Open Letter to Bow Wow

Dear Mr. Moss aka Bow Wow

Recently, you made a comment on a clip for the new BET series "Music Moguls" that premiers June 28th, dissin' my city of Durham, North Carolina.  In the promo clip with Jermaine Dupri (So So Def Records) you said, "ain't nothin' crackin' in Durham." I am so tired of people disrespecting my city and for you to do it on a national platform is outrageous.

http://www.bet.com/video/music-moguls/season-1/exclusives/music-moguls-coming-in-june.html

Granted, like many cities, Durham has its share of problems. But kickin' dirt in the face of town already known as "Dirty Durham" ain't helping. Now, it is true that in some hoods you can hear gun shots ringing through the air almost every night. And the self hatred that some of our young people feel does result in teenage kids being shot down in the street. However, Durham has a rich historical legacy and since you seem to be ig'nant of that history, allow me to hit you with some #FACTS.

Durham NC was once known as "Black Wall Street,"  the Mecca of Black economic empowerment.  Although many people believe that Tulsa Oklahoma was America's only Black Wall Street, history teaches us that Durham also held that prestigious title.  Durham is also the home of North Carolina Central University and Duke University. Not to mention, Research Triangle Park, one of the largest high tech development centers in the country, lies with the boundaries of Durham County.  Furthermore, many famous people have roots here, including Ernie Barnes, the artist who created the paintings featured on the 70's sitcom Good Times and Loretta Lynch, the Attorney General of the United States.

Most importantly, there are many people in Durham who are working, tirelessly, to make this city one of which our children and our children's children will be proud. Recently, we launched the Black Durham Is Beautiful Campaign to show the world that Durham is more than  just murder and mayhem and is one of the greatest places to live on the planet.

Instead of of making negative statements about this city, why don't you use your platform to make things better for the youth?

So, "Mr. 106 and Park,"  you owe each of the 250,000 residents of Durham an apology. (Or at least a heartfelt "my bad.") And until we receive an apology we will not support Music Moguls or any other project even loosely associated with the name "Bow Wow" nor "Shad Moss."

To borrow from the infamous words of  Birdman, who is also featured on Music Moguls, "you are gonna learn to RESPECK my city!"

                      Peace,

                      Min. Paul Scott

                      Messianic Afrikan Nation

                      Durham NC

Min. Paul Scott aka "TRUTH Minista" can be reached at (919) 972-8305 email info@nowarningshotsfired.com Follow on Twitter @truthminista

Is Hip Hop Hooked on Crack?

 

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 Shakur

This 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 @truthminista

Check out Militant Minded Radio every Tuesday at 9PM EST http://blacktalkradionetwork.com/page/militantmindedradio

