How the South Destroyed Rap

How the South Destroyed Rap:
Time to Stop Hee Haw Hip Hop

Paul Scott


"All my brothas eatin' chicken and watermelon
Talk broken English and drug sellin'"

My Philosophy- Boogie Down Productions



Hip Hop is many things to many people depending on which side of the planet you rest your head. New York is honored for being the birth place of the genre. Cali is known as being the place that capitalized off of gangsta-ism (for better or worst.) And the South is known for what can best be described as "Hee Haw Hip Hop"; that throw back to the era when people lived in the land of cotton, old times there are not forgotten.

Welcome to Dixie Land.


While many Hip Hop headz will, vehemently, argue against criticizing any one region for the demise of the genre, it must be admitted that the worst form of Hip Hop for the last decade has originated below the Mason Dixon line. While other forms of Hip Hop have at least tried to convey some sort of message, Southern Hip Hop is as devoid of style as it is substance, that is, unless you consider dudes with gold teeth rappin' like they have a mouth full of snuff some sort of swagga chic.

The rappers of the South Coast seem to go out of their way to rep the stereotype of country folks having the intelligence level of a watermelon to the fullest. Every time, I hear a Gucci Mayne or Plies song on the radio, I think that my IQ drops a couple of levels.

It must be noted that this has not always been the case.

The history of southern Hip Hop can be traced back as far as the early 80's with an artist named Shy D and his Planet Rock type rhythms. He was followed by Luke "Skywalker" Campbell and the 2 Live Crew who gained world wide fame for their mixture of Hip Hop and hedonism and their attempts to push the 1st Amendment to the limit by claiming that they could be "as nasty as they wanna be."

Like NY Hip Hop, the South also had a brief conscious era ushered in by the Dungeon Family (Outkast, Goodie MOB) in the mid 90's. However, just as gangsta rap replaced East Coast conscious Hip Hop in the early 90's, "Crunk Music" replaced the socially conscious rap of the South by the late 90's.

Much of the credit for this can be attributed to the mastermind Steve Gottlieb, at the time, owner of TVT records, a company that started off selling TV show themes but found out that they could make a whole lot more money popularizing retarded rap (Ying Yang Twins) and making, otherwise, intelligent black men (Lil Jon, reportedly has a Masters Degree) sound mentally challenged.

The question we should ask ourselves is how can an area with more than its share of black institutions of higher learning (especially the ATL) now be famous for producing music only suitable to step and fetch to?

Historically, perhaps, it has something to do with the post Civil War Era as many black folks left the South to go North where getting an industrial job required a higher level of education than it took to pick tobacco.

Also, according to Dr. Noliwe Rooks in her book, "White Money, Black Power," "southern whites feared that education for blacks would provide African Americans with the means to, eventually, upset white supremacy."

Dr. Claude Anderson in his book "Black Labor, White Wealth" argues that after slavery, "cultural customs and laws forced the newly emancipated blacks to conform to the historical image of blacks as common labors."

So the plot was clear, keep black folks deaf, dumb and blind to preserve white socio-economic hegemony. We see the same method of operation today with "Operation Dumb Down," today. This is why most commercially successful southern rappers sound like they are just two feet off the plantation.

In an effort to preserve the status quo, the powers that be are determined to destroy Hip Hop and take the minds of black children down with it.

If the rationale for "Operation Dumb Down," is, indeed economic, then the counter solution must also be economically based.

As Jay Z said, "men lie, women lie, numbers don't."

Instead of buying music to put us to sleep, we must support artists that are trying to wake us up, whether it be internationally known Hip Hop pioneers like Rakim or up and coming MC's like Pittsburgh's Jasiri X. With the educational challenges that our young people face, we must also start buying more books and less video games. This makes a whole lot more sense in tough economic times than spending what's left of our hard earned cash on bamboozled bammas who happen to have hot beats.

Now we are aware that some folks are going to miss the point of this call to action and dismiss this as a case of "hatin' on Hip Hop" as that is what they have been programmed to do. Some will even argue that we are in control of the images of us that are projected around the world.

