Saigon Said Knock You Out

Saigon Said Knock You Out:
Necessary or Unnecessary Roughness ?:
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott


“Shadow boxin’ when I heard you on the radio.”
Mama Said Knock You Out-LL Cool J


Recently, on the top rated, "Chicken and Waffles Morning Show," something happened that shook up the rap world. The hosts were kickin’ it with militant Hip Hop artist, “Songhai” when he started name checkin' rappers who he claimed were part of a diabolical conspiracy to destroy the youth. Songhai threatened to pimp slap the top five commercial Hip Hop artists if they didn’t change their wicked ways, ASAP. Strangely enough, he issued a retraction the next day , claiming that what he said was that he was gonna give the rappers a “hand clap.” But the damage had already been done. The seeds of revolution had already been planted in the minds of the people....

Last week, Hip Hop artist, Saigon created a controversy when, during a visit to NYC’s Breakfast Club Morning Show, he announced to the rap world that he was gonna punch rap’s top dogs, 2 Chainz and Rick Ross, in the grill if they didn’t stop making songs that were detrimental to the children. Immediately, the Twitter-verse was flooded with people who were proclaimin’ him Hip Hop’s new Savior. Then a few days later, in a whirlwind change of events, he announced on his Facebook page that some of his words were “ignorant” and part of a “strategy.”

I have always wondered why, when real Hip Hop artists keep it real about one of the cashin' out rappers, within 48 hours they release an apology or some sort of “clarification.” A few years ago, OG rapper, Ice T, apologized to Soulja Boy and more recently, Lupe Fiasco issued an apology to upstart Chief Keef regarding comments they made that were based on nothing but the pure, unadulterated truth.

So what gives?

Although Saigon has said that he didn't want to single out anybody in particular for the ratchet state of Hip Hop, since you can count all the rappers who are gettin' heavy radio play on one hand and still have a couple of fingers left, how can you not name the names ? Also, since we agree that someone has committed grand larceny on the culture, how can you have a crime without having a criminal?

It must be noted that when artists like “The Game” actually punch rappers they never apologize, they just say “Yeah, and if I see him in the streets, I’m probably gonna punch him again!” But “conscious” rappers go from Malcolm X to Martin Luther King in 2.5 seconds.

While some people may believe that the remarks of Maybach Music Group affiliate ,Gunplay, may have had a little something to do with Saigon’s sudden change of heart, I doubt that’s the case. I’m sure that the rapper risks gettin’ snuffed out by 10 Gunplay look-alikes every.day on the NYC subway. So it’s probably not the street thugs, but the Wall Street thugs that make rappers nervous. They are more scared of Morty Schiester, corporate attorney than they are of some rapper.

And who can blame them ?

If the rumor is true that 50 Cent has the power to shut down projects at rival record companies, how much power do you think his boss, Jimmy Iovine has ? That is why there is this code of silence between industry rappers, whether conscious or commercial.

When Saigon, called out 2 Chainz and Rick Ross, he was not messin’ with individuals. He was messin’ with brands that people have invested a lot of cash creating and they weren’t gonna let some rap revolutionist cancel their meal ticket. Contrary to popular belief, industry beefs are not handled by the rappers but their image consultants. So, the same, " Pierre Escargot," that picks out your favorite ratchet rapper's outfit for the BET Awards is the same cat who handles his beefs.

When Saigon went on his rant he committed an unforgivable industry sin. He made people start to think. Also, as an industry insider, he co-signed something that we already knew. The masses are pissed off at the current state of Hip Hop and they were just waiting for an industry cat who was as pissed as them to articulate their frustrations in a large forum.

And it’s not only the brainiacs that are outraged. It’s the thugs too. Although rappers like Rick Rozay are flashin’ their jewels, the streets are just tryin’ to eat. While members of the Hip Hop Millionaire Boys Club are ridin’ around in Maybach’s with heated seats, the boyz in the hood are out in the cold rappin’ that line from Freeway’s “What We Do.”

“If my heat stops workin’/Ima rob me a person”

Already there are videos on Youtube of Rick Ross catching heat from members of the Gangster Disciples in various states. And America’s greatest fear is that the gangstas get politicized and stop stockin’ bullets and start pickin’ up some books. That’s why politically educated artists pose such a potential threat.

We may never know how many brain cells were sparked by the power of the Saigon interview. Even with the retraction, once words come outta your mouth, you can't call them back.

As omniscient as the heads of the multi-national corporations that control Hip Hop claim to be, they will never be able to discern where rap ends and revolution begins.

