minus one. plus one.
it’s created waves. it’s been blogged. it’s been on oprah.
so what can we do?
kimberly and i were having a conversation over some wine about the issue of affecting change in hip-hop. rappers have millions and will continue to say what they feel like. executives will site reasons of financial welfare to defend a medium they know sells. just like in any relationship, we cannot change the other person. we must change.
our relationship with hip-hop is changing how others are treated. whether you’ve participated in jokes, ignored the lyrics at clubs to savor the beat, or sang along in your car, the imminent responsibility of the young black professional is that of self-love and community example.
i’m the first to claim three six mafia. by that definition, any proclamation i spit about ‘whats wrong with hip-hop’ ultimately becomes hypocrisy.
so this is my idea.
minus one. plus one.
commit to subtract one artist from your ipod, mp3 player, or cd rotation and add a positive artist. once you do so, let someone else know so they can get word about a positive artist. if you can’t think of a positive artist to add, simply ‘plus one’ an artist you already like. you can do this as often (once a month) or as little (once a year) as you like. best of all, it doesn’t cost you any money.
small individual change can enact big things!
post it! share it! email it! i’ve created a couple widgets for your blog to spread the word. they will link back to this post and here we will tell the world that we can make a difference just by a small action.
the code for the 283px widget:
the code for the 164px widget:
while i’m not quite going to give up three six, i do plan to give snoop the ‘minus one’ and common the ‘plus one’.
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Pingback by African American (Black) Opinion Blog » minus one. plus one. on 20 April 2007:
[...] posted on YBPG and African American [...]
Comment by Paula Neal Mooney on 20 April 2007:
Oh my God!
I love this idea!
Hit ‘em where it hurts.
Take one offensive artist away, add a good one.
Okay, let me think about who I’ll take away and who I’ll add.
Thanks!
Paula
Comment by suchalady vol on 20 April 2007:
This is the most proactive, realistic approach to the problem I’ve seen anyone present thus far. It’s great.
Of course, changing stations when an offensive song comes on the radio and not purchasing the material have always been realistic options as well. But this approach is great because (with the slogan and icon links) you’ve given people a way to spread the positivity to others that want to do the same thing.
I have two recommendations for + artists with + lyrics: check out Eric Roberson and Algebra Blesset. They are both doing music independent of major labels right now. But you can check them out on myspace and other internet sites…
Comment by BronzeTrinity on 20 April 2007:
I have also started a similar movement called the positive Hip Hop Free Promotion Campaign. If we want positive artists to be more popular then we can advertise for them on our websites and blogs. Its easy because all you have to do is post a small square slide show on you site that randomly shows the CDs of positive hip hop artists. You can also make your own slide show and adjust the size if you understand the code. I like your idea too an I’ll post the image
Please visit me and spread the word!
Comment by David McQueen on 20 April 2007:
I dont have any negative hip hop in my collection. However I wondered if this could be extended to some R&B that we have that is not empowering
Comment by suchalady vol on 20 April 2007:
I think it applies to every genre of music.
The icon says “swap out offensive artists.” It didn’t single out hip-hop (which is another reason this idea is really going to be effective). : )
Comment by David McQueen on 20 April 2007:
I stand corrected.
Comment by Tambra on 20 April 2007:
This is hot. I began weaning of rap with no purpose or hope for a while. It’s like eating fast food after awhile it may result into a disease based on bad choices and unhealthy lifestyle. Creativity matters in making change. And this is the catalyst.
Comment by Fredric on 20 April 2007:
post what artists you swapped. put some other people onto some new new hotness.
minus one: snoop.
plus one: common.
Comment by Garry I. Bevel on 20 April 2007:
WONDERFUL. BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD. Trina has been off my playlist for a while. So have quite a few other rappers. Who have I added - The Voice - Bunny Rugs (bunnyrugs.com). Reggae-inspirational, doesn’t get any better.
Comment by David McQueen on 20 April 2007:
Dont know if this counts but the latest addition to the old ipod are
India Arie - Testimony Vol 1
Amiel Larrieux - Morning
Raphael Saddiq - Instant Vintage
Omar - Sing if You Want It
Raheem Devaughan - The Love Experience
The last hip hip I loaded was
Lupe Fiasco - Daydream, Kick Push
Tribe Called Quest - Anthlogy
The Roots - Phrenology
Nas - One Mic
Comment by Kimberly Michelle on 20 April 2007:
Well, just cause I don’t currently have portable music doesn’t mean I can’t participate. Off my computer playlist- G-Unit (don’t even know why that crap was on here). My positive plus- Jeffrey Osbourne
What can I say….I’m old school….
