In the late 70's a movie called "Scared Straight" was released that featured juvenile delinquents being scared out of lives of crime by hardcore inmates. This week, as many people prepare to celebrate Halloween, a NC minister says that many Hip Hop artists need to be "scared smart."
Paul Scott, a minister and activist in Durham NC, is outraged by the amount of Hip Hop that promotes ignorance that is being spewed across the airwaves and is calling on the community to take a stand.
According to Scott, top selling rappers like Waka Flocka Flame need to either smarten up their rap games or feel the wrath of the black community.
"If Waka Flocka Flame was on "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, he would lose in the first round," says Scott
Unlike the Hip Hop of a generation ago that featured uplifting lyrics by rap groups such as Public Enemy and The X-Clan, many people believe that the Hip Hop music of today is purposely used to dumb down inner city youth.
"In every city in America, people are talking about closing the achievement gap between black children and white children , Hip Hop should be closing the gap instead of making it wider, says Scott.
Scott is urging the black community to demand that Hip Hop artists produce more intelligent music and radio stations play such socially conscious rap or face boycotts by the African American community.
He says that this is especially critical in today's heated political climate where some have accused the Tea Party and other conservatives of racism and "trying to turn back the clock" on black progress.
Their biggest fear is an educated black man, says Scott. "Racists fear that more than Freddy Kruger and Jason put together."
"TRUTH Minista" Paul Scott is a minister, writer, and activist based in Durham NC. He first gained national attention in 1998, when he led a successful boycott agsinst Phat Boy Malt Liquor and ion 2003 when he protested rap star Nelly's "Pimp Juice" Energy Drink.
For more information on the Intelligence Over Ignorance Campaign contact info@nowarningshotsfired.com or (919) 451-8283 website http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com
Showing posts with label election. Show all posts
Showing posts with label election. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
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
Friday, July 31, 2009
Jerk Dancin' in Durham
Photo: Mark Wallace (Crush 1)Jerk Dancin' in Durham
Paul Scott
Twenty-five years ago, Hip Hop kids like me were being kicked out of malls for holding impromptu break dance competitions to the chagrin of mall security. Well, times have changed and members of my age group are no longer doing windmills and back flips. However, some things have remained the same. A generation later, kids are still getting run out of malls for dancing.
The latest dance sensation sweepin' the nation is called "Jerkin'" inspired by a song by new Hip Hop crew, the New Boys called "You're a Jerk. " The New Boys are following a trend started by artists like "Soulja Boy Tell em" who put new songs on youtube with funky dance moves and become overnight superstars with a nation of teens following in their dancin' shoe steps.
Songs like "You're a Jerk" have also fueled dancing competitions called "battles." Go to any mall and you will see kids square off to engage in rhythmic combat. That is until some dude in a fresh pressed white shirt, a Dudley Doright mountie hat holding a billy club crashes their party.
It takes one back too a simpler time when a gathering of young folks meant that they were watching their homeboys dance, not engaging in violent confrontations.
Durham resident Mark Wallace has fond memories of those days.
Back in the early 80's, Wallace, then known as "Crush 1" used to electric boogie down the streets of his native Manhattan along with his homies, "Dizzy Doez and "Kippy D." He was also a member of one of the most popular break dancing crews of the day , The Rock Steady Crew, which gained national attention for their many movie appearances and their groundbreaking segment on ABC's news program, 20/20, of which Wallace was a part.
Before turning his energies to breakin', Wallace had his share of run ins with the law for tagging trains in Brooklyn.
However, dancing kept him from doing a lot worst things than spray painting his name on trains.
"Breakin' started at the heart of the heroin era and the dealers were trying to get kids involved in the drug trade, says Wallace. "Breakin' gave us a way out."
Poppin' and Lockin' also kept him out of neighborhood gangs like the Decepticons.
"We built a fortress that they couldn't penetrate", he says.
Just as dancing was able to stop gang violence in New York during the 80's, could it also stop gang bangin' in Durham in 2009?
Wallace thinks it can.
"Gang members will want to embrace this art form, he says. "Where they now identify with colors, they will identify with dance moves."
It's not like Durham doesn't have the space for dance competitions. How about that CCB plaza area downtown that is rarely used? Or that new park that they built downtown?
The city has the means but do our officials have the will?
