Yesterday I was going at it over at Gotty's site.
And. Someone called me a hypocrite. Nothing new.
As a card carrying, Clipse loving feminist, I have been called worse things.
The argument stemmed from the fact that someone cited Jason Witlock and his argument that Jesse and Al are too scared to go after companies that promote and benefit from Gangsta rap. So I say go ahead and ban/regulate gangsta rap.
But.
Once you ban gangsta rap.
What are you going to put back?
And let me ask you this, is the real issue the music or the lives of of the people that the music represents?
Because banning/regulating g-rap sounds like a cosmetic change to me.
My man Roland Martin at CNN hit the nail on the head when he said,
America, we have a problem with sexism. Don't try to make this whole matter about the ridiculous rants made by rappers. I deplore what's in a lot of their music and videos, but hip-hop is only 30 years old. So you mean to tell me that sexism in America only started in 1977?
Now is the time for this nation to undergo a direct examination of the depths of sexism. My media colleagues shouldn't go just for the easy target rap lyrics. That is no doubt a logical next step, but sexism is so much deeper. It is embedded in our churches, synagogues, mosques, schools, Fortune 500 companies and in the political arena. We should target our resources to this issue and raise the consciousness of people, and expose the reality.
Don Imus should not be the period. He can be the comma. Civil rights organizations, media entities, women's groups and others have an opportunity that they can't pass up. We have the chance to seize the moment to begin a conversation -- an in-depth one -- that has the opportunity to redefine America along the lines of race and sex.
Thinking about writing this, I pondered, what led to gangsta rap in the first place?
Well.
1.Mix Black Flight + White Flight + The Burning Bronx + Quasi functional public urban education = You get the conditions that percepitated gangsta rap.
Everyone is aware of the education/quality of of life connection. In fact, Imus's audience was highly coveted because they were affluent and highly educated.
And I ask again, once you ban gangsta rap, what are you going to put back.
For these folks who want to ban/regulate gangsta rap, I would like to know whether they live in the hood?
Do they want to live in the hood?
Would they send their kids to schools in the hood. Prolly not.
And Why? Because the schools are horrible.
Now lets assume that we don't have gangsta rap, how would the world even know what was going down in the hood?
Bear in mind that I am aware that this statement presumes that one is even interested in what is going on in the hood. LOL.
So lets imagine a world w/o gangsta rap.
- Will dudes still hustle crack?
- Will little Black girls still, disporportionality, want to grow up
and be video vixens? - Will dudes still be hustling loosie's on 125th and Lenox?
- Will the Rockefeller drug laws still apply?
- Will more black fathers pay child support?
- Will OPD still conduct unconstitutional stop and searches?
- Will Katrina get fixed?
- Will cats cease getting murked on the reg in Oakland, New Orleans and Philly?
- Will there be more than 3 GOOD high schools in New York City?
- Will No Child Left Behind STILL be leaving mad brown/black kids in the dust?
Probably will just mean better mix tapes anyway.
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Know I made some ENEMIES w/ this post.
I put zora on mines so I KNOWS Im good.
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16 comments:
EXACTLY! and while we're at it, what's so wrong with being nappy? We're colorstruck and European as hell as a community. We might as well start wearing them wcak as club clothes too.
Long Live Nappies.
Damn.... you make a very compelling argument. I hope this is the last of this debate...and do think some rap lyrics could be cleaned up a bit...or there needs to be a diversity in rap again...where you can have conscious lyrics again... When are WE going to start respecting ourselves???????
.and do think some rap lyrics could be cleaned up a bit
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Cleaning it up.
What?
Its art.
We CAN try and take it out the hands of young bucks.
But they are just going to want it more.
I don't presume that WE DO INFACT disrespect ourselves.
Some Black Folks do, some don't.
Changing G-rap is going to have a minimal impact on whether black people "respect" one another.
I think that the white and black middle class a-like need to deal with the fact that THEY LEFT the hood, and now they are offended by the art that the hood produces.
I think you're oversimplifying it a tad. G-rap isn't all about "hood reporting" and some of the stuff in today's g-rap doesn't go on in the hood anymore, crack? Seriously?
Ppl still sell that? I'm not saying they should ban it either but to justify g-rap by using the hood reporting angle..eeeh...you can do quality hood reporting without the g.
today's g-rap doesn't go on in the hood anymore, crack?
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Yes. Crack.
While is isn't 89, dudes sell crack, loosies, e, weed, smack.....list goes on.
I'm not saying they should ban it either but to justify g-rap by using the hood reporting angle
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I listed several reasons WHY g-rap being banned WILL not have the anticipated effect that the Jason Witlocks think they will have.
The Problem is with AMERICAN POPCULTURE AT LARGE.
NOT with gangsta rap.
