In psychology, cognitive dissonance occurs when your brain can't handle an uncomfortable contradiction.
For example, if you happen upon your trusted fiancé embracing another, for an instant you may rationalize that the other person must be a relative, a friend, i.e., a non-threat to your relationship. It's too uncomfortable to consider the obvious.
When I look at today's Hip Hop and the well paid whores of Hip Hop in particular, I find myself suffering cognitive dissonance about the genre's relevance and legacy.
Hip Hop's culture of rich -- albeit gritty DJs and storytellers (love them or hate them, they were authentic) -- Afrika Bambaataa, A Tribe Called Quest, Tupac, Biggie, KRS-One, Public Enemy, vintage Eminem, et. al,-- have been replaced with a new breed of artists that don't stand for anything other than their own gilded asses.
For the most part, today's Hip Hop is a money-grubbing, spineless whore.
Now this Hip Hop Whore isn't the back alley, do-anything-for $10 kind of whore, but she's a whore nonetheless, and she is far removed from the Poor Righteous Teacher from whence she came.
To wit: Right now, a wildfire of violence is engulfing the teen population, with poor white, black and brown kids losing their lives daily. The kids who eat, drink and sleep with Hip Hop on their brains are fighting a real-life war out there, and as a collective, the Hip Hop Whores have said nothing outside of the studio and have done nothing to address the teen violence epidemic.
It seems that today's Hip Hop Whores are overwhelmingly commercialized, and in their world, money talks, and street cred walks.
With their staggering influence and resources, a Hip Hop forum, town hall meeting, collective sponsorship of after-school programs, or even a national fundraiser to support the many local agencies that are on the frontlines doing the right thing, may save lives.
I think the Hip Hop Whores haven't collaborated to combat teen violence because they no longer relate to the struggles of the people, so I'll explain the connection in a manner that only a hardcore Hip Hop Whore can appreciate:
Hip Hop Ho, you must do your part to stop the violence. You must get involved with America's disenfranchised youths in a meaningful way, because they are your most loyal customer base.
These struggling teens are your bread and butter, and any Hip Hop Whore worth her weight in gold record sales knows that a fallen Hip Hop fan can't make future purchases.
When you run out of paying fans, you'll have to answer to your pimp -- and we both know that you don't want that.