"hip hop rots your brain"

The Hip Hop Rots The Brain billboard phenomenon in the C-U area is a clever marketing ploy by Up A Notch records.  On their website on 1/4/05, they wrote,

"We wanted to do something different and innovative to create something with feelings, and our teaser campaign with Adams Outdoor Advertising did that. The slogan Hip Rots The Brain was used to get those that love hip hop their utmost attention and it did.”

The buzz it created had a quick internet presence, I found a few message boards with some dialogue about the campaign.

http://buzzmagazine.collegepublisher.com/news/2005/01/06/Intro/The-Joke.Is.On.Us-830897.shtml

http://www.adrants.com/2005/01/record-label-vandalizes-own-billboard.php

http://chambana.livejournal.com/819244.html

http://www.uchiphop.com/node/106

I drive past this particular one on my way to work and enjoyed the progression from its' original to the vandalized version. I especialled liked its' location, right in front of Po' Boy's BBQ by the train tracks in a pretty deserted industrial section of town. It was obvious it was a hoax but by who and why didn't become clear until after the billboards were splattered with Up A Notch's show information. I'm really impressed and happy that a local group were clever enough to come up with this idea. I wanted to post about this weeks ago but unfortunately didn't have the chance until now. The billboard's original version stated "Hip Hop Rots The Brain" with the "Coalition of Responsible Attentive Parents" (aka CRAP).

Comments

[Mom]

Nothing like using "rebellion" as your selling ploy...it probably worked well. Actually...Little Porgy's barbeque most likely rots your arteries...send me some will ya ?!