Since the death of Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace (Notorious B.I.G), many people have criticized “gangsta” rap for its misogynistic and violent lyrics. Often blacks are blamed with perpetuating these problems through the creation and purchasing of such music. What these critics fail to realize is that blacks do not make up the majority of consumers of “gangsta” rap and are not at the head of the companies that produce it.

According to the Black Youth Project conducted by the University of Chicago, most black youth agree that lyrics of rap songs are too violent and “portray Black women in offensive ways.” Forty-one percent of black listeners agree that rap needs to more political. With all these black people opposed to “gangsta” rap, how is it surviving? The answer is white suburban teenagers.

The Record Industry Association of America reports that 66 percent of rap music is purchased by white audiences. Some do not see how this type of music could appeal this demographic.

According to scholars like Ivan Juzang and Malcolm Gladwell, the dog-eat-dog message in rap lyrics resonates throughout American capitalistic ideology.

Many of these traits can even been found in old American Westerns like “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” Blondie, played by Clint Eastwood, who shoots his way to economic prosperity, easily fits the descriptions of the “gangsta” illustrated in rap lyrics.

It also turns out that chauvinism and violence, as a means of bettering oneself, are not “rap” things but rather American things. Music label executives saw this appeal and have been exploiting it for the past 15 years. These companies cater to this large niche by promoting artists like Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, who rap such lyrics as “Front on me, I’ll cut ya, gun-butt ya or bump ya.”

Six major record conglomerates supply 90 percent of “gangsta” rap to retailers, according to New York Daily News. Companies like Interscope Records, founded by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field, helped Marion “Suge” Knight create subsidiaries like Death Row Records that had the responsibility of finding new artists and producing albums, but with Interscope keeping the majority of the profits.

But as these companies grow successful, blacks receive the backlash produced by “gangsta” rap. Blacks are racially profiled to be gangsters and hoodlums because of the negative images portrayed in this form of music.

These companies and their leaders are not solely to blame; the artists who perform these degrading songs are also at fault. These proclaimed “gangsta” rappers are nothing more than sellouts who value their own prosperity over the well-being of a nation and their people. But the music CEOs are starting to feel effects of the demeaning lyrics they continually promote.

ABC News found that rap sales declined 21 percent from 2005 to 2006. Some might argue that this is due to the increase of illegal downloading, but a poll taken by the Associated Press and AOL-Black Voices found that 50 percent of blacks dislike the current state of hip-hop.

Some record companies have been promoting more political, uplifting rap. The company at the forefront is Def Jam Records.

Co-founded by Russell Simmons, this company has made it a priority to promote politically conscious artists like Kanye West, Common and the Roots. Some veteran artists like Jay-Z, Ludacris and Nas have moved to Def Jam to do away with “gangsta” lyrics and become more socially responsible. These artists say they have always wanted to perform more substantive lyrics but state that political rap was never encouraged or well-received at other labels.

Now that audiences are given the choice, they seem to like political rap more. Kanye West and 50 Cent released their third albums on the same day and so far, West has sold roughly 200,000 more copies than his “gangsta” competitor, according to MTV News. Even at the University, more students are supporting the change. Lupe Fiasco performed at Foellinger Auditorium on just two days ago, and according to Sergut Dejene, junior in Business, “the place was packed and the audience was surprisingly (racially) mixed.”

Hopefully, the message is being heard and CEOs of major music companies will quit exploiting gangsta rap at the expense of blacks and the degrading lyrics of gangsta rap will disappear forever.