at face value. While I have my own concerns regarding the letter’s authenticity, the core message does touch on a frightening reality which doesn’t require any anonymous claims to prove it as truth. This may be why the letter has struck such a nerve with internet audiences. The private prison industrial complex is very real and the people and entities behind it will go to surprising lengths to sustain it.
Although I haven’t come across information confirming the music industry’s direct investment in private prisons, it is public knowledge that General Electric, which co-owns Universal Entertainment, the home of Interscope Records and Def Jam, is the nation’s largest weapons manufacturer as well as a huge investor in private prisons. Both record labels are well known for promoting criminal elements through their music, with Interscope’s Death Row Records probably being the greatest purveyor of “gangsta rap” in history. The notion that there may be a connection between a company that glorifies crime as entertainment and a company that manufactures weapons and invests in prison-for-profit is disturbing to say the least.
But the idea that the music industry has manipulated rap music to glorify misogyny, violence, drugs and materialism is a common belief held in Hip Hop circles. Many artists such as Rhymefest, Wise Intelligent and Too Short have shared their personal experiences which clearly point to a deliberate attempt by the music industry to silence and suppress Hip Hop music with substance. The belief that music (and media in general) can be used as a medium of social engineering is nothing new. In the 1970’s, Black music was already being studied by university researchers to learn how it could be manipulated to ultimately increase consumerism in mainstream markets. In 1990, the release of the book “Hit Men: Power Brokers and Fast Money Inside the Music Business” also points to corrupt business practices which place profit over ethics.
What seems to bother skeptics who simply see the anonymous letter as a cheesy conspiracy theory is the lack of verifiable information to back up its astounding claim. Sadly, as unbelievable as it may be, sicker things have happened which were once labeled “conspiracy theories” until the supporting evidence was uncovered and documented. Ridiculing conspiracy theories may be popular amongst self-righteous contrarians, but their mockeries ring hollow in the face of the following real-life documented government conspiracies.
- The Tuskegee Experiment
- The CIA-Sponsored Crack Epidemic
- CoIntelPro
However, the focus of this article is on the claims that music industry executives invested in private prisons and promoted gangsta rap to influence young people into a life of crime, ultimately leading to higher incarceration and increased profits for those investors.
Michelle Alexander, civil rights attorney and author of the bestselling book “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness”, lays out the horrible truth about the private prison industrial complex in painstaking details. And while she makes no mention of the music industry’s involvement, the truth she uncovers is much more sinister than our anonymous letter could ever suggest.
Despite the letter’s elusive origin, is it really so difficult to fathom that a handful of key players in the entertainment industry would plot such a horrifying scheme when the truth is much more twisted than anyone could possibly imagine? But if you still need convincing, the following links should wake you up!
- Judge Gets 28 Years for Receiving Money from Private Prison to Send Juveniles to Jail
- Lawmakers’ relatives work for private prison company
- Wells Fargo bank invests in private prisons
- Michigan governor cuts Detroit education spending and increases money to prisons
- Prisons funded better than schools in Michigan
- Prison Industries: “Don’t Let Society Improve or We Lose Business”
- Top 7 Reasons Why You Should Invest in Private Prison!
- Follow the Prison Money Trail: Private prison companies invest millions in elections
- How the Political Strategies of Private Prisons Promote Ineffective Incarceration Policies
- Private Prison Corporations Are Modern Day Slave Traders
- The Prison Industrial Complex
- Private prison statistics
- And the list goes on.
While there might not have been an actual plot to lead young rap fans to prison, the glorification of criminal or risky behavior in mainstream rap couldn’t possibly have been beneficial for young people over the last two generations. After all, how has “Molly”, mainstream rap’s new trendy drug, been so carelessly promoted by major record companies? Since the beginning of the year, at least 10 songs about Molly have already been released. And while most of us understand that the so-called “War on Drugs”, not rap music, is responsible for the incarceration rate, too many of us seem blind to the fact that Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, Trinidad James, Chief Keef, French Montana and all these other rappers are the public spokespeople for an industry that undoubtedly makes money influencing impressionable minds to engage in dangerous (and often illegal) activities.
