Hip-Hop & Corporate America: "The Corporate Influence in Hip-Hop"

A young banker invites JD & Associates to his home for a weekend meeting. We arrive at the Baldwin Harbor Estate, proceed to the waterfront yard, and are greeted by his speed boat. As we idle through the small channels behind the homes, he cranks up the system, and sudden acceleration pulls us back into our seats as we hit 80 mph.

A recent D.J. Clue mix tape highlighting various artists blares from the speakers as we approach Paddy McGee's in Long Beach. He docks the speed boat beside his Bank attorney's yacht. My thoughts are still with the music, “Am I surprised by his choice?” The answer is no. My awareness of this melting pot of cultures is reinforced by this very event. Maybe it's the aggressive edge of the music, the hustler's spirit in it, or the greatest common goal; dollars. The year is 2007. It only makes sense that people in all industries are tipping the scale when it comes to riches. Rappers speak of it in their music and in the past decade have revealed they are indeed business savvy. Let’s take a look at one of the greatest rappers of all time, Jay-Z: The Mogul. His mastery of word play is phenomenal but it is the context of his rhyme that captures my ear. For many listeners, the lyrics go over their heads and the message is missed. So allow me to turn your attention to a record that did not capture much acclaim like many of Jay's hits, but its context correlates to this article.

"The Corporate Takeover": Jay-Z "....they respecting my mind now it’s just a matter of time now. Operation Takeover Corporate...makeover offices, then takeover all of it, please may these words be recorded to serve as testimony that I saw it...all...before it...came to fruition, sort of a premonition, huh, uncontrollable Hustlers Ambition. Alias superstition like Stevie...Writings on my wall like my lady right baby. Saw it all before, some of yall thought I was crazy...maybe...like a Fox in K-G (ha-ha). The more successful the more stressful....the more & more I transform to Gordon Gekko. In a race to a billion got my face to ceiling got my knees to the floor, Please lord forgive 'em...has he lost his religion? Is the greed goin get 'em?? He's havin heaven on earth will his wings still fit 'em?? I got the Forbes on my living room floor.....'Times: Most influential' was impressive specially since I wasn't in the artist section. Had me with the buildings and the Titans...had me fightin Rupert Murdoch. Billionaire Boys is some dudes ya never heard of....word up on Madison Ave is I'm a cash cow....word down on Wallstreet the n*gga can get ya cash out...I.P.O HOV no need to reverse merger, the boy money talks no need to converse further...baby blue Maybach like I own Gerber...boardroom I'm lifting ya skirt up...The Corporate Takeover"

This guy is obviously hip to the game called "Capitalism" and mastered it like a new hustle.Let's take a look at another rap star whose prolific rise has recently picked up speed ten fold.

With a 10 percent holding stake in a growing bottled water company, the corporations’ equity grew rapidly due to the rappers involvement. Negotiations by a Fortune 500 firm, for the acquisition of Vitamin Water, began shortly. Some call it pure genius, maybe it was intuition, or like a roll of dice in a game of Ceelo, many consider it pure luck. None the less, a 400 million dollar pure cash profit was made as a 400 billiondollar transaction transpired and the boy 50 Cent let it be known "I get Money, Money I got (I get it)". In his own words "I took quarter water sold it in bottles for 2 bucks, Coca-Cola came & bought it for Billions...what the F*ck". I can only imagine what the commission was like for the Investment Banker who brokered that deal. Can we say "Baaaallliinnn”?!

Hip-Hip and Corporate America have formed a Ying Yang relationship. We see it in commercials, T.V. shows, endorsements, and fashion. The affiliation has yielded ridiculous profits for all parties involved. Rappers turned entrepreneurs are growing in numbers, meanwhile entrepreneurs and white collar workers are embracing the lyrics and feel of the music.

Johnathan Burns

President of WC Executive Concierge Svcs.