Dr. Bobby Wright put it best in his book, "The Psychopathic Racial Personality," where he discussed "behavior modification" by quoting psychologist Dr. BF Skinner who wrote "it is possible to delude people into believing that they have the essence of life-Freedom and dignity-and still control them."

So, as in the days of Harriet Tubman the condition of our people remains the same.

Some folks just don't want to be emancipated from mental slavery.

As the great heroine once said.

"I freed a thousand slaves..I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves."


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

Check Out these videos by Pittsburgh rapper Jasiri X discussing the issue of "minstrel" Hip Hop


Just a Minstrel




Jasiri X speaks onthe video controversy

Rapper Draws Fire for Conservative "Shout Out"

Rapper Draws Fire for Conservative "Shout Out"


Durham NC-- While Hip Hop artists have often faced criticism for lyrics that promote violence and misogyny, one rapper is taking heat for giving the Conservatives a "shout out."

Hip Hop star, T-Pain (Faheem Rasheem Najm) is facing criticism for a video posted on the web site of Fox News commentator, Sean Hannity ,where Hannity coaxes him to say "Conservative victory 2010" into the camera. www.hannity.com/pages/sean-and-tpain

That statement is not resonating well with members of the African American community and Hip Hop fans, including activist and blogger Paul Scott of Durham, North Carolina.

"The 'T' in T-Pain, now stands for 'Tom,' says Scott, referring to the disrespectful label, "Uncle Tom," which means someone who turns his back on the black community.

Although, some are arguing that the T-Pain/Sean Hannity video was just a nonpolitical photo op, Scott disagrees.

"I bet that neither T-Pain nor his handlers would have allowed his picture to be taken with Rev. Jeremiah Wright while holding a copy of 'Message to a Black Man," says Scott.

According to Scott, Conservatives such as Sean Hannity are hostile to policies that help poor and underprivileged communities ; communities that rappers claim to represent.

" It seems that artists that rep' the hood on the radio are actually closet Conservatives," says Scott. "It is time to pull the sheets off of those artists who are sleeping with the enemy."

This is not the first time that entertainers have come under fire in recent years for expressing political sentiments. Country music stars, the Dixie Chicks, suffered a viscous backlash in 2003, when lead singer, Natalie Maines, announced during a London concert that she was ashamed that the President of the United States was from Texas. The outburst led to boycotts by insulted country music fans and radio stations.

"If country music Conservatives can boycott the Dixie Chicks for dissin' the Right, Hip Hoppers should be able to shut down T-Pain for dissin' the Left," says Scott.

Scott, who is the author of the blog, "No Warning Shots Fired.com," is asking that the African American community and rap music fans withdraw their support of T-Pain until he denounces the Right Wing's attack on "the 'hood" and apologizes for being used as a "bamboozled Right Wing flunky."

"We must begin to hold rappers accountable not only for their lyrics of violence and misogyny but also for their political stances that run contrary to the needs of the children in poor and oppressed communities, says Scott.

Paul Scott, known as the "Hip Hop TRUTH Minista," recently launched the "Right Wing Rap Attack" a campaign to challenge Hip Hop artists to speak out against the Tea Party, Birthers and other Right Wing groups. For more information on the campaign contact info@nowarningshotsfired.com or visit www.nowarningshotsfired.com

Is T-Pain an Uncle Tom?

Is T-Pain an Uncle Tom?:
The Coming Out of Closet Conservatives

Paul Scott



"But they use you for an example. They would rep' but our heroes got their hands full"

These are our Heroes-Nas


Sellout; Sambo; Uncle Tom. These are all terms to describe someone who turns his back on the black community to serve the interests of white supremacy. While these terms have usually been reserved for the likes of Conservatives such as Clarence Thomas or Michael Steele, today we have to add some Hip Hop artists to this dis-honor roll. One being Faheem Rasheed Najm, known to the world as T-Pain.

