Does rap / Hip Hop sellout the Black Community? - 9.14.2007.1

Yes men. Uncle Toms. Sellouts. What do all these have in common? In the case of Hip-hop and rap music, the argument can be made that they all refer to the artists and entertainers that perform in this genre. Perhaps not all of them, nor all that they perform/produce but enough to be somewhat generalized.

Why might this be said? Well there are a couple of reasons. First there is the weakest reason, sometimes said as ‘I think you protest too much’. Basically the more defensive an individual is, especially when faced with a simple question, the guiltier they seem. How this might apply to gangsta rap (the near exclusive format of modern rap and hip-hop) would be in the responses various performers have made to the question of the lyrics used in their songs. A recent case in point is Ja Rule,

"And if it is, then we need to go step to Paramount, and f--king MGM, and all of these other motherf--kers that's making all of these movies and we need to go step to MTV and Viacom, and lets talk about all these f--king shows that they have on MTV that is promoting homosexuality, that my kids can't watch this sh-t," he continued. "Dating shows that's showing two guys or two girls in mid-afternoon. Let's talk about s--t like that! If that's not f--king up America, I don't know what is."

The defense seems to be, ‘It’s not my fault, blame someone else. They are worse.’ The protest ignores the question of what Ja Rule has done, and thus his responsibility, and tries to blame others. Now I agree that the media does have culpability. I’ve long said that executives are laughing as they go to the bank to deposit the money accumulated from the work of Ja Rule and other rappers. They are making boatloads of money (literally) for words they would never use in public (as Don Imus learned) by having rappers say it for them. And all it costs them are pennies paid out to the performers. That by definition sounds like a sell-out to me.

But that is not the only reasoning given by rappers and hip hop artists these days. There are also those, such as the ever quotable and ‘high’-ly educated Snoop Dogg and Fatman Scoop, who seek to redefine the terms they are using. Creating a lexicon much like the one used by Don King, they claim that they have redefined the meaning of words that have existed for decades and centuries before they were ever born.

In essence the argument made by Scoop was that the meaning of the words used by rappers and the youth of the nation today [I believe he means specifically African American youth but that is a guess] is separate of the meaning that has endured for centuries of use and is still maintained today.

If we were to follow this logic, the world-wide meaning of words are all incorrect, and their barely educated ‘I think it means this, and you are stupid if you disagree’ mindset is the only answer. Take Snoop Dogg’s definition of ho –

"It's a completely different scenario," said Snoop, barking over the phone from a hotel room in L.A. "[Rappers] are not talking about no collegiate basketball girls who have made it to the next level in education and sports. We're talking about ho's that's in the 'hood that ain't doing sh--, that's trying to get a n---a for his money. These are two separate things. First of all, we ain't no old-ass white men that sit up on MSNBC [which announced Wednesday it would drop its simulcast of Imus' radio show] going hard on black girls. We are rappers that have these songs coming from our minds and our souls that are relevant to what we feel. I will not let them mutha----as say we in the same league as him."

If his comment makes little sense I interpeted it as

But in looking at the comment made by Mr. Broadus I come to understand that he states that any Black woman that is not in or graduated from college, that is living in a predominantly African American neighborhood, that is not earning a middle class income is a ho. If these same African American (actually he does not limit this to only African Americans) women seek a successful Black man [though he does indicate their search is based solely on the economic status of the Black man] and have not achieved equal status on their own, then these women are ho’s.

Defending the livelihood of his superiors, the executives that run the record companies and pay him a portion of the money that his sales gererates, and following the path their corporate ad designers have laid out in the face of community disagreement likens itself to a Yes man to me.

In the cases I have pointed out, and many others, we see a systematic response. The medium that once held massive diversity (there were songs by Run-DMC out at the same time as Public Enemy, N.W.A., and Da La Soul) is focused on a highly destructive and profitable genre. A new crop of entertainers are ‘found’ and promoted heavily (read solely) in this format. When the genre is accused of inciting harm to the community it is targeted to, those same entertainers are used to defend it. What does that sound like to you?

I will not say that gangsta rap cannot be made. The First Amendment guarantees that. But I will say that the exclusion of any other stylesis wrong. I will say that those defending this music genre, denying any responsibility for what they have put out on the airwaves and how it will affect the children and community, are at the least short-sighted. They are making money off the backs of the community and that is wrong. Much like a drug dealer I see it as inflicting harm just to make some money for themselves and 10x as much for the big bosses. I feel its just not worth it.

Before Ja started talking out the left side of his mouth, he might have taken some time to come up with a better argument. Perhaps focusing on the film studios for the limited roles available to Black women, as in, why do Black female actors always end up playing roles of prostitutes, drug addicts, welfare mothers, etc?

Gays aren't the reason that many Black families live below the poverty line. Lesbians aren't the reason that our prisons are overflowing with young Black men and women. Can't blame gays for the senseless gang violence in the our neighborhoods that is and continues to take the lives of many Black men. And it's unfair to blame gays for the number of Blacks that are unemployed in America. Oh, and gays weren't the reason that in 2003, he punched a man in Toronto for shouting at him in a crowd because of the 50 Cent feud. Nor were they the reason that in 2004, police investigated whether a feud involving The Inc. led to fatal shooting outside a nightclub party hosted by Ja Rule. Now were they?

And I can’t lay all the blame on the entertainers. The harm being inflicted is partially their responsibility, but also that of the parents that allow their kids to be immersed in this cultural addiction. This auditory crack reaches children in part because, as Jasmyne Cannick correctly states:

Now if you ask me, that's what's contributing to bringing down Black America. Our kids are being taught from a young age, by the lyrics of rappers like Ja Rule and by parents who care more about bumpin' their song, than the effects that hearing those lyrics day after day have on their children.

