My non American dad thinks that RAP music is bad and all aobut b*tches and Hoes. That Reggea music is there to brain wash you into smoking weed. That middle eastern music is all Al Qaeda induced. This from an educated man. My dad is close minded and unless it’s latin or Haitian music he doesn’t want to hear it. Oh let me try and play any of my african music from the congo and he’s up in arms and thinks their music isn’t as good as Haitian music and that they’re trying to copy. he’s such a retard.

“…cuz surely you know a lot of young Black folks feel the same way about rap ‘music.’ ”

And those people are all lumped in with white people who make claims about something they know nothing about. The black folks I know who feel that way about rap “music” as a whole, don’t listen to it, yet feel free to make many assertions and assumptions. Turn on MTV and assume the Ying Yang Twins represents the whole. Some of you all do that…and you’re opinions are baseless and moot to me. As far as the filth that exists in rap…yes it does, however, if all you are referring to is the shit you see on TV then I can’t accept what you are saying because it is not reflective of the whole.

***And for the record, I’m not saying that there isn’t garbage out there.***

Which is the point of what I’m saying. Exposure. I’m not one of those folks who say that well if that’s all you’re exposed to then you’re opinion is fine. That’s bullshit, especially if its underresearched and uninformed. From what you’ve said before, I know that you listen to other rap. So you must know that it exists, yet you want “your” people to outgrow this “crap”. Hell, what do you consider Outkast to be right now? Is it rap or do you have a convenient other name for it?

@ Juli: The same thing goes there. It’s outrageous because he doesn’t listen to rap. At all. My mother and her husband don’t listen to rap. Yet, they feel it’s okay to say that it all sucks. The same way I used to do with country until i started listening. I dont make that statement anymore b/c it was unfair and totally based on baseless ideas. That’s the problem.

I feel like we need to have a gotdamn rap symposium out here. Is there negativity in rap. yes, and there is negativity in society. Rap has fucked up elements. I speak out on that shit all the time. However, I’m also pointing to the actual problem…not just talking about rap or hiphop culture as a whole.

I just don’t understand why anybody would think that because that’s what you’re exposed to, its okay to assume that’s all there is, therefore you can say that all rap is bad. I just don’t get that. Could be my idealistic views on life or something. But if somebody were to say that to me and say, well that NWA is bad so everything else is, I’d pretend you had 8 legs and never listen to you again.

I listen to rap/hiphop/neo soul and all that.. I TEND TO FEEL that MODERN DAY RAP is shit. Not like THE SHIT, I mean shit, doggy doo doo, poo, not good, ungodly, materialistic, perverted, demeaning to black women, etc.

Since rap has just gone more mainstream over the past 10yrs, most white people have only been exposed to gangsta rap in the 90’s, and this bling bling bs they have had in the 2000’s. I can understand WHERE they are getting these perceptions.

As far as relating that to YOU because you are a black man that he thinks is okay..that is pretty retarded. I mean, that would be like you assuming he does not watch porn because he doesn’t appear to be a pervert. Or that he doesn’t watch movies with cursing because he does not curse. kinda DUMB.

you know me, and you know i used to subscribe to this absurd notion that by projecting my “smarts” to white folk, i could help ‘em unpack some of their perceptions of young black dudes. it doesn’t happen…it didn’t really take me that long to figure it out either, but i thought i was fighting the good fight.

i don’t really have any profound statements to make about race relations, but in my opinion, simplifying the problem by relegating it to merely “human nature” underscores the bigger problem that we all have of accepting such ignorance, by others and by ourselves, merely b/c it’s commonplace. i guess i feel that we have to continue takin’ folks to task but rememberin’ to check our own shit at the same time.

Panama is black…
if Panama works with me, then Panama can read; still, he’s black…

Rap music is negative…
if black people listen to rap music, then black people are negative…

Panama, although black, is not negative, therefore he does not listen to rap music…

“Don’t be a groupie keep it movin’ shawty, cuz uon’t know me…” Clifford Smith

Feliz Jueves!

T

I live in these expensive ass condos and there is a crunchy granola chick that smokes weed. I HATE that she is on my floor because I think they will assume it’s me. LOL…ain’t that jacked!