My 10-year-old is really getting into rap music.
And, as somebody with only a passing interest in the genre (I love some, but just don't know enough), I am having a hard time navigating the sea of "Parental Advisory"-labeled CDs.

I mean, I am okay with him hearing a few "F" bombs, but truly nasty things -- derragotory comments about women, explicit sexual content, violent imagery, etc. -- is not okay with me. If there is anger there, it shouldn't be backed up with violent solutions and that anger should have some sort of message, of some sort.

So far I am letting him listen to:
Eric B. & Rakim
Public Enemy
Beastie Boys
De La Soul (selected cuts)
Kanye West (selected cuts)
Run DMC

But I'm having a hard time letting him pick out too much more. He wants to hear 50 Cent and Lil' Wayne. What is the content like?

As a music lover, I want him to go nuts. But as the parent of a highly sensitive kid, I have concerns.

Any advice for some good artists/CDs that I can let him dive into?
Oh, and he has pretty good taste!

Here some that would be good

Aceyalone
Black Star/ Talib Kweli
Pharcyde
De la Soul
Deltron 3030- especially if he likes science fiction or star wars type stuff
Outkast

These are all clean relative to most rap, meaning there is some profanity in some of it, and the N word in most of it. That being said the themes are positive and uplifting compared to raps usual. As far a Lil' Wayne and 50 cent, they have some songs that would fit what you were talking about, but none of their albums would be appropriate. If you wanted to you could probably find songs by them and put them together in a mix for him.

Seriously?

I was thinking that something like "I'll Call Before I Come" is not the type of thing that he needs to be hearing at this point.

Or even "De La Orgy"

So yeah, certain songs might be good from those folks (and I have made a mix for him with tracks from both of them, before), but I can't see myself letting him have an entire album from either.

Are the rest of these on the same tip? Should I pick and choose?
Aceyalone
Black Star/ Talib Kweli
Pharcyde
Deltron 3030- especially if he likes science fiction or star wars type stuff

Thanks for the response, Leon.

I haven't listened to everything by outkast or De La soul, same goes for Aceyalone and Pharcyde. The Black Star C.D. should be fine all the way through, same for the the Deltron 3030 CD.

I'm pretty de-sensitized to the vulgar stuff, so something I suggest might have some nasty stuff, but I just can't remember it, so maybe give this stuff a listen before you let him try it out.

If I were you, Todd, I'd steer him clear of stuff like 50 cent and Lil' Wayne, not just because they are "nasty" but because there is much better rap out there. Kudos to your son though

The Roots - Things Fall Apart
Brother Ali- Shadows on the Sun
A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders
The Fugees - the Score
The Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride ll the Pharcyde
Blackalicous - Blazing Arrow


Man, this is harder than I thought it would be, every time I think of an album, I remember a certain part of an album being heard by a 10-year old.

Last night we went to the library and took out:
The Roots - Phrenology
Common - Be
A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory

So far, he loves everything that he's heard. His favorite is Common. (Although I think that is my least favorite and probably the least appropriate, but still okay.)

Thanks for all the tips, folks. And Cary thanks you all too!!!

Nice, I forgot about Common, that's a good choice as well.

that photo totally reminds me of this:

forgot J-live

you could always just get him the censored versions too.

cyne
jurassic 5
blackalicious

i guess. idk

you guys should see if you could rent the movie This Is The Life and watch it together, it's good.

Just took out a blackalicious CD and it is great! Probably my favorite so far, if not Cary's.

And I will check out that movie... see what it's all about.
Thanks!

he's ten. chances are anything he could hear on any rap song is something he's already heard at school. let him discover and listen to whatever he wants. listen to it also and explain to him why some of the values protrayed shouldnt be shared by him

Oh, I already do that. And he is really good himself, about picking out the things that he shouldn't be exposed to. And he has a great value system. I am very proud of him for that.

But the fact remains that he is still only 10 and he should be a kid. I'm not talking about just the words, themselves, but the subject matter -- drugs and violence and graphic sex.

Just as I'm not going to let him watch a snuff movie or a porno, I'm not going to let him listen to NWA or 2 Live Crew.

And I am really appreciative of all the suggestions here. They have come in very handy my son is enjoying the hell out of digging into this new music.

damn I miss that feeling....uncovering that rock and being amazed by what comes out.....

This is Erick Sermon's love not to Music.
it has a few curses, but just about all rap does.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/r8blzb

I just took out (and listened to:
Danger Doom - The Mouse and The Mask

Love it.
Yeah, the language is there, but it's not too nasty on first listen. It reminds me of Three Feet High and Rising, with the goofy running storyline (although not as brilliant). The Adult Swim characters popping up on there are hilarious.

Check Tabi Bonney - he doesnt really curse much..

Tabi Bonney - Duhh (old skool flava beats)