I monitor and evaluate over $6 million in initiatives for troubled adolescents throughout VA. The worst places in this state are Richmond, Petersburg, Danville, Norfolk and Portsmouth. And over 95% of these kids are black. We have put therapists and case managers inside the detention centers to try to help these young people. People, things are really bad in these "smaller" urban areas and getting worse--outpacing crime rates in larger areas by 10 to 1. It shocks me and makes me feel helpless even though I've had a lot of experience with this in DC and B-more. Before this VA job, (and why I never watch the Wire--too close to home) I worked in drug treatment clinics and in-home services in North B-more and East B-more--all the way through Dundalk. I worked with pregnant adolescents who were prescribed methadone and had currently relapsed into their coke habits. Every week I saw hundreds of pregnant girls line up for their methadone. The average age was 17. I was also in graduate school at Johns Hopkins at the time. The difference between the Hopkins enviroment and only 2-3 blocks over in North B-more would destroy me. Matter of fact, just thinking about it, I can feel myself getting weak and sinking in my chair. I could describe many other experiences like this from DC. I just wanted share this to say that these things make me want to single out something, someone, somewhere to point the finger--which is fine for venting--but really getting shit done requires a long hard look in the mirror. People will try to blame everything from rap to pork to pants sizes. But let's face it, these are the lingering effects of slavery and this society continues to distance itself from real discussion about this. That's so sad.
If all you're going to do to cap on people then get out of this thread. My rule is I'd never post something I wouldn't say straight to someone's face. Obviously you don't use the same posting guidelines...
these things make me want to single out something, someone, somewhere to point the finger--which is fine for venting--but really getting shit done requires a long hard look in the mirror. People will try to blame everything from rap to pork to pants sizes.
I love crack rap. I can't say I'd be happy if people sold crack where I live, though. I've already been through that & I'm happily disconnected today. I can't see the video. Is this song about killing drug dealers?
I finally got this video to work. This guy is showing pictures of mc's and saying they should die. Something about that just doesn't seem cool... and I have no promlems killing criminals. If tomorrow morning the headlines said that dealing drugs would get you a death sentence, I'd yawn & check the sports. But calling out for some rap dude to die is crazy and fucked. Rapping about drugs doesn't mean a dude should be killed.
I love crack rap. I can't say I'd be happy if people sold crack where I live, though. I've already been through that & I'm happily disconnected today. I can't see the video. Is this song about killing drug dealers?
I finally got this video to work. This guy is showing pictures of mc's and saying they should die. Something about that just doesn't seem cool... and I have no promlems killing criminals. If tomorrow morning the headlines said that dealing drugs would get you a death sentence, I'd yawn & check the sports. But calling out for some rap dude to die is crazy and fucked. Rapping about drugs doesn't mean a dude should be killed.
peace
h
I think some of you are being overtly literal regarding the content of this video. Has anyone considered that "lynching" could be a metaphor?
In no way do I believe the artists actually wish death on the rappers they are speaking about. However, I do believe they're using the strongest (and most historically loaded) words possible to imply that us black folks are only killing ourselves by continuing to circulate (just for profit) all of this negativity in an already bleak situation.
Actually if you click the link to the interview (at the top of the page) dude asks if its a metaphor. And Nyoil basically says "HELL NO! I THINK THEY SHOULD BE LYNCHED!"
Actually if you click the link to the interview (at the top of the page) dude asks if its a metaphor. And Nyoil basically says "HELL NO! I THINK THEY SHOULD BE LYNCHED!"
Pretty harsh, but hey, that dude is pissed off.
The connection he is making between one and the other is interesting here and discussion has sort of swayed from that part for a few pages. He is saying that for all of the sacrifices, willing and unwilling, that have been made for people to be free or 'free' in this country, that people (whether drug dealers or crack rappers) are essentially shitting all over them.
Not defending his every word, but this is the part of his stance that i find most interesting.
People will try to blame everything from rap to pork to pants sizes. But let's face it, these are the lingering effects of slavery and this society continues to distance itself from real discussion about this. That's so sad.
Indeed. Here in New Orleans you'd see that firsthand before and after the storm. It's fucked.
Reducing the argument to crack rap vs. the world does it a disservice - and really that's not what the video is about is it? It's not merely the actions, it's the attitude behind them.
Yeah yeah.. personal responsibility is extremely unpopular these days... whether it's 50 Cent or Bush it's the same shit: Get that money for you and your friends, and fuck everyone else - don't get in the way. Is that the kind of world we want to live in? - excuse me if I don't like it. 'Cause that's the type of place it IS.
Look at Michael Richards.. I wanted him to come out and say "I am a racist"... for once in our lifetime someone should own up to it publicly.
