throughout my life on the internet and being a music lover, i've always seen divide mostly coming from the rock/metal side of things. i've seen things such as "rap is crap", "rap isn't music", "idiots attempting poetry" and among other more vulgar things. a lot of it is hypocritical, and is often mostly likely a low key form is racism towards black culture.

the truth is, hip hop and rock has always had a connection with each other. hip hop has its roots in rock music, which was pioneered by many black folks in music (like Jimi Hendrix and "the Godmother of rock and roll" Rosetta Tharpe). old school artists like Run-DMC and present day artists like Megan Thee Stallion incorporated rock into their hip hop music. genres like rap rock and nu metal have spawned from this connection. whether rock and metal fans like it or not, the music they call "c(rap)" has its roots in the genre they deem "better".

i grew up surrounded by hip hop, and it took me a while to branch out to other genres. i don't appreciate the gatekeeping that people perpetuate, especially towards younger people, to keep the metal scene "pure", when rock and metal are already declining in popularity. there is a chance to revitalize the rock and metal scene by allowing in new generations of people from all backgrounds and ages without such harsh judgement.

as a black woman who is a metal fan, i will never abandon the music of my culture, and i will never associate with people who don't truly appreciate music based on race.

alt: https://ibb.co/KqtqQC6