While "Jerk" contests might not save all of Durham's kids, it will serve as an outlet for a bunch of energetic teens whose main complaints are that there is "nothing to do in Durham."
Local Jerk dancer, Nia Scott agrees. "There isn't enough stuff for me and my friends to do, she says. "We get tired of hanging out at the mall."
If dancing stops one child from going down the wrong path, isn't it worth a few boom boxes blaring downtown?
It helped Mark Wallace.
"There's no telling where I would have been without break dancing."
Mark Wallace is a health coach and authority on break dancing. To contact him call (631)428-6425)
Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com. He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Why Some Black Folks Don't Vote
Why Black Folks Don't Vote
Paul Scott
"Politics and hypocrites turning us all into lunatics..."
"You're the Man" Marvin Gaye
I was hangin' at the spot a while back with one of the homies when he asked me to fill out a voter registration form.
"You know I ain't votin'," I said in faux anger.
(This year, I was joking. Other years, I have been dead serious.)
All of the sudden, I turned around and was face to face with an Obama-ite pointing her finger about an inch away from my nose. "You're ancestors died so you can have the right to vote," she yelled in a voice usually reserved for someone who went too far with a "yo mama is so fat" joke.
Now usually, that would have been a good opportunity to engage someone in a debate about the short comings of the two party system but this lady was seriously about to give me a beat down so I cruised on out the door mouthin' a weak...
"I was just playin'..."
Every four years, black folks are bombarded with dark tales of the Apocalypse. If every black person in America doesn't vote and vote for the Democratic Party, something very wicked this way comes. And any black person who even dares to question the relevance of voting risks being tarred and feathered and run out of tha hood.
At the risk of blasphemy, I have to say that even in this election year there is a sizable part of the African American population that doesn't vote or questions the dedication of either the Donkey or the Elephant in solving the problems of the non middle class black community. What bothers me most is that the same folks who wouldn't engage in any conversation deeper than a discussion over the latest Tyler Perry movie or who's going to win the Super Bowl have now become overnight political scientists.
I mean, the same folks who you couldn't drag to a school board meeting, six months ago and couldn't find their way to City Hall if you paid them are now threatening to round up black folks and march them to the polls en mass at gunpoint on November 4th. While the stereotype of a non voting black person is an apathetic bum who sits around the crib all day playing PlayStation and eating Fruit Loops straight out the box, many vote virgins have a good reason for abstinence.
But instead of asking the simple question "Why don't you vote ?" We come up with urban legends and doomsday sayings such as "vote or die" which may scare Tyrone into taking five minutes out of his day to go to the polls but does not, in anyway, make him more politically educated. The myth that our ancestors died so we could vote doesn't quite match up with historical facts.
If you look at the whole Civil Rights Era, voting was simply a means to an end. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a staunch advocate for the poor who caught hell regardless of who was in office. Also it must be noted that much of his activism was under the Kennedy/Johnson Administration which, by the way, allowed the FBI to bug his phone. And these were supposed to be the good guy Democrats. Also, one cannot forget Malcolm X's stern warning about the "Dixiecrats."
Secondly, while the idea of a great conspiracy to deprive black folks of their rights to vote has merit, many times it is overblown. While history is full of instances of threats, poll taxes and other tricks of disenfranchisement, in reality voting is a necessary evil in a Democracy. As I heard a news commentator say one time, " voting is a Democracy's alternative to rioting in the streets." The promise of a vote, in and of itself, substantially changing the reality of the poor is needed to keep the natives from getting restless. That is why the urban legend of black folks losing their right to vote every 25 years is laughable. However, the same people who would dismiss the idea that the CIA had something to do with drugs being brought into Los Angeles believe this conspiracy theory, whole heartedly.
Thirdly, the idea that the world will end on November 4th if the Democratic candidate of choice does not win points more at short sightedness than political sophistication. I guarantee Conservatives are having meetings all over the country coming up with a plan B, while many black folks are planning the big election night victory party at Magic Fingers Strip Club.
It must be noted that the "angry white man" reaction to the Democratic victory in '92 gave rise to the "Republican Revolution" of 1994. We must also remember that while black dj's were busy debating who had the better rappers, the East Coast or the West Coast, Right Wing radio was becoming a major political force. It must be noted that for every one Hip Hop radio station that plays the latest Lil Wayne jam, there are five conservative talk radio stations that feature Bill O'Reilly, Mike Savage and Neil Bortz 24 hours a day.
