CNN is saying hip hop is dead.

While rap has been in essence pop music for years, and most rap consumers are white, some worry that the black community is suffering from hip-hop — from the way America perceives blacks to the attitudes and images being adopted by black youth.

‘Look at the music that gets us popular’

But the rapper David Banner derides the growing criticism as blacks joining America’s attack on young black men who are only reflecting the crushing problems within their communities. Besides, he says, that’s the kind of music America wants to hear.

“Look at the music that gets us popular — ‘Like a Pimp,’ ” says Banner, naming his hit.

“What makes it so difficult is to know that we need to be doing other things. But the truth is at least us talking about what we’re talking about, we can bring certain things to the light,” he says. “They want (black artists) to shuck and jive, but they don’t want us to tell the real story because they’re connected to it.”

I hate it when the media does stories like this because they have really, in essence, no idea what they are talking about. What hip-hop is going through right now is exactly what rock went through in the 1980’s with hair metal (the excess, the women, living large, etc.) and what rock went through in the 90’s (violence, i.e. Marilyn Manson). Hip-hop is not going anywhere anytime soon. The record sales may be slipping and radio airplay might be dipping, but music has always been about cycles. No more than 10 years ago, people were declaring rock was dead because of radio stations switching formats, lack of sales, etc. (and people are still declaring it dead as we speak)

There is still plenty of relevant and creative hip-hop out there. Hip-hop that is not about bitches and ho’s, and fake ghetto lifestyle stories told just to earn some money. There is still plenty of hip-hop that is positive, meaningful and that actually has something to say. Common, Talib Kweli, Atmosphere, Sage Francis, Brother Ali, K-OS, Hieroglyphics, P.O.S., the list goes on and on about what’s out there and what is the antithesis of what is currently on the radio and MTV.

You just actually have to search for it a little bit and support a group/artist that can become hip-hop’s Nirvana.