I can understand if people don't want mediocrities to be the subject of quiz questions in academic tournaments*, but since when is the quality of one's work the standard for whether it belongs in trash?! Milli Vanilli, for example, is vintage trash faire almost exactly because they are so disgraced. Other arguments advanced in both sides of the rap controversy are poor, almost embarrassing. I assume that "rap is not music[al]" is offered a bit tongue-in-cheek. If not, then the Giants refute this notation whenever they play "The Next Episode" (Dr. Dre, _Dre 2000_) as Barry Bonds bats in the first inning. The "exploitation"** and "racism" arguments are on thin ice, on both sides, especially since nobody had mentioned race (unless my reading skills are shot) before the latter accusation came up. If I were black, I imagine I'd be more offended by the notion of rap as inherently black than I would be by the notion of rap as inherently sucky. Then again, I'm not black, so what do I know? Matt *- If one holds this view, then either one's academic packs contain no "trash" at all or the trash content is itself severely limited. **- Even serial killers are sometimes asked about in quiz bowl despite -- actually, because of -- the depravity of their deeds.
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