Insane in the Brain:
Did Hip Hop Drive Us Crazy ?
TRUTH Minista Paul
Scott
“I keep lookin’ over my shoulders and peepin’ ‘round corners/ my
mind’s playin’ tricks on me”
Mind Playin’ Tricks on Me- Geto
Boys
For a time, up and coming attorney, Beauford Jenkins
,of the prestigious law firm, Black, Rock and Ron ,seemed perfectly normal. Even
when he legally changed his name to B-Dawg and got a lollipop tatted on his
face, his coworkers thought it was just the stress from his new position as a
junior partner. However, when during the weekly staff meeting, he jumped up on
the conference room table and broke into an impromptu rendition of Nicki Minaj's
“Beez in the Trap” while tryin’ to twerk, they knew it was time for him to seek
professional help from Dr. Feel . After a few sessions , Beauford’s behavior was
diagnosed as the effect of a lifetime of over exposure to Hip Hop....
One
of the most difficult issues to discuss ,especially in the Black community, is
mental illness. No one wants to believe that Uncle Leroy, who comes to the
family reunion picnic every year in a bathrobe and biker shorts is really crazy
. (No, that’s just his swag.) But in a period in Hip Hop when it is becoming
harder and harder to distinguish fantasy from reality, this issue must be
addressed, ASAP.
Historically, there have been those who have, purposely,
misdiagnosed normal Black behavior as abnormal. According to Dr. Harriett
Washington, in her book, Medical Apartheid ,during the mid-19th century, Dr.
Samuel Cartwright concocted some diseases to diagnose those who resisted slavery
. He came up with diseases like drapetomania , which made slaves want to run
away and dysaethesia aethiopica which, supposedly, made the slaves tear stuff up
on the plantation.
Also, Dr. Joy DeGruy Leary and others have used the
term, Post Traumatic Slavery Disorder, to describe the mental distress that
results from centuries of slavery and oppression.
However,as for what
is happening in Hip Hop right now...well, normal people just don't do that kind
of stuff.
To be fair, over the years, Hip Hop has dealt with its
insanity in different ways, some funny, some not so funny.
UTFO had a
humorous rap hit in the 80’s called ,“Split Personality.” which was a spoof on
dissociative identity disorder. However, in the real rap world, that could
explain why rappers like 50 Cent can make cds that make them seem like homicidal
maniacs but when they are interviewed by Oprah or Pierce Brosnan, appear to be
astute, well-mannered businessmen.
Some of the most graphic tales of
mental disorder have come courtesy of Scarface and the Geto Boys ,as the “Mind
of a Lunatic” was a recurring theme in many of their songs. Scarface once
described himself as “a homicidal maniac with suicidal
tendencies.”
Perhaps , the most telling mental breakdown moment that best
exemplifies Hip Hop’s current state is the classic scene from the movie ,Juice,
when “Bishop “(Tupac Shakur) admits to "Q” (Omar Epps) “You're right, I am crazy
and I don't give a ..." As insanity has become standard Hip Hop
protocol.
So, the major question is , what makes some Hip Hop artists
actually lose their minds in real life?
The most convenient answer may be
alcohol and drug abuse abuse. After all, rap music does promote the use of
marijuana, sizzurp and Ex as forms of self medication to ease the pain. Although
the pharmacist at the drug store requires a prescription from a doctor, the
neighborhood “street pharmacist” has no such requirement. Remember, back in
1991, Geto Boy, Bushwick Bill lost his eye, allegedly, after drowning his
sorrows in a bottle of Everclear. Also, years before the current hysteria of
people turning into cannibals after getting high on bath salt, back in 2002 ,
rapper Big Lurch is said to have eaten a woman’s body parts because of PCP.
However, there can be other factors as well.
Perhaps the least
talked about reason for odd behavior among rappers is explored on Cee Lo Green's
(Gnarls Barkley) song “Crazy" where he seems to be feeling the pressure of one
of the most talented intellectual minds that Hip Hop has ever produced when he
was with the Goodie Mob being transformed into a cross- dressing, pop cultural
oddity.
What must not be forgotten is that in some ways,the themes that
are prevalent in much of rap music are also present in ‘hoods across
America,
Although, the theme of gun shots flyin' , people dyin' and
babies cryin' is talked about, extensively, in rap music, what is rarely
discussed is how living in that type of environment effects one, mentally. Could
it be that the millionaire rapper from the ‘hood who now lives in a mansion on
the hill still has unresolved childhood issues that are reflected in his music
?
When multi-national corporations get a hold of this type of behavior
and glamorize it, they make even the most irrational type of behavior a
requirement for being "down with the culture." And if they can make a quick buck
sellin' insanity, so be it.
So the youth become victims of what Coach
Alfred Powell, author of the book , Hip Hop Hypocrisy, calls “psycho media
perpetrator disorder," mirroring the behaviors exhibited by their favorite
rappers.
While there are economic incentives to promote rap insanity,
there are other entities that may have a vested interest in keeping us out of
our minds as well.
Psychologist Bobby E. Wright argued in his book
“The Psychopathic Racial Personality “ that the pathologies plaguing the 'hood
and, therefore, Hip Hop are no accidents but are a result of what he termed “
Mentacide.” He said that Mentacide was a way for the power structure to combat
Black nationalism.
