Does Jail Make Rappers More Popular?

A lot has gone on in the hip hop music industry that can be filed under the "unexplainable" tab. Rappers going to jail is truthfully nothing new, however, does the popularity of a rapper increase due to their incarceration? Taking a look into the past, rappers such as Tupac's, Ol' Dirty Bastard's and DMX's times in the slammer had various effects on their music careers.

In the world of hip hop, street credibility is a must and is a requirement, so to say, when it comes to maintaining your career. More and more rappers have been caught up in this predicament and it's changing the lives of the rappers and the people around them, however, it's also catapulting their record sales to the top of the charts!

Rapper TI, who was sentenced to serve a year and a day in prison for gun charges, experienced an increase in record sales long before he went to the "penn". However; during the time he was incarcerated, the lead single off his album "Paper Trail", did incredible numbers with radio station spins, as well as taking up plenty video countdown time.

Another incident of a rapper gaining popularity from their incarceration would have to be Lil' Wayne. Lil' Wayne, was hit with gun charges steaming from an incident in 2007, is currently serving time at Rikers Island in New York. While Lil' Wayne was at the peak of his career before his incarceration, chances are his album sales will launch to the top of the charts the first day he's released. For true fans of incarcerated rappers, some see this as a chance to listen to previous released material or buy past memorabilia to support their idols while they're behind bars.

The biggest controversy of the year about rappers being locked up would have to be Atlanta-based rapper Gucci Mane. Gucci Mane had just finished his first major album under the Atlantic Records brand, when he was sentenced to one year in prison for violating his probation. His album The State vs. Radric Davis was set to be released a month after he was sentenced to prison. Gucci Mane, had worked diligently to resurface his name after a heated feud with Young Jeezy, took one step forward but two steps back by going to jail. Many fans and family of these artists believe that rappers getting locked up can be blamed on hip hop cops that unfairly target rappers.

Are hip hop cops targeting rappers? Rappers and hip hop cops are like oil and water, they don't mix. It has been said that hip hop cops listen to the songs of rappers and even go as far as attending shows to see if rappers are really living the life they rap about. Unless you're Kayne West, you're more than likely to be rapping about something you've either seen or done illegally. Rappers who've been incarcerated for a year or two probably have a more predictable outcome in popularity increase as oppose to rappers that have to serve five or more years.

Belize born rapper Shyne served nine years for reckless endangerment and brandishing a firearm in a New York club, however; did his popularity increase? Yes, Shyne was built into a spokesman for "street gangstas" due to the fact he lived out what he rapped about on record. The thought of a rapper living everything they talk about on records is what excites the average rap fan and is what drove Shyne's popularity through the roof. Not only did Shyne have an increase in his fan base, he was also presented with numerous financial opportunities during his incarceration. Record labels and media outlets alike wanted to hop aboard the bandwagon and join his "brand". Although Shyne profited from his incarceration, he was hit with the New York "Son of Sam" law which froze all of his financial assets.

While jail may assist the career of some rappers, it destroys the careers of others. C-Murder, the brother of Master P, is currently serving a life sentence for murder. The chances of his career getting back to the point it was at before he got incarcerated are slim. Although a rapper's popularity may increase during their jail stint, their financial situation may not always reflect the same. The days spent away from tours, shows, albums, and self-artist promotion have resulted in a catastrophic loss of money. Many rappers strive off creating a good name for themselves so fans won't forget who they are. However; with new rappers emerging on the hip hop scene with a whole new set of stories, many previously incarcerated "chart toppers" may be pushed to the back self and forgotten amongst the crowds. An increase in popularity due to incarceration depends on the rapper, the crime and their motivation to "stay in the game".