By the United States 2000 Census, three-quarters of the United States' population is white, while one-eighth is black. However, most rappers are black.[15] Some believe this discrepancy is a good thing; popular rapper Kanye West has said: "I hate music where white people are trying to sound black. The white music I like [sounds] white".[16]

Wealth and class are significant issues in hip-hop, a culture which was developed mainly among the lower and lower-middle class blacks of inner-city New York. Any view of money that can be seen in real life can also be seen in the lyrics of rap-- just as there are rappers who often brag about their extravagant wealth, or more specifically, their "rags to riches" stories, there are political militants who decry materialism.

Although most of hip-hop's famous and influential rappers have come from inner-city ghettos[citation needed], hip-hop has always represented a variety of economic backgrounds. Several of hip-hop's founding figures were not from such a background. For example, RUN-DMC, The Beastie Boys, Rakim, Black Sheep, and Kanye West[17] were middle-class when they began rapping.

Race issues often intersect with class issues. Vanilla Ice, a white pop rapper, went so far as to lie about his place of origin, claiming that he came from the inner-city of Miami, Florida, when he was actually from suburban Texas. According to Vanilla Ice, he was encouraged to lie by his record company, to increase their profits.[18]

In juxtaposition to Vanilla Ice stand the Beastie Boys, a rap group composed of white Jewish teenagers. The Beastie Boys didn't lie about their middle-class and suburban upbringing, and managed to sell millions of records while maintaining the respect of the hip-hop community.[citation needed]

The most notable exception to the skin color trend in rappers is Eminem, who is of mainly Scottish descent, who truely grew up in the majority black Detroit. According to the Guinness Book of World Records 2005, Eminem is the highest selling rapper of all time, outselling the late Tupac Shakur, who has had several posthumous albums released.

Despite so many rappers being black, most hip-hop record purchasers tend to be white, reflecting demographics and economics. According to musicologist Arthur Kempton, "Today 70 percent of hip-hop is bought by white kids".[19] Record sale statistics may be misleading, though, because they can't take into account the bootleging, burning, and downloading of hip-hop CDs.

According to political rapper Zion of Zion I, socially conscious hip-hop has a mainly white audience: "...so many Black people don't want to hear it. They want that thug shit." In addition to Zion, several other underground rappers, such as Boots Riley of The Coup, report nearly all-white audiences.[20]

this was a little surprising? but it makes sense...........

link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapping

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