If Einstein was correct and insanity is “doing the
same thing over and over again and expecting different results, perhaps the most
insane are not the rappers but the conscious ones of us who consider ourselves
in our right minds, as we have used the same formulas to “cure the insanity in
Hip Hop" for two decades. Maybe it's time to find a new cure. As they say,
"desperate times call for drastic measures."
As a Public Service
Announcement, if you are a 30- something year old man and find yourself unable
to stop repeating Lil Wayne's "A Millie" or a 40 year old woman who decides to
dye your hair pink and get booty injections, seek help,
immediately!
Like Ice Cube once said:
“You better check yourself
before you wreck yourself.”
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott's weekly
column is "This Ain't Hip Hop," a column for intelligent Hip Hop headz. For
information on his upcoming lecture series contact info@nowarningshotsfired.com
or his website NoWarningShotsFired.com. Follow him on Twitter
@truthminista
Monday, July 9, 2012
Friday, July 6, 2012
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Independence Day or Thug Holiday
Independence Day or Thug Holiday:
Should Black People Celebrate July 4th ?
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott
“Our country ‘tis of thee/land of liberty/But that’ll never be/not in America”
Amerika- Trick Daddy
It was the annual Independence Day party and Club US was packed wall to wall with Black folks dressed in red, white and blue looking like thugged out Uncle Sams. Everybody was enjoying the holiday to the fullest. But suddenly DJ Freddie D stopped the music and yelled “Ya’ll do know that we weren’t free in 1776, right?” That’s when the crowd turned ugly and started throwin’ chairs and champagne bottles at the dj booth. Order wasn’t restored until the cops showed up and arrested Freddie D for starting a riot...
Every year, African Americans spend millions of dollars on hot dogs, booze and fireworks to celebrate this country’s Independence Day. Problem is, while the ”bombs were burstin’ in air” my ancestors were still pickin’ tobacco in the hot Carolina sun.
Despite how many times you tell some people, they just can’t seem to get it through their thick skulls that Black folks were not free in 1776!
Although the great abolitionist Frederick Douglas posed the question back in 1876,” What to the slave is the Fourth of July,” more than a hundred years later, we still have not gotten a good answer.
At most, some outraged, overly patriot dude dismisses the question by saying “Well, Buddy, we are all Americans now.” Or the classic line, “This here’s America and if you don’t love it you can take the first boat back to Africa. ”
Good answers. But that wasn’t the question.
No matter how drunk you get at Uncle Rudy’s July 4th pig pickin’ and how many firecrackers you set off, that still won’t change the fact that chattel slavery in this country did not end until almost 100 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Matter of fact, it must be noted that Black folks gained nothing from America's victory over the British. Lerone Bennet wrote in his book, Before the Mayflower, that Lord Dunmore, former governor of colonial Virginia, issued a proclamation on November 5, 1775 promising freedom to all male slaves willing to fight for England. This was more than 80 years before Lincoln "freed" the slaves in states that were rebelling against the Union.
Also, Britain abolished slavery in 1833 and it was not until three decades later that slavery was abolished in America.
Dr. WEB Dubois once wrote about the “the double consciousness” of being both African and American. This contradiction was not lost on the Hip Hop generation.
Since its early days, Hip Hop has tackled the issue of Black patriotism. During the height of Reaganomics, in the mid 80’s, pioneer rapper, Kurtis Blow proudly rapped that America was his favorite country. Decades later, during the Era of Terror, Petey Pablo told the USA not only to “raise up” but to “take the flag/put it in the air/and spin it like a helicopter.”
However, most rappers have been more critical.
Back in 1988, Public Enemy said on “Louder than a Bomb”” picture us coolin’ out on the 4th of July/ And if you heard we were celebrating/that’s a world wide lie!”
On his 2001 song, “My Country,” Nas claimed that America wanted to get rid of him because he knew too much.
The criticisms did not only come from New York rappers but the West Coast had beef with Uncle Sam, as well. Right after leaving NWA, Ice Cube released the anti-patriotic 1990 cd, Amerikkka’s Most Wanted and also West Coast artist Paris released scathing cds like The Devil Made Me Do It.
Although, not known for political awareness, southern rappers have also challenged America’s past and present atrocities. On 2002’s, “Thug Holiday,” Trick Daddy challenged the mis-educational system by questioning why when authors write history books about America’s wars, the only people that die are the Americans? As if no one else on the planet counts.
Also, while some may argue that America electing her first black commander- in- chief as a reason to fight for your right to party on the 4th, Plies said on “Why U Hate Me,” “they say our president’s Black/But we can’t tell, though.”
Let’s be clear. This is not a matter of hatin’ on people eatin’ hot dogs but challenging historical falsehoods. Nor does it have anything to do with “Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness but everything to do with lies and the pursuit of truth.
The big question is, if we accept the historical inaccuracies as fact, can we really criticize the youth for following rappers who glamorize the false notion that if you sell drugs and go to jail, eventually you will emerge from prison as a millionaire entertainer?
If America can celebrate a fake holiday based on a Freedom denied to those who built this country, then the gangsta’s have the right to create their own Thug Holiday, celebrating the many contributions that gangsta rap has made to American society.
While patriotic Americans preach the virtues of Freedom, this does not apply to Freedom of thought. They prefer you to repeat dogma instead of giving a critical analysis of historical facts. And this goes way beyond the 4th of July.
Why should Native Americans feel compelled to celebrate Columbus Day and Thanksgiving or should the Japanese Americans really be expected to rejoice on V-J Day?
