When rap came out 30 years ago I thought it was just a fad

Long ago when I started in this hobby I always understood that it was different and I was different. I grew up in the hip hop golden age. Lol.  However, I love old school jazz with a passion. My  walls are filled with old black and white photos of Holliday, Fitzgerald, Gillespie, miles and ellington. I have been around a number of great audiophiles that are great and I don't ever worry about racial issues with most. I would say that there were times I have thought it was an issue. Face it most audiophiles are as described in the earlier post.  The high end is an affluent crowd. African Americans who are affluent would not spend it on this usually and those who would wouldn't care for the uppity folks accepted them. They wouldn't keep that kind of circle.   I'm not saying that anyone here is or isn't but I am aware that it is subtle. I could see where one could see possible overtones/undertones.  I think that some people it would bother. For me, it does not.  I would be naive to think that there are folks who are here who don't say it to be racial.  I'm just saying I wouldn't care if they did.  They know who they are. As far as rap music is concerned to me went from being this innovative lyrical and musical art form. It went from describing America's social ills and problems and a uplift message to this sing songy fake gangster repetitiveness driven monetarily by its surburban fan base. Does it portray African Americans in a negative light. Now, I would say that mainstream rap probably does a lot.  I enjoy old school hip hop but I absolutely love old and new real jazz. To each his own.  In every hobby you have folks that have there circles and preferences.  I wouldn't spend my money on a speaker whose owner would let me demo whatever I choose.  I would spend it on one who would or find someone who wanted to develop one.  It's mindset. It's America.  Free to be the way you are.  If Cristal doesn't want you to drink it's champagne. Develop or buy Ace Of Spades and serve your market. Audio better change its strategy or it endanger of dying. Thanks for all comments. The final answer your question is the fad has lasted because like everything else it has it's good it's bad and unapologetic. It's raw like it or not.  It doesn't require approval of anyone. That's what attracts it's fans. I like it less now and my jazz more.  Enjoy whatever you like but don't ridicule other audiophiles because they like a genre you don't.  

As they say....some here ’doth protest too much’ ...Get over yourselves with this (is it or isn’t it, racist) crap! It’s music. Take it or leave it...don’t feel compelled to convert others. Never in the history of the ’Internet forum’ has someone convinced someone else to change camps, on polarizing issues. Unfortunately, most seem to participate only to speak, not to listen.

Although I happen to enjoy rap on my high end system...(especially Scarface, FWIW; ) the people defending it sound as desperate to me as those criticizing it.

P.S. Taters...you got me...I tried to resist...but you got me. Well played, my friend.

Tosta wrote:

"But that’s not the issue here--the issue here is whether it’s proper to call someone a racist based on comments made about music. That’s some pretty heavy extrapolation."

I did not call op a racist. I said there were racist under/overtones to his rhetorical post. If you go back and read his subsequent comments, they go beyond his original question, which is, and I quote: "Now it seems like it dominates the music industry, movies and fashion. MY ONLY QUESTION IS WHY?" (emphasis added)

Clearly this is not his "only" question. He has started at least one other thread about the same subject.

He seems obsessed. His "only question" was answered early on- as if it even deserved to be taken seriously. His "question" is purely rhetorical, and my sense is that Taters is a provocateur, a mischief-maker. He is easily entertained.

Some people have too much idle time. And yes, including me- Heck, I could be tube rolling instead of responding to this thread! :)

I have no more to say. I’ll leave it to the rest of you to sort it out. RAP on, or not....

ps, he and calvinj have each started multiple threads and appear to be arm-wrestling over the merits of rap.  It's gotten into discussions of racism and elitism.  I didn't say it at the time but I felt the thread about snooty audiophiles was actually elitist  in tone, but coming from the OP himself.  I'm sure they're both good guys but I did find it all a little weird at times.  But I digress.
If you call a person's statement racist, what does that say about the person who uttered the statement?  What kind of person makes a racist statement?  And why/how do you read racism into statements made about an art form?  Who wants to discuss music with people who brand your comments "racist" when you're just discussing the elements of music?  Not me.  And that is absolute--I do know my thoughts and feelings.  Absolutely.  You, on the other hand, do not.  Absolutely.  

@ps +1 I'm out. Exiting