Blogging Against Racism Week
96.3 bugs the living crap out of me.
It’s one of ten stations I rotate through on my dial, and though I’m fine with the music most of the time, I’m really sick of hearing them say “Today’s music without the rap.” They drill it, over and over, two or three times in a commercial break, and the kicker for me was the other day when they said “Here’s another song that you won’t hear on the rap station.”
WTF?
What crossover do their listeners have with those who listen to rap? Not R&B, Not Hip Hop, but rap. What stations are out there that play rap, and what is their demographic? Devil’s advocate says that 89x plays some songs with whiteboy rap, but that is really rare these days (except “Bleed it out”, which has suddenly caught fire).
My point is, can you reasonably say that they are pointing out that they don’t play rap because they are competing with a rap station, and hope to draw those listeners?
I don’t think so. I think they’re appealing to the “whiteness” of their audience, and laying out a not-so-subtle racist overtone in the process.
One could argue that it’s a lifestyle issue, but I think there are hundreds of ways to structure that tag-line that doesn’t sound offensive to me. I’d be willing to accept that it’s more “classist” than racist, except I think the suburban middle class demographic they’re reaching for uses class as a way of covering race. It’s easy, here in Detroit, where you can trash-talk the entire city and pretend it’s a city vs suburb thing.
And frankly, I’m a white guy who occasionally listens to their station, and I don’t like most rap. … but I do like Queen Latifah, old Fresh Prince, and other artists that do more than smack some gang talk over a drum track. They’re alienating me with their implication that I shouldn’t like rap if I listen to their music AND by even bringing it up, because the crossover of interest between those types of music is pretty small, which points to another motivation entirely.
I’ve been threatening to write this post for months, and seeing that it’s Blogging Against Racism Week made me willing to put up with the devil’s advocating I expect to see forthwith, so fire away, folks. ;) My core thought is that making your tagline “Music without the rap” when you aren’t competing for audience with the rap station is disingenuous and fucking irritating. Go!
EDIT: Lots of complex discussion, this is very good. I don’t really think anything as cut-and-dry as “The people who own or operate 96.3 are racists.” I do, however, think it was a poorly thought out marketing tactic that appeals to a part of people that is either snobby, racist, or classist, and no matter -what- they’re trying to appeal to in that direction, I find myself uncomfortable and nearly apologetic about listening to them.
there’s no need to argue, parent(companies)s just don’t understand!
The bailiff grabbed me slammed me on the ground
Judge said boy you better calm down
Aren’t you one of them damn rap singers
Yeah, then I gave him the finger
“to draw those viewers?”
Cough-cough listeners, cough cough.
But agreed. They’ve pissed me off with that, mostly because, like you, I remember when rap had to be clever and not all about “b!tches and ho’s, b!tches and ho’s, shoot the MF, Shoot the MF”…….
stupid Ice-T knock off wanna-bees
Anyways.
Heh, can you tell I’m a TV major?
Actually, 96.3 is directly competing with 95.5, with whom they used to do way more competition with in terms of format several years ago. Then 95.5 was bought out, and 96.3 was bought out, and 95.5 started playing more “urban” music, kind of a 97.9 (WJLB)-lite station. 96.3 became a pale reflection of its richer self and just cut out all the 80s they used to play as well as the early 90s rap. So it really is the station without the rap–the rap they used to play!
But anyway, I totally understand how you feel and where you’re coming from. I’m like, what if I want to hear the rap? You’re exhorting me to change the station! At the same time, they have to bill themselves as some sort of special alternative, even though they’re so very middle-of-the-road these days. I mean, their call letters are now WDVD! What more can you expect?
This reply has nothing to do with race whatsoever. I feel slightly like I’ve failed. :)
*laugh*
It’s true, I was really sad when they narrowed their format. Do you remember The Edge? Man, I loved that station, and they played everything, without resorting to “Doug” like play.
