Let Hip-Hop Lead the Way

Anyone who knows me is aware of the fact that I love hip-hop. Old-school, new-school, white, black, Filipino, Canadian—it’s all good to me. R&B chimes in with its sultry melodies and catchy hooks to complement the harder sound of rap, creating a musical dynamic with soft and street edges.

Even though rap is a game with many non-Jewish artists, Jews do play a behind-the-scenes role in the music business. Individuals like Clive Davis (founder of J Records and Arista Records), David Geffen (head of Geffen Records), and Bryan Turner, creator of Priority Records, all pull the musical strings that govern the biz.

It’s come so far that one can argue that hip-hop is the melting pot of America. It’s becoming increasingly integrated to the point that Jews and people of other ethnicities and religions can work side by side in the studio, cooking up tracks that please the ears of all consumers. They set aside their differences to the greatness of music and let their talents take center stage.

Take a look at hip-hop and R&B production. The people who make the instrumentation happen, the producers, are a study in ethnic contradictions. To begin with, most hip-hop producers are African-American. African-American producers and rappers created the industry and remain the predominant force behind the music. Just to name a few, African-American beatmakers have included the likes of Pharrell of the Neptunes (the team behind such hits as Nelly’s “Hot in Herre” and Kelis’s “Milkshake”) and Timbaland, the Virginia native who’s busted out smashes like Justin Timberlake’s “SexyBack” and “My Love.”

Increasingly, though, the production game is becoming integrated. The Jewish presence is now not just behind the desk, but behind the boards. One of the most famous Jewish producers is Scott Storch. Storch has been out of the limelight lately due to bankruptcy and cocaine issues, but he’s getting back on his A-game. In the past, he’s churned out hits like Beyoncé and Sean Paul’s “Baby Boy” and co-produced Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me a River.”

Just as able to work with rappers like 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg as he is with white artists like Timberlake and Paris Hilton (whose singing talents are doubtful, at best), Storch exemplifies the integration that the world needs. Not only has he taken to a field that was once exclusively dominated by people of other races, he has done so happily and has not experienced prejudice, to my knowledge. He’s a white, Jewish man putting out beats and he is just as accepted into the world of hip-hop as is an African-American. In turn, Storch has learned to respect his peers that founded the industry (though he has engaged in a notable feud with producer Timbaland , the two have since reconciled). His race hasn’t affected his business (though addictions did): his talent did the talking.

Another prime example of Jewish success in hip-hop is J.R. Rotem. An Israeli-South African who moved to the United States at a young age, Rotem trained in “classical piano and jazz piano” and struck gold when Destiny’s Child used one of his tracks for their album, Destiny Fulfilled. Since then, Rotem has gone on to found his own record label and put out number ones like Sean Kingston’s “Beautiful Girls” and Jason Derulo’s “Whatcha Say.”

What’s remarkable about Rotem, equally as much as Storch, is the fluidity with which he glides between genres. Part of that is attributable to the mixing of hip-hop, R&B, and pop in recent years to create “urban pop,” which is now a popular sound. Still, hard-core rappers like Game and Snoop Dogg regularly turn to Rotem for “gangsta” beats that reinforce their tough-guy images. He is just as respected as other major producers who are black, Latino, or of any other ethnicity or religion: his music does the talking for him. One can see that comparison when West Coast lyricist Game referenced Rotem as the “White Dr. Dre,” dubbing him a producer worthy of the great beatmaker Dr. Dre of NWA fame. Sure, his race came in as a reference, but the important part of the nickname is that his talent is equal to that of one of hip-hop’s greatest producers. His abilities take center stage.

The importance of these producers is not just that they’ve made Jewish inroads into the production side of the music industry. Their significance relies on the bonds they have made with people of other races and religions. They are examples of the equality that we need in today’s society. The mutual respect that they have with artists is a result of their talent, not the color of their skin. The music speaks for them: it doesn’t matter if they’re Jewish or white. What matters is their work, something that all people can take as a model.

For those of you who are skeptical about hip-hop, you have reasons to be that way. There are negatives to this genre of music, to be sure, like violent lyrics and degradation of females. I am not casting those issues by the wayside, but focusing on the positives that rap does have to offer. If musicians and artists can work so harmoniously side-by-side, why can’t the rest of America? Take a note from these musical talents and don’t carry your prejudices with you.