What if you're the same asshole that you were 10 years ago? I liked drug dealing raps back when Scarface and Kool G Rap were debuting as artists. Do I have to stop now because crack rap is no longer only accessible through the underground?
Can't I be proud that Jeezy and Juelz somehow "snuck" whole songs about crack onto the homes of 13 year old white suburbanite females?
I mean, the hood already knows about crack, that's an old story. Oh my god!!! They actually said "nigga" in their lyrics too!!! What are these poor, misdirected black people going to do now?!! Are we now reacting because whites can be influenced by the same kind of rap that glorified drug culture since the beginning of the genre?
In a nutshell, I'm reacting to this shit getting to the point where a white college boy who's never even smoked a cocaine blunt thinks that it's funny to use a photo of Marion Barry smoking crack to help sell his rap records on eBay.
I mean, I listened to crack-rap 10 years ago too. And I still listen to it today. But I sure don't glorify such destructive behavior in and of itself like it's something to be admired.
So... you'd get off his funky worm if he were to smoke a cocaine blunt with you?
Why do you give a fuck?
I'm just asking--if you think he's being inappropriately cavalier, or overly familiar, or whatever, with that imagery (and I haven't even seen it myself), why would whether or not he's ever smoked a cocaine blunt change matters?
I'll chime in on the discussion, if I may. I don't think people flocking to Black artists who espouse negativity is confined to White backpackers. Black folks do that shit everyday too. I just think the motive for doing so differs across racial lines. For Whites, I believe that clinging to those artists is a way for them to live dangerously and vicariously through the experiences of said artists transmitted from the CD. It's sort of how some White girls (especially those with redneck parents) are intrigued by (and fuck) brothas because its taboo. The irony is that (probably) that few of these fans will REALLY want to deal with what the vocalized lifestyle entails (e.g., exposure to violence, incarceration, etc.). Plus, I think subconsciously subset of Whites get a hard-on for Blacks portraying themselves ignorantly as artists, giving these folks some feeling of superiority, and feeding on paternalistic notions of Blacks folks as less "civilized". The jigaboo act portrayed then serves to confirm these Whites' negative stereotypes of Blacks in general. These artists are more acceptable than those that defy such stereotypes (e.g., Common, KRS-ONE to an extent, anyway).
For Blacks, there seems to some legitimate identification with what the artist says through (a) actually living some of the experiences expressed, and/or (b) living the lifestyle portrayed by the artist vicariously, based on the listeners desire to live such a life themselves (e.g., wanting to be rich, take trips, etc. but can't). Either way, I think such artists serve a psychological need for both racial groups, which could explain why some of their members identify strongly with said artists.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
While I don't agree with every point listed, this is the best thing I've read all day.
You can be a fan of Jeezy without being a fan of what he raps about. That is what I am trying to say. If you live his lifestyle or grow up around it, then go ahead and praise his connection to the streets. But if you don't, then stop acting like Jeezy deserves a grammy because he speaks for a group of people that doesn't include you!
yeah Big Stacks post was real good. I can say with no shame that this part here applies to me
"For Whites, I believe that clinging to those artists is a way for them to live dangerously and vicariously through the experiences of said artists transmitted from the CD. It's sort of how some White girls (especially those with redneck parents) are intrigued by (and fuck) brothas because its taboo. The irony is that (probably) that few of these fans will REALLY want to deal with what the vocalized lifestyle entails (e.g., exposure to violence, incarceration, etc.)."
except I don't wanna fuck black dudes...it's the same reason you watch gangster flicks or sci-fi, horror, or porno or whatever the hell kinda shit that seems cool but you can't do or shouldn't do or wouldn't really want as a part of your "real" life (cheat on your wife, sell crack, fight aliens, end up in jail etc)...escapism and entertainment
I think people forgot that music is supposed to be judged by what it sounds like.
Thats what i was gonna say man. Damn! Some of yall have some issues.
I thought music was an image
I hate it when dudes on here blow up images so that other dudes start clamoring to get the same image.
I used to be ashamed of my modern soul image, but fuck it O'Bryans 1st LP is just not cool enough for some of you snobs and thats cool.
Some of y'all hate on Galt cause he doesn't correspond with your image and thats cool too, but I'll go ahead and be me. Y'all just try to be you...or at least an image youre comfortable with
I hate it when dudes on here blow up images so that other dudes start clamoring to get the same image.
I used to be ashamed of my modern soul image, but fuck it O'Bryans 1st LP is just not cool enough for some of you snobs and thats cool.
Some of y'all hate on Galt cause he doesn't correspond with your image and thats cool too, but I'll go ahead and be me. Y'all just try to be you...or at least an image youre comfortable with
True words, Its unfortunate here (ie backpack hiphop threads, madlib hate etc) but ever so common
I'll chime in on the discussion, if I may. I don't think people flocking to Black artists who espouse negativity is confined to White backpackers. Black folks do that shit everyday too. I just think the motive for doing so differs across racial lines. For Whites, I believe that clinging to those artists is a way for them to live dangerously and vicariously through the experiences of said artists transmitted from the CD. It's sort of how some White girls (especially those with redneck parents) are intrigued by (and fuck) brothas because its taboo. The irony is that (probably) few of these fans will REALLY want to deal with what the vocalized lifestyle entails (e.g., exposure to violence, incarceration, etc.). Plus, I think subconsciously a subset of Whites gets a hard-on for Blacks portraying themselves ignorantly as artists, giving these folks some feeling of superiority, and feeding on paternalistic notions of Blacks folks as less "civilized". The jigaboo act portrayed then serves to confirm these Whites' negative stereotypes of Blacks in general. These artists are more acceptable than those that defy such stereotypes (e.g., Common, KRS-ONE to an extent, anyway).
