*This is a disclaimer. These are my opinions. So if you disagree, don't flame me.*

Rap music originated in the 1970's as an art form in the black communities of New York (Bronx, Queens). It was the African-American equal to disco music. Tagging (graffitiing) also started around the same time in the same area. At the time, rap was mostly an underground dance phenomenon, led by DJ's and MC's.

In the 80's, rap gained mainstream success and became wildly popular. It was something new, and people liked it. In the early 80's, rap was mostly about having good times and partying. Not until later in the 80's did "ghetto rap" become popularized by rappers like Public Enemy, N.W.A., and others. Ghetto rap explained the lives of people in poverty-stricken areas, riddled with violence and drugs.

In the late 80's - early 90's, political rap songs like "Straight out of Compton" and "**** the Police" showed issues that were not noticed before, like police brutality. The 90's was also the start of "Gangsta' Rap", which I say contributed to the downfall of Western Society. Rappers like 2pac, Eazy-e, Snoop Dog, and Dr.Dre glamourized the "gangster" image. All they rapped about was their money, cars, and how many "****es they ****" with.

What positive image do these people give off that makes them so popular? I don't understand. And yet, kids say "I want to be a rapper" when they grow up. They drop out of school in hopes of becoming rich rappers. What annoys me more than anything is that in my eyes, rap isn't even an art form anymore. It used to be meaningful. My favorite rap song is a song called "At the Helm" by Hieroglyphics. He has a line that goes "Rap's not about bustin' caps and ****ing ****es, it's about fluency with rhyming ingenuity." That concept is totally lost on today's rappers.

If you don't agree, listen to the lyrics of one line of any of today's popular rap songs.