Radio One Needs to Stop Snitchin'

Radio One Needs to Stop Snitchin'

Paul Scott



Since Black America is still buzzing about the recent events involving swimming pool discrimination and police misconduct, when I heard Lil Wayne's latest song preempted on the local Radio One affiliate by a news flash, I thought that surely they must be tackling one of these pressing issues.

Nope. It was just the latest attack by Cathy Hughes on Rep. John Conyers, Rep Shelia Jackson-Lee and anyone else who doesn't follow blindly behind the anti Performance Rights Act propaganda wagon.

Now I've heard a few spots on Ms. Hughes' soapbox, Reality Radio but episode # 9 is some foul stuff. To borrow from old school group, Club Nouveau, "situation # 9 is blowin' my mind."

The spot is an attempt to discredit Rep. Conyers by trying to tie him in with his wife's ongoing legal troubles.

Now, I'm not a fan of the "Stop Snitchin'" Movement as I believe that it has caused irreparable harm to our community. However, in this case, I do feel like rollin' up on the next Radio One customized van I see and slapping a big "Stop Snitchin'" sticker over the logo.

In the hood, a "snitch" is someone who rats a homie out (often fabricating the truth) in order to save his own hide. I guess in this case it also means rattin' someone out to get legislation blocked.

Cathy Hughes is carrying this beef with John Conyers entirely too far.

This is definitely some grimy Fox News type stuff. I would expect this from Bill O'Reilly but a black woman?

It's one thing to have a disagreement with someone but to use the airwaves to assassinate the character of a well respected black leader over a difference of opinion is a darn shame.

Haven't we learned anything from Biggie and Tupac?

As much as we chastise the boyz in the hood for going to war with each other because of a perceived "mean mug," is this really any different than trying to destroy someone's political career over of a, relatively, simple disagreement?

Maybe Ms. Hughes has been listening to too many of those gangsta songs that she pumps on her stations. And all this time I thought that the violent lyrics only had a negative affect on young folks.

I guess episode 10 of Reality Radio will feature Hughes and her posse of Radio One execs rappin' about rollin' into D-Town and bustin' a cap in Rep. Conyers.

It's a shame that in 2009, even with a black man in the White House, black folks have not learned to respectfully disagree with each other without gettin' into some hot ghetto mess.

Even though some are claiming that we are in some sort of "post racial" America, it seems that intra racial hatred is still alive and well.

I guess the O'Jays were right when they sang:

"For the love of money people don't care who they hurt or beat"

Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com He can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com (919) 451-8283

NWSF Bullet: Tom Joyner Snitchin' on the Record Industry

When I heard the Tom Joyner Morning Show, today I thought about the scene from New Jack City when drug dealer Nino Brown, facing a possible trip to the electric chair, started fingering everybody in the courtroom.

This morning, Joyner had Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee on to discuss her support of HR 848 (Performance Bill) , which will force radio stations to pay more money so that musicians will be compensated for their music.

Well, it didn't take too long for Joyner to start squealin' on the record industry.

(In the 'hood they call it snitchin')

"It's not us. It's the record companies!"

Bingo, Tom! But black radio has been an accessory to the crime.

In drug dealer terminology you might not be the king pin who brings the drugs over from South America but urban radio is the main distributor. So both of you are guilty of putting poison in the black community.

But if you are willing to rollover on the record label king pins the court of black public opinion may be willing to show you some leniency.

Of course it's the record labels that have jerked black artists for generations. Hey, I saw the movie Cadillac Records.

We have often pointed out the role that the record labels play in the promotion of negative music to our youth but urban radio has escaped criticism.

The reason why is because the people to whom most black folks look to be their mouthpieces depend on black oriented radio to get their messages out.

As on point as Rev. Al Sharpton is on many issues facing black folks can he really, objectively, critique black radio and keep his room in the Cathy Hughes Radio One mansion?

I don't think so.

I found it strange that during the Hip Hop witch hunts in the aftermath of the Don Imus scandal a few years back when folks were pointing at rap music as the cause of America's problems, black radio was strangely left out of the conversation.

But if black radio wants to take on EMI, Universal and the rest of the big boys; more power to 'em.

Personally, I hope they beat the stuffin' out of each other.

I can't wait to see the boxing match between the radio execs and the record industry.

Edgar Bronfman vs Cathy Hughes?

Yeah, that's worth the price of admission.


Paul Scott writes for No Warning shots Fired.com