This isn’t an attack on Hip Hop. There are countless new MC’s, despite being lesser known then their commercial counterparts, who are creative, insightful and keep Hip Hop alive. A matter of fact, it seems that in 2013, a change may be on the horizon with a new crop of innovative artists starting to make noise without the help of the mainstream industry. With that said, there are still more Black and Latino men in jail now than at any other time in our nation’s history. We need to move beyond arguing about the validity of conspiracy theories and deal with the reality of undeniable facts. And while rappers need to be held accountable for their images and lyrics, we also need to see who’s behind them, pulling the strings. Our youth are in serious jeopardy and it isn’t merely a theory. We must take an active role in educating and empowering young people with the proper information. Or, we can stay stuck in front of our computers debating and arguing our opinions while the frightening truth about the private prison industrial complex is right under our nose.”
Following, is the infamous letter that the previous author references. As stated in the previous article, the authenticity of this article is in question; however, what is not in question here is the general idea that the music industry purposely took a role in creating the pivotal shift in the direction and impact of hip hop music in the black community. At the very least, this idea deserves critical examination.
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“The Secret Meeting that Changed Rap Music and Destroyed a Generation”
“Hello,
After more than 20 years, I’ve finally decided to tell the world what I witnessed in 1991, which I believe was one of the biggest turning point in popular music, and ultimately American society. I have struggled for a long time weighing the pros and cons of making this story public as I was reluctant to implicate the individuals who were present that day. So I’ve simply decided to leave out names and all the details that may risk my personal well being and that of those who were, like me, dragged into something they weren’t ready for.
Between the late 80’s and early 90’s, I was what you may call a “decision maker” with one of the more established company in the music industry. I came from Europe in the early 80’s and quickly established myself in the business. The industry was different back then. Since technology and media weren’t accessible to people like they are today, the industry had more control over the public and had the means to influence them anyway it wanted. This may explain why in early 1991, I was invited to attend a closed door meeting with a small group of music business insiders to discuss rap music’s new direction. Little did I know that we would be asked to participate in one of the most unethical and destructive business practice I’ve ever seen.
The meeting was held at a private residence on the outskirts of Los Angeles. I remember about 25 to 30 people being there, most of them familiar faces. Speaking to those I knew, we joked about the theme of the meeting as many of us did not care for rap music and failed to see the purpose of being invited to a private gathering to discuss its future. Among the attendees was a small group of unfamiliar faces who stayed to themselves and made no attempt to socialize beyond their circle. Based on their behavior and formal appearances, they didn’t seem to be in our industry. Our casual chatter was interrupted when we were asked to sign a confidentiality agreement preventing us from publicly discussing the information presented during the meeting. Needless to say, this intrigued and in some cases disturbed many of us. The agreement was only a page long but very clear on the matter and consequences which stated that violating the terms would result in job termination. We asked several people what this meeting was about and the reason for such secrecy but couldn’t find anyone who had answers for us. A few people refused to sign and walked out. No one stopped them. I was tempted to follow but curiosity got the best of me. A man who was part of the “unfamiliar” group collected the agreements from us.