Also, although the efforts of Hip Hoppers and black radio stations to get young black folks to vote should be applauded, after the election, Conservative radio will go into over-drive plotting the Republican Revolution (The Sequal), while black radio will go back to playing "booty bounce, booty bounce," in continuous rotation.
As a matter of full disclosure, I already early voted but my decision was not based on some messianic vision of a political Promise Land. Call me shallow, but the Right Wing's fear of Obama rollin' like Robin Hood; stickin' it to the rich and giving to the poor made me (an Independent) 'rep for the Democrats this year. Not to mention, the thrill of the possibility of seeing Sean Hannity's mug having to announce the selection of the first black president was a little hard to resist.
However, I am under no illusion that anything will change unless the black community finds a way to harness the energy that was generated during the election and ration it out over the next four years in daily doses.
As Thomas Jefferson once said, "The price of Freedom is eternal vigilance."
Word up!
Paul Scott's blog is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/ He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com
Paul Scott
"Politics and hypocrites turning us all into lunatics..."
"You're the Man" Marvin Gaye
I was hangin' at the spot a while back with one of the homies when he asked me to fill out a voter registration form.
"You know I ain't votin'," I said in faux anger.
(This year, I was joking. Other years, I have been dead serious.)
All of the sudden, I turned around and was face to face with an Obama-ite pointing her finger about an inch away from my nose. "You're ancestors died so you can have the right to vote," she yelled in a voice usually reserved for someone who went too far with a "yo mama is so fat" joke.
Now usually, that would have been a good opportunity to engage someone in a debate about the short comings of the two party system but this lady was seriously about to give me a beat down so I cruised on out the door mouthin' a weak...
"I was just playin'..."
Every four years, black folks are bombarded with dark tales of the Apocalypse. If every black person in America doesn't vote and vote for the Democratic Party, something very wicked this way comes. And any black person who even dares to question the relevance of voting risks being tarred and feathered and run out of tha hood.
At the risk of blasphemy, I have to say that even in this election year there is a sizable part of the African American population that doesn't vote or questions the dedication of either the Donkey or the Elephant in solving the problems of the non middle class black community. What bothers me most is that the same folks who wouldn't engage in any conversation deeper than a discussion over the latest Tyler Perry movie or who's going to win the Super Bowl have now become overnight political scientists.
I mean, the same folks who you couldn't drag to a school board meeting, six months ago and couldn't find their way to City Hall if you paid them are now threatening to round up black folks and march them to the polls en mass at gunpoint on November 4th. While the stereotype of a non voting black person is an apathetic bum who sits around the crib all day playing PlayStation and eating Fruit Loops straight out the box, many vote virgins have a good reason for abstinence.
But instead of asking the simple question "Why don't you vote ?" We come up with urban legends and doomsday sayings such as "vote or die" which may scare Tyrone into taking five minutes out of his day to go to the polls but does not, in anyway, make him more politically educated. The myth that our ancestors died so we could vote doesn't quite match up with historical facts.
If you look at the whole Civil Rights Era, voting was simply a means to an end. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a staunch advocate for the poor who caught hell regardless of who was in office. Also it must be noted that much of his activism was under the Kennedy/Johnson Administration which, by the way, allowed the FBI to bug his phone. And these were supposed to be the good guy Democrats. Also, one cannot forget Malcolm X's stern warning about the "Dixiecrats."
Secondly, while the idea of a great conspiracy to deprive black folks of their rights to vote has merit, many times it is overblown. While history is full of instances of threats, poll taxes and other tricks of disenfranchisement, in reality voting is a necessary evil in a Democracy. As I heard a news commentator say one time, " voting is a Democracy's alternative to rioting in the streets." The promise of a vote, in and of itself, substantially changing the reality of the poor is needed to keep the natives from getting restless. That is why the urban legend of black folks losing their right to vote every 25 years is laughable. However, the same people who would dismiss the idea that the CIA had something to do with drugs being brought into Los Angeles believe this conspiracy theory, whole heartedly.
