Grammy-award winning artist and record producer Swizz Beatz recently shared a rather peculiar idea for Hip-Hop. During an episode of Zone Radio on Instagram Live, he told Joe Budden: “I want to raise a million dollars for each icon that started Hip-Hip[…] We should support and acknowledge the hip-hop artists who granted us the freedom of speech to progress by paying them fair taxes.” The idea of paying the pioneers of Hip-Hop is a great one. However, proposing that upcoming artists should pay a tax to create music is very ill-thought. When recently and in history artists have shed light on their plights with labels and contracts.
Music is creative expression. Music is sometimes the difference between a good day and a bad day. Instead of suggesting a tax be implemented, why not suggest an organization be brought to life to pay homage and extend the dream. Perhaps, a Hip-Hop Cultural Foundation. One that preserves, celebrates, teaches, and continues our culture. Hip-Hop/Rap is the most popular genre of music in the world. Yet, there are very important details of its uprising that many do not know.
We should be focusing on building the correct business model for Hip-Hop, not yanking the chain of those just beginning, disorienting them even more.
So should Hip-Hop artists have to pay icon taxes? Share your thoughts below and let us know what you think!