Sellouts, Yes men, and Uncle Toms. Perhaps they are not the well spoken, well dressed, hard working people that are often persecuted by some in the Black community. Perhaps their individual voices are not the ones we should be concerned about but the ones that are promoted, televised in music videos, and propped up like minstrels before us.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Imus vs. Rap justification conclusion - 4.11.2007.3

Concluding Imus vs Rap ...

But in looking at the comment made by Mr. Broadus I come to understand that he states that any Black woman that is not in or graduated from college, that is living in a predominantly African American neighborhood, that is not earning a middle class income is a ho. If these same African American (actually he does not limit this to only African Americans) women seek a successful Black man [though he does indicate their search is based solely on the economic status of the Black man] and have not achieved equal status on their own, then these women are ho’s. That is what I understand as his statements meaning in English, a language that must be translated into from the disjointed words of Mr. Broadus. It may be obvious but I do not agree. Perhaps I am too old at 39 to get it, but a ho is a prostitute as I understood it. No more, no less. Any other derivation of the meaning is just a colloquialism, or a lack of knowledge [of which I feel the latter may apply to Mr. Broadus]. It appears that according to the English translation of Mr. Broadus (Snoop Dogg) the majority of women, married or not, fall into this category to some degree. If Mr. Broadus would like to clarify his jumbled definition, I invite him to contact me or place a response on this blog.

Again, the logic does not justify why rappers (which could include White, or Asian, or any rappers) can use offensive language and other people cannot. It does not explain why any woman, regardless of her financial success, location, style of living, love interest, or education level deserves to be regarded as a prostitute unless she in fact employs herself in that work. It does not justify why rappers should be held to a standard above anyone.

I directly ask Mr. Broadus, and any other renown rap entertainer that may choose to respond, why he can insult my mother, my sister, my family [and those of you my readers] in such a degrading manner, and not be held to the same standard as Mr. Imus or any other person. I ask, what difference is there if I went to Mr. Broadus’ wife, mother, daughter and told them they were ho’s or other equally offensive language that he uses in his records and songs? If he feels that such actions are wrong, how does he justify the use of these words? What provides Mr. Broadus, or any rapper, a higher level of morality than myself [or you]?

I will say it again. I want Mr. Imus fired, and it seems that Procter & Gamble, Staples, and now MSNBC [they just cancelled the simulcast of the show] agree. So would Mr. Broadus, Mr. Creekmur, Fatman Scoop and virtually everyone I am aware of. But if Mr. Imus has made a vicious attack, a racial slur, an insulting and degrading commentary, it must be accepted that so has the current gansta rap industry. In the same reasoning why it is disgusting for one to make such comments, it is wrong for all. I will say that I want Mr. Imus gone, and I equally wish gansta rap to be removed from the airwaves.

I will further state, this is not the end of this story. This is still just symptoms of a larger issue. I restate that I feel the source, or at least one source, of this anger and animosity is truly the failure of America to apologize and make reparations for slavery.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Justifying rap music Part 2 - 4.11.2007.2

With due respect to Fatman Scoop, whom I have never heard on the radio, his logic is incredulous and inane. Words have meanings, and while meanings do change over time (which is a slow process) that change in meaning is universal. Blue does not mean ‘light my cigarette’ just because illiterate, or uneducated, or trend-followers chose to accept it as so when the majority of the WORLD does not. If the meanings of the words used by Mr. Imus, or any person, have changed in meaning then everyone should be ok with them and there should be no debate over it. This is not the case. Words and their meanings are not dependant on the artificial prejudice of the color of the skin of the person using it. If it were then how is it possible for Eminem (Mr. Marshall Mathers) to be able to use the same words as Mr. Imus without insult?? The meaning has not changed, the prejudice has. To try to justify this prejudice is to look foolish in my opinion.

As I mentioned above Mr. Creekmur tried to shore up the obvious fallacy of Fatman Scoop. Mr. Creekmur stated that it was offensive for Mr. Imus to use these words as their meaning has not changed. But he further added that the use of these words is an internal matter for the Black community to resolve. While this is a better argument it also fails. African Americans do not exist in a bubble, separate of all other Americans [even if we feel unfairly treated by the government and/or the society]. We have commoditized our culture, and placed for sale our speech, preference for clothing, and other aspects of life. In doing that we have invited the use of the words we use to be used by others, even if that usage is not the same as what is desired. That is part of the deal in making this sale, you lose the choice of how what you sold is used.

But I do agree that this is something that must be address by the Black community. I have said from virtually day one of this website that I disagree with the sub-genre of gansta rap music. I still maintain that it needs to be removed, or at the least not promoted at the exclusion of all other forms of rap. Rappers need to take responsibility for their words, no different than Mr. Imus does. Look through the posts, I’ve always said that. So have many others, this is not a new argument, but it has taken a new impetus due to this situation.

Of those that need to take responsibility there is Mr. Broadus and his comments. Mr. Broadus announced his definition of the term ‘ho’ and it exemplifies, for me, the need of education among African Americans. Beyond the fact that the statement by Mr. Broadus is ill-formed, horribly articulated and obscenity-laden, it tried to justify his career while attacking others for using the same terms his career is built upon. [I must interject that I strongly feel that use of obscenities in place of thoughts is a direct communication of the lack of intelligence of the person using the obscenities.] Mr. Broadus has placed himself as the high-arbiter of the English language and its use by the Black community. That alone makes him delusional. I will never accept an uneducated, drug addicted, low class criminal and former gang member as an authority on a language that he displays a clear lack of mastery for.

Cocluded in part 3...