The Great Rap Debate

The Great Rap Debate: Can Real Hip Hop Still Move the Crowd? TRUTH Minista Paul Scott “Some of you been tryin' to write rhymes for years/but weak ideas irritate my ears “ Move the Crowd-Eric B and Rakin Recently, The People’s Broadcasting Service sponsored the first Hip Hop Nation presidential debate between candidates, “B. Serious” and “Roger Ratchet .” When the moderator asked B. Serious for his thoughts on violence in rap, the artist gave an eloquent analysis on the exploitation of self hatred and stereotypes by the industry . However, when the moderator asked Roger Ratchet , the rapper ,angrily, accused him of dissin’ him with a trick question and had his goons give the poor dude a vicious beat-down, thus ending the debate... Following the first presidential debate between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, many commentators said that the Prez took an L because he didn’t go hard enough . They argued that he didn't use his arsenal of intellectual weapons to drop bombs on the challenger. However, the same can be said about those who rep real Hip Hop when dealing with those who promote ratchet rap. The art of debating is a time honored tradition as, historically, many of the issues facing civilizations have been settled by verbal confrontations. The course of history has been changed by events like the debates over whether the world was flat or round ,centuries ago , and more importantly the 21st century debate over whether Kanye West’s Graduation Cd would outsell 50 Cent’s Curtis. Thanks to Youtube, some great debates have been preserved ,such as Stokely Carmichael (Kwame Ture) and George Lincoln Rockwell’s “Black Power vs White Power " debate, Dr Frances Cress Welsing ‘s challenge of Dr. William Shockley’s racial inferiority myth or the classic debate between Dr. John Henrik Clarke and company and Dr. Mary Lefkowitz’s crew over the validity of Afrocentricity. Hip Hop’s version of debating came in the form of rap battles, as you couldn't call yourself a real “MC” “ (Master of Ceremony”) if you couldn't move the crowd. Some of the classic battles were Busy B versus Kool Mo Dee and the Cold Crush Brothers vs Dr. Rock and the Force MD’s. But as the days of lyrics are gone, so are the days of battlin’. Today ,battles are decided by gunshots or juvenile fisticuffs at Hip Hop Award Shows. And for many , instead of elevating the consciousness of the audience, “moving the crowd” means seeing how fast people run for the exit when a fight breaks out in the club. Although, there have been hundreds of discussions about Hip Hop over the years, there has rarely been a confrontation between those who are really trying to save the culture and those who are determined to destroy it. For the most part, Hip Hop “debates” have tended to be scripted . Back in the heyday of “gangsta rap” it was easy for a Death Row artist to diss an elderly C. Delores Tucker, as the industry was glad to promote the idea that if you opposed murda music, then you were an old fogey and out of touch with the younger generation. Even when challenged by senior citizens the gangsta rappers rarely debated themselves, instead they relied on “Hip Hop intellectuals” to serve as their mouthpieces while they sat back and said “um...yeah...what he said..” But today, even the people who used to pump NWA ,24/7 , hate rap music . Also we're , obviously, not dealing with a generational but an intellectual gap as the days of the teen rap video programs have been replaced by Hip Hop reality shows about the everyday lives of rappers who are about six weeks short of a middle age crisis Unfortunately, the average supporter of ratchet rap is walking around with a confident swagga , while the fan of real Hip Hop is walking around with a “Kick Me, I’m Conscious” sign taped to his back. It's time for those who want to bring back real Hip Hop to either go hard or go home! Currently, there is a controversy over whether “real Hip Hop “ is represented best by the lyricism of legendary lyricists or the low level, lackluster, lethargic nonsense that dominates the airwaves. Therefore, the question must be posed, “ can Hip Hop still move the crowd not just physically, but mentally and spiritually? Those who appreciate real Hip hop must stand up for truth and stop accepting the big lie that people like wallowing in the cesspool of ignorance. I believe that the masses are ready for change and if it ever came down to a debate between those who want a return to powerful lyrics that touch the soul and those who love the minstrel music , the lyric lovers would win ,hands down. But those who want to save Hip Hop need to quit goin' out like suckas and get ready to rumble ! Sadly, there will always be those who insist on trying to find “beauty in the hideous,” like Talib Kweli said on the Black Star CD back in the day. For those nincompoops who defend the nonsense, the challenge is there . There are folks like me who ain't afraid to stand up for truth and won’t back down because we understand that the battle is not for a trophy or some award, but for the minds of our children. However, like EPMD said on “You Gots to Chill, “ "If you think about battlin’ you better come prepared/come with your shield and your armored gear...” TRUTH Minista Paul Scott’s weekly column is “This Ain’t Hip Hop,” a column for intelligent Hip Hop headz. For more information on the No Warning Shots Fired Lecture Series, contact info@nowarningshotsfired.com or go to NoWarningShotsFired.com Follow on Twitter @truthminista

Move Over Tea Party. Here Comes the Malt Liquor Party

Move Over Tea Party. Here comes the "Malt Liquor Party."

Although, Michelle Bachman recently announced that she is reppin' the Tea Party in the next election, a NC activist is starting the "Malt Liquor Party."

Tired of the negative images of African Americans in the media, Paul Scott aka the "TRUTH Minista" is calling for a "Malt Liquor Party" to fight back.

The reason Scott chose the name "Malt Liquor Party" is because next to watermelon and fried chicken, malt liquor is most used to stereotype Blacks.

Not only have 40 ounces of malt liquor been the main staple at the racist college theme parties where Frat boys put on blackface and mimic black stereotypes but recently Fox News commentator, Eric Bolling caused quite a stir when he accused President Obama of "chuggin' 40's" instead of taking care of business on the domestic front.

Scott has also accused Snoop Dogg of being Pabst's "Blue Ribbon Pimp" for promoting the new Kool Aid flavored, Colt 45 malt liquor called "Blast."

Scott says that the Malt Liquor Party will attack the negative stereotypes of African Americans in Hip Hop and the media and, also, educate black youth about the dangers of substance abuse.