As per usual, I must be the voice of dissent. I find most rap exceedingly annoying. Sure, there’s a couple Eminem songs and a few Linkin Park songs with rap in them that I enjoy, but overall, I really don’t like it.
Obviously, you have a better understanding of what the radio is actually saying, but from your description at least, it doesn’t sound racist to me. I think it’s a very dangerous thing to pull out the race card anything could possibly have anything to do with race unless there’s sufficient evidence to do so. That kind of knee-jerk reaction only serves to fuel racism because people falsely accused of racism become frustrated and both demographics watching become resentful to the other.
Don’t get me wrong – fighting racism is a very worthy cause. But only when it’s clearly racism.
See, you didn’t address either of my specific points, simply talked about the dangers of discussing race. Just because you don’t see it as having a racist overtone doesn’t make it any less valid that I do.
Please address this part of my post: “My core thought is that making your tagline “Music without the rap” when you aren’t competing for audience with the rap station is disingenuous and fucking irritating. Go!”
You don’t like rap, at all… except you do like rap, in about the same proportion as I do (though the artists you chose happen to be white and the artists I chose were black, I didn’t do that intentionally – there are also a few white rap artists I enjoy from time to time, but they are also very limited). I don’t like the harsh gangsta rap, white or black, at all.
The question, though, is one of marketing and demographics. As a radio station, what are they attempting to achieve with that tagline? They clearly are not trying to pull people away from the rap station they’re scoffing at because, like with you, rap is pretty polarizing.
If they aren’t doing it to draw listeners directly, what is their motivation? One doesn’t come up with a tag-line for a radio station without considering its impact upon the station’s listeners.
See, you didn’t address either of my specific points, simply talked about the dangers of discussing race.
I tend to go off on tangets. Which reminds me of this time in geometry class… ;)
Just because you don’t see it as having a racist overtone doesn’t make it any less valid that I do.
Yes, but I think you’re wrong. :) That was my specific point.
I knew you were going to bring up the fact that the little rap I don’t mind on a seldom basis are white. I suppose you can assume that there is an underlying racist reason for this if you want, but there really is none. And isn’t the rapper in those Linkin Park songs black?
As far as WHY they would choose to even mention that they don’t have rap in their mix if there is no station around you that does play a lot of rap, like you said, rap is a polarizing genre and if they’re not playing rap anyway, they can appeal to people who really don’t like rap. The people who do already know the station doesn’t play it so they shouldn’t be turned off to the station simply by hearing it stated explicitly. It’s a marketing gimmick like setting the price at $2.99. I really don’t think it means anything.
Don’t think I’m trying to insult you by saying you’re unnecessarily putting race into this, by the way. Like I said, I think your intent is very honorable. I just don’t think it’s applicable in this case.
Heh, in the Detroit area, it may very well be a form of racism. You should read the history of racism in the region, sometime-it’s been a real problem for decades.
On topic:
Quite frankly I gave up on most of the stations around here because it was either genres I didn’t care to listen to all that much, or it’s the same 5 pop screamo songs that my friend listens to when he’s driving and has the radio on. I’ll take NPR and their news reporting given the options :P At least then I don’t have to deal with divisive taglines and shallow music selections.
Er, your equating rap with a particular race is in and of itself racial stereotyping.
Well now, there’s no winning this argument – I believe 96.3 is using rap as a race (or at least class) cue. Does pointing that out suddenly make me as susceptible? It is a stereotype that exists due to the legitimate roots of rap that I believe they are playing into. Saying that I believe THEY are attempting to equate rap with race is substantially different from saying that I equate rap with race.
Class/Stereotype, I think is closer to the point considering the number of “suburban white kids” that are buying most of the rap music. And considering the amount of flack rappers are getting from the black community leaders….it might not be as much about race but class.
Thing is, I don’t believe they are speaking to the perceptions of those who enjoy or purchase rap, but to the perceptions of those who do NOT enjoy/purchase rap, which may be significantly different.
Of course not.
You wouldn’t expect a Vegan in a Steakhouse either?
