From Black Music to Crack Music:What Happened to Hip Hop?TRUTH Minista Paul Scott“I blame my mama for turning my brother into a crack baby."Keep Ya Head Up- Tupac ShakurThis is Black Music Month and just like clockwork people will ask the age old question, what happened to Black music, especially Hip Hop? However, like previous Black Music Months, June 30th will find many scratching their heads, filled with more questions than answers. However, the real answer is quite simple.Black music got hooked on crack.Following the death of college B-ball superstar Len Bias, in 1986, a great fear struck America . There was a new drug on the street that was gonna turn the hood into a kingdom of the walking dead. As Public Enemy put it , an eternal “Night of the Living Baseheads. “Worst than that they would spawn a horde of crack babies who would be destined to become career chain snatchers and riders on the prison revolving door. And since mainstream America was just getting turned on to Hip Hop, the destinies became intertwined.Well , a recent study has proven what many already knew. Don’t believe the hype.In an article published in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The idea of the “crack baby” has been exposed as myth. Although, the authors concede , that like with any drug, crack is not the best thing to put in your body, especially, while you're pregnant., social factors such as poverty really play a greater role in determining the future of children.But what about the music that was supposed to represent the mentality of the “crack babies”. If the crack baby syndrome was a myth, the music must be fictitious, as well.Let’s be clear. There is no denying the devastating effect that the drug trade has had on the ‘hood, from the heroin explosion of the 70’s to the crack epidemic of the Hip Hop era. And the music of the periods served as soundtracks to the misery, from Curtis Mayfield’s “Pusherman” to Biggie Smalls’ “Ten Crack Commandments”According to Seeka tha Teacha, captain of the Hip Hop Liberation Army ,” Crack cocaine was introduced to Hip Hop for the purpose of destroying families and the well being of urban communities. It made drug dealers look rich in the eyes of the youth who were exposed to poverty.”However, in this case ,we are not talking about the glorification of slangin’ rocks.that has permeated rap music since the late 80’s. That issue has been the subject of too many articles , books and documentaries to mention. Nor are we talking about the real life drug issues that have destroyed the careers of artists from Billie Holiday to DMX. Thus, murdering the message and the music.The point here is how the whole idea of "crack music" is based on the media perpetuation of the crack baby (prenatal cocaine exposure) myth and the pathological behaviors associated with it have effected Black culture. And more importantly, how the stereotypical images associated with crack have affected our youth.Some believe that the media hype around selling and using crack was really a self fulfilling prophesy. And if you pump crack pipe dreams in the heads of children, they will gravitate towards that even if they ain’t bout that life.According to a recent Time magazine article , Dr. Maureen Black , professor of pediatrics and epidemiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine says that “once you label a child that way...there's no hope for the child. “Durham NC substance abuse activist, Shareef Hameed , agrees saying that “crack baby became part of the American vernacular.. It was like labeling someone before they even got started.”Hameed says that the signs of crack addiction are nervousness , paranoia and aggressiveness, which, ironically, are the same attributes reflected in today’s rap music. It was also rumored to cause ADHD (attention deficit disorder. ) Which explains why the music seems to be attractive to those with low IQ’s and short attention spans.Crack rap can be distinguished from Hip Hop by its lack of subject matter and overly simplistic, pickaninny choruses And the music industry has sold the idea across the planet that this is the type of music to which kids are addicted.Unfortunately, many Hip Hop fans have bought into this false reality, as well.The idea of crack babies has its roots in the negative stereotypes of Black people stretching back hundreds of years with the “small brain theory” which claimed that Black people had small skulls which limited their capacity to absorb information. Not much different than the racist stereotypes connected with Hip Hop.So, the crack baby myth is really a socio-political construct , a euphemism for the pathological behavior of some young Black males. The term is not really about a specific drug. In theory it's about a cocaine derivative but in practice it includes weed, malt liquor, molly or any mind altering drug that is promoted in Hip Hop.What should be of major concern is how the crack baby hoax has served to demonize Black men. This is especially important with the upcoming George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin murder trial as the media has already tried to portray Martin as a crack baby only hooked on weed, in preparation for what will become the “Trial of the Century.” Also, of note is the recent media fascination with Chief Keef and his recent exploits including accusing a security guard of racist mean muggin’ when he was allegedly busted in a hotel room smoking marijuana.Like any addiction, the first step to overcoming crack music addiction is admitting that you have a problem. We must admit that it hasn’t been crack that has had the most far reaching effects on the Black community but “crack music” that has propagated a hoax.Unfortunately, a whole generation has gotten high on the hype.This Black Music Month Hip Hop needs a detox.It’s gonna be a long hot summer, socially and politically for Black people and we need our minds sober and ready for action.Like Pac said on Revolution:“Can you imagine the damage we could do if we weren’t high?”TRUTH Minista Paul Scott can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com Follow on Twitter @truthministaCheck out Militant Minded Radio every Tuesday at 9PM EST http://blacktalkradionetwork.com/page/militantmindedradio
Showing posts with label gucci mane. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gucci mane. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Is Hip Hop Hooked on Crack?
