Following the cancellation of an E-40 concert, a community forum was held in Tacoma, Washington to educate the public on Hip Hop culture.

It didnt take long for the residents to get debating.

“The concerns about safety and hip-hop are not new,” said event moderator Dexter Gordon, a professor at the University of Puget Sound. “This is a standard question about black culture. … It was going on when I was spinning records as a DJ in Jamaica … I’m as offended by elements of misogyny and promotion of violence in gangsta rap as anyone else,” 

But while the influence of gangster rap is debated, local performers like Mark Womack aka General Wojack shared their experiences on how Hip Hop has helped them.

“Hip-hop has saved my life … If you wanna blame hip-hop, you might as well blame Hollywood,”

But while he defended Hip Hop, he admitted that the youth need more education on the culture.

“My heart is broken today because of hip-hop … All they know is what they’ve heard Lil Wayne say.”

Hip Hop also saved 35-year-old entrepreneur, Ms Jessey by keeping her clear from a life of crime. She runs Felony Entertainment.

“When you see some kids selling a CD, buy it … They could be selling drugs. … I make more money selling CDs than I did drugs.”

It seems direction and education is needed and  two members of rap group ‘2012′ were lucky enough to have that.

“I was trapped in it, too. That’s what I used to rap about: guns and hurting people … I was trapped in that image. … (2012) showed me there’s another way you can do things with this music. I can still write about (street life), but in a positive way.”

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