Just…ok, I’m getting away from race and more into marketing like the other folks…
I was going to say that as well, but Scott made a decent point below about a class issue.
Er, make that above at this point.
You, uhm…
… have a floating kitty.
Just, er, wondered if you knew that.
Did you notice that it’s black? Bwahaha. ^_^
Of course :) Black and, er, hovering.
There is a lot of music today that has rap. There are some stations that play lots of current music including “rap”, but they’re saying they play current hits without any rap thrown in. *shrug* it’s never bothered me really.
Of course “rap” is a generalization, I think most of us get the general gist. It’d be complicated for the tag line to go through all the various genres that they do and don’t play.
95.5 plays a lot of current stuff, but it has a lot of rap/hip hop/teen/and such thrown in, and I always assumed they were obliquely referring to that. In fact I always thought they were making a comment that we more “mature” folks like a lot of current music, but not that kid stuff with the over-ghetto strutting.
So I feel like it’s a statement about age, not race.
I can see your point, though as far as maturity goes, I still feel like it is more of a “class” comment than “age” comment.
And that’s not even going into ageism. *big grin* I like lots of music, okay! I don’t need someone reassuring me about my musical tastes and what they do or do not say about me and my maturity.
I don’t live in MI anymore, but I have driven through the area several times over the last few years. Also, I don’t listen to too much music on the radio, because I have to spend too much time searching for stuff I like when traveling great distances.
That said, I used to listen to both 96.3 and 95.5 but have noticed the genre changes both stations have gone through in the last few years. When in the area I’m more likely to listen to a “No Rap” station than one that plays “Urban” music. I don’t like rap much because I’m a white guy from the ‘burbs. I’m the “MAN” and I’m also bothered by the objectification of women and the violence toward all people embraced, and even praised, by much of that music.
The number of repetitions per break would seem to lend credence to what you are saying. It could also mean that if you don’t like rap music you can listen to this station without being bothered by it being played on this station. It could also mean they are racist dirtbags and are flaunting it.
Any stand taken by anyone is going to rub someone the wrong way somehow.
Those ads really make me groan. I don’t understand why they have to underscore this idea so often–it’s silly.
I think it would probably rub me the wrong way to hear it announced like that, but I’d PREFER to have a Today’s music station without the rap in my area. The only station I can listen to at work is Classic Rock – which I adore but can get a little repetitive. We do have an 80s 90s NOW station but I really can’t stand the ultra-sexualized and ultra-violent current rap music that’s popular “NOW” and it’s seriously inappropriate if patients can hear it (especially people over 35 or so, and we have many elderly patients).
For example, we got a magazine in the mail this week with a fake picture of Prince Harry in his boxers on a throne. The doctors don’t want to display that in our office and I don’t blame them! I’m sure there are some great articles in there, and people will read them WITHOUT a half-naked person on the cover. As is, no one’s going to read them – I took it home and recycled it.
I *wish* I could listen to FNX, our local alternative rock station that plays “leftover” (70s, 80s, 90s) alternative rock songs during the middle of the day but then they play NIN or Marcy Playground’s “Sex & Candy” and … yeah. I can only play that when no one is around.
So maybe they’re trying to appeal to people who need a publicly appropriate radio station who don’t want to pay for it? I dunno, it just isn’t coming across as racist to me.
I said this in the edit I just made to my post:
I don’t really think anything as cut-and-dry as “The people who own or operate 96.3 are racists.” I do, however, think it was a poorly thought out marketing tactic that appeals to a part of people that is either snobby, racist, or classist, and no matter -what- they’re trying to appeal to in that direction, I find myself uncomfortable and nearly apologetic about listening to them.
I prefer to listen to a music station without rap. While I enjoy some rap songs, they are neither modern nor, at this time, popular. Their approach to describing their music, though, makes me uncomfortable, and the reason it does is because their condescending tone makes me feel like they’re encouraging me to look down on rap. I’m not interested in my radio station politicizing me like that – I may (and do) have a problem with the violence and objectification in gangsta rap but A) that’s not all of rap and B) that’s not the message they’re sending as I see it.
