When Rap Music Had a Conscience The Artists, Organizations and Historic Events That Inspired, and Influenced the "Golden Age" of Hip-Hop from 1987 to 1996

Rap music used to be a tool used by inner city youth to give voice to concerns that weren't acknowledged by mainstream society, inspire positive social change, and reflect hopes and dreams for the future. But as rap music became mainstream, the original goals were sacrificed in exchange for a more marketable culture of crass commercialism, sex, and violence, with no sense of communal responsiblity. Pimps, Hos, Guns, and Buns: these four words have generally encompassed the lyrical content of mainstream rap music for more than decade. Videos filled with hyper-masculine twenty-somethings displaying sports cars, hot girls, and their "bling" are shown in rotation on popular music channels, fueling the imaginations of fans across the globe. When Rap Music Had a Conscience explores the artists, organizations, fashion trends, cinema, and literature that were popular among fans of this once powerful genre of rap music and ties them to broader themes in politics and the media.McQuillar, Tayannah Lee is the author of 'When Rap Music Had a Conscience The Artists, Organizations and Historic Events That Inspired, and Influenced the "Golden Age" of Hip-Hop from 1987 to 1996' with ISBN 9781560259190 and ISBN 1560259191.