Comments on Stanley Crouch's Opinion - 7.2.2007.1

In today’s opinion in the New York Daily News, there is a piece by Mr. Stanley Crouch. It deals with the recent town hall meeting sponsored by Black Entertainment Television (BET), and the matter at hand was hip-hop/gangsta rap. This is a subject I have followed and discussed for over a decade. Since the corporate decision to promote, mold and profit off of the gangsta rap sub-genre I have felt it is too important to ignore.

It seems that the members of the panel have that feeling as well. From the claims of Nelly stating that he does more good than bad, to the realization of Master P that, as Mr. Crouch states he said

“It is time to lead the younger generation with all of the knowledge beyond crime and hustling that rappers like himself have gained since their early popularity.”

Yes it is well past that time. No matter what the proponents of the current gangsta rap mainstream may say, the fact that 4 out of 5 buyers of rap are reportedly white suburban males seems to confirm how derogatory this genre is. But to say this is a surprise would be a lie.

As early rap stars have gained wealth, had families, moved from the lower income areas that was the home of their youth, and gained maturity their has also come an understanding of what they have promoted and the damage it has done to the community and culture. Black culture today is a commodity. On sale at a discount so low it sells like crack. And with about as many virtues as that drug.

Not everyone will agree with me. But to those that don’t I ask why no one, including the abovenamed entertainers, could question the description provided about rappers

“too many of them are high on drugs, suffer sexual confusion, do what they are told and are plagued by enormous insecurities.”

While this introspection is gaining in popularity, and those of us who have made these comments, among friends and in public forums such as blogs and newspaper articles, are no longer looked upon as ‘haters’ we have far to go. Part of that process is to recognize that the current trends are not positive. Another is to recognize that the cause of this proliferation are executives at media companies that have litterally flooded us with this one image that they wished to exploit for their immense profit. Yet another is the fact that we have bought that image and fed into it. Be honest, if we did not buy the records initially, if we did not emulate the clothing styles, and incorporate the demeanor and lack of language gansta rap would still just be a sub-genre.

Continued in part 2...

What interested be from the BET Awards - 6.27.2007.2

What can I say about the BET Awards? Well actually a couple of things. The first refers back to a post I made about Mr. Robin Thicke. Mr. Thicke did not win an award. Many were expecting that he wouldn’t. For me it wouldn’t matter if he had or not.

The question I posed still remains a question. Is there a bias to the BET Awards? IF there is, which there may not be, is that a bad thing? It’s hard to say, and I don’t have that answer. What do you think?

More important to me was the fact that Mr. Don Cheadle
was recognized for his humanitarian work. Few entertainers or celebrities, African American or otherwise, have done as much as he has. He has brought attention on the plight of millions, and I think he has helped to improve those lives.

If his award helps to bring conversation and attention to this matter, then it was a great thing. His work in film, a book, and his organization Not On Our Watch stands out. In this nation with so much, there is just so little said or done about Darfur. If Mr. Cheadle was not as good an actor as he is, those things alone would make him newsworth.

But I expect no less from a man proficient at GO [I do play and would love to get a game with him] and poker. I look forward to his next film Talk To Me and his future humanitarian work. Congratulations on the well deserved Award.

Lastly I am surprised by the apology made by TI to Ludacris. It’s wildly uncommon to hear of such a thing, to any degree, especially in public. It’s so much better than how these things usually get resolved; bullets, fists and jail time. Maybe some in gangsta rap are starting to grow up.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Is TMZ right about Robin Thicke and the BET Awards? - 6.14.2007.1

TMZ.com has just reported on the chance of Mr. Robin Thicke winning the BET Award for either Viewer’s Choice or Best Male categories. While TMZ was a bit smarmy in their comments it is an interesting question.

There is no question that the Oscar Awards made a point of not selecting African Americans for nomination or a win for decades. I spoke about the snubs the Oscars recently made against Dreamgirls and Mr. Eddie Murphy.

“I’m speaking about the omission of Dreamgirls from the Best Picture category. I’d love to hear the justification for this. In 79 years, the total time Oscar Awards have been around, there has never been a leading nominee not also being in Best Picture.”