For more information contact (919) 451-8283 or email info@nowarningshotsfired.com website: http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com

As a Dogg Returneth: Colt 45's Controversial Comeback

As a Dogg Returneth...
Colt 45's Controversial Comeback

Min. Paul Scott





Many African Americans of my generation have fond (or not so fond) memories of getting up on Saturday mornings to watch our favorite Hip Hop video show, only to be scared out our wits by the sight of an angry, giant blue Schlitz Malt Liquor Bull bustin' through our tv sets. Even today, if you ride through any 'hood and yell out the window the familiar '90's ST Ides Malt Liquor jingle, "just hit the corner store, you know what I'm lookin' for..." I guarantee that some wino in the alley is gonna yell back, " ST IDES!!!!" There was even an evil scientist who came up with the diabolical formula to mix malt liquor with gen-sing, call it Phat Boy and pour it into giant bottles with graffiti on the label. However, thanks to the tireless and thankless work of grassroots activists, for a decade, the blatant advertising of cheap, high powered malt liquor to the "Hip Hop generation" virtually, disappeared.

Fast forward to 2011, as the folks at Pabst Brewing Company are amped up to send another generation on a one way trip to Alcoholics Anonymous.

The company has launched its latest monster piece, "Colt 45 Blast," a 12% high octane malt liquor that comes in a variety of fruity flavors that would put the makers of Kool Aid to shame. The marketing scheme that Pabst is using is pretty much the same that the malt meisters of the past have used; grab a rapper with questionable morals and a bunch of video babes and, bingo, a match made in heaven (or some other place.)

Pabst has launched a major marketing campaign staring the Doggfather, himself, Snoop Dogg. Ironically, it was Snoop who was one of the first rappers to appear in liquor commercials almost two decades ago. He has a history of getting people to join him in the game of "get to' up 'till you throw up" . So, to borrow from the scriptures, in 2011," the dog has returned to his vomit."

Unlike the marketing schemes of the early 90's, in the 21st century, liquor companies have gone high tech. There are Colt 45 Blast Youtube, Facebook and Twitter pages set up that will deliver the latest booze news straight to your child's smart phone.

One may ask how, in the wake of the Four Loko controversy, can a company come out with a product that so blatantly, targets underage drinkers. The answer is quite simple.

Nobody cares.

Quiet as kept, when dealing with black youth issues, many people follow the sage wisdom from "The Godfather," "they're animals anyway, so let them lose their souls." And if you can make a profit in the process, so be it.

By the owners of Pabst own admission, Colt 45 has been known, primarily, a 'hood drink and as long as they keep it ghetto, they do not have to worry about those underage drinking crusader organizations throwing a monkey wrench in their program. Most of these organizations only seem to get MADD (pardon the pun) when alcohol abuse starts affecting middle class white kids at college frat parties.

I can remember on more than one occasion, going to an anti-teen drinking event and loudly proclaiming with a 40 oz bottle raised in a gesture of moral indignation , " In the name of the 'hood, I have come to warn thee of the plague that is about to come upon thy children" only to receive the classic "deer in headlights" look from a crowd who saw nothing wrong with a rapper bragging about malt liquor giving him super sexual prowess but thought some darn talking Budweiser bullfrogs signaled the coming of the Apocalypse.

Only when Bifffy and Buffy, start passing out in the middle of English Lit 101 will it become a problem. Which brings us to the proverbial question "if black kids start falling out in the 'hood do they make a sound?"

I think you know the answer.

What is, also, problematic is the liquor industry's uncanny ability to buy off voices of dissent within the African American community. Any time you start cutting checks to Hip Hop radio stations, Hip Hop magazines and start sponsoring (Black) cultural festivals, you can almost guarantee that your favorite Civil Rights leaders won't say a mumblin' word.

So, where does that leave the community activists who are going to be the ones picking up the pieces when the Colt 45 Tsunami floods the hood with alcohol? What can be done?

Community activists must demand that the neighborhood stores where their children go every morning, before school, to pick up honey buns and orange juice for lunch not stock the product in their establishments. We must also ask our local Hip Hop radio stations not to take the blood money that will have our children dancing down the road of destruction all summer long. Also, black organizations must not accept the 30 pieces of silver to have a malt liquor company sponsor "cultural" events that are supposed to be promoting the health and the well being of the community.

Finally, Hip Hop fans must stand up and tell Snoop Dogg and the legion of other rappers who will come behind him not to be "Pabst Blue Ribbon Pimps" putting poison in the 'hood.

We must not look for politicians nor underage drinking organizations to solve this problem. No one is going to save us but us .

As former malt liquor promoter, Ice Cube, once said in a classic line from a popular gangsta flick.

Either they don't know, don't show or don't care what's goin' on in the 'hood."



Paul Scott is a minister, activist and lecturer based in Durham NC. He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com Website http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com