Rap's Diverse Appeal

30 years after the birth of hip hop, rap superstar Grandmaster Flash is about to become the first rapper in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It's an interesting moment - after decades of growing popularity, the whole rap genre has seen sales decline. Young people are the biggest buyers of new music, and on The Sound of Ideas, we'll take a look at the role of rap in youth culture. Among today's teens, color and race do not determine the fan base. So what are the reasons for rap's diverse but dwindling appeal? We'll find out Monday morning at nine on 90.3.Bakari Kitwana, hip-hop expert, author, Why White Kids Love Hip-Hop: Wankstas, Wiggers, Wannabes and the New Reality of Race in America (Basic Books, June 2005)