At its best, Hip Hop has been iconoclastic by nature, boldly smashing the false idols of the past and bringing forth new ideas. But the question in 2012 is, in an era when rap artists are being rewarded for being carbon copies of each other and not challenging the status quo,does Hip Hop still have the heart to challenge historical hype?
Are there still Hip Hop artists who are willing to buck popular opinion and challenge the fallacy of Independence Day even if it means standing alone in the face of bitter opposition?
Like Immortal Technique said on “Point of No Return:”
“Universal Truth is not measured in mass appeal.”
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott’s weekly column is “This Ain’t Hip Hop,” a column for intelligent Hip Hop headz. He can be reached at (919) 308-4233 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com His website is NoWarningShotsFired.com Follow on Twitter @truthminista
Should Black People Celebrate July 4th ?
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott
“Our country ‘tis of thee/land of liberty/But that’ll never be/not in America”
Amerika- Trick Daddy
It was the annual Independence Day party and Club US was packed wall to wall with Black folks dressed in red, white and blue looking like thugged out Uncle Sams. Everybody was enjoying the holiday to the fullest. But suddenly DJ Freddie D stopped the music and yelled “Ya’ll do know that we weren’t free in 1776, right?” That’s when the crowd turned ugly and started throwin’ chairs and champagne bottles at the dj booth. Order wasn’t restored until the cops showed up and arrested Freddie D for starting a riot...
Every year, African Americans spend millions of dollars on hot dogs, booze and fireworks to celebrate this country’s Independence Day. Problem is, while the ”bombs were burstin’ in air” my ancestors were still pickin’ tobacco in the hot Carolina sun.
Despite how many times you tell some people, they just can’t seem to get it through their thick skulls that Black folks were not free in 1776!
Although the great abolitionist Frederick Douglas posed the question back in 1876,” What to the slave is the Fourth of July,” more than a hundred years later, we still have not gotten a good answer.
At most, some outraged, overly patriot dude dismisses the question by saying “Well, Buddy, we are all Americans now.” Or the classic line, “This here’s America and if you don’t love it you can take the first boat back to Africa. ”
Good answers. But that wasn’t the question.
No matter how drunk you get at Uncle Rudy’s July 4th pig pickin’ and how many firecrackers you set off, that still won’t change the fact that chattel slavery in this country did not end until almost 100 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Matter of fact, it must be noted that Black folks gained nothing from America's victory over the British. Lerone Bennet wrote in his book, Before the Mayflower, that Lord Dunmore, former governor of colonial Virginia, issued a proclamation on November 5, 1775 promising freedom to all male slaves willing to fight for England. This was more than 80 years before Lincoln "freed" the slaves in states that were rebelling against the Union.
Also, Britain abolished slavery in 1833 and it was not until three decades later that slavery was abolished in America.
Dr. WEB Dubois once wrote about the “the double consciousness” of being both African and American. This contradiction was not lost on the Hip Hop generation.
Since its early days, Hip Hop has tackled the issue of Black patriotism. During the height of Reaganomics, in the mid 80’s, pioneer rapper, Kurtis Blow proudly rapped that America was his favorite country. Decades later, during the Era of Terror, Petey Pablo told the USA not only to “raise up” but to “take the flag/put it in the air/and spin it like a helicopter.”
However, most rappers have been more critical.
Back in 1988, Public Enemy said on “Louder than a Bomb”” picture us coolin’ out on the 4th of July/ And if you heard we were celebrating/that’s a world wide lie!”
On his 2001 song, “My Country,” Nas claimed that America wanted to get rid of him because he knew too much.
The criticisms did not only come from New York rappers but the West Coast had beef with Uncle Sam, as well. Right after leaving NWA, Ice Cube released the anti-patriotic 1990 cd, Amerikkka’s Most Wanted and also West Coast artist Paris released scathing cds like The Devil Made Me Do It.
Although, not known for political awareness, southern rappers have also challenged America’s past and present atrocities. On 2002’s, “Thug Holiday,” Trick Daddy challenged the mis-educational system by questioning why when authors write history books about America’s wars, the only people that die are the Americans? As if no one else on the planet counts.
Also, while some may argue that America electing her first black commander- in- chief as a reason to fight for your right to party on the 4th, Plies said on “Why U Hate Me,” “they say our president’s Black/But we can’t tell, though.”
Let’s be clear. This is not a matter of hatin’ on people eatin’ hot dogs but challenging historical falsehoods. Nor does it have anything to do with “Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness but everything to do with lies and the pursuit of truth.
The big question is, if we accept the historical inaccuracies as fact, can we really criticize the youth for following rappers who glamorize the false notion that if you sell drugs and go to jail, eventually you will emerge from prison as a millionaire entertainer?
If America can celebrate a fake holiday based on a Freedom denied to those who built this country, then the gangsta’s have the right to create their own Thug Holiday, celebrating the many contributions that gangsta rap has made to American society.
While patriotic Americans preach the virtues of Freedom, this does not apply to Freedom of thought. They prefer you to repeat dogma instead of giving a critical analysis of historical facts. And this goes way beyond the 4th of July.
Why should Native Americans feel compelled to celebrate Columbus Day and Thanksgiving or should the Japanese Americans really be expected to rejoice on V-J Day?
At its best, Hip Hop has been iconoclastic by nature, boldly smashing the false idols of the past and bringing forth new ideas. But the question in 2012 is, in an era when rap artists are being rewarded for being carbon copies of each other and not challenging the status quo,does Hip Hop still have the heart to challenge historical hype?
