Hip Hop definitely made its impression on Las Vegas for All Star weekend, and I must say it wasn’t a very good one. There are many types of people that enjoy Hip Hop, young, old, black and white. Hip Hop has no color barriers but it seems like ignorance, poverty, and low class behavior does not discriminate either. There were a lot of negative events that happen over the course of All Star Weekend. There were numerous arrests and more than one shooting in the Las Vegas area that resulted from some of the Hip Hop parties that were held in the clubs on the strip. There were many people who acted out and showed some very disrespectful and distasteful behavior at these events toward women, older pedestrians, and the police. We at the Hip Hop Corner would like to officially apologize for Hip Hop and the behaviors of those who misrepresent us.

Hip Hop has always gotten a bad reputation. The introduction of Gangster Rap made it 10 times as bad. Most rap artists are not gangsters but they write about situations in the hood that they see or they have experienced. There is usually a hidden message to teach others not to go down the same negative path; sometimes artists just creatively try to paint pictures in their music to simply entertain consumers. It’s just unfortunate that those who are supposed to be listening to the edited versions of this music get a hold of the Parental Advisory dirty versions of these CD’s. There are a lot of negative messages in rap CD’s but there is an equal amount of positive messages as well, but it is always more exciting and entertaining to listen or view the negative than the positive, you rarely here about good things on the news. The 5 o’clock news usually airs over 80% negative segments on their show, news isn’t news unless it’s negative.

Hip Hop used to be positive and fun, but as it’s grown it has been abused by every coast and tainted by the major industries because of there continuous thirst for money without any discretion or conservation of moral responsibility. Hip Hop artist have replaced all the doctors, lawyers, and other positive role models, especially in the poverty infested communities and projects. It suddenly became cool to disrespect women, curse every other word, glorify drug dealing, have half naked girls in every video, and rap about absolutely nothing. This curse of Hip Hop influenced so many people to in return act out what they saw on rap videos and think every where you go is a party or a video shoot. Hip Hop had begun to be a way of life to people of every color and was more or less a virtual televised baby sitter for kids all over the nation. It told kids what shoes to buy, what clothes to wear, who was cool, who wasn’t cool. It didn’t show that education and knowing the answers in class was cool and attractive. It showed that the class clown with the new Hip Hop gear was the cool guy leaving the smart guy to be the uncool nerd.

To be cool you had to be what Hip Hop culture defines as “Gangsta”. Ready to fight and be hard. You had to be a player or a pimp and willing to try to get as many women, or men for that matter, to submit to you or buy you gifts whether it took you to reduce them to hoes or bitches in the process. This unacceptable behavior, for sometime, is what Hip Hop had become but at the end of the day that’s not what it’s all about.

People did not represent Hip Hop for what it was meant to represent All Star Weekend. A lot of people did not act in a classy matter and I was ashamed and embarrassed for them because Hip Hop needs to redeem itself from all the negativity it has created, not make it worse and the behaviors of some of our people was very disgusting to say the least. There were many racial slurs and a lot of violent acts that occurred. It just shows that “The Corporate Las Vegas Powers That Be” have a reason to somewhat stereotype us as a culture and be hesitant about letting us have events here in Vegas. They are only trying to protect their investments and their yearly clientele who fuel Vegas’ economy. I am the first to rebel against, and not approve of racism, prejudice, or racial profiling, but on the outside looking in, when you have a lot to lose you want to protect it no matter how politically incorrect you may have to get. People like me, whom are God fearing and have families, respect themselves and don’t want to be involved in a whole lot of ignorance, drama, and confusion out here in these streets.

It is cool to party and have a nice time, but you should do it with class and act like you have some home training. It’s no reason to wear your pants slouching off your butt and down to the back of your knees. You go to the club in some respectable attire and carry yourself as a gentleman. You can be corporate and distinguished and still be Hip Hop. Three of the perfect examples are Russell Simmons, Diddy, and Jay-Z. These are Hip Hop icons that are respected by people like Donald Trump and Steve Wynn because it’s not about color and where you’re from, it’s about how you carry yourself as an individual, where you are as a man or woman, and how you gain your respect from those you are trying to be amongst who also respect themselves, who are wealthy, and have fought to accomplish goals like yourself.  Being a part of the Hip Hop community shouldn’t ostracize you from being a person who is respected on this level, and my apology for Hip Hop is a start from me and to whom it may concern in Las Vegas.

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