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Popular Rapper Roger Ratchet is Dead
(Atlanta) After two days in critical condition, popular rap star, Roger Ratchet is dead. The artist , born as Roger Sam Boman, who was in intensive care resulting from an Acme speaker being dropped on his head, last Wednesday was pronounced dead at 10 o’clock , Friday night. Strangely enough, the rapper seemed to be on the verge of a miraculous recovery when somebody snuck into his room and pulled the plug on his life support machine. When his death was announced loud screams of Hip Hop fans could be heard outside the hospital chanting, “Hooray, the Ratchet kicked the bucket!” The 20 year old rapper is survived by 15 children and eight baby mamas.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Atlanta Rapper In Critical Condition
(Atlanta) A popular Atlanta rapper is clinging to life tonight after a vicious attack. Twenty year old , Roger Sam Boman, known in the Hip Hop world as “Roger Ratchet” was found critically wounded earlier today outside of Ratchet Recording Studio on Peach Street not far from his home. Details are still sketchy, but according to police reports , someone on the roof of the building dropped a 50 pound Acme speaker on the rapper as he exited the studio around five o’clock this afternoon.
The once popular artist, who is credited with creating the genre, “Ratchet Rap “ has recently come under fire from Hip Hop fans who accuse him of destroying the culture . At this point there are no suspects.
The once popular artist, who is credited with creating the genre, “Ratchet Rap “ has recently come under fire from Hip Hop fans who accuse him of destroying the culture . At this point there are no suspects.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Hip Hop X-posed Free Download
Hip Hop X-Posed Free Download
Free Download Hip Hop X-posed!Bro. Wali and TRUTH Minista Paul Scott expose everything in Hip Hop from the Hip Hop Illuminati Connection, Hip Hop homosexuality and who really controls Hip Hop. Make copies and pass out to our youth!
https://www.yousendit.com/dl?phi_action=app/orchestrateDownload&rurl=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.yousendit.com%252Ftransfer.php%253Faction%253Dbatch_download%2526send_id%253D985127175%2526email%253D112ad350b95647a3755a1554e107f806
Free Download Hip Hop X-posed!Bro. Wali and TRUTH Minista Paul Scott expose everything in Hip Hop from the Hip Hop Illuminati Connection, Hip Hop homosexuality and who really controls Hip Hop. Make copies and pass out to our youth!
https://www.yousendit.com/dl?phi_action=app/orchestrateDownload&rurl=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.yousendit.com%252Ftransfer.php%253Faction%253Dbatch_download%2526send_id%253D985127175%2526email%253D112ad350b95647a3755a1554e107f806
Friday, June 11, 2010
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
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
Monday, December 7, 2009
Must Hear Beats and Mics Interview!
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott addresses the Hee Haw Hip Hop controversy and "Operation Dumb Down" on Beats and Mics.com
http://beatsandmics.com/MINISTER-PAULSCOTT-12-09.html
http://beatsandmics.com/MINISTER-PAULSCOTT-12-09.html
Sunday, December 6, 2009
What's Good About Gucci Mane?
What's Good About Gucci Mane ?:
Music, Marketing and Mind Control
Paul Scott
"It's all a part of fightin' devil state mind control
And all about the battle for your mind, body and soul."
