According to Russell Simmons, hip hop's first millionaire entrepreneur who is chairman and CEO of Rush Communications, states that one reason rap is so popular is because of the resistance it has met. The more resistance there is and the more controversy there is the more people are going to want to buy it. The heated debates that took place in the late 1980's and early 1990's about censoring the lyrics of rap music only spawned sales. The infamous group “2 Live Crew” was the beneficiary of their highly publicized court case regarding the First Amendment. Individuals such as Tipper Gore and C. Delores Tucker have lead the charge to censor the lyrics of rap music. According to Russell, kids like the fact that status quo does not condone the music and tries to control it. It becomes a liberating experience for kids to rebel against the status quo. Some parents are leery of rap music and its rebellious message. According to Nelson George, hip hop's most prolific and perhaps best chronicler, “New music of any generation is always scary to the parents.”
Before rap music, there was Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Bob Marley, and more recently, punk rock, that galvanized the rebellious spirit of youth across the U.S. Now what seemed to be a passing trend, chronologically fitting between heavy metal and alternative rock, has become the chosen platform of rebellion for youth.
A good example of how rap music and hip hop has cut across ethnic boundaries can be found in the Asian community. In Los Angeles, there is a blossoming Asian American rap scene, consisting of groups like Bubula Tribe, Undercover, Asiatic Apostles, Brotherhood from Another Hood, the Seoul Brothers, Lani Luv, and the Boo-Yaa Tribe. These groups represents various styles. Messages range from social issues such as hate crimes against Asians to relationships between blacks and Koreans in nearly every major city. White rappers such as The Beastie Boys, 3rd Bass, and Vanilla Ice have also had success in the industry. Cypress Hill, Fat Joe, and Big Punisher, are Latino artists who have impacted the hip hop culture. The overall message of this music is the same. It is cool, didactic, and unabashedly rebellious. According to Russell Simmons,
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