Your points are well taken, but I disagree. I've never been a McWhorter fan, believe me, but I think his arguments about hip hop are valid.
It's easy to call McWhorter as ass, but it's time to admit that a whole lot of rappers, especially the garden variety type, are total assholes as well. And they need to be called out as such.
I just found out that some of them have the audacity to try to intimidate Oprah and tell her who should be on her show. And of course, no public black figure is coming to her defense -- a pity.
Your statement that folks "on the fringes don't have access to the dream, they become the nightmare...," is a powerful, albeit, an out-of-date excuse, at least when it comes to hip hop artists. Very few hip hop artists are rapping about the state of America or their hopelessness; they're posturing about their money, cars, and other property (i.e. black bitches and hoes). The black community treats these guys like cute little babies who are tearing up the house and we're afraid to tell them to stop because they've had it hard. Many of us have had it hard, yet we don't seek to destroy and degrade because of it and claim that it's all we know.
I grew up in the same "hopeless" situation as many of our hip hop artists and witnessed thugs and pimps terrorize our elderly and tear apart our community. Yes, white folks and Republicans failed the black community, but we fail ourselves when we continue to defend this type of foolishness and criminal mentality within our community.
I don't buy the supply and demand argument either -- that their behavior is okay because it's what the consumers want. Since white people buy 70% of the stuff, I guess it's what they want? I'm tired of trying to explain away bad behavior, that's all.
Now, I'm off to watch the BET awards! I'll write more later.
It's easy to call McWhorter as ass, but it's time to admit that a whole lot of rappers, especially the garden variety type, are total assholes as well. And they need to be called out as such.
I just found out that some of them have the audacity to try to intimidate Oprah and tell her who should be on her show. And of course, no public black figure is coming to her defense -- a pity.
Your statement that folks "on the fringes don't have access to the dream, they become the nightmare...," is a powerful, albeit, an out-of-date excuse, at least when it comes to hip hop artists. Very few hip hop artists are rapping about the state of America or their hopelessness; they're posturing about their money, cars, and other property (i.e. black bitches and hoes). The black community treats these guys like cute little babies who are tearing up the house and we're afraid to tell them to stop because they've had it hard. Many of us have had it hard, yet we don't seek to destroy and degrade because of it and claim that it's all we know.
I grew up in the same "hopeless" situation as many of our hip hop artists and witnessed thugs and pimps terrorize our elderly and tear apart our community. Yes, white folks and Republicans failed the black community, but we fail ourselves when we continue to defend this type of foolishness and criminal mentality within our community.
I don't buy the supply and demand argument either -- that their behavior is okay because it's what the consumers want. Since white people buy 70% of the stuff, I guess it's what they want? I'm tired of trying to explain away bad behavior, that's all.
Now, I'm off to watch the BET awards! I'll write more later.
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