CVK
Wow, GREAT post over at Oh Word that unpacks (ew… I hate that word) the condescending view hip hop media has of its audience. Check it out at What Hip Hop Media Thinks of You. Here are some excerpts:

You’re stupid. Even though last week’s gossip has already been debunked, we can report it to you today as if it’s a fact. We’ll cover our ass by hiding a brief acknowledgment that the headline and previous paragraphs are untrue somewhere in the middle, knowing full damn well that most of you won’t catch it. Then we’ll blame you for not reading the article in the comments. You like being lied to so you won’t hold us accountable anyway. Not the reader, not even the artists being lied about. You’ll all be back tomorrow even if you realize that it was bullshit today.

You’re gullible. If we make something up, it becomes true and we’ll all start saying it.

You’re savage. You’ll watch transfixed while any two people go at each other no matter how little stake you have in the issue or the people.

You’re petty. You really just want to know who can claim the most money, the most sales, the most fame or the most pussy, the “realest hood”, the most dumb beef and the best rapsheet. That’s your culture and those are your elements – gossip and a phony street resume. That’s why the media coverage has replaced the music as the main product of hip-hop. It’s no wonder that hip-hop news sites have taglines about “supplying the swagger” or how they’re “the most dangerous”. MC’s come and go but your news site stays bringing da realness!…

Thanks to Hasim at Hip Hop Blogs for making us aware of this great post. Be sure to check out Hashim’s excellent post on the myth that hip hop violence is on the rise. His hypothesis? Violence is not on the rise, it’s the coverage of the violence that’s on the rise.