Thirdly, the idea that the world will end on November 4th if the Democratic candidate of choice does not win points more at short sightedness than political sophistication. I guarantee Conservatives are having meetings all over the country coming up with a plan B, while many black folks are planning the big election night victory party at Magic Fingers Strip Club.
It must be noted that the "angry white man" reaction to the Democratic victory in '92 gave rise to the "Republican Revolution" of 1994. We must also remember that while black dj's were busy debating who had the better rappers, the East Coast or the West Coast, Right Wing radio was becoming a major political force. It must be noted that for every one Hip Hop radio station that plays the latest Lil Wayne jam, there are five conservative talk radio stations that feature Bill O'Reilly, Mike Savage and Neil Bortz 24 hours a day.
Also, although the efforts of Hip Hoppers and black radio stations to get young black folks to vote should be applauded, after the election, Conservative radio will go into over-drive plotting the Republican Revolution (The Sequal), while black radio will go back to playing "booty bounce, booty bounce," in continuous rotation.
As a matter of full disclosure, I already early voted but my decision was not based on some messianic vision of a political Promise Land. Call me shallow, but the Right Wing's fear of Obama rollin' like Robin Hood; stickin' it to the rich and giving to the poor made me (an Independent) 'rep for the Democrats this year. Not to mention, the thrill of the possibility of seeing Sean Hannity's mug having to announce the selection of the first black president was a little hard to resist.
However, I am under no illusion that anything will change unless the black community finds a way to harness the energy that was generated during the election and ration it out over the next four years in daily doses.
As Thomas Jefferson once said, "The price of Freedom is eternal vigilance."
Word up!
Paul Scott's blog is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/ He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Jay Z Stumpin' for Prez: The Politics of Hip Hop
Jay Z Stumpin' For Prez?:The Politics of Hip Hop
Paul Scott
Just like a pimped out E F Hutton, when Shawn "Jay Z " Carter talks, people listen.
And I'm not just talking about the boyz in tha 'hood, I'm talking about the white collar boys in executive suites. With just one lyric, Jay-Z has the uncanny ability to change the direction of an entire entertainment industry. Shawn Carter is the urban personification of the Haratio Alger Story: street corner drug dealer becomes a successful entrepreneur by rappin' about being a street corner drug dealer. The stuff that urban legends are made of.
That is why I have mixed emotions about Jay Z stumpin' for presidential candidate, Barack Obama via free rap concerts.
Don't get me wrong. Anytime a Hip Hop artist raps about anything other than derrieres and drug deals, I'm automatically a fan. So, I ain't hatin' on "Jigga", as he is affectionately known by rap connoisseurs.
However, what bothers me most when rap stars become "political activists" are the contradictions and missed opportunities.
Lets face it. Politics is really one big orgy and if you flick on the lights and pull the sheets back on any political bed, a lot of strange bedfellows will go scrambling for the nearest exit. However, Hip Hop is somewhat different, as it is heavily marketed as the voice of urban youth and many black kids do look up to rappers as role models, for better or mostly worst.
This is not the first time that a rapper has endorsed a political candidate, rap pioneers Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5 once kicked some funky rhymes in 1984 in support of Rev. Jesse Jackson's first presidential run. However, despite using the bleeped out "p" word (piss) on the rap classic, "The Message" their music was basically, family friendly. Also, few could argue about the political awareness of rappers of the late 80's and early 90's such as Public Enemy and Sister Souljah, as they were often under fire not only for their lyrics but their strong political stances. This is not so with today's multi-millionaire rap pundants..
Hence, Hip Hop's political hypocrisy.
Today's Hip Hop artists are business men and the only presidents that they are concerned about are the dead presidents that are on the face of dollar bills. To borrow from a sample from Jay Z's street classic "Dead Presidents , " I'm out for presidents that represent me..." Hip Hop is no longer the voice of inner city streets as it was a generation ago, it is now the voice of Wall Street and somehow tales of extravagant "ghetto fabulous living" go over real big with the marketing departments at multi national entertainment corporations. '
The lifestyles that Carter and some of the 21st century, commercially successful Hip Hop artists rap about are the lives that the economically privileged in the Hamptons live but the struggling youth in economically depressed neighborhoods give their lives trying to achieve. So I have to wonder who is out their promoting Obama-ism, the Jay Z who was just another black kid with big dreams from the hood 20 years ago or the multi millionaire business man, former CEO of Def Jam Records and part owner of the NJ Nets, Shawn Carter? We can't expect the members of the Hip Hop Millionaire Boys Club to have the same political and economic interests of the struggling masses still trapped in "the ghetto." It must be noted that many of the undergound, noncommercial/politically conscious Hip Hop artists are rollin' with the Green Party, this year, courtesy of the organizing efforts of Hip Hop activist and VP candidate, Rosa Clemente.