Quickly after the meeting began, one of my industry colleagues (who shall remain nameless like everyone else) thanked us for attending. He then gave the floor to a man who only introduced himself by first name and gave no further details about his personal background. I think he was the owner of the residence but it was never confirmed. He briefly praised all of us for the success we had achieved in our industry and congratulated us for being selected as part of this small group of “decision makers”. At this point I begin to feel slightly uncomfortable at the strangeness of this gathering. The subject quickly changed as the speaker went on to tell us that the respective companies we represented had invested in a very profitable industry which could become even more rewarding with our active involvement. He explained that the companies we work for had invested millions into the building of privately owned prisons and that our positions of influence in the music industry would actually impact the profitability of these investments. I remember many of us in the group immediately looking at each other in confusion. At the time, I didn’t know what a private prison was but I wasn’t the only one. Sure enough, someone asked what these prisons were and what any of this had to do with us. We were told that these prisons were built by privately owned companies who received funding from the government based on the number of inmates. The more inmates, the more money the government would pay these prisons. It was also made clear to us that since these prisons are privately owned, as they become publicly traded, we’d be able to buy shares. Most of us were taken back by this. Again, a couple of people asked what this had to do with us. At this point, my industry colleague who had first opened the meeting took the floor again and answered our questions. He told us that since our employers had become silent investors in this prison business, it was now in their interest to make sure that these prisons remained filled. Our job would be to help make this happen by marketing music which promotes criminal behavior, rap being the music of choice. He assured us that this would be a great situation for us because rap music was becoming an increasingly profitable market for our companies, and as employee, we’d also be able to buy personal stocks in these prisons. Immediately, silence came over the room. You could have heard a pin drop. I remember looking around to make sure I wasn’t dreaming and saw half of the people with dropped jaws. My daze was interrupted when someone shouted, “Is this a f****** joke?” At this point things became chaotic. Two of the men who were part of the “unfamiliar” group grabbed the man who shouted out and attempted to remove him from the house. A few of us, myself included, tried to intervene. One of them pulled out a gun and we all backed off. They separated us from the crowd and all four of us were escorted outside. My industry colleague who had opened the meeting earlier hurried out to meet us and reminded us that we had signed agreement and would suffer the consequences of speaking about this publicly or even with those who attended the meeting. I asked him why he was involved with something this corrupt and he replied that it was bigger than the music business and nothing we’d want to challenge without risking consequences. We all protested and as he walked back into the house I remember word for word the last thing he said, “It’s out of my hands now. Remember you signed an agreement.” He then closed the door behind him. The men rushed us to our cars and actually watched until we drove off.
A million things were going through my mind as I drove away and I eventually decided to pull over and park on a side street in order to collect my thoughts. I replayed everything in my mind repeatedly and it all seemed very surreal to me. I was angry with myself for not having taken a more active role in questioning what had been presented to us. I’d like to believe the shock of it all is what suspended my better nature. After what seemed like an eternity, I was able to calm myself enough to make it home. I didn’t talk or call anyone that night. The next day back at the office, I was visibly out of it but blamed it on being under the weather. No one else in my department had been invited to the meeting and I felt a sense of guilt for not being able to share what I had witnessed. I thought about contacting the 3 others who wear kicked out of the house but I didn’t remember their names and thought that tracking them down would probably bring unwanted attention. I considered speaking out publicly at the risk of losing my job but I realized I’d probably be jeopardizing more than my job and I wasn’t willing to risk anything happening to my family. I thought about those men with guns and wondered who they were? I had been told that this was bigger than the music business and all I could do was let my imagination run free. There were no answers and no one to talk to. I tried to do a little bit of research on private prisons but didn’t uncover anything about the music business’ involvement. However, the information I did find confirmed how dangerous this prison business really was. Days turned into weeks and weeks into months. Eventually, it was as if the meeting had never taken place. It all seemed surreal. I became more reclusive and stopped going to any industry events unless professionally obligated to do so. On two occasions, I found myself attending the same function as my former colleague. Both times, our eyes met but nothing more was exchanged.
As the months passed, rap music had definitely changed direction. I was never a fan of it but even I could tell the difference. Rap acts that talked about politics or harmless fun were quickly fading away as gangster rap started dominating the airwaves. Only a few months had passed since the meeting but I suspect that the ideas presented that day had been successfully implemented. It was as if the order has been given to all major label executives. The music was climbing the charts and most companies when more than happy to capitalize on it. Each one was churning out their very own gangster rap acts on an assembly line. Everyone bought into it, consumers included. Violence and drug use became a central theme in most rap music. I spoke to a few of my peers in the industry to get their opinions on the new trend but was told repeatedly that it was all about supply and demand. Sadly many of them even expressed that the music reinforced their prejudice of minorities.