"What Would You Do?" Paris
Meet Radric Davis aka Gucci Mane, a rapper with mediocre talent who is poised to become rap's next superstar. All over the Hip Hop universe, hypnotized fans scream "Gucci!," every time his song comes on the radio. How can this man go from mix tape rags to mega-stardom riches? Only in the Hip Hop Twilight Zone...
On December 8th, Gucci Mane will drop his latest CD, "The State vs Radric Davis." While arguably, not as "street" as his mix tape offerings, the content doesn't differ much from the same ol' Hee Haw Hip Hop coming out of the South dealing with money, drugs and hyper- sexuality.
This bring us to the fundamental question that few have had the guts to ask.
What's so good about Gucci Mane?
It must be noted that not everyone is sippin' on the Gucci Grape Kool Aid. A few months ago students at NC A@T and Florida A@M objected to their tuition money being used to fund the physical and mental genocide of black children by protesting Gucci's inclusion in their homecoming concerts.
But besides a few rebellions on college campuses, it seems that most Hip Hop heads are ready to crown Davis the new ruler of rap.
While most of the mentally dead will credit the popularity of Gucci as just good promotion by Warner Brothers, there is a thin line between marketing and mind control, as they both seek to influence human behavior.
One of the most diabolical masters of mental manipulation was Adolf Hitler's minister of propaganda, Paul Joseph Goebbels, who perfected the idea of the "Big Lie;" a falsehood told enough times will eventually be accepted by the masses as the truth. So if you tell a person that a rapper is hot enough times, (especially the weak minded) he will eventually go out and by the cd.
Why do we not believe that the Nazi's who own the major record labels have a stable of their own ministers of propaganda hard at work marketing madness to the masses under the guise of music?
Mental manipulation has also been used as an agent of social control by the US government. Although unknown by most Americans, the CIA has conducted many psychological experiments under their chemical and biological warfare research programs.
In her book, "Medical Apartheid," Dr. Harriet Washington, quotes the research of Allen Hornblum , who stated that between the 1950's and 70's, Dr. Albert Klingman conducted chemical warfare tests on predominantly black inmates in Philadelphia's Holmesburg Prison as part of the CIA's MK-ULTRA program.
Could this be part of the reason that the Fed's are giving out so many 12 month sentences to rappers, including Gucci Mane, in an effort to convince black youth that spending time in prison is part of a rites of passage ? Or the reason that Davis is on the front of his CD cover dressed in a prison uniform with a handcuff (shackle) on his wrist?
It must be also noted that under MK-Ultra, drugs such as LSD were used as part of the experiments.
In his book, "Behold a Pale Horse," William Cooper alleges that during the height of activist mobilization against the Vietnam War, " Dr. Timothy Leary introduced drug culture to American youth under the CIA project, MK-Ultra."
This allegation is also echoed by Peter Doggett in his book "There's a Riot Going On: Revolutionaries, Rock Stars and the Rise and Fall of the '60's "where he writes " there are conspiracy theories that Leary, himself, was a CIA agent."
Doggett also records Kwame Ture's (Stokely Carmichael) attempts to keep drugs out of the Black community and the Black Power Movement when he warned, " The reason why drug use has reached the proportion that it has today in our communities is that the political consciousness of our people is rising and in order to dull the political consciousness of our people, the oppressor always sends more drugs into the community."
Today, LSD and heroin have been replaced by malt liquor, blunts and crack as the opiates of the people, which is possibly why artists like Davis propagate the idea of getting "wasted." This is an especially crucial point to consider when the racist right wing are in the process of organizing their forces for the 2010 and 2012 election cycles.
In 2009, we are facing what rap researcher Professor Griff calls "the covert psychological war on Hip Hop."
So what do we do?
Can we continue to allow peer pressure from 13 year olds and those with teeny bopper mentalities prevent us from raising the tough questions ?
I say no!
The more you know the more you owe the younger generation an explanation for why the various pathologies from which we suffer exist and the role that the entertainment industry plays in our destruction.
The point of this article is not to offer ,indisputable, proof that Gucci Mane's music is part of some vast conspiratorial plot to destroy black people. (Though it does not refute the idea, either.)
But it is foolish not to consider, as a possibility, that mind control techniques could be used by the music industry to sell CD's and, also, by those who wish to keep black people disenfranchised.