Also, the Jay Z's and Sean "Puff Daddy/Diddy" Combs of the world, two of the signers of the recent Obama endorsement letter, "Open Letter to Young America" have the ability to effect the lives of more black youth in one week than the Obama administration can do in four years. Suppose, Jay Z with his many CD releases over the last decade would have released one strictly "political" album dealing with social problems and solutions? What impact would that have had on the millions of Jay Z followers around the country. Suppose during the last decade he had used his standing room only concert appearances to politicize his millions of fans instead of giving them tales of crack deals and misogyny? I think it is safe to say that the political consciousness of black youth would have been very different than it is, today.
Hip Hop politicians remind me of the two little pigs who built their cribs out of cheap straw and sticks instead of spending the necessary time and effort to build a sturdy house made of brick. If they spent more time working on building a solid social and economic infrastructure instead of blingin' and poppin' bottles of champagne at the club, then they wouldn't have to worry about the big bad Republican wolf blowing their houses down every four years!
The 'hood doesn't need voter registration, tha hood needs political education. But until we, as a community, demand more political and social responsibility from artists that we support with our dollars, in and out of political season, to quote from the "Jigga Man," himself..
"Can't knock the hustle."
Paul Scott, "the Hip Hop TRUTH Minista," is a writer and activist in Durham NC. His blog is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/ To reach Scott contact (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com
Paul Scott
Just like a pimped out E F Hutton, when Shawn "Jay Z " Carter talks, people listen.
And I'm not just talking about the boyz in tha 'hood, I'm talking about the white collar boys in executive suites. With just one lyric, Jay-Z has the uncanny ability to change the direction of an entire entertainment industry. Shawn Carter is the urban personification of the Haratio Alger Story: street corner drug dealer becomes a successful entrepreneur by rappin' about being a street corner drug dealer. The stuff that urban legends are made of.
That is why I have mixed emotions about Jay Z stumpin' for presidential candidate, Barack Obama via free rap concerts.
Don't get me wrong. Anytime a Hip Hop artist raps about anything other than derrieres and drug deals, I'm automatically a fan. So, I ain't hatin' on "Jigga", as he is affectionately known by rap connoisseurs.
However, what bothers me most when rap stars become "political activists" are the contradictions and missed opportunities.
Lets face it. Politics is really one big orgy and if you flick on the lights and pull the sheets back on any political bed, a lot of strange bedfellows will go scrambling for the nearest exit. However, Hip Hop is somewhat different, as it is heavily marketed as the voice of urban youth and many black kids do look up to rappers as role models, for better or mostly worst.
This is not the first time that a rapper has endorsed a political candidate, rap pioneers Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5 once kicked some funky rhymes in 1984 in support of Rev. Jesse Jackson's first presidential run. However, despite using the bleeped out "p" word (piss) on the rap classic, "The Message" their music was basically, family friendly. Also, few could argue about the political awareness of rappers of the late 80's and early 90's such as Public Enemy and Sister Souljah, as they were often under fire not only for their lyrics but their strong political stances. This is not so with today's multi-millionaire rap pundants..
Hence, Hip Hop's political hypocrisy.
Today's Hip Hop artists are business men and the only presidents that they are concerned about are the dead presidents that are on the face of dollar bills. To borrow from a sample from Jay Z's street classic "Dead Presidents , " I'm out for presidents that represent me..." Hip Hop is no longer the voice of inner city streets as it was a generation ago, it is now the voice of Wall Street and somehow tales of extravagant "ghetto fabulous living" go over real big with the marketing departments at multi national entertainment corporations. '
The lifestyles that Carter and some of the 21st century, commercially successful Hip Hop artists rap about are the lives that the economically privileged in the Hamptons live but the struggling youth in economically depressed neighborhoods give their lives trying to achieve. So I have to wonder who is out their promoting Obama-ism, the Jay Z who was just another black kid with big dreams from the hood 20 years ago or the multi millionaire business man, former CEO of Def Jam Records and part owner of the NJ Nets, Shawn Carter? We can't expect the members of the Hip Hop Millionaire Boys Club to have the same political and economic interests of the struggling masses still trapped in "the ghetto." It must be noted that many of the undergound, noncommercial/politically conscious Hip Hop artists are rollin' with the Green Party, this year, courtesy of the organizing efforts of Hip Hop activist and VP candidate, Rosa Clemente.
