Where's Hip-Hop on American idol?

[Darth_vader]

And another.

I'm not sure why/how getting in front of a microphone and rattling off a rapid-fire bunch of nonsensical gibberish and expletives whilst a drum loop (and those irritating "squeaky" noises on the phonograph) plays in the background is considered "singing". Hip hop very obviously ≠ singing, or even music.

[ansky212]

Hip hop doesn't appeal to a mass audience, and in many cases would probably turn viewers away.  That's why you'll never see those kinds of acts on AI.

[Laurence Glavin]

Mediaite had a link to a piece of crap by Nikki Minaj that is so awful that BET wouldn't play it.  It will probably be a hit.

[kilamanjero]

Mediaite had a link to a piece of crap by Nikki Minaj that is so awful that BET wouldn't play it.  It will probably be a hit.

Don't hold your breath!  The song is garbage just like she is as an entertainer.

[WhoDat!]

Hip hop doesn't appeal to a mass audience, and in many cases would probably turn viewers away.  That's why you'll never see those kinds of acts on AI.

AGREED! but i started this thread just to see if anyone would defend hip-hop and would like to see it on AI, guess not. which is odd because hip-hop has become a large portion of t-40 radio and it sells alot of music out there, and its been around a long time, YET it is not accepted as music, let alone close to main-stream. rock & roll in the early days of the 50's was accepted more, look at the appearances of Elvis on ed sullivan's show and other rock & roll artists quickly hit mainstream tv shows in the 50's from "The tommy & jimmy dorsey's show" to buddy holly on "arthur murray's dance party"... not sure WHO likes hip-hop but it's NOT close to being accepted as family entertainment after nearly 30 years, and if it were it would be on a show like AI.

[ShawtyBlack_ATL]

Hip-Hop doesn't need a TV show to find the next big hit.

[landtuna]

Unlike the heyday of Be-bop and RnR today's hip-hop audience is but a fraction of what was once a nationwide music explosion and an ethnic one at that.

[chrish]

It will never be main stream FAMILY entertainment due to its antisocial attitude and foul language.  It may have been when it was humorous and warm good natured music back in the days of Rappers Delight but responsibe parents (few as there are anymore) do their best to keep exposure to Gangsta Rap to a minimum at least not in their home though like manure its everywhere.

[Al Timiter]

Hip-Hop doesn't need a TV show to find the next big hit.

Absolutely!

Hip Hop is way too cool for an American Idol karaoke type show.
Plus, as another poster said, the language, misogeny, homophobia etc in a lot of rap music will not win it mainstream media airplay.

But the main thing is that Hip Hop doesn't NEED AI!

[Darth_vader]

"Rap music"? What's that?