We must, continuously, remind our people of the words of the great funk philosopher, George Clinton,
"Mind your wants because there's someone who wants your mind."
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com. He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com
For information about the Intelligence Over Ignorance Campaign go to http://www.ioimovement.com
Music, Marketing and Mind Control
Paul Scott
"It's all a part of fightin' devil state mind control
And all about the battle for your mind, body and soul."
"What Would You Do?" Paris
Meet Radric Davis aka Gucci Mane, a rapper with mediocre talent who is poised to become rap's next superstar. All over the Hip Hop universe, hypnotized fans scream "Gucci!," every time his song comes on the radio. How can this man go from mix tape rags to mega-stardom riches? Only in the Hip Hop Twilight Zone...
On December 8th, Gucci Mane will drop his latest CD, "The State vs Radric Davis." While arguably, not as "street" as his mix tape offerings, the content doesn't differ much from the same ol' Hee Haw Hip Hop coming out of the South dealing with money, drugs and hyper- sexuality.
This bring us to the fundamental question that few have had the guts to ask.
What's so good about Gucci Mane?
It must be noted that not everyone is sippin' on the Gucci Grape Kool Aid. A few months ago students at NC A@T and Florida A@M objected to their tuition money being used to fund the physical and mental genocide of black children by protesting Gucci's inclusion in their homecoming concerts.
But besides a few rebellions on college campuses, it seems that most Hip Hop heads are ready to crown Davis the new ruler of rap.
While most of the mentally dead will credit the popularity of Gucci as just good promotion by Warner Brothers, there is a thin line between marketing and mind control, as they both seek to influence human behavior.
One of the most diabolical masters of mental manipulation was Adolf Hitler's minister of propaganda, Paul Joseph Goebbels, who perfected the idea of the "Big Lie;" a falsehood told enough times will eventually be accepted by the masses as the truth. So if you tell a person that a rapper is hot enough times, (especially the weak minded) he will eventually go out and by the cd.
Why do we not believe that the Nazi's who own the major record labels have a stable of their own ministers of propaganda hard at work marketing madness to the masses under the guise of music?
Mental manipulation has also been used as an agent of social control by the US government. Although unknown by most Americans, the CIA has conducted many psychological experiments under their chemical and biological warfare research programs.
In her book, "Medical Apartheid," Dr. Harriet Washington, quotes the research of Allen Hornblum , who stated that between the 1950's and 70's, Dr. Albert Klingman conducted chemical warfare tests on predominantly black inmates in Philadelphia's Holmesburg Prison as part of the CIA's MK-ULTRA program.
Could this be part of the reason that the Fed's are giving out so many 12 month sentences to rappers, including Gucci Mane, in an effort to convince black youth that spending time in prison is part of a rites of passage ? Or the reason that Davis is on the front of his CD cover dressed in a prison uniform with a handcuff (shackle) on his wrist?
It must be also noted that under MK-Ultra, drugs such as LSD were used as part of the experiments.
In his book, "Behold a Pale Horse," William Cooper alleges that during the height of activist mobilization against the Vietnam War, " Dr. Timothy Leary introduced drug culture to American youth under the CIA project, MK-Ultra."
This allegation is also echoed by Peter Doggett in his book "There's a Riot Going On: Revolutionaries, Rock Stars and the Rise and Fall of the '60's "where he writes " there are conspiracy theories that Leary, himself, was a CIA agent."
Doggett also records Kwame Ture's (Stokely Carmichael) attempts to keep drugs out of the Black community and the Black Power Movement when he warned, " The reason why drug use has reached the proportion that it has today in our communities is that the political consciousness of our people is rising and in order to dull the political consciousness of our people, the oppressor always sends more drugs into the community."
Today, LSD and heroin have been replaced by malt liquor, blunts and crack as the opiates of the people, which is possibly why artists like Davis propagate the idea of getting "wasted." This is an especially crucial point to consider when the racist right wing are in the process of organizing their forces for the 2010 and 2012 election cycles.
In 2009, we are facing what rap researcher Professor Griff calls "the covert psychological war on Hip Hop."
So what do we do?
Can we continue to allow peer pressure from 13 year olds and those with teeny bopper mentalities prevent us from raising the tough questions ?
I say no!