Also, the Jay Z's and Sean "Puff Daddy/Diddy" Combs of the world, two of the signers of the recent Obama endorsement letter, "Open Letter to Young America" have the ability to effect the lives of more black youth in one week than the Obama administration can do in four years. Suppose, Jay Z with his many CD releases over the last decade would have released one strictly "political" album dealing with social problems and solutions? What impact would that have had on the millions of Jay Z followers around the country. Suppose during the last decade he had used his standing room only concert appearances to politicize his millions of fans instead of giving them tales of crack deals and misogyny? I think it is safe to say that the political consciousness of black youth would have been very different than it is, today.
Hip Hop politicians remind me of the two little pigs who built their cribs out of cheap straw and sticks instead of spending the necessary time and effort to build a sturdy house made of brick. If they spent more time working on building a solid social and economic infrastructure instead of blingin' and poppin' bottles of champagne at the club, then they wouldn't have to worry about the big bad Republican wolf blowing their houses down every four years!
The 'hood doesn't need voter registration, tha hood needs political education. But until we, as a community, demand more political and social responsibility from artists that we support with our dollars, in and out of political season, to quote from the "Jigga Man," himself..
"Can't knock the hustle."
Paul Scott, "the Hip Hop TRUTH Minista," is a writer and activist in Durham NC. His blog is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/ To reach Scott contact (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Cut the Bull: The Man Who Would Be Mayor
Now I had no grand delusions about being mayor of Durham. Mayor Bell winning, especially after gettin' props from Obama, was a no brainer for everybody. (Except for maybe Councilman Stith.)
Even if I would, by some miracle, have won the election, ya'll know that I would have been impeached before the next council meeting.
(Holding up the Black Power Fist at the inauguration wouldn't have set to well with some folks)
But what I hoped to do was raise the issues and maybe put all of that "get tough on crime" talk into a proper perspective.
I wonder do the citizens of Durham know how close they had come to living in a police state?
Although there has been a lot of talk about gangs in Durham, in reality, there are really only two gangs that run America, the Democrats and the Republicans and they ain't sharin' power with "nobody."
What is unfortunate is that black youth and the less affluent are still pretty much in the same boat they were in before the election.
The poor will still be poor and the voices that aren't heard, still won't be heard.
Yeah, I was able to raise some issues in the media and on a couple of debates but for the most part I was the victim of a media black out.
As usual, as far as the News and Observer, Independent, News 14 and WRAL go, I am the invisible dude.
"Maybe if we ignore him, he'll just go away"
But it's not really about me, it's about what I represent:
The Black man who is not afraid to point out the obvious: In 2007 Black folks still ain't free.
My hope is that maybe I inspired some young black brother or sister to get involved in this community and not accept second class citizenship. Maybe I inspired somebody to speak out against injustice and things that they see are wrong in Durham.
No, I didn't win but at the end of the day is Durham a better place because of people like me who raise the tough issues?
You're darn right!
So I conclude the 2007 Cut the Bull Campaign with my new rap...
"In Durham they say we gang bang
Herald Sun/Observer it's the same thang
'less we're shootin' they don't know our names
Guess that's the only way we gain fame"
Word to tha mother.....
The Hip Hop Howard Beale has left the building....
Monday, October 8, 2007
Cut the Bull: Street Manifesto
As a write in candidate for Durham Mayor, I am releasing my platform in the form of a "Street Manifesto"
Street Manifesto
We want all the people in Durham to have an equal role in charting the city's new direction and not just the privileged few.
We want an end to crime.
However, we realize that as long as there is poverty, hunger and unemployment, there will be crime. So,the city should do more to eliminate the root causes of crime. Locking up young black males and deporting Latinos is not a solution to crime.