For Blacks, there seems to some legitimate identification with what the artist says through (a) actually living some of the experiences expressed, and/or (b) living the lifestyle portrayed by the artist vicariously, based on the listeners desire to live such a life themselves (e.g., wanting to be rich, take trips, etc. but can't). Either way, I think such artists serve a psychological need for both racial groups, which could explain why some of their members identify strongly with said artists.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Some solid points here. This dichotomy (and thus crossover potential) also explains why rap music is even still being made as such and selling as well as ever - long after (what I'd consider to be) a marked artistic decline. Contrast the Black Musician image here sharply with the mainstream 50s, pre-Elvis. Even through most of the 70s, Black music had to be positive to hit the White mainstream. Sure, Hustler's Convention and Blax movies were around in the early 70s, but really took off on a cross-cultural basis when rap hit big in the 80s. There was seemingly always a moral attatched to ghetto tales until then. Maybe it was edgy enough just to like James Brown when you were growing up in, say, 1960s Indiana.
Hey, Plus, I think subconsciously a subset of Whites gets a hard-on for Blacks portraying themselves ignorantly as artists, giving these folks some feeling of superiority, and feeding on paternalistic notions of Blacks folks as less "civilized". The jigaboo act portrayed then serves to confirm these Whites' negative stereotypes of Blacks in general. These artists are more acceptable than those that defy such stereotypes (e.g., Common, KRS-ONE to an extent, anyway).
I think that this is dead on, especially the last part of the paragraph. I grew up in a small, fairly rural town in southwest Ohio, and saw some of the most racist, biggoted people I've ever met listening to Dr. Dre, Snoop, 2Pac, et al (this is not a knock on those rappers- it is just what people were listening to between 1995-1997 when I was in high school in Ohio). They did it because it was easy for them- they could easily classify it was black people proudly exhibiting the worst things they thought of them.
Comments
I'm just asking--if you think he's being inappropriately cavalier, or overly familiar, or whatever, with that imagery (and I haven't even seen it myself), why would whether or not he's ever smoked a cocaine blunt change matters?
While I don't agree with every point listed, this is the best thing I've read all day.
???
"For Whites, I believe that clinging to those artists is a way for them to live dangerously and vicariously through the experiences of said artists transmitted from the CD. It's sort of how some White girls (especially those with redneck parents) are intrigued by (and fuck) brothas because its taboo. The irony is that (probably) that few of these fans will REALLY want to deal with what the vocalized lifestyle entails (e.g., exposure to violence, incarceration, etc.)."
except I don't wanna fuck black dudes...it's the same reason you watch gangster flicks or sci-fi, horror, or porno or whatever the hell kinda shit that seems cool but you can't do or shouldn't do or wouldn't really want as a part of your "real" life (cheat on your wife, sell crack, fight aliens, end up in jail etc)...escapism and entertainment
speak for yourself, dude. I'm dying to do that shit.
Me too dude. I wonder if aliens have nuts? If so, it would be fun to punch an alien in the nuts.
Thats what i was gonna say man. Damn! Some of yall have some issues.
I thought music was an image
I hate it when dudes on here blow up images so that other dudes start clamoring to get the same image.
I used to be ashamed of my modern soul image, but fuck it O'Bryans 1st LP is just not cool enough for some of you snobs and thats cool.
Some of y'all hate on Galt cause he doesn't correspond with your image and thats cool too, but I'll go ahead and be me. Y'all just try to be you...or at least an image youre comfortable with
True words, Its unfortunate here (ie backpack hiphop threads, madlib hate etc) but ever so common
a guy currently getting clowned on LA urban radio
a better emcee than young jeezy
are you talking about his music or his image?
Music
youre obviously not a real hip-hop fan
Some solid points here. This dichotomy (and thus crossover potential) also explains why rap music is even still being made as such and selling as well as ever - long after (what I'd consider to be) a marked artistic decline. Contrast the Black Musician image here sharply with the mainstream 50s, pre-Elvis. Even through most of the 70s, Black music had to be positive to hit the White mainstream. Sure, Hustler's Convention and Blax movies were around in the early 70s, but really took off on a cross-cultural basis when rap hit big in the 80s. There was seemingly always a moral attatched to ghetto tales until then. Maybe it was edgy enough just to like James Brown when you were growing up in, say, 1960s Indiana.
I think that this is dead on, especially the last part of the paragraph. I grew up in a small, fairly rural town in southwest Ohio, and saw some of the most racist, biggoted people I've ever met listening to Dr. Dre, Snoop, 2Pac, et al (this is not a knock on those rappers- it is just what people were listening to between 1995-1997 when I was in high school in Ohio). They did it because it was easy for them- they could easily classify it was black people proudly exhibiting the worst things they thought of them.