Street Politics: Lyrical Authenticity

 Sticky Fingaz getting knocked out on MTV, a picture of Prodigy in a ballet outfit displayed on a huge projection screen at a rap mega-concert, photos of Rick Ross in a Correction Officer uniform.Not exactly the images we’ve come to know, but more so the images that have come to light for these artists. Do these revelations damage their image, lyrical integrity, and ultimately their record sales? Should all rappers who claim to be keeping it real be taken to task when it is discovered that they are just putting on airs?

There have been more than a few rappers who have had the truth revealed about embellished accounts of their past which they have glorified in their music. In interviews, Akon tells of a torrid past filled with criminal acts, hence the name of his label, Konvict Music. Truth is, while Akon does have numerous arrests on his record, he has only been convicted of one felony (gun possession) for which he received 3 years probation back in 1998. That same year, in Atlanta, Akon was arrested and charged with possession of a stolen BMW. He was held for months and released as all charges related to the car theft were dropped against him. Not exactly a member of a major car theft ring as he has alleged to belong to on several occasions to boost his street rep and give credence to the name of his company.

Judging by the movie 8 Mile, one would guess that Eminem spent a large portion of his formidable years in a trailer park. Em later revealed, and his mother confirmed, that while moving often in his younger years, he spent most of his time as a resident of Warren, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. Rather than trump up an arrest record that can be proven false, he chose the white trash route of ghetto realness the trailer park conveys.

Lil Wayne acknowledges his allegiance to the Bloods gang in damn near every verse we hear. Yet past videos offer proof, or rather stir up doubt, of his true membership. There are numerous instances in the past where Weezy is seen wearing a blue bandana either around his head or in his back pocket. There is also footage of him wearing a red bandana in his back pocket, albeit on the wrong side. His affiliation has been questioned on several occasions.

The latest culprit is Rick Ross, who initially denied the reports that he was once a Correction Officer in Florida. He was forced to backtrack after pictures and other proof surfaced on the internet showing William Leonard Roberts was indeed employed from December of ‘95 to June ‘97 at the South Florida Reception Center in Dade County. We’ll see if this has an impact on his drug lord persona as well as his record sales. His latest album, Deeper than Rap, is scheduled for release this month.

Should we attribute these lies to creative license or should these artists be taken to task for such fabrications? Hip-hop is a music and a movement birthed from the mean streets of the South Bronx. One of the earliest depictions of life in urban communities in hip hop music, The Message, was a gritty narration told to us, first hand, by rapper Melle Mel. We like to think that today’s artists “keep it 100″ when they share their tales from their respective hoods just the same. 

But that ain’t always the case.

This alarming trend, of questionable lyrical authenticity in hip-hop music, not only weakens its fabric, but also compromises the integrity of the artists. I mean, shouldn’t they feel a certain way about glorifying the very vices that are responsible for the destruction of the urban neighborhoods they so proudly represent? Where is the social and artistic responsibility? Is it not detrimental to the culture to have posers perpetrating a fraud? From its inception, hip-hop was art imitating life at its most visceral level, making the music surreal.

But what happens when more and more artists are revealed as something other than what we perceive them to be? Suppose 50 Cent had never been shot 9 times and it was actually his cousin’s story being told as his own? Would he have reached the superstar status he still holds to this day? Has the business of the music caused it to morph into a culture where life now imitates art? Has it become acceptable in hip-hop to sell an image, no matter how far fetched from the truth, for the sake of record sales?

At the end of the day, the old adage still applies: “Believe half of what you see and even less of what you hear.” The bottom line is there are posers everywhere; in your school, on your block, in your circle (hopefully not!!!), and even in your music. But here are some words of wisdom to all rappers: Practice what you preach!! If you are talking it, and not walking it, be ready to face the music. Beware, the damage from being outed as a farce is irreparable in the hip-hop community. You “Scarface babies” may want to think twice before constructing that false persona. The career you save may be your own.