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The one uncanny thing about hip-hop culture that even I don’t understand, is the amount of money that it takes to live it. Maybe I should put that as, the amount of money that rappers say you should be spending to live it. As I really analyze music as a whole, its subject matter and spending habits, it’s starting to make sense to me why rap music is on a fast decline as far as record sales, yet everybody looks like they could afford to by ten copies of one album per week of their favorite artist and have change.

“How you want it? My Jeans is $300” – Jay-Z [Show You How]

“Just bought a shirt that cost a Mercedes Benz car note “- 2 Chainz [All Me]

To the fan who is obsessed with “Living the Culture,” how can you not expect them to run out and try to exercise the type of buying power as the lyrics stated above? I mean, you’re not official till you look the part right? If you can’t get the shades, the chains, jeans and J’s you;re not really in it right? WRONG!

In my humble opinion, I believe the materialistic bars of a lot of our favorite rappers have become the death to some of our pockets and their record sales. Why? Because too many fans would rather look fly and download your music for free, than develop their own style of fly and purchase your new project off of iTunes. That would make two individuals helping out each other “For The Love” and keeping hip-hop the creative, eclectic culture that it started out being.

As crazy as it may seem, thousands (maybe even millions) of fans young and ol  feel pressure to buy the latest J’s, cop those PRPS Jeans and get that chain and shades with the white v-neck tee because that’s what has been identified as the “Fly Guy Guide” in hip-hop. I know some fans thank God for the West Coast and Wiz Khalifa because Chucks will always be in style.

Ladies: Bags and Heels. Then for rappers to say they buying it, PLUS “flying you out” there’s not much a modest earning man can do for you outside of “On our Anniversary…”

When a rich n**ga want you…and your n**ga can’t do nothing for you – Chris Brown

This type of pressure isn’t seen really in rock, pop and country. That may definitely be why it sells more. You hear a country song and it gets no more materialistic than, “jeans, boots, pickups, and rifles.” Kenny Chesney probably wears Wrangler Jeans. Now his boots might be the price of Jordans– maybe even mor–but you don’t hear him singing about having a pair of boots for everyday of the week or giving his fans the chance to count his pockets by singing “These boots cost a Ford F-150 Car note.”

For the conclusion of this post check out BehindTheRhyme.com

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