Shake it like a polaroid picture

I haven't watched Much in a year now, but I doubt much has changed. Every rap/hip hop video opens with a shot of a cell phone with the logo prominently displayed. Then there is the electronic cameras, speakers and instruments.

But it doesn't stop at the visual product placement - the lyrics to rap songs are filled with brand name placement. Rap music is the most commercial of all ventures, despite its anti-commercial, anti-consumeristic and anti-establishment origins.

A favourite company of mine is Agenda Inc. that actually keeps tabs on the number of product placements per song, artist or album. With a system called American Brandstand, they calculate the number of ads a product will receive on the Top 20.

Kanye West won out in 2004 as the most consistent brand-dropper in the Top 20, citing 19 brands in 4 songs: Avis, Boost, Cadillac, Cartier, Cool Whip, Ensure,Geico Insurance, Hennessy, Jacob the Jeweler, Lexusx2, Mercedes, MTV, Nike x2, Pepsi, Rolex, Toys R Us, Versace

Overall Cadillac won out as the most mentioned brand in hip-hop in the Top 20 in 2004 with 70 mentions.

So what are rap stars drinking? Hennessey
What are they driving? Cadillacs and Mercedes
What were they wearing? Gucci

Curious to know what the brands Eminem is pushing?...its all here