The more you know the more you owe the younger generation an explanation for why the various pathologies from which we suffer exist and the role that the entertainment industry plays in our destruction.
The point of this article is not to offer ,indisputable, proof that Gucci Mane's music is part of some vast conspiratorial plot to destroy black people. (Though it does not refute the idea, either.)
But it is foolish not to consider, as a possibility, that mind control techniques could be used by the music industry to sell CD's and, also, by those who wish to keep black people disenfranchised.
We must, continuously, remind our people of the words of the great funk philosopher, George Clinton,
"Mind your wants because there's someone who wants your mind."
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com. He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com
For information about the Intelligence Over Ignorance Campaign go to http://www.ioimovement.com
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Thug-o-phobia: The Real Reason we Can't Stop Gangs
Thug-o-phobia: The Real Reason We Can't Stop Gangs
Paul Scott
"In Durham they say we gang bang.
All around the world it's the same thang."
Unless we're shootin' you don't know my name
That's the only way we gain fame."
Thug-o-phobia-TRUTH Minista
Go to any major city in America and ask residents what are the major problems facing their communities and you can bet somewhere in their top 5 will be gangs; that dreaded group of young'uns who go 'round robbin' and pillagin' innocent town folks. Durham, NC is no different, as since the late 90's, the city has been portrayed in the media as the gang capital of the South. This has resulted in an epidemic of "thug-o-phobia" that has town folks seeing gangsters behind every street light post.
In some ways, Thug-o-phobia has become the new radical chic of the 60's, as there is something dangerous, yet exciting about gangsta-ism i(n a James Dean kind of way) for many suburbanites . So, any O.G. (Original Gangster) Joe who rolls into town with a tall tale about how he "was a member of the notorious, Riverdale "Archie Gang" but experienced an epiphany on his way to Pop's Drive Inn to do a drive-by on rival gang "The Jugheads" is welcomed with open arms to "save Durham's youth."
While the local guy with a workable solution based on a strong socio-economic analysis of the problem may be ignored, any out of town slickster with a henna tattoo of Bugs Bunny on his shoulder is given the key to the city.
Since the gang problem has been an issue in Durham and many southern cities for over the last decade, we must explore the many reasons why a college town bustin' at the seams with smart folks, can't seem to get a handle on the problem?
First, there has been little effort to understand the history of gangs in this country. Although most people assume that gangs started in South Central Los Angeles with the Bloods and the Crips, the truth is that gangs in American started when European immigrants organized themselves into protection societies. Later, some of these organizations became organized crime families. This is ,somewhat, similar to the origins of the modern urban street gangs, however, the Bloods and Crips did not come into national prominence until the mid to late 80's.
While poverty and lack of employment may have played a major part in the criminalization of gangs, many will agree that it was the drug trade that gave rise to violent gang activity. Some have alleged that 40 years ago heroin was purposely introduced into black neighborhoods, as well as the hippie counter culture in order to stifle activism; opening the door for the problems we are experiencing, today. Also, authors like Gary Webb, in his controversial book "Dark Alliance," traced the government's alleged role in the crack epidemic in Los Angeles during the mid 80's.
It must, also, be noted that the act of "fighting gangs" is, in and of itself, a cash cow. Many people are depending on the continuous cycle of gang violence to pay their mortgages and to send their children to college. One can only guess the money that goes towards paying "gang experts," sponsoring gang awareness seminars and maintaining the prison industrial complex.
While the role of pop culture in promoting gangsta-ism is often discussed at anti-violence workshops, most presentations only deal with surface issues that begin and end with placing the entire blame for gangs on Hip Hop music. Although such rappers as Snoop Dog (Crip) and the Game (Blood) should be held accountable for the role that they have played in the destruction of our communities, most folks are totally oblivious to the names of the rich business men who sign their paychecks. Although many people would recognize rapper, Lil Wayne (Blood affiliated), they wouldn't recognize Jimmy Iovine (Interscope, which distributed Death Row Records) or Sumner Redstone (Viacom, parent company of BET,MTV, VH1) if they bumped into them on the street.
Hollywood's role in glamorizing the gangsta lifestyle also must not be ignored. While movies like "Colors," " Boyz in the Hood" and "Menace II Society" may have sparked America's fascination with gangs, HBO's 1994 documentary , "Gang Wars: Bangin' in Little Rock" served as a major recruiting tool for gangs outside of Chicago and California.