Are there still Hip Hop artists who are willing to buck popular opinion and challenge the fallacy of Independence Day even if it means standing alone in the face of bitter opposition?
Like Immortal Technique said on “Point of No Return:”
“Universal Truth is not measured in mass appeal.”
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott’s weekly column is “This Ain’t Hip Hop,” a column for intelligent Hip Hop headz. He can be reached at (919) 308-4233 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com His website is NoWarningShotsFired.com Follow on Twitter @truthminista
Monday, June 25, 2012
The Gentrification of Rap
The Gentrification of Rap:
Did Hip Hop Sell Us Out ?
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott
“aka a sellout /rap definition/get off that boy/change your mission”
Crossover- EPMD
Although broken glass was everywhere, unemployment was at a record high and 911 was a joke, Clive Saddler’s Sedgwick Ave neighborhood was not the jungle the media portrayed; it was home and full of promise. But everyday the six o’clock news would run stories about drugs, murder and falling property values.That was until Universal Development Corp. came in with the bulldozers. One year later, the streets are clean, new businesses are on every corner and the police know everybody by name. Clive still lives there, behind the garbage bin of Sal’s Deli. But what happened to the rest of his neighborhoods who couldn’t afford the rent of the new brownstones? Nobody knows and nobody cares....
If you live in any ‘hood in America chances are you have heard of gentrification. In every city it's the same story, businesses close down, property values drop and the local news starts reporting about how dangerous the neighborhood has become. Than one day a development company rolls in and buys up all the property dirt cheap. A few years later the projects have become a paradise and the news is reporting how it is one of the best places to live in America.
The same can be said for Hip Hop.
In the early years , rap music was seen as the authentic voice of “inner city” America. Groups from Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five to Run DMC made records about the trials and tribulations of growing up in the proverbial “ghetto.” Within five years, rap music had grown from just an obligatory observation to a critical analysis of the socio-economic conditions that created the ‘hood in the first place.
Although Hip Hop has had a small group of hip, suburban fans since the early years, for most of mainstream White America, rap music was something to be feared and best avoided. However, by the end of the 80’s, MTV and major corporations had come to realize that the money that could be made from what they once considered ghetto garbage outweighed the risk of getting mugged in some dark alley way in the South Bronx.
As the popularity of Yo MTV Raps began to grow, so did White America’s acceptance of Hip Hop. So, by the time Treach of Naughty By Nature issued the chilling warning “if you ain’t never been to the ghetto, don’t ever come to the ghetto.” White America saw it as a party invitation. If you watch some of the throwback Hip Hop documentaries, the climax is always when a teary eyed ol’ school rapper reminisces about that glorious day when his majority Black audience turned lily white.”
But, in retrospect, was that a good thing?
Of course, the added exposure meant more money in the bank but at what cost? Contrary to the title of LL Cool J’s classic album, “bigger” ain’t always “deffer.”
Crossover kills.
Probably, the area hardest hit by crossover was Afrocentric, conscious Hip Hop. While it was briefly tolerated by white America, it was never truly accepted by the mainstream. There were just so many times that Poindexter was gonna allow himself to be called a “slave maker and bloodsucker of the poor” regardless of how funky the beat was. Thus, answering the great philosophical question, “can a man condemn himself” with an emphatic no.
While much attention has been given to “gangsta rap” as the cause of the demise of pro-Black Hip Hop, it must be remembered that the the less racially “offensive” De La Soul and the Native Tongues Movement as well as the dance music of MC Hammer and the rise of Vanilla Ice played a role ,as well.
During that era, while the average Black rapper rejoiced in his new found suburban fans , it was, actually, white rappers, MC Serch and Pete Nice from 3rd Base, that warned of the change that was coming on songs like “Gas Face” and “Pop Goes the Weasel.”
So, as time progressed the measure of the success of a rap artist became how many middle class White kids bought his CDs. And eventually Yo MTV Raps eclipsed the popularity of shows like BET’s Rap City. For instance, although, many rap fans are familiar with Ed Lover, Dr. Dre and T-Money, only a true Hip Hop head can tell you about Chris Thomas, Joe Claire and Big Lez.
While many may point to money as the motivating factor behind crossover, that is not entirely true, as one cannot put a dollar value on the psychological need for White acceptance in the Black psyche.
Have you ever wondered why the superstar rapper who always shows up grinnin’ at the Grammy Awards is always missing in action at the Soul Train Music Awards? There is that annual awkward moment when the nervous presenter has to say,
“And the winner of the Life time achievement/Hip Hop song of the year award is......Well, um, he couldn’t be here tonight, so...um..I’m gonna accept this on his behalf....”
It is said that “once you go black, you never go back” but once you go white forget about it. If Biffy leaves Sally Ann for Shaquana, he may get a little more swag in his style and start listening to “some Marvin Gaye, some Luther Vandross, a little Anita to set the party off right,” but he’s basically the same dude. But when Rasheed leaves Bonita for Becky , he loses his darn mind. His whole world perspective changes. All of a sudden even the most culturally aware brotha develops cultural amnesia and becomes a colorblind Hip Hop hippie , vehemently, attacking any discussion of “black” issues as outdated and racist.
As we wind down another Black Music month, the point here is not to whine about what happened to our culture. But to develop ways to save it.
