Who Controls Hip-Hop?

Some say that rap / hip-hop is Black people’s music, but I
can tell you for certain, Black people are not the ones
controlling it. It’s kind of strange to claim something is
yours when you have no control over it.

As of this writing, there are five giant music companies that
dominate and control the music business. They are
Universal Music Group, Warner Music, Sony Music
Group, BMG, and EMI. Operating through several hundred
subsidiaries and over a thousand labels, these five
companies, according to Nielson SoundScan figures,
control approximately 86% of the U.S. and world music
market, and all but EMI are part of even larger global
entertainment conglomerates.

These companies have the resources, the capital, the
manufacturing, marketing and promotional machinery, the
channels of distribution, a virtual lock on the airwaves, and
the strategic connections. In a nutshell, it all boils down to
money, power, and knowledge. Those who have it have the
control.

And there’s a lot more to the entertainment industry than
just recording companies. Radio stations, television
stations, movie studios, television networks, cable and
satellite companies, print media, all of these and more are
part of the package.

How much of this do Black people control?

Sure, you see a lot of young, Black faces out front, but
believe me, rap / hip-hop is controlled by fat, old,
rich guys...