Free Idea -- "Crack Rap"

[SaintGermaine]

A while ago a friend of mine thought of a good idea for a book. The title would be "Crack Rap", a serious, scholarly study of the history, relationship, and influence of illegal drugs on hip hop culture, from Schooly D to Jay-Z, from the boardroom to the playground.

I'm 33 so I pretty much grew up with rap, and was able to see how the pressence of drugs as an image evolved in hip hop, from something marginal in the early days to the centerpiece today. I also have a sort of ambivalent view on the subject -- I still listen to rap, not much new stuff these days, but every once in a while I find myself singing along to some crack rap lyrics by Ghostface or even MF Doom. So it's a complex issue.

Is there already a book like this? If not, if there are any budding sociology students out there with the resources and will to write a book like this, I'll be the first one to buy a copy.

[PolarVibez]

This would be interesting. I'd read it. I always thought it was wild how cats like Ghostface and the Clipse constantly get a pass from indie, progressive and even some conscious types simply because they can find creative ways of rhyming about the same shit that like 80% of rappers talk about. Even Jay-z built his whole career off it and is now a household name who hobknobs with all the celeberity a-listers and billionaires. Don't get me wrong, I like their music too. Even though I don't necessarily condone the selling of crack. Just let the average mushmouthed dude off the street with a fifth grade vocabulary talk about slingin over a wack trippletimed hi-hat beat and all of a sudden that guy's Satan. Is it hyprocrisy or simply the fact the people like good art? Regardless of whatever it was that inspired the art in the first place.

Drug culture is almost as much a part of hip-hop as deejaying, rapping, breakin' and graffitti. Without it, Biggie,Wu-tang,Nas, Kool G. rap, Jay-Z N.W.A., and countless others probably wouldn't even exist or they'd sound totally different. No to mention all the groups that sprung up as a direct reaction as an alternative to that culture. I mean crack in the 80's was like a big ass wave that affected everything and music, culture and art was no exception.

[SaintGermaine]

Yeah, that's exactly what I mean.

I'm pretty guilty myself like I said, yeah, when it's someone like Ghost, who's an incredible writer, I tend to give them an automatic pass, but really turn up my nose at Joe Blow rappers with tiny vocabularies. In a way, it should probably be the reverse, he's clearly smart enough to know better.

But still, I'd like to see someone do some real hardcore work on the subject, with statistics and interviews, charts and graphs the whole deal. I'd do it, but I'm too lazy.


Actually, here's an open invitation -- If there's anybody out there with a research background, or even multiple people, I'd sure love to pitch in. Or maybe we could do a website, The Crack Rap Project...