Also, we have 107.1, 93.9, and 93.1 for stations that play various ranges of contemporary hits, none of which play rap. Even Doug FM, the station that’s supposed to play “Well– everything” Doesn’t play ANY rap. Ever.
True.
But they have been known to play “The Time Warp”
I think you were right in the first place. It’s racist (classist at the very least). And it drives me nuts too. It’s the reason I don’t listen to that station.
Of course I LOVE rap. And as a side note, I think hip-hop is rap. Rap split off into LA gangsta rap and NY hip hop early on, but I think both are technically still considered rap.
It actually comes down to the fact at one point 95.5 and 96.3 use to be much closer in format. They were fighting for the same demographic till 95 went predominately rap although they both used “Todays Hit Music” as their taglines. That is what this new tagline is about.
In Atlanta it’s the opposite (and more subtle, but we’ve had more practice with this that y’all); the suburban station calls itself top 40 but does not play rap from black artists, the more urban top 40 station uses the tagline “ALL the hits.” Of course, it’s a sorta silly distinction since we’re ATLANTA and there are at least 3 all-rap/hip-hop stations.
Also, since multiple people seem to think there are no meaningful lyrics in rap; rap peaked in the 80s; Will smith does rap here’s a list of things to which you should listen:
Nerdcore Hiphop (MC Frontalot, MC Lars, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, etc.)
Atmosphere (You can’t imagine how much fun we’re having is the lates and the best so far)
Psyche Origami
K’naan
Non-Prophets
Hansome Boy Modeling School
and if you can push beyond your distaste for curse words:
The Danger Mouse & Jemini colaboration
Kanye West
Viktor Vaughn
It’s funny how different people apply completely different demographics to rap-listeners.
I don’t really like much rap, with the exception of a few songs. And, when I do like it, it’s usually not for the lyrics, but for the beats, which are good to dance to.
My first college roommate in the dorm was an African-American (not that she liked to be called that; she preferred “black”) from the inner-city. And, she didn’t believe me that there were people in the suburbs who liked rap. I tried to explain that I didn’t like it, but that was just me.
I started college in the Fall of ’94. So, this was in the early days of gangsta rap. Before that, rap meant something completely different and I didn’t particularly dislike it. She did also directly correlate rap with race and often, even referred to it as “black music”. She saw disliking it as racism. I couldn’t sway her on this.(This, of course, was when she was just starting college. And, at that time, we are all just getting out of the little bubble of where we grew up. I ran into her more recently and her views have definitely changed.)
At the time, I thought she was being completely unreasonable to not be able to imagine a suburbanite who likes rap. But, was it really? After all, those of us in the suburbs wouldn’t be able to relate to the lyrics of those songs. It’s not exactly about our day-to-day lives.
But, there was one thing we agreed on. Neither of us liked country. Neither of us had even known anyone who liked it before college.
Now, to some other (completely different) people, disliking country means I’m snobby and classist.
Interestingly enough, even when you’re talking about the same kind of music, the perceptions can be completely different……..Among pagan-hippy-ish types (which is a very ethnically homogenous group, where blacks are pretty much non-existant), if you like rap, that makes you part of that empty, plastic, fake part of mainstream society. Because, these people know that there are suburban white kids who like rap. Just not their kind of suburban white kids. With them, if you ever appear to in any way enjoy a rap song, you get the accusations of, “You’re not one of ‘us’. You’re one of THEM. Ewww!”
They are also in the category of people who think if you don’t like Country, you’re a snob. (Dammit! Just let me not like what I don’t like.)
It does seem silly to me, though, for a radio station to have a tagline that says they play everything but rap. What if I like everything they play and also like rap? Maybe, they should start making stations for individual people that exclude the one kind of music they don’t like. I’m waiting for that “everything but country” station.