Music's tryst with dope

Monday, March 27, 2006

Countless hip-hop artistes who have broken through onto the hip-hop scene tell the tale of the junkie. How they were a victim of substance abuse and how they broke through it and become a rap star. They even sing of it in songs. If each big time rapper were to make a movie of how they became successful rappers, it would involve their rise from drug addiction. Drug addiction is not restricted to the artistes of the hip-hop brand of music but for some reason is glorified with every artist of the hip-hop/rap genre since its conception. Will hip-hop ever free itself of drug abuse? Will there be a day when the hip-hop artists of today will see that there is no more effect of it on their brood or will it just become matter for rhyme?

People always find it easy to appreciate the step that an addict took to give up the habit but they will never appreciate the right sense of someone who stays away from the habit. They would start out trying to be "cool" and not have things work for them until they are ruined. Then they get up and suddenly realize that they were fools all along to make such choices in the first place. Then they start telling the world that everyone should straighten their ways. What about the level headed people who made the right decisions all along? How ridiculous is it that we idolize people who are not on the level and we support their ridiculous escapades when we are much better off?

That makes the notion valid that the artiste is not a know it all but just a little more braver to come up and make known what will be an otherwise fear, doubt or apprehension in anyone else. But the fact that they are brave doesn't give them the license to have us idolize their ridiculous ways past each and everytime. The audience has the capability to make right decisions and one decision in the right direction will be to respect any artist of any genre of music for what he and his music is worth-not his ridiculous past. We all make those mistakes and it would only foolish on our part to allow them the privilege to bounce back whilst denying ourselves the same. If we look up to them for breaking the wall, that should inspire us to break the wall too. Once done with that, we are pretty much on the same understanding of their motivation. That makes them no one to hold in awe but to celebrate with hand in hand.

If they made the right decisions all along with a straight head and then suffered because of that, it is acceptable. Even if they did not suffer, if the choice they made was with a straight head that is good enough.