We want an end to violence.
However, the city is not doing enough to promote peace and unity.
We want an end to the drug dealing on city streets.
However, young black males are not the ones responsible for bringing the drugs into this country. Unfortunately, it is more convenient to point the finger at the youth instead of those who are really responsible for the death and destruction on the streets of Durham.
We want an end to the stereotyping of black and Latino youth as criminals and gang members.
We understand that the criminalization of black and Latino youth has been overly hyped by the media and many jobs are created as the result of sending our youth to prison.
We want an end to youth idleness.
The city must do more to provide positive activities for our young people.
We want an end to the attempted division of the black and Latino communities.
The problem in this country is not too many "illegal aliens" but too many greedy, rich people with "out of space" ideas that don't match the current demographic makeup of America. There are enough resources to go around.
We want the faith community to become more involved in solving Durham's problems.
Church should be more than a once a week happy hour.
We want an end to homelessness.
The city should be involved in renovating abandoned buildings and turning them into homes for the homeless.
We need to take the power out of the hands of the traditional politicians and PACs (Political Action Committees) and put it in the hands of the people.
Control of Durham neighborhoods must rest in the hands of the masses and not the classes.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Hangin' With the Homeboys
Hangin' With the Homeboys:
Courtin' the Black Vote '08
Min. Paul Scott
You can set your clock by it. Every election year they show up in front of a bunch of well dressed, college educated, middle class black folks who are supposed to "rep" the entire African American community. The moderator asks the same polite questions that he posed last election and he gets the same, well rehearsed answers that he got last election.
Just once, I'd like to see Tyrone "T-Boogie" Johnson grab the mic and yell,
"What ya gonna do for the hood, homie!"
as the stunned presidential candidates duck for cover under the dais.
Tis the season for political strategists to find new and imagin....
OK... they’re the same old, unimaginative strategies that they've always used; warmed over. It's the same technique year in and year out. Go to a few black mega churches, shake a couple of hands, attend the NAACP/Urban League Conventions and make a lot of grandiose speeches containing promises that you have no intention of keeping.
Simple isn't it?
Conventional wisdom says that if you invoke the name of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. enough times, most well off black folks will follow you through hell wearing gasoline underwear.
But that doesn't apply to "tha hood" where Dr. King, himself, found his harshest critics.
While you may be able to finagle a couple of votes from the black middle class by a nice speech, the hood wants action.
See, the people in the hood have "issues". Middle class blacks have "concerns" but poor folks have "issues."
While the biggest concern of Dr. Horatio Farnsworth Jackson may be the rising taxes on his summer cottage on the lake, Lakesha Johnson is more concerned about how she is going to pay the rent next month.
The irony of a presidential candidate being able to raise more money in an hour at a thousand dollar-a -plate fundraiser than all the folks in the kitchen washing the dishes will make all year does not escape the hood.
This is why many of us choose to spend time relaxing at the crib eating Oodles of Noodles and watching videos on BET instead of going to the polls on election day.
While many of the middle class will start hyperventilating at the thought of black folks not voting and start yelling,
"Your...(huff).. ancestors died.. (huff, huff.)..so that you...(gasp)...could have the right to vote!"
That piece of revisionist rhetoric does not quite match historical facts nor common sense.
Our ancestors died for Freedom and Equality, not to pull a lever behind a shower curtain. Voting was always meant to be a means to an end, not vice versa.
Someone once said that voting is a democracy's alternative to rioting in the streets. So, in that case, it can be said that one brotha with a Molotov cocktail did more for "Civil Rights" then all of Dr. King’s marches put together. I am sure that most historians will agree that if it wasn't for the fiery "militant" threats of Malcolm X, as an alternative to "King's Dream", we wouldn't have a day off work the third Monday of every January to celebrate his birthday.
In reality, voting is a compromise; a peace treaty between the "haves" and the "have nots" that says:
"Despite all of that mumbo jumbo that they taught me in history class about what the "Founding Father" dudes said about fighting against tyranny, I believe that all of my aspirations for Life, Liberty with a can of happiness on the side can be realized by getting up on Election Day, entering a booth and drawing a line with a pen that they will so thoughtfully supply..."
