P R O L O G U E

ghetto authenticity brought an aura of celebrity and glamour to the

grim yet fabulously hyped portraits of ghetto life. From the gangsta-

inflected anthems of the nineties to the thugged-out caricatures of

the new millennium, hip hop or, more precisely, corporate hip hop,

played its role with chilling precision. But there was nothing glam-

orous about the problems that characterized America’s decades-old

urban crisis. Both Ja and 50 had experienced the harsh realities of

ghetto poverty. Like so many in rap music’s star-studded world, every decision they madeâ€"from movie appearances to product endorse-mentsâ€"was a calculated maneuver designed to insure they never re-

turned to the ghettoscapes valorized in their lyrics, music videos, and carefully orchestrated image.

The meeting between Ja and the Minister was charged with mean-

ing and added yet another intriguing dimension to hip hop’s unbe-

lievable career. The fact that it was broadcast by MTV, BET, and on

Clear Channel–owned urban radio stations across the nation high-

lighted hip hop’s aura and relevance in the pop media spotlight. For

most of its public life hip hop has poignantly reflected the steadily shifting currents in American social, political, and pop cultural life.

So much of what hip hop adored and abhorred about itself surfaced

during the interview. Over the years the financial stakes in hip hop

had grown to once unimaginable heights. But the stakes that brought

Ja and the Minister together were considerably higher than the num-

ber of radio spins or units sold an artist could count. In the end, the meeting was not only about the life and potential death of two

artists, it was, quite simply about the rise and demise of hip hop.

Ja confessed to Farrakhan that he responded to 50’s lyrical attacks

because hip hop’s swelling legion of fans and code of the streets ethos insisted that he do so or run the risk of appearing soft, the ultimate slur in the hard-edged world fashioned by the chieftains of corporate rap. But there was something in Ja’s bright eyes, unusually tamed

grin, and equally apologetic and apocalyptic demeanor that hinted

even he knew a line had been crossed in the vitriolic rhymes that pul-sated throughout his latest album. By reaching out to Farrakhan, Ja

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