Or else one day when our children ask us what happened to real Hip Hop we’ll just shrug our shoulders and sing like Joni Mitchell.
“They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.”
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott’s weekly column is “This Ain’t Hip Hop,” a column for intelligent Hip Hop headz. He can be reached at (919) 308-4233 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com His website is NoWarningShotsFired.com Follow on Twitter @truthminista
Did Hip Hop Sell Us Out ?
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott
“aka a sellout /rap definition/get off that boy/change your mission”
Crossover- EPMD
Although broken glass was everywhere, unemployment was at a record high and 911 was a joke, Clive Saddler’s Sedgwick Ave neighborhood was not the jungle the media portrayed; it was home and full of promise. But everyday the six o’clock news would run stories about drugs, murder and falling property values.That was until Universal Development Corp. came in with the bulldozers. One year later, the streets are clean, new businesses are on every corner and the police know everybody by name. Clive still lives there, behind the garbage bin of Sal’s Deli. But what happened to the rest of his neighborhoods who couldn’t afford the rent of the new brownstones? Nobody knows and nobody cares....
If you live in any ‘hood in America chances are you have heard of gentrification. In every city it's the same story, businesses close down, property values drop and the local news starts reporting about how dangerous the neighborhood has become. Than one day a development company rolls in and buys up all the property dirt cheap. A few years later the projects have become a paradise and the news is reporting how it is one of the best places to live in America.
The same can be said for Hip Hop.
In the early years , rap music was seen as the authentic voice of “inner city” America. Groups from Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five to Run DMC made records about the trials and tribulations of growing up in the proverbial “ghetto.” Within five years, rap music had grown from just an obligatory observation to a critical analysis of the socio-economic conditions that created the ‘hood in the first place.
Although Hip Hop has had a small group of hip, suburban fans since the early years, for most of mainstream White America, rap music was something to be feared and best avoided. However, by the end of the 80’s, MTV and major corporations had come to realize that the money that could be made from what they once considered ghetto garbage outweighed the risk of getting mugged in some dark alley way in the South Bronx.
As the popularity of Yo MTV Raps began to grow, so did White America’s acceptance of Hip Hop. So, by the time Treach of Naughty By Nature issued the chilling warning “if you ain’t never been to the ghetto, don’t ever come to the ghetto.” White America saw it as a party invitation. If you watch some of the throwback Hip Hop documentaries, the climax is always when a teary eyed ol’ school rapper reminisces about that glorious day when his majority Black audience turned lily white.”
But, in retrospect, was that a good thing?
Of course, the added exposure meant more money in the bank but at what cost? Contrary to the title of LL Cool J’s classic album, “bigger” ain’t always “deffer.”
Crossover kills.
Probably, the area hardest hit by crossover was Afrocentric, conscious Hip Hop. While it was briefly tolerated by white America, it was never truly accepted by the mainstream. There were just so many times that Poindexter was gonna allow himself to be called a “slave maker and bloodsucker of the poor” regardless of how funky the beat was. Thus, answering the great philosophical question, “can a man condemn himself” with an emphatic no.
While much attention has been given to “gangsta rap” as the cause of the demise of pro-Black Hip Hop, it must be remembered that the the less racially “offensive” De La Soul and the Native Tongues Movement as well as the dance music of MC Hammer and the rise of Vanilla Ice played a role ,as well.
During that era, while the average Black rapper rejoiced in his new found suburban fans , it was, actually, white rappers, MC Serch and Pete Nice from 3rd Base, that warned of the change that was coming on songs like “Gas Face” and “Pop Goes the Weasel.”
So, as time progressed the measure of the success of a rap artist became how many middle class White kids bought his CDs. And eventually Yo MTV Raps eclipsed the popularity of shows like BET’s Rap City. For instance, although, many rap fans are familiar with Ed Lover, Dr. Dre and T-Money, only a true Hip Hop head can tell you about Chris Thomas, Joe Claire and Big Lez.
While many may point to money as the motivating factor behind crossover, that is not entirely true, as one cannot put a dollar value on the psychological need for White acceptance in the Black psyche.
Have you ever wondered why the superstar rapper who always shows up grinnin’ at the Grammy Awards is always missing in action at the Soul Train Music Awards? There is that annual awkward moment when the nervous presenter has to say,
“And the winner of the Life time achievement/Hip Hop song of the year award is......Well, um, he couldn’t be here tonight, so...um..I’m gonna accept this on his behalf....”
It is said that “once you go black, you never go back” but once you go white forget about it. If Biffy leaves Sally Ann for Shaquana, he may get a little more swag in his style and start listening to “some Marvin Gaye, some Luther Vandross, a little Anita to set the party off right,” but he’s basically the same dude. But when Rasheed leaves Bonita for Becky , he loses his darn mind. His whole world perspective changes. All of a sudden even the most culturally aware brotha develops cultural amnesia and becomes a colorblind Hip Hop hippie , vehemently, attacking any discussion of “black” issues as outdated and racist.
As we wind down another Black Music month, the point here is not to whine about what happened to our culture. But to develop ways to save it.
Or else one day when our children ask us what happened to real Hip Hop we’ll just shrug our shoulders and sing like Joni Mitchell.
“They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.”
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott’s weekly column is “This Ain’t Hip Hop,” a column for intelligent Hip Hop headz. He can be reached at (919) 308-4233 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com His website is NoWarningShotsFired.com Follow on Twitter @truthminista
Monday, June 18, 2012
Destruction of Black Civilization
Destruction of Black Civilization:
Did Hip Hop Swagga Jack Black Culture?