Recently, Right Wing hitman, Sean Hannity posted a video on his website featuring T-Pain big uppin' his Fox News television show. Not only that, but when Hannity asked him to say "Conservative victory in 2010" in pure "yessa boss" fashion, he gladly agreed.

http://www.hannity.com/pages/sean-and-tpain

This is just another part of the recent trend of the Right Wing to get a black co-signer to prove once and for all that they are not the bunch of racist bigots that we think they are. Recently, there was attempt by the folks at Fox News to use an old interview LL Cool J to promote Sarah Palin's new reality show.

Historically, black entertainers have shied away from taking overtly political stands. It must be remembered that even during the height of the Civil Rights movement, music giant Motown had its artists sitting on the sidelines while black folks were fighting in the streets for equal rights.

Entertainers have had, perhaps, just cause to be a little cautious. There is a long history of persecution of those who dared to use their popularity as a bully pulpit to speak truth to power.

It is rumored that Billie Holiday's 1939 anti-lynching anthem "Strange Fruit" was banned by radio stations. Paul Robeson was blacklisted for his open embrace of Communism and Eartha Kitt was persecuted for her statements against the Vietnam War.

During the late 80's and early 90's, Hip Hop artists such as Public Enemy, Ice Cube and Ice T all felt the wrath of the establishment for daring to rap about something other than gold chains and Air Jordans. The list goes on.

So most entertainers got the message and stuck to singin' and dancin'.

This fear of taking political stances is not just limited to musicians but athletes have also been cowards. During the early 90's, basketball legend Michael Jordon refused to donate any money to build a black cultural center at the University of North Carolina; avoiding the fate of former teammate, Craig Hodges, whose Afro-centric activism, allegedly, resulted in his being blackballed by the NBA for a time.

This legacy of political apathy and persecution is what makes T-Pain's photo op with Hannity so alarming. There are many worthy black empowerment organizations that could have used his endorsement to help their causes. Instead he chose to give fuel to a racist Right Wing machine that has been running rampant since the '08 election.

While there are some who will argue that T-Pain's actions are just an example of a politically naive hood dude being bamboozled by the media savvy Slick Sean Hannity, I doubt that this is the case. I am sure that neither T-Pain nor his handlers would have allowed his picture to be taken with Rev. Jeremiah Wright or posing with a copy of "Message to the Black Man."

I didn't buy the late gangsta rapper Eazy E's flimsy excuse for attending a George Bush Sr luncheon nor do I buy the idea that T-Pain's Conservative endorsement was just a gag. As we approach the mid -term election season, the stakes are too high to play sophomoric games with the lives of poor folks.

It is a widely accepted myth that Hip Hop artists share the same socio-political ideology as their constituents in the hood. Perhaps the sad fact is that the multi-millionaire rappers have more in common with the wealthy, Right Wing Conservatives than they do with the strugglin' people in the 'hood whom they are supposed to represent. Maybe, the video with Sean Hannity and T-Pain was, merely, about two rich guys having a chuckle over the gullibility of their fans.

It has ,also, been assumed by Hip Hop conspiracy theorists that rappers and Conservatives are in cahoot's, just using the classic "every hero needs a villain" scam. Despite the faux Fox morality of commentator's like Bill O'Reilly, the Right Wingers, actually need rappers to use as poster children to justify their accusations of the "failure of big government," in order to advocate for the elimination of social programs to help the less fortunate.

Hip Hop fans must handle T-Pain with the same passion that hardcore country music fans used to deal with the Dixie Chicks after they criticized George "G-Dub" Bush. If Jay Z can criticize T-Pain for the over use of the auto-tune, Hip Hop headz should be able to criticize him for being used as a flunky for the Right Wing.

We must begin to hold rappers accountable not only for their lyrics of violence and misogyny but also for their political stances that run contrary to the needs of the children in poor and oppressed communities.

Until he denounces the Right Wing's attack on the 'hood, the "T" in T-Pain will henceforth and forever more stand for "Tom."

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

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