Comment by Cluizel on 20 April 2007:
Great Idea!
Off - 50 Cent
In - Anthony David
That was easy…
Comment by Dame on 20 April 2007:
That’s a great idea Fredic, I have to figure out who I can subtract. I only really listen to Jay-Z and Nas and I don’t think those are too bad. Oh, I know, Mobb Deep they’re out and I’ll added in Tribe Called Quest. I’ll have to go and buy one of their old albums, cuz like Kimberly, I haven’t gotten with the times and got a Ipod yet.
Comment by ETS on 20 April 2007:
Honestly, gradual change like this on a grassroots level is the only way to create real change. When labels see that “positive” artists bring in more dollars, they’re more willing to support them.
Comment by Lester Spence on 20 April 2007:
hey fred. the thing that is really dawning on me is that we’ve made a really sharp move…one against structural issues, and one towards symbolic issues. i’d like to see us deal with the structural issues more here. it isn’t just a matter of positive vs. negative…it’s also a matter of figuring out the role of payola in music choice, among other things. i can’t say more now because i’m ripping and running, but i’ll try to chime in later with more thoughts.
Comment by Ashley on 20 April 2007:
I LOVE this idea. Are we just swapping whenever we feel?
Either way, I’m not gonna lie, I have to wean myself off some of these offensive artists (UGK are hometown faves, and sad to say a lot of what I grew up on, same with 3 6 Mafia), so to begin I am swapping Too Short (don’t ask), and replacing him with Foreign Exchange. As far as “R&B” I’m throwing out Pretty Ricky (it was a gift), and replacing him with Eric Roberson (this guy is incredible…check out his Myspace).
There are people that I know should be on the list (’Pac, Biggie, NWA), but I can’t let them go because they have certain songs that really spoke to me for whatever reason. But yeah, that’s my list
Comment by Fredric on 21 April 2007:
ashley!
i lost my foreign exchange…..man, that was a great album.
are they selling it in stores in the u.s. or did you buy it online….?
Comment by Jarrett on 22 April 2007:
Love the idea. Ultimately, it’s too late to save hard-headed, hip-hopping adults, but we can still reach our babies.
Along with this, we should mentor a kid and explain to him/her that the music they love is just entertainment. Nothing to live by, nothing to aspire to become.
Comment by Dame on 22 April 2007:
Jarrett
The problem isn’t the adults, because most of them don’t by rap albums anymore. The problem is with the “babies” as you call them. Those kids 12-18 that just eat up this ignorants type of rap music. That’s the real problem, because we have these grown men making music for little kids.
But I do agree with you, we do need to start mentoring these kids.
Comment by BronzeTrinity on 22 April 2007:
“The problem isn’t the adults, because most of them don’t by rap albums anymore. The problem is with the “babies” as you call them. Those kids 12-18 that just eat up this ignorants type of rap music.” Thats so true. I didn’t buy gangsta rap or listen to much of it so I didn’t help to make them rich. Yet here I am getting involved with this because the music is harmful to the reputation of all people of African descent. Did you hear the story about what happened to Oprah when she went to Africa once? When she was there a Black guy said something like “Hi N-word” as a greeting. He thought that was how we all addressed ourselves in North America!!!
Comment by OHSucker on 22 April 2007:
This is certainly something that will make a change. Hmm…now my only problem is I’ll have a hard time finding something in my “listen zone” that would get a minus for a plus. My “listen zone” is filled with artists like Little Brother (NCCU EAGLE PRIDE), Slum Village, Goapele, Algebra, The Roots, Beres Hammond, Richie Spice, Jaguar Wright, Joss Stone, etc.
Comment by ETS on 23 April 2007:
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070423/20070423005911.html?.v=1
Pingback by YBP Guide — tech news 5/2: “updates to ybpguide” edition on 2 May 2007:
[...] weeks to highlight different articles, but we also included a nice graphic highlighting our ‘minus one. plus one‘ post. be sure to add to the discussion and [...]
Comment by ETS on 4 May 2007:
“The Don Imus-fueled controversy over misogynistic rap lyrics surrounds Ebony magazine’s recent decision to pull rapper Ludacris from the cover of its June issue on “the New Black Fathers” and replace him with actor, Boris Kodjoe, reports Journal-isms. “Something has changed in America in the last few weeks,” Bryan Monroe, editorial director of Ebony and Jet magazines, told Journal-isms, without disclosing the identity of the rapper. As president of the National Association of Black Journalists, Monroe led the movement to have Imus fired. “I think the media is being called to account in these areas,” Monroe said. There is an opportunity to “transfer the conversation around language, race, inclusiveness and diversity,” as he said in his NABJ president’s column.”
more: http://www.eurweb.com/printable.cfm?id=33297
comments?
