Rappers: The Griots of my generation

For those who are unfamiliar with the term griot just go look it the fuck up, then come back to this blog. For those who are well aware, I'll proceed to give you what you need in the place to be. Whether we like it or not, Hip Hop music has become the voice of the urban community since it's creation in the late 70's early 80's. Fast-forward to the year 2012 and Hip Hop artists are quite possibly the most successful independent artists to ever grace the music arena. They've turned a culture into a profit, but at what costs? I can remember watching Video Music Box on my grandmother's living room floor while singing along to KRS-One's "You Must Learn" before I could fully understand what exactly he was rapping about. Although my age has given me the opportunity to witness the progression and transformation of Hip Hop music, it has also spoiled me. I got to enjoy the feel good music of Kid N' Play and Kriss Kross, as well as the Native Tongues movement, all the way to NWA all within a 1 or 2 year span. That is a whole lot of mixed messages for me as a youth, but I ultimately deciphered it all with the help of some responsible/irresponsible adults and elder cousins who lead by example whether they were positive or negative. These rappers or griots were the mouthpieces or storytellers of a silenced generation, who had no guidance being that the drug epidemic in America (fake ass war on drugs) took away all of the seniority our neighborhoods and communities had to offer. Jail, disease, murder, and death were all offspring to this violent drug situation which forced my generation to grow up lost, aggressive, and simply confused. Someone saw this tactic as profitable and now we're stuck with a people who draw inspiration from a genre of music which is dead set on destroying the very people who gave it life. The music used to emulate the happenings of the community, now the community is a direct reflection of the music. When the musicians have motives which don't necessarily promote positivity, then we have a fucking problem.Well, I guess we have a fucking problem... I guess I'll wait for another genre of music to come along to get excited again, Peace!