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott
“So, I try to find a clue in you/But evidently White folks know more Black history than we do”
G.O.D.-Common feat. Cee Lo
On June 19,1865, Black folks in Galveston ,Texas finally got the Emancipation Proclamation announcement that slavery was over. They were ecstatic that they no longer had to choose between pickin’ massa’s crops or gettin’ beaten with rawhide. June 19, 2012, rap artists got the Hip Hop Emancipation memo that they no longer had to be coons and buffoons on the corporate rap music plantation and make mindless, murda music to mislead the masses. They were ,now, free to make music to actually uplift the Black community. Their reaction? “Naw, dawg. We good...”
Although many African Americans are celebrating Juneteenth, a holiday marking the “official” end of slavery in the US, many in Hip Hop still have not gotten the message. While it may be argued that there was a time when artists had to bow to the will of major record labels to be heard, in the Internet age of Youtube and Twitter, this is no longer the case. So, what we have is not really modern day slavery, but voluntary servitude.
Back in 1987, Dr. Chancellor Williams wrote the outstanding book, The Destruction of Black Civilization, about the factors that led to the decline of great African societies. If he would have waited just a few more years he could have added a chapter called “Hip Hop,” as it has done what 400 years of slavery could not. It has made a generation of African Americans, totally, reject Black culture.
Today, many in Hip Hop have ceased to identify themselves with “Blackness.” Although, some of our lighter-skinned grandparents had to “pass for white” to get over on society, many artists today “pass for Hip Hop” instead of accepting the social responsibility of being Black in America.
For some, Hip Hop is more than just a “culture” it has become a separate race. And they show more allegiance to Hip Hop than to the culture of their ancestors. I would not be surprised if one day somebody started a campaign to get Hip Hop included as a special racial category on the McDonald’s employment application forms.
The only time that some artists play the rap “race card” is when someone steps to them about their negative messages. How many times have you heard an otherwise culturally ,clueless rapper, eloquently, defend his lyrics by claiming “ya’ll just pickin’ on me ‘cause I’m an African American, Black man of color in America. I don’t see y’all sayin’ nuthin’ to Arnold Schwarzenegger....”
Although, some of the mainstream rappers are quick to defend Gay rights, pitbull rights and the rights of large sea mammals, they are slow to speak out on “black” issues. They will even jump to the defense of a White person using the dreaded “N “ word.
Case in point is the recent uproar over the N**** joke that was tweeted courtesy of actress Gwyneth Paltrow’s Twitter account. Although artists like Q-Tip expressed righteous indignation, some quickly rose to defend their damsel in distress. It was reported that , The Dream tried to take the heat by claiming that he was the real culprit. And later Nas threatened to give anybody who messed with his ride or die chick of the Caucasian persuasion a quick Queensbridge beat-down.
Maybe The Dream needs to revisit Malcolm X’s “House Negro vs Field Negro” speech where he said “the house Negro loved his master more than the master loved himself.” And Nas should go back and listen to his own, now autobiographical , song “Coon Picnic (These Are Our Heroes..)
“Let’s hear it too, for the spooks who do cartwheels/’cuz they say they played their parts well.”
However, they are not the only ones suffering from a racial identity crises.
As hardcore as MC Kill-M-All may be when interviewed by DJ Blaze on Hip Hop Power 97 in NY, his personality does a 180, when he politely chats with DJ Richie the C on Dance 105 in Des Moines. Or the same rapper who flashes guns and throws up gang signs on the Murda U Magazine DVD goes out of his way to convince a reporter from CNN or Forbes , that he is just an average guy who only wants peace for all mankind.
The real problem is that rappers rep’ thug-ism harder than we rep’ Black culture.
You have to give the swag boys credit for one thing; conviction. They are very clear on what they represent. (Whatever that may be.)
While the thugz have no problem walking into a ritzy, black -tie event with their drawers showin’ , a 40 oz in one hand and a big ,greasy bucket of fried chicken in the other, some of us won’t even wear an African medallion out in public for fear of being labeled a “radical.” And even though the gangsta’s will stand up in a room full of Ph.Ds and boldly defend their rights to be as ig’nant as they wanna be, the conscious cats get nervous just debating 13 year olds about the difference between rap and Hip Hop.
So, just as commercial rap music helped to destroy our culture, this Juneteenth we must make a vow to restore it. We must once again be proud to be Black.
Even though Ice T claims in his new documentary , The Art of Rap, that rap music made “something out of nothing,” in reality, it made nothing out of something...
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott’s weekly column is This Ain’t Hip Hop, a weekly column for intelligent Hip Hop headz. He can be reached at (919) 308-4233 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com His website is www.NoWarningShotsFired.com . Follow on Twitter @truthminista
Did Hip Hop Swagga Jack Black Culture?
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott
“So, I try to find a clue in you/But evidently White folks know more Black history than we do”
G.O.D.-Common feat. Cee Lo
On June 19,1865, Black folks in Galveston ,Texas finally got the Emancipation Proclamation announcement that slavery was over. They were ecstatic that they no longer had to choose between pickin’ massa’s crops or gettin’ beaten with rawhide. June 19, 2012, rap artists got the Hip Hop Emancipation memo that they no longer had to be coons and buffoons on the corporate rap music plantation and make mindless, murda music to mislead the masses. They were ,now, free to make music to actually uplift the Black community. Their reaction? “Naw, dawg. We good...”
