HipHopCrisy

I'm well past the stage of believing that rapper's personas are actually real; I understand that the tough guy, drug dealing, womanizing, gun toting image is all an act. But I remember when I was 15, listening to the gangsta themed hip hop of the day and thinking that those guys actually were thugs. I didn't realize back then, when I was walking to summer school in the 100 degree heat listening to NWA, The Geto Boys and Too Short on my Walkman that they were really like professional wrestlers: portraying a role for my entertainment. That's why I was weirded out when rap became mainstream and other sides of these artists came out. Even though I know that rappers are real people too, its still bugs the hell out of me when I see them acting contrary to their rap image. For example, "the nigga you love to hate" Ice Cube is doing family movies now. This is the same dude that made an art form of gangsta storytelling. And Ice-T plays a cop on TV. It was bad enough in New Jack City, but at least then he was still edgy. Am I the only one who remembers he made that song "Cop Killer" back in the 90's? Now he makes his living portraying one. It's like hiphopcricy. Rap one thing, do another. This is not a dis; I'm not knocking them for doing whatever they have to further their careers, but it's still a little strange. It also got me to thinking. What will other hip hop artists do that is contrary to their public image?

Will we one day see Mr. Baller, P. Diddy doing commercials for Charles Schwab? I can see it now. He's dancing around on the TV, talking about "save that, save that" and "I thought I told you that my 401k wont stop"

Will Snoop one day eschew his weed smoking ways and do a public service announcement for D.A.R.E?

Will Cam'Ron, who recently said he wouldn't call the police even if he knew a serial killer was living next door to him, one day perform at the Policeman's Ball?

Will Biz Markie show up on Sesame Street teaching kids how to read? Even though they probably already read at a higher grade level than him?

Will Lil Kim team up with Foxy Brown to do commercials for Maybelline? Ignoring the fact that they made their marks in their careers by looking like harlots.

Are we going to see Luke performing his new hit, "Hey, We Want Some Gender Equality!!!" at Spelman?

Will posthumous ads featuring Biggie Smalls and Big Pun run for Slim Fast?

Since Master P is already doing a show on Nickelodeon, so will we soon see Lil Wayne and Baby guest starring on the Disney's "That's So Raven"?

Will the WuTang Clan, after all these years of rapping about the hood, decide to do a commercial for the New York Board of Tourism.

Three words: Kanye West - Senator.

Is Eminem going to be the new spokesperson for Prozac and then set up a domestic violence shelter?

How long before the new Bushwick Bill life sized doll comes out?

Will Fifty Cent do a benefit concert for the Bronx Zoo? Well, that one actually works seeing how kinda looks like a gorilla. LOL

And finally, how long before President Bush decides to use Public Enemy's "Fight the Power" as the theme song for the war on terror? "We got to fight the power that be, whether in Iraq or Afghanistan, or any other Muslim country"

This is ignoring the obvious rapper tie ins like LL doing chapstick commercials or Jay-Z as the new mascot for Camel cigarettes, or Slick Rick as the new spokesperson for Jared's (You crumbs, I got my truck jewelry at Jared's.) I just wonder how many of my flights of fancy will actually come to fruition. You got any to add? Hit me up in the comments.