Posted by Ben Chapman Responses (6)

Hip hop music is as controversial as it is popular, but this type of music isn’t all about violence, and it’s not all in bad taste. Still, it should be judiciously used anytime a special event calls for a funky or danceable soundtrack.

Many uninformed people dismiss hip hop and rap as the music of mayhem and violence in our youth culture, especially because conflicts between artists that end in gunfights make lurid headlines. But hip hop also dominates the country’s dance floors and airwaves, and rap artists sell millions of records in the suburbs as well as cities.

The odds are that many of your attendees, especially the younger ones, are fans of hip hop. So next time you have the chance, play the latest rap single at a special event. Just make sure to use the "clean" radio version of the song—not the dirty album version. You may even win points for choosing to play "cool" music.