Although many African Americans are celebrating Juneteenth, a holiday marking the “official” end of slavery in the US, many in Hip Hop still have not gotten the message. While it may be argued that there was a time when artists had to bow to the will of major record labels to be heard, in the Internet age of Youtube and Twitter, this is no longer the case. So, what we have is not really modern day slavery, but voluntary servitude.
Back in 1987, Dr. Chancellor Williams wrote the outstanding book, The Destruction of Black Civilization, about the factors that led to the decline of great African societies. If he would have waited just a few more years he could have added a chapter called “Hip Hop,” as it has done what 400 years of slavery could not. It has made a generation of African Americans, totally, reject Black culture.
Today, many in Hip Hop have ceased to identify themselves with “Blackness.” Although, some of our lighter-skinned grandparents had to “pass for white” to get over on society, many artists today “pass for Hip Hop” instead of accepting the social responsibility of being Black in America.
For some, Hip Hop is more than just a “culture” it has become a separate race. And they show more allegiance to Hip Hop than to the culture of their ancestors. I would not be surprised if one day somebody started a campaign to get Hip Hop included as a special racial category on the McDonald’s employment application forms.
The only time that some artists play the rap “race card” is when someone steps to them about their negative messages. How many times have you heard an otherwise culturally ,clueless rapper, eloquently, defend his lyrics by claiming “ya’ll just pickin’ on me ‘cause I’m an African American, Black man of color in America. I don’t see y’all sayin’ nuthin’ to Arnold Schwarzenegger....”
Although, some of the mainstream rappers are quick to defend Gay rights, pitbull rights and the rights of large sea mammals, they are slow to speak out on “black” issues. They will even jump to the defense of a White person using the dreaded “N “ word.
Case in point is the recent uproar over the N**** joke that was tweeted courtesy of actress Gwyneth Paltrow’s Twitter account. Although artists like Q-Tip expressed righteous indignation, some quickly rose to defend their damsel in distress. It was reported that , The Dream tried to take the heat by claiming that he was the real culprit. And later Nas threatened to give anybody who messed with his ride or die chick of the Caucasian persuasion a quick Queensbridge beat-down.
Maybe The Dream needs to revisit Malcolm X’s “House Negro vs Field Negro” speech where he said “the house Negro loved his master more than the master loved himself.” And Nas should go back and listen to his own, now autobiographical , song “Coon Picnic (These Are Our Heroes..)
“Let’s hear it too, for the spooks who do cartwheels/’cuz they say they played their parts well.”
However, they are not the only ones suffering from a racial identity crises.
As hardcore as MC Kill-M-All may be when interviewed by DJ Blaze on Hip Hop Power 97 in NY, his personality does a 180, when he politely chats with DJ Richie the C on Dance 105 in Des Moines. Or the same rapper who flashes guns and throws up gang signs on the Murda U Magazine DVD goes out of his way to convince a reporter from CNN or Forbes , that he is just an average guy who only wants peace for all mankind.
The real problem is that rappers rep’ thug-ism harder than we rep’ Black culture.
You have to give the swag boys credit for one thing; conviction. They are very clear on what they represent. (Whatever that may be.)
While the thugz have no problem walking into a ritzy, black -tie event with their drawers showin’ , a 40 oz in one hand and a big ,greasy bucket of fried chicken in the other, some of us won’t even wear an African medallion out in public for fear of being labeled a “radical.” And even though the gangsta’s will stand up in a room full of Ph.Ds and boldly defend their rights to be as ig’nant as they wanna be, the conscious cats get nervous just debating 13 year olds about the difference between rap and Hip Hop.
So, just as commercial rap music helped to destroy our culture, this Juneteenth we must make a vow to restore it. We must once again be proud to be Black.
Even though Ice T claims in his new documentary , The Art of Rap, that rap music made “something out of nothing,” in reality, it made nothing out of something...
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott’s weekly column is This Ain’t Hip Hop, a weekly column for intelligent Hip Hop headz. He can be reached at (919) 308-4233 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com His website is www.NoWarningShotsFired.com . Follow on Twitter @truthminista
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Fear of an Intelligent Black Man
Fear of an Intelligent Black
Man:
Does Hip Hop Hate the Educated Rapper?
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott
“like conscious rappers/mad ‘cause we winnin’”
Lap Dance-Tyga
During a recent episode of BMET’s (Black Mis-Eductation Television) Fantastic Friday Rap Battle, the crowd went wild as the champ, B. Grimey dropped bombastic bombs on the challenger, MC Imhotep. By the time he said his third “yo mama so black” rhyme , the celebrity judges were applauding loudly as hosts, Clarence C and Rosie danced across the stage. However, when MC Imhotep, started rappin’ about how Grimey’s sneakers were made from sweatshop slave labor ,his bling courtesy of South African diamond mines and his swag a product of a dysfunctional educational system, the audience sat dumbfounded and the judges
ran for cover as Clarence J yelled “cut to commercial....”
Does Hip Hop Hate the Educated Rapper?
