Narcocorridos v. American Hip-Hop?

While reading the article about Narcocorridos and their social stratification in (particularly northern) Mexico, I was immediately reminded of the stories of American hip-hop artists and the place they have within lower-class, urban society. While in Mexico, the narcocorridos are revered by "the rural, regional, and subaltern identity" aka "people with less education, rural people, and migrants," in the U.S. we see the hip-hop artists representing the collective consciousness of the lower-class, urban youth living in the projects or other rough neighborhoods. In both cases, the "heroes" in question are often connected to the drug trade or a gang system of some sort. As Edberg states representative of a "symbolic faddism of rebelliousness, edginess, and danger." Both groups use their music to challenge the "system" and blatantly celebrate their illegal activities of drugs, gang violence, and other politically sensitive topics. They are both clearly defined within their roles and have a sort of power about them because of their ability to so easily disregard the political powers. They say what they want (or rather sing/rap what they want) and are seen as heroes in societies that rarely get their voices heard. My question becomes is this a good thing? Are these groups helping those that look up to them by challenging the powers? Or are their incentives selfish ones? Ones of power and greed and aggression?