The key to solving the gang problems is as multifaceted as the reasons for their existence. Contrary to popular belief, one size does not fit all.
Although, gang membership is not limited by color nor class, the rationale for an African American or Latino child joining a gang as opposed to a white child may be ,vastly, different. There may, also, be different reasons for a kid from the 'hood gang bangin' than a kid from the 'burbs. Unfortunately, Durham has been slow to embrace the cultural educational solutions that have been effective in larger cities for fear that they may be seen as divisive. We must listen to those voices who can address the problem from a cultural perspective.
Also, the calls for more activities for Durham's young people are often drowned out by the traditional "tough on crime" rhetoric.
City officials must make funding youth activities more than just a slogan to get votes during election time.
Lastly, the city officials, educators and religious leaders must sponsor more town hall meetings to come up with workable solutions instead of the usual "An Idiot's Guide to Gangs" type format.
If we do not come up with new and innovative solutions to the problem, 10 years from now we'll still be jammin' to the same ol' song:
"In Durham they say we gang bang...."
Min. Paul Scott is founder of the Messianic Afrikan Nation For more information contact (919) 972-8305
Paul Scott
"In Durham they say we gang bang.
All around the world it's the same thang."
Unless we're shootin' you don't know my name
That's the only way we gain fame."
Thug-o-phobia-TRUTH Minista
Go to any major city in America and ask residents what are the major problems facing their communities and you can bet somewhere in their top 5 will be gangs; that dreaded group of young'uns who go 'round robbin' and pillagin' innocent town folks. Durham, NC is no different, as since the late 90's, the city has been portrayed in the media as the gang capital of the South. This has resulted in an epidemic of "thug-o-phobia" that has town folks seeing gangsters behind every street light post.
In some ways, Thug-o-phobia has become the new radical chic of the 60's, as there is something dangerous, yet exciting about gangsta-ism i(n a James Dean kind of way) for many suburbanites . So, any O.G. (Original Gangster) Joe who rolls into town with a tall tale about how he "was a member of the notorious, Riverdale "Archie Gang" but experienced an epiphany on his way to Pop's Drive Inn to do a drive-by on rival gang "The Jugheads" is welcomed with open arms to "save Durham's youth."
While the local guy with a workable solution based on a strong socio-economic analysis of the problem may be ignored, any out of town slickster with a henna tattoo of Bugs Bunny on his shoulder is given the key to the city.
Since the gang problem has been an issue in Durham and many southern cities for over the last decade, we must explore the many reasons why a college town bustin' at the seams with smart folks, can't seem to get a handle on the problem?
First, there has been little effort to understand the history of gangs in this country. Although most people assume that gangs started in South Central Los Angeles with the Bloods and the Crips, the truth is that gangs in American started when European immigrants organized themselves into protection societies. Later, some of these organizations became organized crime families. This is ,somewhat, similar to the origins of the modern urban street gangs, however, the Bloods and Crips did not come into national prominence until the mid to late 80's.
While poverty and lack of employment may have played a major part in the criminalization of gangs, many will agree that it was the drug trade that gave rise to violent gang activity. Some have alleged that 40 years ago heroin was purposely introduced into black neighborhoods, as well as the hippie counter culture in order to stifle activism; opening the door for the problems we are experiencing, today. Also, authors like Gary Webb, in his controversial book "Dark Alliance," traced the government's alleged role in the crack epidemic in Los Angeles during the mid 80's.
It must, also, be noted that the act of "fighting gangs" is, in and of itself, a cash cow. Many people are depending on the continuous cycle of gang violence to pay their mortgages and to send their children to college. One can only guess the money that goes towards paying "gang experts," sponsoring gang awareness seminars and maintaining the prison industrial complex.
While the role of pop culture in promoting gangsta-ism is often discussed at anti-violence workshops, most presentations only deal with surface issues that begin and end with placing the entire blame for gangs on Hip Hop music. Although such rappers as Snoop Dog (Crip) and the Game (Blood) should be held accountable for the role that they have played in the destruction of our communities, most folks are totally oblivious to the names of the rich business men who sign their paychecks. Although many people would recognize rapper, Lil Wayne (Blood affiliated), they wouldn't recognize Jimmy Iovine (Interscope, which distributed Death Row Records) or Sumner Redstone (Viacom, parent company of BET,MTV, VH1) if they bumped into them on the street.
