Today's column from Steve Penn refers to some silliness about the use of the N-word and how some unheard of academic is not only gonna save cRap music from itself but also reverse 400+ years of history by bringing the use of the N-word to an end. Good luck with that one, I'll meet you at the bar.
Anyway, this reminded me of local activist Alonzo Washington's most recent fight is against BET's American Gangster.
Mind you, on the surface the concept is brilliant. It's kind of like one of those History Channel Documentaries only instead of Nazi's they profile "some of the most violent Black criminals in history" according to their promotional material.
On the other hand, I can see where Alonzo is getting bent out of shape with this one. Think about all of the violence in the Black community, the disproportionate number of Black men in jail and then think that Ving Rhames is doing the narration and not one cent is going toward Jack Lemmon's estate!!! It's a travesty!
And seriously, in your heart of hearts you know that there is no way that a documentary "Suburban/Child Molesting Uncles across America" would make it to prime time even though the footage would be equally interesting and disgusting all at the same time. It's a question of perception and public consumption. Sadly, from watching the media closely for most of my life I hate to admit that the public has an appetite to see Black people in situations pertaining to crime and very few other places (oversexed or angry Black guys on MTV's Real World don't count) . . . Unless you count sports, which is a far more organized form of violence.
All the "real" black men are dying off and the younger thuggish crowd has taken over in the black community and it doesn't look good for the future of black people.
ReplyDeleteDo you actually know or talk to any blacks on a daily basis? It might surprise you, but a lot drive minivans and pick up their kids after school just like the white people in the suburbs do.
They don't walk around carrying 40oz's and rappin about "capping a nigga ass." They go to PTA meetings, cook hot dogs at the school bbq, help their kids sell stupid fundraising stuff for play ground equipment, just like white folks in the suburbs.
I am no expert, but it doesn't seem to be that blacks are some monolithic group being led by a bunch of young MTV rapper/gangster, just like whites are not all whiny downtown condo dwellers that spend their off time at the Central Perk.
I mean would it make sense to say all the "real" white men are dying off and a younger more evangelical crowd has been taken over who purchases his first home on money generated from singing about "god hates fags", "god hates america for fags", or a number of other socially undesirable ways rappers find to superimpose their culture on America and parents are buying it.