Hip hop and R&B music has definitely changed over the past couple of years. Today when you turn on the radio, a lot of what you hear is what we consider Ratchet music, a sub-genre of rap that is raunchy by nature and obnoxious by choice (Anthony Nathan). A lot of songs being played heavily on the radio stations lack lyrical substance and promote sex, promiscuity, drugs, and violence. Carvin Haggins, a Grammy award winning music producer and song writer, decided to address these issues by starting his Rage Against The Ratchet Movement, in efforts to take on Urban Radio by demanding an end to playing vulgar lyrics.[caption id="attachment_1193" align="alignright" width="300"]
Producer and Songwriter, Carvin Haggins[/caption]Carvin Haggins is the founder of the Ethical Music Entertainment record label. He is also a producer and song writer who has worked with Will Smith, Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild, Justin Timberlake, Jaheim, Patti Labelle, Chris Brown, Faith Evans, and Jamie Foxx. He started his movement by posting his “PSA: Rage Against the Ratchet” video on Youtube. In the video he discussed his major issue with what’s being played on the radios. He states that the songs being played today are over sexualized, disrespectful, degrading, and tearing our children down instead of building them up. Songs that were played when he was growing up were a balance of all different types of music, including songs that promoted positivity and empowerment for our communities such as “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye, “I’m Black and Proud” by James Brown, and “Wake Up Everybody” by Teddy Pendergrass. However, on today’s radio, Haggins states that “the lyrics do not have substance and the songs are all about sex, murder, drugs, killing, and drinking.” He then goes on to discuss certain songs and lyrics to pin point what he means. Some of the songs he discussed are very popular, played heavily on the radios, and I have even witnessed young children and teenagers mouthing the lyrics and dancing to them. Watch the video below for his full story and tell us what you guys think! Should radio stations be held the most accountable? What about the artists? Or what about the parents at home who allow their children to listen to these explicit lyrics?
http://youtu.be/Wugrx761m7A
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http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/[/caption]Haggins believes that “music is the number one teaching tool. The more we recite it, the more we understand it. The more it becomes a part of us.” In addition to that, he also believes that the parents and more importantly, radio stations should be more responsible and stop dealing poison to our kids. In the video he made a PSA about the protest he planned to carry out, which took place on June 7th, 2014. Carvin Haggins, along with supporters that consisted of concerned parents, friends, community activists, church leaders, and members of the community protested in front of Power 99 radio station. “Haggins targeted Power 99 because of what he calls inconsistent policies at Clear Channel. He says that while certain songs are edited on pop stations, their objectionable lyrics are allowed to remain on urban radio” (Sofiya Ballin). Haggins plans to continue his movement by holding more protests and staying active in the community to let his voice be heard. And if you would like to support his movement, you can sign his petition for Rage against the ratchet at Change.org.
I agree that Radio station should take a stand and stop allowing such lyrics to be played especially during the day time when teenagers and young children are listening to the radio. Most of the songs that have curse words and obscene lyrics are barely covered up by what they consider to be “blinked out”. It’s sad because it all about the numbers game and it all comes down to them making money.
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