Jay Z is found of quipping you can't knock the hustle, but it seems that society is trying to do just that to Hip Hop. It seems that everything wrong in the world is hip hop's fault. Low clearance rates in predominately African-American neighborhoods (60 minutes), the existence of misogyny (Oprah), and the denigration of African-Americans with usage of the n word - all hip hop's fault. I would like to believe that the folly and bluster of hip hop has made it public enemy number one, but I'm not that naive.

Hip hop is powerful in many ways, but not that powerful to be the route of these various issues. These issues existed before hip hop and unfortunately will exist after hip hop. However hip hop is well suited to change the discourse of these issues, as well as other issues, and I believe this is why hip hop is hated on.

Because hip hop has often spoken to issues before the general public bellwether has sounded it has exponentially grown in 'power' over its relatively short life span. Hip hop has always operated on the belief that the internal defines the external not the other way around. I as the hip hopper can give a damn about what the general public thinks of my style of dress, how I speak or how I act - because I like the way I dress, I understand what I mean and I am resolute in my actions. This ethos has served hip hop well for the last few decades, but unfortunately it is time for hip hop to realize it does have a valid voice and that validity only comes in connection with the external it so often rebukes.

Because the external society knows hip hop's position of not defending its action to those outside of the culture it has become the sport of the day to blame hip hop for any and everything. Only once hip hop becomes focused and vocal on how it defines itself can it actually speak to the inconsistencies drawn by the greater society. Hip Hop needs to develop this voice because without it, the benefits of characterization as a culture is at risk of being diluted internally and externally.