And

“The difference in what the public feels was a great performance and what the Academy deems award-winning is a vast ocean apart. I’m referring to the loss of Mr. Eddie Murphy. Widely held as the best performance in his acting career, winning several awards leading to this ceremony and then snubbed.”

Similar snubs have happened in music, but that barrier was broken years ago. I recall hearing about advertisments made on behalf of Mr. Elvis Presley, stating that people should buy his version of certain songs and not the ‘colored’ version (I think Hound Dog was one of them). Thankfully those days are long past. Or are they?


Is there a difference in the BET Awards not nominating more White entertainers and that of the Oscars apparent prejudice to Black entertainers? I realize that the BET Awards have nominated White performers before, 2 to be exact, and they did not win. I realize that Mr. Thicke may not win, the competition is strong. Mr. Thicke is up against Akon, Mr. John Legend, Ms. Beyonce Knowles, Ciara and several others. But is this the discrimination that seems to be implied by TMZ?

I can’t say, I don’t watch award shows. In addition I don’t listen to most hip-hop or R&B music these days (as can be guessed by my other posts I’m not a fan of gansta rap). I tend to enjoy classical (love Beethoven) and rock&roll more. [Sadly there are few African American entertainers in rock, which is a shame as I have to believe Living Color, Fishbone, and Mr. Lenny Kravitz are not the full range of what could be offered.] Still this is a question I am wondering about.

Since I don’t know enough to make a comment on one side or the other, I ask what you think. Has the BET Awards acted like the Oscars in restricting who gets nominated? IF they have is that wrong?

This is what I think, what do you think?

Award shows

So I am just getting ready to go to bed when I recalled something that I though was worthy of note. Yes I get ideas at odd times, I'm a nite owl. I can't take credit for this, David Spade on his show The Showbiz Show had spoken about the plethora of Black/African American themed Award shows.

He did hit a cord on that one as he is right. With the Oscars, finally, acceptance of the fact that there are a number of Black actors worthy of recognition, such as Denzel Washington (though not for that role in my opinion) and Jamie Foxx (definiately for that role), is this the time to splinter off and have exclusive Awards?

Yes, 30 or more years ago, even 10ish years ago I could see the need. But now after making strides and getting the confirmation of peers long overdue, what's the point. Do movies like the remakes of the Honeymooners, Who's Coming Home to Dinner or original movies such as whatever Friday is the latest or Soul Plane really deserve to be given awards? Yes, the oversights (or slap in the face if you preffer) to movies like Spike Lee's Malcolm X are hard to forget, but where have the serious films worth consideration gone.

I doubt if any of the rappers-can-act-too-I-think movies are anywhere above a bad rating, and far from an Oscar caliber performance. The actors who deserve the opportunity to shine, like Morgan Freeman, Queen Latifah (a rare exception to the rapper rule) and others shouldn't be bogged down by the drive of major studios to cash in on the "If it stars Black actors we have to see it and support" attitude prevalent today.

Increasing the number of Award shows (which now includes Black Movie Awards, BET Awards, Source Hip Hop Awards and Vibe Awards - yes not all movies but the point still stands) does not help increase the quality of movies made, nor the ability of good actors getting the roles they deserve. I think it hinders them by reinforcing the notion in the public eye that Black actors can't pull off leading roles in non-Black oriented movies. If the public fails to see these movies the actors, directors and everyone else involved just had their chances drop precipitously[sp? not sure if its a word].

I mean to say that there aren't alot of movies for these Award show to present, of truely high caliber just as there aren't many for the Oscars. I mean a show where the Honeymooners lead is compared to Don Cheadle in Crash or Terence Howard in Hustle and Flow is sad.

And what does it say to the masses? That the best that can be offered is the occasional stand out actor - (I'm not forgetting the women, the list would be too long) like Mr. Howard, Foxx, Washington, Cheadle, Jasckson (Samuel) and Freeman - in the occassionaly stand out movie... but the meat and potatoes of black acting is Get Rich or Die Trying, Beauty Shop, or Guess Who?

I think we should expect more. I think that putting out Award shows, or movies for that matter, with the only goal of making quick cash from a cheap production because it's known that the culture wants to support and nurture and grow its talented people is sad.

What do you think?