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'Obama Effect' Cleaning Up Rap

Common says hip-hop turning more positive

By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 24, 2009 12:34 PM CDT

(Newser) – Thanks to President Obama, today’s rap focuses less on drugs, bling, and violence, and the “conscious rapper” is on the rise—at least according to Common. “I don't find as much gangsta talk,” the rapper/actor tells CNN. “You see the whole chain-shining-and-rim era is gone. That's like super-played out. Just to have that, I think, is part of the Obama effect.”

Hip-hop fans are ready to hear more positive, upbeat messages from socially aware artists, Common says—and he, for one, is ready to give that to them. “What America was built on was being able to say, 'Hey, we're going to come in and use our resources to build for ourselves and our communities and build around that.' I think that's what hip-hop is starting to do to a certain extent.”

Rapper Common stops by MTV Studios for a taping of MTV's Total Request Live in 2007.
Rapper Common stops by MTV Studios for a taping of MTV's "Total Request Live" in 2007.   (AP Photo/Peter Kramer)
Rapper Common arrives at The Apollo Theatre for the premiere of American Gangster in 2007 in New York.
Rapper Common arrives at The Apollo Theatre for the premiere of "American Gangster" in 2007 in New York.   (AP Photo/Peter Kramer)
Rap artist Common performs at the Obama Home States Ball, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, in Washington.
Rap artist Common performs at the Obama Home States Ball, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, in Washington.   (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Rap artist Common, Lonnie Rashid Lynn Jr., arrives for the taping of BET Hip-Hop Awards 08 at the Atlanta Civic Center.
Rap artist Common, Lonnie Rashid Lynn Jr., arrives for the taping of BET Hip-Hop Awards 08 at the Atlanta Civic Center.   (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 5 comments
riffran
Sep 25, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
I don't get it either..Bill Cosby stood up and denounced that kind of "Thuggery" as self destructive..and they villified him..called him a house Ni**** and uncle Tom and race traitor ect...because he was advocating nearly the same thing
Yourself
Sep 24, 2009 8:35 AM CDT
i'd change my name if i was you, cause you probably also won't like the massive amount of spam that will be generated from posting your email address.
KurtRambis4va
Sep 24, 2009 7:00 AM CDT
Exactly... When Three six mafia starts a grassroots movement focusing on healthcare, let me know

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