Hollywood's role in glamorizing the gangsta lifestyle also must not be ignored. While movies like "Colors," " Boyz in the Hood" and "Menace II Society" may have sparked America's fascination with gangs, HBO's 1994 documentary , "Gang Wars: Bangin' in Little Rock" served as a major recruiting tool for gangs outside of Chicago and California.
The key to solving the gang problems is as multifaceted as the reasons for their existence. Contrary to popular belief, one size does not fit all.
Although, gang membership is not limited by color nor class, the rationale for an African American or Latino child joining a gang as opposed to a white child may be ,vastly, different. There may, also, be different reasons for a kid from the 'hood gang bangin' than a kid from the 'burbs. Unfortunately, Durham has been slow to embrace the cultural educational solutions that have been effective in larger cities for fear that they may be seen as divisive. We must listen to those voices who can address the problem from a cultural perspective.
Also, the calls for more activities for Durham's young people are often drowned out by the traditional "tough on crime" rhetoric.
City officials must make funding youth activities more than just a slogan to get votes during election time.
Lastly, the city officials, educators and religious leaders must sponsor more town hall meetings to come up with workable solutions instead of the usual "An Idiot's Guide to Gangs" type format.
If we do not come up with new and innovative solutions to the problem, 10 years from now we'll still be jammin' to the same ol' song:
"In Durham they say we gang bang...."
Min. Paul Scott is founder of the Messianic Afrikan Nation For more information contact (919) 972-8305
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Hip Hop, Homecoming and Hoes
Hip Hop, Homecoming and Hoes:
How HBCUs Fund Gangsta Rap
Paul Scott
It's Autumn. A time when HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) across the country celebrate homecomings. It's a season of football games, marching bands and step shows. It's also a time when universities pay major dollars to rappers who act like they have never seen the inside of a classroom.
Recently, students at North Carolina A@T and FAMU protested the inclusion of Gucci Mane in their annual homecoming concerts. The students felt that with the spilling over of gang violence onto college campuses, to roll out the red carpet for one of the major purveyors of all that is wrong with Hip Hop would not be a good look.
Although the Gucci guy is still scheduled to roll into Greensboro Halloween night, because of the student protests, the university's administrators decided to take the school's name off of the marquee.
I don't know why the "Aggies" are singling out Gucci Mane since there is nothing, even remotely, unique about his Dirty South swagga and "trap tales." But I really don't care why they put Gucci on blast. The revolution against this foolishness has to start somewhere and I can think of no better place than a predominately black institute of higher learning and I can think of no better time than now.
This is not the first time that college students have taken a stand against the violence and misoginy in most commercial Hip Hop. Back in 2004, the sisters of Spelman put heat on Nelly in response to his Tip Drill video that featured a black woman's derriere being used as a credit card swiper.
But it has not happened nearly enough. While many people have looked to the teeny bopper "106 and Park " crowd to be the vanguard responsible for stopping "gangsta rap" the real responsibility lies at the feet of college students.
It is a well known fact that most entertainers don't make their money selling cds, especially in the age of youtube and Limewire but they make their spending cash via concert tours. Many of theses concerts are held in conjunction with college activities such as homecomings and spring break events.
So, in essence, it can be said that HBCU's bankroll much of the music that promotes black on black violence and the disrespect of black women.
Although, some my argue that college coeds are old enough to know the difference between the fantasy world of Hip Hop and real life, their little brothers and sisters are not. By supporting artists that promote negativity the students are helping to fund the destruction of the generation coming up behind them.
Despite the fact that some of these colleges have Hip Hop classes and frequently sponsor Hip Hop conferences that bemoan the current state of Hip Hop, unfortunately, these initiatives have not helped the students develop a workable strategy that would force Hip hop artists to produce the type of music that many college educated students profess to want.
This is not to say that white colleges are bastions of morality, by any means , as the keg parties and "girls gone wild" scenarios are things that legends are made of. So, the question that some may ask is whether black institutions should be held to higher standards.
Of course they should.
