Well, well, well. I’ve been forced to answer my critics; well nobody can force me to do anything. I feel compelled to say something to everyone who wants to make the majority of today’s rap something that isn’t: thought-provoking. Besides a few “underground” groups which in the early days of rap were the mainstream, most rap is garbage. Rap has been turned into a corporate product marketed towards its main buyers: young white males. Young white males have always enjoyed rebellious music that upsets their parents (Elvis, The Beatles), now they have 50 Cent, Emimen, Chamillionaire, Jay-Z, Kanye West and the rest of those pawns. See the problem with all this is young white males grow up, leave childish pursuits behind, go to college, start families, and become the next generation of parents who are appalled and disgusted by their kids’ music. Some Black kids listen to this music and think it’s a lifestyle guide. A way to behave. And even worse: “black culture.” Black culture???? The encouragement of promiscuity and criminal behavior, the marginalization of dark-skinned and brown black women, the promotion of white beauty standards, the glorification of violence and a plethora of other ill-conceived notions on life are NOT black culture. In fact those ideas are the racist ones, not pointing out illogical and detrimental thinking. The song I commented on may have mentioned racial profiling, which is definitely a problem that deserves addressing, but the repetitive chorus talks about the supposed jealousy that cops have for drug dealers. We need to examine this garbage we let in our community and our brains considering the violence of this weekend. Garbage in, garbage out.
The Animal I’ve Become by Three Days Grace. Read the words. (I liked their last album, let’s see if they can do it again.)
3 comments:
I wish they'd take the word "bitch" out of rap tunes for a change and get rid of the video "ho's". It's all so tired.
once again, a blog worth reading. it is obvious you are very intelligent
If we don’t like what is being portrayed as black culture we need to look in the mirror first. Second we need to sweep around our on front yards. Music is an industry and it’s purpose is to make money. The industry will continue to promote that which sells.
We complain about the music but we listen to it and we allow our children to listen to it. These people are running to be made leaders and trendsetter in the African community. We have elected them. I may not be the best person to comment on this because I don’t listen to half of it… Then again, maybe that makes me the best person to comment. I think half of the so called artists out there are over rated. They is little original thought or creativity being produced. We have an amalgamated industry feeding off of itself throwing crumb to the masses. As recently as the 80’s we had some talented artist. The genre of black music started to decline in the 90’s (In my personal opinion) today it is on life support. Everyone now and then we get a breath of fresh air with some revolutionaries like Jill Scott, India Arie, Erika Badu, Kenny Lattimore, Jodeci( before they changed their image). It’s like gasps of a dying creature. You hear of these individual for a brief moment and then they are silence either from their on malicious actions of the unconscious industry.
I’m only 26yrs old but my taste is at least 40 or 50. I pity my generation. We weren’t blessed with the music of my mother and older cousins. I can still recall the music of The GAP band, The Debarges, Shalamar, Howard Hewitt, Earth Wind and Fire, George Clinton and Parliament, Stephanie Mills, Rick James, Whitney Houston(80’s), Patti La Bell, the Pointer Sisters et al. The true Motown, and Stax records their true revolutions and innovations of black music. Do not mistake me, I’m not going to try and romanticize the past and say all these individuals were model people above their successors. We all know the problems of Rick James, George Clinton and the Debarge family… However they were TRUE ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS!
I’m a musician. I am trained in piano, played sax in high school and trained in voice. But besides that even if I was not blessed to be exposed to the technical aspects of music. I would not be impressed with what we have today.
I find it laughable when my peers attempt to call Beyonce a diva and compare her to Patti, Whitney or our Mother Queen Aretha! We give our accolades and adoration to individuals like 50 cent and companies call DEATH ROW. We do this then wonder why our youth are behaving so crazily. I can a least give Nelly props. I know that he actually has a foundation to assist those in need. I may have some issues with his music…but at least I can see some beneficial result from it. 50 cents group is call g-unit, sort for guerilla unit. Guerilla!? Sounds close to GORILLA. Of all the things to refer a black man to.
The sad thing is that we actually have to even discuss this! My favorite phrase, “What does this have to do with the state of Black America?”
We are now beginning to pay the price for this. Our community is starting to disintegrate.
Recently an event occurred in Atlanta that is getting attention around the country. A young veteran was walking home from his underpaid job of serving tables in an area reminiscent of Louisville’s highlands. This was a brother. As he was walking a Cadillac pulled up beside him. Several teenagers attempted to rob him. There were at least four people in the car. They had two fire arms. The young man attempted to run from his attackers. They pursued him. Finally it became self evident that we would not be able to out run them. The young man was forced to use his military training to defend himself. With a knife he fought back four people. In the altercation he wounded another young may and mortally wounded a pregnant female. The other two assailants fled the scene. Even though this man was attacked with out provocation and attempted to preserve his own life, he has a conscious that he had to end a young life needlessly. He’s clearly distraught over this event and the nation is calling him a hero. I say he is a hero. Not only for defending himself as the elderly man in western Louisville did…but because HE HAS A CONCIOUS AND LOVE FOR HIS FELLOW MAN! This is a man that should be a roll model! More information is coming out in the new as the survivors prepare for trial. You can read more in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution www.ajc.com.
The irony of this event is that they teens basically came from middle class backgrounds. They were riding in one of their mother’s fairly new Cadillac. The man they targeted had less than $12 on his personage. He worked a job which paid less than $100/week before tips. The very shoes he was wearing at the time HAD HOLES IN THEM!
These kids were not poor street urchins. They were not in dire need of money. They basically wanted a cheap thrill! I wonder if any of them listen to rap. Do you not think the lyric have any impression on young people? I am not trying to blame this whole thing on music…that would be too simplistic… However, do you not think there is some type of correlation?
Please excuse me for being preachy…if you’ve even read this far… However more of us need to start talking up. Specifically we under 35.
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