Its like operating on your foot, when the problem is in ya brain.
I never said g-rap was the problem with american society. Just that the justification a lot of times used for g-rap is flawed and not imo, a sure way of justifying it. I've always taken it as just art, nothing more...not hood reporting 'cos though some of that goes on in the hood, that's not ALL that goes on in the hood
i still got my corns but my brain is feeling better!
Ok. Neo.
My argument is not flawed.
This is a class debate.
Middle class black folks would prefer that working poor/ poor black folks, shut up, don't be loud in public, go to school, **stop having babies, **stop selling crack...etc
**intentional sterotypes.
The point is, how can you EXPECT engage in productive discussion w/ people IF THEY feel like you are talking down to them.
1. G-rap can be harmful.
2. Yes it can be beautiful.
3. Yes, it can be antiwoman.
4. Yes it was my friend when my family fell apart in the 80's.
5. Yes it is violent.
6. Yes it is rampant w/ sterotypes.
What my dear Watson, do you suggest?
Jeff.
You know I must ask.
Corns.
Why?
Fact is, that this “gangsta” concept should have been nipped in the bud back in 92 (yeah I know NWA had stuff out in the late 80’s, but I’m talking about the over commercialization of the “gangsta” / “thug” image).
Prior to 92, there was an offset to this negative "gangsta" rap, for NWA you had Public Enemy, Snoop dogg you had Paris, Ghetto Boys you had X-Clan, but then the industry went stoopid trying to capitalize on "Gangsta" and the easy production format, and Black radio ate it up as well as BET and later MTV, now this Gangsta / thug / pimp tired garbage is the standard and white youth keep fueling the fire buying this crap while alot of young brothers try to live this crap.
We have to deal with the advertisers, the radio and television stations and record labels, as well internally Black Men and the so-called Black Leadership have to step up and renounce and denounce those images (instead of trying to defend them, i.e. Michael Eric Dyson) and we need to show a better role model of male to young Black Males.
Um Adam.
I feel you on some.
I don't feel you on others.
However, I am glad that you have an opinion.
I have a new post percolatin' titled,
"F*ck Who Ever Don't Like Little Brother". Yeah I said it.
I suggest a balance and freedom of expression. I never wanted nor asked ppl to clean up g-rap but I don't want ppl trying to make excuses for it as to why it has to exist. That to me just makes it really look like something is inherently wrong with g-rap. Now whether g-rap is right or wrong is anyone's opinion...I'm just speaking from an art is art perspective.
Shoot I don't make excuses for the existence of prostitution, gambling or any other vice out there..
On to the segment of rich black ppl looking down on poor folk, while I do agree this is very common place I still don't see why its wrong that we should expect ourselves to better ourselves through education and other opportunities that already exist. I know I'mma catch flack for this being I'm an immigrant and all but sheesh, sometimes man to us negroes from the motherland folk out here be coppin' mad pleas as to why they ain't moving forward in life.
..and as I compare poverty levels b/w other countries and this here united states, I've lived in places where electricity is a privilege not a friggin' right, water is obtained from clay wells, whether stagnant or not you have to heat that mug up let it cool and keep it moving.....by no means am I blaming anyone for their circumstance but sometimes I do *get* where some of these cats like Cosby an 'em are coming from being they too did start from poverty.
I seent ppl dust they shoulders off and get up outta the hood. Now I will agree that rich black folk could do better in assisting and helping educate the poor on how and why and the ways they can beat the system. Matter fact that should be our main thrust, not talking down to them as if to say just 'cos I did it you can do it too but to come to their level and reason it all out, find ways to make things work...and then folk too need to help they selves.
I don’t think this is about “rich black folk” looking down on “poor black folks”, even though that is the false dichotomy that people like Michael Eric Dyson tried to put out there after the Bill Cosby incident.
I’m from the South Side of Chicago, and by no means “rich” and I am tired of the commercial gangsta / thug / pimp crap in Hip Hop today. I am against it, will protest against it, won’t support it, etc. SURE they have freedom of speech and expression, so do I. I’m not saying that they shouldn’t make records or sell them, I am saying that I won’t support those records and will group up with people of like mind to pressure Black Radio to play MORE positive or at least neutral Hip Hop.
Wowsa. Neo.
I have clearly been preoccupied with M & A transactions.
Will respond to this tomorrow in the pm.
Thats hot that adam is black adam.
Like He COULD be white adam.
But he's black.
Hi Adam.
The chi is the truth.
I think its gonna be on my list of cities i love.
When is the best month to visit?
Feel you on the support jawn.
However, until you leverage your voice w/ financial implications, Captitalism doesn't care.
OHHHHOHOHOH.
Good ONe.
"Capitalism doesn't care about Black People."
LOL.
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