Yesterday we posted a YouTube video of our favorite felonious "rapper" tossing somebody's child form the stage. His latest victim is a 15-year-old male. (source) What is it with this man and teenaged children. Last month it was a 15/14 year-old girl. Apparently Akon was brought in by a radio station that knew his history of onstage antics.
WSPK General Manager Jason Finkelberg said he and members of his staff discussed Akon's history prior to KFEST
This is what happens when you mainstream FOOLISHNESS! Speak On It! UPDATE: Apparently YouTube has once again collaborated to cover up Akon's onstage shenanigans so the video is not available on YouTube, but you can still find it here.
Man! I almost made it to Wednesday without making a critical post. We interrupt "Positive Posting" Week to bring you this....
Congressman William Jefferson of Louisiana was indicted this week. You know, the Congressman whose district includes New Orleans; You know,the congressman that had $90,000 wrapped in tin foil stuffed inside some empty boxes of popsicles. He allegedly bribed some people for around $8,000,000 in payments to him and his family.
When Jack and Jill Politics put up a post about Jefferson, I sarcastically bet $20 wondering how long people would take to blame White folks. Yes, the White folks made him commandeer a military helicopter in the middle of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and fly over his starving, homeless constituents so he so he could get his briefcase. I wonder what was inside? $40,000 stuffed in Hot Pockets Boxes? Some of the comments were hung up on the fact that Congressman Jefferson is facing life in prison while his white colleagues brought down by the Abramoff scandal were sentenced to less than a decade. I don't know if Representative Jefferson did anything illegal or not. I'll wait til' the trial. Indictments are not convictions, just an indication that the guv'ment might have something on you.
But this isn’t a politics blog so what the heck does Bill Jefferson have to do with the images of Black women in popular culture?
Some comments on THIS blog have indicated that my criticism of popular Hip Hop artists is UNFAIR because other aspects of popular culture are violent, misogynistic, amoral, and disrespectful to Black women. I welcome all comments positive and negative it makes the world go round. Keep it coming. Here is one such comment
The business of offensive media is everywhere but somehow rich, drunk white kids on the OC isn't seen as offensive. Drunk and ready white (for the most part) kids on Real World isn't attacked though it is much more accessible than dirty lyrics.
I was thinking back to the early 90s and wondering just how in the world did "Married with Children" ever survive.
Here is another such comment
But what i've proposed to him is WHY target hip-hop? obviously this type of climate has existed in other industries and music: hooters, abercrombie & fitch, the price is right, strip clubs, playboy, playpen, Warrant etc. etc. etc.
Here is my response:
“But White People Do IT!” Really shouldn’t be an affirmative defense for bad acting nor is it an excuse to do absolutely nothing. White women already have organizations dedicated to combating negative portrayals in popular culture. If they do nothing, that is not a prohibition against anyone else trying to do something. Somewhere our ancestors are spinning in their graves. Imagine....."Harriet Tubman, I ain't fleeing North with you! White folks don't have to run North! That's not FAIR!" Keep the comments coming, they keep me on my toes.
UPDATE: Original YouTube Video Not Available ( SURPRISE!) I found another version. For your viewing displeasure, watch our favorite violent-felon-misogynist-freak dancing “artist” allegedly throw somebody’s child off of a concert stage. What is it with this man and violent on stage behavior? If Akon is coming to a town near you, keep your male and female children inside. Nobody is safe. I wonder if White folks made him do it?Originally seen at Concrete Loop.
In keeping with"Positive Posts" Week. ..Check out this organization, Tools of War, they have a music series that is supposed to celebrate positive aspects of Hip Hop culture. Thanks Tawra! Our Favorite Reverend is on the case again. I can't knock Rev. Al's "Hustle." Keep the good news coming.
"Power never concedes anything without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them, and these will continue till they are resisted with either words or blows, or both."--Frederick Douglass
As you know this week I am limiting myself to positive posts. There is so much crap in the world. I thought it would be nice to highlight some good things.
There is a new site that is capturing some of the marvelous work that African American bloggers are doing to change the world. Its RSSpect.org. Its a great way to get a quick view of all of the things Black folks are talking about on their blogs in one place. That is a good thing!
Bronze Trinity has amassed an excellent collection of guides to internet activism. Don't just talk about it; be about it!
We had an AMAZING panel today on the Black Women's Radio Show. If you haven't listened to the show before, this by far was the BEST one I have ever had. I've embedded a version that automatically plays whenever you visit the page. Don't worry, you can pause the audio if you want to, and this won't be a regular feature of the site. I am only doing it this week in honor of our " Keeping it Positive" campaign.
Um the $400 million dollar man speaks about Hip Hop, Imus, the Iraq War, movies. Master P, in one big rambling mess. At some point does he say that the Vice President resigned? The gist of his comments is that he is not responsible to the devolution of culture. Russell Simmons taught him well. Brought to you courtesy of Black Exploitation Television. Thanks Angry Independent
Then here comes T.I with fatherly advice ( He's a father of five. I'm not touching it.)
If we take T.I.'s argument to its natural end.. Using his logic, we don't need child safety caps on medicine because well... the kids parents should be looking. We don't need to put fences around pools or covers on manholes or any other of steps we take to protect children. The truth is that we have some really crappy parents TRUE, but there are easily some devoted caring parents who are battling for the hearts and minds of their children against the materialism, misogyny and thuggery glorification that is commercial Hip Hop.
The problem with his final statement about "as long as there are "b's" "N-words", and "h's" in America , rappers deserving to rap about it is that the African American experience is not monolithic, but you wouldn't know that by looking at what the large entertainment industrial complex presents to the world. To hear urban radio tell it, the only way to get outta the hood is to sell drugs or women.
I'm not saying stop anybody from saying anything. I have a problem with a total an complete lack of balance. Maybe if T.I. didn't listen to so much rap music as a child, he would know that there are multiple careers options available that do not require violating the law, preying on the weak, and poisoning the next generation so that they end up rapping about how screwed up their lives are.
MIGHT I ALSO ADD that Tupac for all his flaws managed to be conflicted. For every "How Do You Want It." there was a "Dear Mama". For every "I Get Around" there was a " Keep your Head Up." So even if you start out talking about drugs, sex, and money, where is the growth? Where is the evolution? Are they going to be on Social Security talking about "slanging rocks?"
Somewhere our ancestors are rolling in their graves. There were hundreds of years when Black folks had alot less than we have today. Heck for hundreds of years we didn't even own our own bodies, but we managed to establish families, a rich and vibrant culture, and even risked our lives to learn how to read.
I think Langston Hughes said it best in his poem, " Mother to Son"
I'm tempted to send a copy to 50 Cent and T.I. Stop whining already. People did a lot more with a lot less and managed not to compromise their morals or exploit their own people in the process.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007 at 7:39PM