I officially quit the music business in 1993 but my heart had already left months before. I broke ties with the majority of my peers and removed myself from this thing I had once loved. I took some time off, returned to Europe for a few years, settled out of state, and lived a “quiet” life away from the world of entertainment. As the years passed, I managed to keep my secret, fearful of sharing it with the wrong person but also a little ashamed of not having had the balls to blow the whistle. But as rap got worse, my guilt grew. Fortunately, in the late 90’s, having the internet as a resource which wasn’t at my disposal in the early days made it easier for me to investigate what is now labeled the prison industrial complex. Now that I have a greater understanding of how private prisons operate, things make much more sense than they ever have. I see how the criminalization of rap music played a big part in promoting racial stereotypes and misguided so many impressionable young minds into adopting these glorified criminal behaviors which often lead to incarceration. Twenty years of guilt is a heavy load to carry but the least I can do now is to share my story, hoping that fans of rap music realize how they’ve been used for the past 2 decades. Although I plan on remaining anonymous for obvious reasons, my goal now is to get this information out to as many people as possible. Please help me spread the word. Hopefully, others who attended the meeting back in 1991 will be inspired by this and tell their own stories. Most importantly, if only one life has been touched by my story, I pray it makes the weight of my guilt a little more tolerable.
Thank you.”
The Impact that NWA Had on Hip Hop and the Black Community
“They aren’t evolutionist. #theysoldusout
The real story of NWA
by Minista Paul Scott
During a period in the late 80’s when rap artists like Public Enemy and Boogie Down Productions were succeeding in getting a nation of millions to stop selling crack and to stop killing each other, out of nowhere a group of rappers came along and destroyed the foundation that they were building and leaving as their legacy the broken bodies and shattered dreams of millions of black men and grieving mothers…
For those of us who were fortunate enough to live through the Reagan/Bush Era, we know the truth. The problems facing African Americans in 2015, are no different from the problems that we faced during the 80’s with police brutality, white on black violence, black on black violence etc. And just like during the 80’s, when black political awareness was rising here comes NWA again to lower the intelligence bar and turn potential revolutionists into apolitical thugs.
I must admit, the way the music industry used NWA was wickedly, brilliant. While Public Enemy was trying to save black lives, they created a group to destroy them. So NWA’s two politically aware songs served only as a Trojan Horse to bring people into the real agenda, profitizing the destruction of the black community.
Matter of fact, NWA did not even deny the nefarious plot to overthrow conscious Hip Hop with gangsta-ism. They bragged about it!
According to Vibe magazine writer, Cheo Hodaria Coker, Dr. Dre even admitted that NWA was created to be an alternative to music that promoted black power. So. this was no accident.
No one is denying that F*** the Police set a new standard in articulating the frustrations of young black men who were constantly being harassed by the cops . But the problem is, if you take “F*** the Police (and the contradictory Express Yourself) out of the equation , what are you left with? You are stuck with two albums and one EP that glorified black death and misogyny and inspired rappers of subsequent generations to follow their lead. Just listen to “She Swallowed it” off of their second album where the Pied Pipers of Pedifphellia rapped about the sexual gang bang of a 14 year old girl and the other subject matter did not really differ from that formula.
Now, there are some who would argue that NWA was not really a symbol of black genocide. But that’s just like saying that the Confederate Flag was not really a symbol of white racism. So, we are clearly dealing with revisionist history.
Now, ultimately, I don’t blame five black kids from the hood for hatching such a genocidal plot, I blame the music industry and in this case Jerry Heller, who is credited as being one of the co-founders of NWA. In my opinion, Heller is a war criminal and should be charged with war crimes against the African American community.
In his autobiography, Ruthless, a Memoir, Heller even confesses that based on the historical conspiracies by the “powers that be” to exterminate black people, “ if these conspiracies are true…then Eazy E and I were just pawns of C.I.A machinations too vast to contemplate.”
Therefore, if Eazy, Dre, Cube, Ren and Yella are guilty of anything, it is the sacrifice of young black lives on the altar of the Synagogue of Satan for the reward of riches beyond their wildest dreams. So, no I won’t be watching Straight Outta Compton and if you care anything about the state of Black America, neither should you. We cannot allow history to repeat itself where the revolutionary spirit of black youth is channeled into self destructive behaviors and the “enemy” ultimately becomes other black men.
Instead of spending our money on Straight Outta Compton , we should be buying books to teach the youth about The Black Panthers and other revolutionists who really stood up against police brutality. The blood of the thousands of young men who died over the last 25 years trying to be “N**** demands it!”