Hip-Hop & R&B rules the charts big time. Plus the promotion of the STREETS!!!

In Wednesday's issue of the USA Today, they reported that Hip-Hop & R&B music dominated national radio airplay surveys.

According to Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems and Arbitron, 61% of radio's hits were in the Hip-Hop/R&B fold (up from 51% in 2003). Meanwhile Pop and Country took a hit, and not even that rednecked woman named Gretchen Wilson could prevent the slide. Pop was at 16% (25% in 2003), and Country was at 11% (14% in 2003). Rock did gain with 12% (8% in 2003).

As someone who played Hip-Hop and R&B music on CSU-Pueblo's REV89 (KTSC-FM) I can speak my opinions on this music, so if I do say some damming things; Get Over It!

First of all I prefer much of the old school music of the 70's and 80's. I really enjoy the Philly Soul (Spinners, O'Jays who are famous of the song "For the Love of Money", Delfonics, Stylistics, and the house band that back them MFSB.) I also enjoyed the funk music of Kool & The Gang, Gap Band, Ohio Players, and Cameo especially the 80's work in which they used more keyboards and showed they were more than a copycat of the Ohio Players. I also enjoy the Smooth Jazz/R&B styles of Randy Crawford, George Benson, Quincy Jones. All of which are black.

Their are some current and recent Hip-Hop hits that I do like from Outkast (Hey Ya!!) and Nelly/Tim McGraw's "Over My Head." McGraw is still doing country music by the way.

That aside the popularity of Hip-Hop side of this kind of music concerns me. While today's R&B (and the old school) is full of sex laced songs, the Hip-Hop is not only full of sex but it also has a love affair with the "gangsta lifestyle" along with violence and its promotion of drugs in many of its pieces.

I don't want to get into all the details at this time but, I will says this to you parents. Talk with your kids about this crap, and try to get them to use the brains and hopfully they will see Hip-Hop for the sour milk it is. Try not to be forceful unless its nesscary, you don't want them to get deeper into this.