So all that gloom and doom "signifyin'" about the evils of abstaining from the political process may play in Peoria but not in Compton.
Politicians must realize that the suit and ties that they court every election year do not represent all of black America. That room of BMW drivin’ , expensive cuff link wearin' folks at the NAACP function is no more representative of all African Americans than the group of cookie bakin' , soccer moms at the Harper Valley PTA is representative of all white Americans.
If the presidential candidates really want to get down, get funky, get loose and get a real taste of African Americana then they need to come down to the weekly political convention that we have every Saturday morning at Byron's Barber Shop and Beauty Salon.
We'll save a seat for ya....
Min. Paul Scott is a writer and activist in Durham NC. His blog is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com
Courtin' the Black Vote '08
Min. Paul Scott
You can set your clock by it. Every election year they show up in front of a bunch of well dressed, college educated, middle class black folks who are supposed to "rep" the entire African American community. The moderator asks the same polite questions that he posed last election and he gets the same, well rehearsed answers that he got last election.
Just once, I'd like to see Tyrone "T-Boogie" Johnson grab the mic and yell,
"What ya gonna do for the hood, homie!"
as the stunned presidential candidates duck for cover under the dais.
Tis the season for political strategists to find new and imagin....
OK... they’re the same old, unimaginative strategies that they've always used; warmed over. It's the same technique year in and year out. Go to a few black mega churches, shake a couple of hands, attend the NAACP/Urban League Conventions and make a lot of grandiose speeches containing promises that you have no intention of keeping.
Simple isn't it?
Conventional wisdom says that if you invoke the name of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. enough times, most well off black folks will follow you through hell wearing gasoline underwear.
But that doesn't apply to "tha hood" where Dr. King, himself, found his harshest critics.
While you may be able to finagle a couple of votes from the black middle class by a nice speech, the hood wants action.
See, the people in the hood have "issues". Middle class blacks have "concerns" but poor folks have "issues."
While the biggest concern of Dr. Horatio Farnsworth Jackson may be the rising taxes on his summer cottage on the lake, Lakesha Johnson is more concerned about how she is going to pay the rent next month.
The irony of a presidential candidate being able to raise more money in an hour at a thousand dollar-a -plate fundraiser than all the folks in the kitchen washing the dishes will make all year does not escape the hood.
This is why many of us choose to spend time relaxing at the crib eating Oodles of Noodles and watching videos on BET instead of going to the polls on election day.
While many of the middle class will start hyperventilating at the thought of black folks not voting and start yelling,
"Your...(huff).. ancestors died.. (huff, huff.)..so that you...(gasp)...could have the right to vote!"
That piece of revisionist rhetoric does not quite match historical facts nor common sense.
Our ancestors died for Freedom and Equality, not to pull a lever behind a shower curtain. Voting was always meant to be a means to an end, not vice versa.
Someone once said that voting is a democracy's alternative to rioting in the streets. So, in that case, it can be said that one brotha with a Molotov cocktail did more for "Civil Rights" then all of Dr. King’s marches put together. I am sure that most historians will agree that if it wasn't for the fiery "militant" threats of Malcolm X, as an alternative to "King's Dream", we wouldn't have a day off work the third Monday of every January to celebrate his birthday.
In reality, voting is a compromise; a peace treaty between the "haves" and the "have nots" that says:
"Despite all of that mumbo jumbo that they taught me in history class about what the "Founding Father" dudes said about fighting against tyranny, I believe that all of my aspirations for Life, Liberty with a can of happiness on the side can be realized by getting up on Election Day, entering a booth and drawing a line with a pen that they will so thoughtfully supply..."
So all that gloom and doom "signifyin'" about the evils of abstaining from the political process may play in Peoria but not in Compton.
Politicians must realize that the suit and ties that they court every election year do not represent all of black America. That room of BMW drivin’ , expensive cuff link wearin' folks at the NAACP function is no more representative of all African Americans than the group of cookie bakin' , soccer moms at the Harper Valley PTA is representative of all white Americans.
If the presidential candidates really want to get down, get funky, get loose and get a real taste of African Americana then they need to come down to the weekly political convention that we have every Saturday morning at Byron's Barber Shop and Beauty Salon.
We'll save a seat for ya....
Min. Paul Scott is a writer and activist in Durham NC. His blog is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com
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