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Gangsta Rap Unfit for Museum?

As construction of a hip-hop museum in the Bronx forges ahead, controversy over whether the museum will include gangsta rap is brewing. “This is where it all started on the streets of the Bronx. It’s an urban creation,” Larry Seabrook, head of the New York City Council, which has set aside $1.5 million for the project, told the BBC. While the museum is likely to celebrate the careers and contributions of artists like Doug E Fresh and Grandmaster Flash, Lil’ Kim and 50 Cent might not be included. “We’re not talking about gangsta rap,” Seabrook said. “We’re talking about hip-hop…Anybody can be a thug.” Still, some disagree with Seabrook’s opinion. “You have to consider the statistics,” Adam Matthews, senior music editor at the Source, told BBC. “As hip-hop has become progressively violent, the streets have become safer.”

The museum is set to open in either late 2008 or early 2009.

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