.... so the messenger is just a symptom of the problem and we wouldn't be talking about crack rap, etc.. if it were just an underground phenomenon - but it's not - it's top 10 Billboard.
.. and there needs to be BALANCE because we can say that Whites are getting a distorted view of Black America when all they know about a culture they are isolated from is learned from commercial rap records.
... and this is something I CAN speak on, because I am white and I know what is said about blacks in MY community... and it's fucked. There ya go.
If we just say it's separate and leave it at that we've got a problem (well, we do have a problem).. because it needs to be made a HUMAN problem otherwise we will just continue to see everyone siding up with their sociocultural sports team.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
Seems to me it a larger societal problem that can be weighed in on by anyone who is a resident of the US. Can I only talk about issues dealing with 34 year old white, college educated, straight white men from the Northwest?
I think those who aren't black have no right to chime in with their opinions and ideas of what's best for their community. ESPECIALLY in this case. And no disrespect but, considering how you can't see that, maybe it would be best for you to only talk about issues dealing with 34 year old white, college educated, straight white men from the Northwest.
Cool, now I know what I can and can't have an opinion on. Thanks thought police! It's BS like that, that keeps people in "their" place thinking only of themselves and "their" problems. I can and do understand your point, when the issue is defined very narrowly. My point was that this issue gets alot bigger and broader very quickly.
...?
I'm not going through Kramer Part Deux again. All I'm saying is, that video and song is discussing very serious and personal problems within the black community and I think those not involved should'nt speak on it.
Is that so hard to understand?
Is it so hard to understand that no "black community" is 100% black?
That's just to say, day, that your criteria is far too absolute. Plus you're being a hypocrite, no, by saying that non-blacks shouldn't speak on how the black community deals with itself, but then making your own prescription on who should be allowed to do that dealing?
Hey, there's a RACE PARTY happening in here.... what did I miss?
Is it so hard to understand that no "black community" is 100% black?
It's 3.14% lizard, isn't it?
Very funny, C***o.
Is it so hard to understand that the official spokesperson of the Black communities of Oakland, NOLA, Austin and Houston is, in fact, white?
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
People will try to blame everything from rap to pork to pants sizes. But let's face it, these are the lingering effects of slavery and this society continues to distance itself from real discussion about this.
People will try to blame everything from rap to pork to pants sizes. But let's face it, these are the lingering effects of slavery and this society continues to distance itself from real discussion about this.[/b]
This is the god's honest truth.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
Hey, there's a RACE PARTY happening in here.... what did I miss?
Is it so hard to understand that no "black community" is 100% black?
It's 3.14% lizard, isn't it?
Very funny, C***o.
Is it so hard to understand that the official spokesperson of the Black communities of Oakland, NOLA, Austin and Houston is, in fact, white?
Never claimed to be an "official spokesperson", but I know enough to not act like I have no say whatsoever.
i think nyoil's frustration miht be about how the urgency and sense of fighting for the common good has stopped dead in its tracks with this new face of black culture (and of course, "black culture" is a million and one things, crack rap being just one). suddenly, instead of steel eyed determination for race betterment, even at the cost of ones own life, you got dudes getting a lot of love and a lot of money for glorifying individualism, materialism and black on black crime.
man, anyone can talk on whatever they want to. all opinions are valid, even kramer's. all they are is opinions, even if youre black and grew up in the hood all your life. whoever said, "i can tell you what the white people in my community think about crack rap" brings another valid perspective to the table.
all i can do is shake my head. i am surprised at what people can dance to...not the beats, of course, but the lyrics. its especially more perplexing when its a mostly white crowd drinking and celebrating while this music is in the background. oh so strange.
some good points all around. lets talk. and listen.
Seems to me it a larger societal problem that can be weighed in on by anyone who is a resident of the US. Can I only talk about issues dealing with 34 year old white[/b], college educated, straight white[/b] men from the Northwest?
I think those who aren't black have no right to chime in with their opinions and ideas of what's best for their community. ESPECIALLY in this case. And no disrespect but, considering how you can't see that, maybe it would be best for you to only talk about issues dealing with 34 year old white[/b], college educated, straight white[/b] men from the Northwest.
so these guys must be, like, really white then, huh?
What about all the 20-30something, college educated, straight, white men AND women that ape all the crack rappers? Hipster boys and girls wearing Nikes with crip-billed NuEras and sagging jeans. I mean, if you want to be really serious, we should lynch them too as they are the ones who are the biggest buying demographic of said offending rappers.
all i can do is shake my head. i am surprised at what people can dance to...not the beats, of course, but the lyrics. its especially more perplexing when its a mostly white crowd drinking and celebrating while this music is in the background. oh so strange.
Cue: Memory of a houseparty dance floor full of Beckys dancing to Dead Prez.
Comments
Complaining about negativity doesn't necessarily promote positivity.
