Is Hip Hop Ageist?

Photo courtesy of Complex.com

Once upon a time the pioneers of hip hop used it as a platform to display the ills as well as the triumphs of the inner city minority youth. It was a creative and safe means to make the masses hear the voices of those who were practically silent through new forms of music and art.  Created as a movement of minority youth, hip hop has steadily transformed into a genre that is far from what was originally intended mainly due to it becoming recognizable for its profitable potential.  Currently what is classified as hip hop is a far cry from what the original forefathers intended with many of the artists pushing the same agenda, that it is all about the money and hoes.

The transformation of  hip hop can mostly be attributed to the mass consolidation of hip hop focused record companies and

generational differences with younger artists redefining the definition of what is "hip hop". Though not completely a bad thing, slowly older hip hop artists have been silenced with much of their content or views being labeled as outdated and irrelevant. With the exception of a few veteran emcees, most of the older generation of rappers have faded into distant memories that are recollected only when one or their records play. 

Rarely does radio promote, play, or endorse artists that are older. This can be due to Program Directors and station owners whose bottom lines are about revenue and play only what is considered "hot". While it's understandable that revenue is necessary for growth, hip hop music has been watered down in the process. Not too long ago radio was dictated by what the listeners requested but currently it seems that radio tries to dictate what we as consumers must like by playing the same twenty to thirty singles repeatedly, who are usually younger than thirty and whose music has much more crossover appeal. 

Thanks to avenues such as YouTube and iTunes all varieties of music is readily accessible and they are now seriously challenging what radio is doing (or not doing). Not only does this open opportunities for older artists to be heard, it also can give independent artists the chance to have their music listened to by a much broader audience than radio. It still remains that older or more conscious hip hop artists are not given the same opportunities that younger or shallow ones have. 

Do you think that hip hop currently practices ageism?