But that doesn’t stop them from trying. Many people have had their lives destroyed or ended for daring to wake up the masses.

J. Edgar Hoover's COINTELPRO “fear of a Black messiah who could electrify the youth” is still in effect and the rap industry is part of the program. So I don’t fault rappers like Saigon for being guarded with their words.

I blame us.

The blood of the martyrs is on hands of those who claim to want socio-political change but have not formed a Hip Hop United Front to make artists, writers and activists with a message feel secure in speaking truth to power

Remember during the 60’s, it was the student movements on college campuses that held Muhammad Ali down with speaking engagements after he was banned from boxing for speaking out on the war in Vietnam. Unfortunately we don’t have that structure any more.

We must rebuild it.

Also, as powerful as the music industry executives appear, they are not gonna put guns to our heads and force us to buy our children Chief Keef cds this holiday season. So we must join the “Take Back Hip Hop Black Friday Campaign” and only spend our money on music from artists with a message this holiday season.

And I’m not talking about those artists that are just using conscious Hip Hop as a marketing scheme or an entry level way into the industry. I’m talking about those who are actually involved in our physical and mental liberation.

This way we can honor those artists and activists , past, present and future, who sacrificed their lives for speakin’ the truth and were either blacklisted, put in jail, or, like Saigon said on his latest video, “Blown Away.”


TRUTH Minista Paul Scott’s weekly column is “This Ain’t Hip Hop,” a column for intelligent Hip Hop headz. His website is No Warning Shots Fired.com For more information on the “Take Back Hip Hop Black Friday Campaign” contact info@nowarningshotsfired.com or follow on Twitter @truthminista

Al Sharpton vs Tavis Smiley:

Rev. Al Shapton vs Tavis Smiley:
The Battle for Black Leadership Supremacy

Paul Scott


"When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers"
African Proverb


Introducing in the red corner wearing the "Obama is My Homie" t-shirt, the reigning world champion of black leadership, the Rev. Al "Razor Sharp" Sharpton. And in the blue corner ,quietly sippin' on a Thermos of Obama Hata-aid, is the number one challenger, Tavis "Ain't Nobody Smilin'" Smiley.

After a long absence from the Tom Joyner Morning Show, Tavis Smiley made a comeback cameo appearance this morning as he came out swinging against against Rev. Al Sharpton, the NAACP and everybody else that has been ,unilaterally, supporting President Obama's policies. He feels that some of the Civil Rights folks have changed the lyrics from "We Shall Over Come" to "We Have Over Come," a bit prematurely by saying that it is not necessary for Obama to have a "black agenda." He also announced a meeting to discuss the Obama controversy to be held in Chicago on March 20th.

Later in the day, Rev. Sharpton had three hours, courtesy of his nationally syndicated program, "Keepin' it Real," to issue a rebuttal. Rev didn't have to do much name calling as his callers and Tweeters handled that. However, he did question whether the purpose of the March 20th camp meeting was for somebody to sell books.

Ouch!

Contrary to what Mr. Smiley says, The Prez does have a black agenda, if black kids would stay in school and stop listening to all that hippity hoppity music then they, too, could be the leaders of the Free world. At least that's the message that he gives when he's in front of a predominately black audience like the NAACP. I can't wait to see him perform the American Idol hit, "Pants on the Ground," at the next NAACP convention.

Many of us agree with Smiley, that it is not that simple. You can't talk about black pathology unless you put it in the context of global white supremacy.

It must be noted that members of the more black nationalistic community already beat Smiley to the punch as CEMOTAP and "The Family and Friends of Mutulu Shakur" already had this debate more than a year ago in Harlem. Unfortunately, most of the folks the were at the December 2008 debate will probably never be on that all-star panel at Smiley's "State of Black Union" meetings.

(Check out the audio courtesy of Voxunion.com)

It must also be noted that Glen Ford, of Black Agenda Report and members of the Black is Back Coalition have been raising the issue of Obama's responsibility to black folks for months.

So, the bigger issue that must be addressed is not only Obama but more importantly, the need for new voices to be heard in the black community.
For too many years, we have had the same old leaders discussing the same old issues. Yet, our condition seems to be getting worst.

It is a shame that we still have only a hand full of people (who most folks in the 'hood have never heard of) claiming to rep' for 30 million black folks. There are many questions that are relevant to everyday black folks that "black leaders" wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole, not the least being whether politics is a viable option for the liberation of black people in the first place.

It's time for new black voices blastin' from the grassroots.

So whoever wins the debate in March, as they say on the basketball court,

"We got next !"

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