Why wasn't Hiphop included in the Boston Strong concert?

Edo.G's newest album, released in February

This is probably a bit of a rhetorical question, considering Boston all but ignores its urban, but why were there no Hiphop acts involved with the city's concert to raise funds for and benefit Boston Marathon bombing victims and their families?

The "Boston Strong" concert -- named for the spontaneous but clearly popular [and borderline oxymoronic] motto attached to the Marathon tragedy that exposed Beantown as being vulnerable to terrorism -- was never billed as a show featuring a certain genre of music.

Rather, the show featured everything from folk to rock to country to R&B.

But for some reason, no rap.

I can admit that Boston does not have the richest legacy in Hiphop. But isn't that besides the point?

The city has at least one full-fledged Hiphop pioneer in Edo. G, who recently dropped his 11th solo album and has collaborated with some of the biggest names in rap during his more than two decades as a successful solo rapper.

There are other act on the Boston rap scene that would be worthy of inclusion, but if we're talking about both a national and local appeal, Edo clearly should have been invited. Hell, his Twitter handle says it all.

If the show is all about raising money for the Marathon bombing victims and their families, why not include as many acts as possible that appeal to as many different musical tastes as possible?

The concert's stage showcased poets, comedians, and even athletes to go along with the musical acts -- but no rap, a style of music that is a mainstay at the top of national and international music charts, underscoring its universal appeal to people from all walks of life.

But in Boston they chose to ignore that fact and instead excluded members of its music community who dedicate a considerable bulk of their lyrics to shouting out their hometown.

The move is a slap in the face to Boston's Hiphop community as much as it is to the bombing victims and their families, who the show was supposed to benefit.

But from the outside looking in -- which is apparently the only thing Boston's Hiphop community can do -- it would appear the show's organizers had their own best musical interests at heart instead of considering what concertgoers might appreciate.

Finally, I will just let the music speak for itself through Edo.'s words: