I was randomly thinking the other day about how can Wal-mart sell guns and ammunition and Movies that are Rated "R", but they do not sell music with explicit lyrics. And everyone knows the majority of music with explicit lyrics are rap albums. Why? This entire thought is mind boggling to me. I wouldn't call it racist, but I will say that there is a prejudice with the reason why they don't sell rap albums with explicit lyrics. They can easily be accused for being bias towards the hip-hop industry but I will give Wal-mart the benefit of doubt. But they are taking away the artistic value of the rap albums--matter of fact disrespecting the artist value of rap music. They aren't selling edited versions of movies with less violence and profane language so why rap albums. Yes, it is cool to carry both edited and explicit versions, yes children are heavily influence by the media--so have the edited versions for them, but don't just have the edited versions for all of the customers. There isn't one Wal-mart executive can give me a valid reason why they don't sell these rap albums. Especially not when you sell guns in the same stores--unless they think the youth will buy that rap album in their store then go buy a gun in the same store and wreck havoc on their communities. No that is not possible because the youth cannot even purchase guns. So what is the problem?
At the register when you are buying a rated "R" DVD, it signals the register to check the ID of the customer to see if they are over the age of 18, so why can't they do the same thing with rap albums. They even check for an ID when you are buying Tylenol, Advil and other medicines. An employee told me "If it can be broken down, snorted or smoked we must check an ID." That is amazing. If they are willing to take the necessary precaution to stop drug use and possible lawsuits for using Tylenol, they should do the same for explicit rap albums. All they have to do is check the ID of the customer and if they are of age or with a parent they should be able to purchase the CD and get the entire artistic value of these rap albums. They shouldn't deny customers access to these CDs if they have the necessary actions to prevent from selling to minors, which is their "main concern" right? Or maybe not, or they are truly bias of the hip-hop industry--where the majority of the artist of African American. This little inconvenience to someone is rooted with racial connotation.
What can the public do to get Wal-mart to sell explicit rap CDs? Probably nothing, I honestly don't care I will just go to Best Buy, FYE or download songs from Itunes if I want to hear my rap music. However, I would love to hear a valid justification why they don't sell explicit rap CDs so that I can laugh. Because I feel there wouldn't be anything they can say to justify their statement. They can't be doing it for the kids safety. Safety from a rap album? Are the metaphors and limericks of rap songs that visual to force a young child to cause mass hysteria on the world around them. Or are the movies' visuals more or just as powerful than these lyrics. I am not sitting here saying that rap lyrics can't be influencing and very visual, but movies are the exact same thing if not worst. I believe a picture of someone killing a person will do a lot more damage to a child's psyche than some talking about killing someone.
If Wal-mart decides to sell rap albums with explicit lyrics or not--it will not change my life in any way, but it will ease my mind knowing that there is one less bias against hip-hop(black people)that is slowly but surely dwindling.