Pingback by YBP Guide — Do You! on 8 May 2007:
[...] of misogynistic lyrics are coming from, and continue the dialogue. I still stand by our “Minus One, Plus One” efforts and believe that the small changes that we do individually will influence [...]
Comment by kim on 17 May 2007:
So, this response is so late in relation to the Imus events it’s ridiculous…but hip hop is a subject I can hardly resist commenting on.
In theory this idea is interesting, however I think of the actual implementation of it and so many issues float to the surface for me. For instance how one determines whether an artist is positive or negative. Although it may be easy to just place the back packers, record company created neo-soul-ish niche of hip hop artists in the “positive” category, along with any artists that predate 1994, truth is you can cite misogyny in lyrics by slick rick and Common…And then to place commercial rappers whose image doesn’t revolve around the uplifting uber community oriented message that the “positive” artists have in the “negative” category is complicated too. I think of Biggie who wrote Dead Wrong…one of the most violent and lyrically appalling songs ever who also wrote Suicidal Thoughts, a track that exposes a vulnerability in the urban black male that I’ve not seen discussed in any written or verbal forum so candidly.
I say all of this to say that in reevaluating our relationship to hip hop, it’s important to not fall into the white male constructed categories of “good” and “bad” music and to recognize these black men and women who produce these lyrics are multi-dimensional people whose experiences and messages are also diverse and shouldn’t necessarily be annihilated. Understand that I have PLENTY of contentions with hip hop, and if this comment weren’t turning into a dissertation I would discuss some of them now. But I think that even the uncomfortable gritty pictures that are painted by some mainstream artists need (to some extent) be defended, because they reflect realities of the black urban underclass in America, and if they don’t speak on it, who will?
whew. done for now. ahhh the joys of being a bored insomniac.
Comment by suchalady vol on 17 May 2007:
I don’t think the whole point of “plus one, minus one” is to label and ostracize individual artists. I see it as a way to remind people to really just stop and actually PAY ATTENTION to the lyrical content of all artists in every musical genre and decide for themselves which songs are unacceptable for their own personal consumption; identify which songs are spreading messages of negativity. Often it seems as though people just hear a tight beat and ignore what’s being said.
I agree that there are artists, particulary in hip-hop, that take a lot of critisism for degrading lyrics that don’t receive credit for the poignant, introspective and inspirational songs recorded on the same album as the misogynistic cuts. So the solution, it seems, is not to simply dismiss the artist all together. Instead, support the positive songs they record; buy a CD single or download the digital version, leaving the other stuff for someone who is feeling it or just isn’t that particular about what they consume.
Think of it this way: If you buy a bushel of fruit and then find that a few of them are bruised, would you throw out the entire container? (That’s wasteful, so probably not.) As far as I’m concerned, the same could be applied to musical artists.
Pick your music like you pick your fruit! ; )
Pingback by minus one. plus one. (1 month later) on 28 May 2007:
[...] been about a month now since minus one, plus one first came to light. how are we doing? anyone up for swapping out another [...]
Pingback by Commentary or Contempt? | Young Black Professional Guide on 20 August 2007:
[...] have been a problem. Even here at YBP we’ve discussed the negative influences some of the words and images in rap and hip-hop perpetuate, albeit without using those words. The fact that “ho” was [...]
Pingback by Take ‘Plus One’ Up a notch | Young Black Professional Guide on 18 October 2007:
[...] 18th, 2007 Eugene · No Comments Why don’t you take Minus One, Plus One to another level and consider supporting black artists who perform music not specifically marketed [...]
Comment by Busby SEO on 19 December 2008:
Minus one Plus one, nice title..
Comment by renantech on 15 January 2009:
nice post dude.
Comment by Pacman Games on 15 January 2009:
Nice widget. I am going to post the widget on my blog to help spread the message.
Comment by ged classes online on 6 March 2009:
The CJCCJ frequently publishes special thematic issues. Recent issues have explored topics such as the Youth Criminal Justice Act, wrongful convictions, criminology research in Canada, and punishment and restorative justice. Forthcoming issues of interest are Privacy and Police Powers (now available) and Car Theft (available late 2008).