If all you're going to do to cap on people
then get out of this thread.
My rule is I'd never post something I wouldn't say
straight to someone's face.
Obviously you don't use the same posting guidelines...
Congrats.
Frank's the only person who's made sense in this entire thread.
And that's a goddamn PROBLEM!
Paul made a great post too.
I finally got this video to work. This guy is showing pictures of mc's and saying they should die. Something about that just doesn't seem cool... and I have no promlems killing criminals. If tomorrow morning the headlines said that dealing drugs would get you a death sentence, I'd yawn & check the sports. But calling out for some rap dude to die is crazy and fucked. Rapping about drugs doesn't mean a dude should be killed.
peace
h
I think some of you are being overtly literal regarding the content of this video. Has anyone considered that "lynching" could be a metaphor?
In no way do I believe the artists actually wish death on the rappers they are speaking about. However, I do believe they're using the strongest (and most historically loaded) words possible to imply that us black folks are only killing ourselves by continuing to circulate (just for profit) all of this negativity in an already bleak situation.
Pretty harsh, but hey, that dude is pissed off.
The connection he is making between one and the other is interesting here and discussion has sort of swayed from that part for a few pages. He is saying that for all of the sacrifices, willing and unwilling, that have been made for people to be free or 'free' in this country, that people (whether drug dealers or crack rappers) are essentially shitting all over them.
Not defending his every word, but this is the part of his stance that i find most interesting.
Indeed. Here in New Orleans you'd see that firsthand before and after the storm. It's fucked.
Reducing the argument to crack rap vs. the world does it a disservice - and really that's not what the video is about is it? It's not merely the actions, it's the attitude behind them.
Yeah yeah.. personal responsibility is extremely unpopular these days... whether it's 50 Cent or Bush it's the same shit: Get that money for you and your friends, and fuck everyone else - don't get in the way. Is that the kind of world we want to live in? - excuse me if I don't like it. 'Cause that's the type of place it IS.
Look at Michael Richards.. I wanted him to come out and say "I am a racist"... for once in our lifetime someone should own up to it publicly.
.... so the messenger is just a symptom of the problem and we wouldn't be talking about crack rap, etc.. if it were just an underground phenomenon - but it's not - it's top 10 Billboard.
.. and there needs to be BALANCE because we can say that Whites are getting a distorted view of Black America when all they know about a culture they are isolated from is learned from commercial rap records.
... and this is something I CAN speak on, because I am white and I know what is said about blacks in MY community... and it's fucked. There ya go.
If we just say it's separate and leave it at that we've got a problem (well, we do have a problem).. because it needs to be made a HUMAN problem otherwise we will just continue to see everyone siding up with their sociocultural sports team.
Is it so hard to understand that no "black community" is 100% black?
That's just to say, day, that your criteria is far too absolute. Plus you're being a hypocrite, no, by saying that non-blacks shouldn't speak on how the black community deals with itself, but then making your own prescription on who should be allowed to do that dealing?
It's 3.14% lizard, isn't it?
Very funny, C***o.
Is it so hard to understand that the official spokesperson of the Black communities of Oakland, NOLA, Austin and Houston is, in fact, white?
This is the god's honest truth.
Never claimed to be an "official spokesperson", but I know enough to not act like I have no say whatsoever.
First and foremost, believe Gary Webb.
you white ?
man, anyone can talk on whatever they want to. all opinions are valid, even kramer's. all they are is opinions, even if youre black and grew up in the hood all your life. whoever said, "i can tell you what the white people in my community think about crack rap" brings another valid perspective to the table.
all i can do is shake my head. i am surprised at what people can dance to...not the beats, of course, but the lyrics. its especially more perplexing when its a mostly white crowd drinking and celebrating while this music is in the background. oh so strange.
some good points all around. lets talk. and listen.
:5pager:
so these guys must be, like, really white then, huh?
What about all the 20-30something, college educated, straight, white men AND women that ape all the crack rappers? Hipster boys and girls wearing Nikes with crip-billed NuEras and sagging jeans. I mean, if you want to be really serious, we should lynch them too as they are the ones who are the biggest buying demographic of said offending rappers.
This is a black issue and quite frankly most of us do not want your help solving black problems any longer ....
Thanks to everyone who listed their credits
"Just say no"
That's not realistic. Matter of fact, it's dumb.Nevermind
I'm gonna assume you're joking. You have to be.
He's neat!
Cue: Memory of a houseparty dance floor full of Beckys dancing to Dead Prez.
: : : s h u d d e r s : : :
I mean of course i say "most" of us ...i dont speak for all black people ...so yap away if y'all fell the need ....
"Crack Rap" is a paper cut compared to the damage "Bling Rap" and Misogynist Rap is still doing ......I'd even argue "Crack rap" is a good thing.