Our ancestors did not sacrifice their lives so that black students today can listen to "tha Gooch " rap about gettin' wasted.
More than that, they owe it to the future generation who should be looking to them as the ones who will finally end centuries of perpetual black misery.
Black colleges across the country should ban together and place a moratorium on the minstrelsy so prevalent in much of today's Hip Hop. The student body presidents at HBCU's should draft a "manifesto against the madness" and vow not to spend student funds to bring rappers that shame the black community to their campuses. Instead they must seek out those artists that seek to encourage young black children to strive for college yards instead of prison yards.
So, intelligent brothers and sisters of HBCU's, the choice is yours. Are you going to raise your voices against Gucci gangsta-ism or are you going to be at the next concert singin' "Freaky Gurl " at the top of your lungs? "
Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com. He can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com or (919) 451-8283 For more information on the Intelligence Over Ignorance Campaign go to http://www.ioimovement.com/
How HBCUs Fund Gangsta Rap
Paul Scott
It's Autumn. A time when HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) across the country celebrate homecomings. It's a season of football games, marching bands and step shows. It's also a time when universities pay major dollars to rappers who act like they have never seen the inside of a classroom.
Recently, students at North Carolina A@T and FAMU protested the inclusion of Gucci Mane in their annual homecoming concerts. The students felt that with the spilling over of gang violence onto college campuses, to roll out the red carpet for one of the major purveyors of all that is wrong with Hip Hop would not be a good look.
Although the Gucci guy is still scheduled to roll into Greensboro Halloween night, because of the student protests, the university's administrators decided to take the school's name off of the marquee.
I don't know why the "Aggies" are singling out Gucci Mane since there is nothing, even remotely, unique about his Dirty South swagga and "trap tales." But I really don't care why they put Gucci on blast. The revolution against this foolishness has to start somewhere and I can think of no better place than a predominately black institute of higher learning and I can think of no better time than now.
This is not the first time that college students have taken a stand against the violence and misoginy in most commercial Hip Hop. Back in 2004, the sisters of Spelman put heat on Nelly in response to his Tip Drill video that featured a black woman's derriere being used as a credit card swiper.
But it has not happened nearly enough. While many people have looked to the teeny bopper "106 and Park " crowd to be the vanguard responsible for stopping "gangsta rap" the real responsibility lies at the feet of college students.
It is a well known fact that most entertainers don't make their money selling cds, especially in the age of youtube and Limewire but they make their spending cash via concert tours. Many of theses concerts are held in conjunction with college activities such as homecomings and spring break events.
So, in essence, it can be said that HBCU's bankroll much of the music that promotes black on black violence and the disrespect of black women.
Although, some my argue that college coeds are old enough to know the difference between the fantasy world of Hip Hop and real life, their little brothers and sisters are not. By supporting artists that promote negativity the students are helping to fund the destruction of the generation coming up behind them.
Despite the fact that some of these colleges have Hip Hop classes and frequently sponsor Hip Hop conferences that bemoan the current state of Hip Hop, unfortunately, these initiatives have not helped the students develop a workable strategy that would force Hip hop artists to produce the type of music that many college educated students profess to want.
This is not to say that white colleges are bastions of morality, by any means , as the keg parties and "girls gone wild" scenarios are things that legends are made of. So, the question that some may ask is whether black institutions should be held to higher standards.
Of course they should.
Our ancestors did not sacrifice their lives so that black students today can listen to "tha Gooch " rap about gettin' wasted.
More than that, they owe it to the future generation who should be looking to them as the ones who will finally end centuries of perpetual black misery.
Black colleges across the country should ban together and place a moratorium on the minstrelsy so prevalent in much of today's Hip Hop. The student body presidents at HBCU's should draft a "manifesto against the madness" and vow not to spend student funds to bring rappers that shame the black community to their campuses. Instead they must seek out those artists that seek to encourage young black children to strive for college yards instead of prison yards.
So, intelligent brothers and sisters of HBCU's, the choice is yours. Are you going to raise your voices against Gucci gangsta-ism or are you going to be at the next concert singin' "Freaky Gurl " at the top of your lungs? "
Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com. He can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com or (919) 451-8283 For more information on the Intelligence Over Ignorance Campaign go to http://www.ioimovement.com/
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