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott
“like conscious rappers/mad ‘cause we winnin’”
Lap Dance-Tyga
During a recent episode of BMET’s (Black Mis-Eductation Television) Fantastic Friday Rap Battle, the crowd went wild as the champ, B. Grimey dropped bombastic bombs on the challenger, MC Imhotep. By the time he said his third “yo mama so black” rhyme , the celebrity judges were applauding loudly as hosts, Clarence C and Rosie danced across the stage. However, when MC Imhotep, started rappin’ about how Grimey’s sneakers were made from sweatshop slave labor ,his bling courtesy of South African diamond mines and his swag a product of a dysfunctional educational system, the audience sat dumbfounded and the judges
ran for cover as Clarence J yelled “cut to commercial....”
Hip
Hop has a long history of beef with intelligent rappers. I remember back in the
day when Kangol Kid of UTFO dissed fellow group member EMD , “The Educated
Rapper” in front of Roxanne, with the classic line “I know you’re educated/but
when will you learn/not all girls want to be involved with book worms” However,
since EMD was just a character who wasn’t exactly known for droppin’ knowledge ,
it was understood as just part of the act.
However, when rappers like Tyga infer that intelligent mc’s are just hatin’ on him and his crew because they are “winning,” that ,sir, means war!
In fairness, Tyga was not the first to diss Hip Hop brainiacs, as over years more than a few commercially successful rappers have taken random shots at intellectual rappers. Remember back in 2002, Nelly aimed a diss at “tha Teacha” KRS-ONE when he said that people judging Hip Hop are the one’s whose albums flop on his song “Number 1.”
Ouch.
So, does Hip Hop really despise smart rappers?
Historically, America has always feared intelligent Black men. Even going back to the early 19th century with Nat Turner. Although he is portrayed in history books as a mindless brute runnin’ around slaughtering slave owners, Turner was intelligent. Also, even though the Black Panthers of the late 1960’s were known for bustin’ their guns, it must remembered that the party was founded on a college campus and their main threat to the power structure was their political education classes. Today, since Hip Hop is dominated by Black male voices, the paranoia is still there.
Although Ice T is mostly known for his pimp and gun talk , his most threatening lyric was “my lethal weapon is my mind.” That still holds true today, as ,although white mainstream Americans profess to hate violent, misogynist rap music , the reason why they back it financially and give it a platform is because of their fear of the alternative; music that will inspire Black people to challenge the status quo.
So, it is not really hate that fuels the animosity against intelligence in rap , but fear. And when
this fear is internalized it morphs into self -hatred. As Marianne Williamson said in her oft quoted poem, “our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate but that we are powerful beyond measure.”
Although some rappers are actually intellectually challenged in real life, many are just playing dumb. One of the best examples is one of the hottest rappers in the game, right now ,2Chainz. Although, he is rumored to be academically gifted and ,according to his website, even down with the Hip Hop Congress’s “Respect My Vote” campaign, the message that he sends our children does not reflect any of that. His latest songs, “Riot” and “Rich Man’s World” could have easily been the political anthems of the Occupy Wall Street/ Trayvon Martin Era but instead he chose to continue with the same misogynistic tales of murder and mayhem.
So what do we do?
We declare war.
Contrary to popular belief , there has never been an all out war against Hip Hop ignorance.
Although, back in ‘94 , Jeru the Damaja threatened to stab “Mr. Ignorance” “in the heart with sharp steel book marks,” he is alive and kicking. Reason being, over the years we have either looked to a rap apologist going through mid -life crisis, still tryin’ to be down or an overpaid Hip Hop academian to solve the problem.
However, the solutions are simple.
First, we have to stop parroting the lie that the reason that Hip Hop is in its present state is because that is what “we” want.
Uh...no, “we” don’t.
Unfortunately, anyone who is smarter than a fifth grader is, somehow , always, left out of the official Hip Hop census.
Also, conscious rappers and Hip Hop journalists need to stop goin’ out like suckas. Although, playing dumb may be an entrance requirement for the cool kids table for high school freshman when adults dumb themselves down to fit in with their kid’s homies...We’ll , that’s just wrong.
Finally, as unbelievable as it might sound the best sage wisdom comes courtesy of the late Notorious B.I.G. on his song “Unbelievable,” “dumb rappers need teachin’.” If we can’t make being smart cool, at least we can make being stupid, uncool.
So, no Tyga we ain’t mad because you’re winnin’ ,we’re mad because of lyrics like yours, our children are losin’.
Although, school is out for the summer we have to admit that for Hip Hop, school has been out for decades. It’s time ring the bell and yell “class is back in session.”
A generation ago, KRS One proclaimed “the age of the ignorant rapper is done.” Unfortunately, we’ve been singin’ that same song for 20 summers.
Maybe this year, KRS. Maybe this year....
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott’s weekly column is This Ain’t Hip Hop: a column for intelligent Hip Hop headz. He can be reached at (919) 308-4233 or email info@nowarningshotsfired.com His website is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com Follow on Twitter @truthminista
However, when rappers like Tyga infer that intelligent mc’s are just hatin’ on him and his crew because they are “winning,” that ,sir, means war!
In fairness, Tyga was not the first to diss Hip Hop brainiacs, as over years more than a few commercially successful rappers have taken random shots at intellectual rappers. Remember back in 2002, Nelly aimed a diss at “tha Teacha” KRS-ONE when he said that people judging Hip Hop are the one’s whose albums flop on his song “Number 1.”
Ouch.
So, does Hip Hop really despise smart rappers?
Historically, America has always feared intelligent Black men. Even going back to the early 19th century with Nat Turner. Although he is portrayed in history books as a mindless brute runnin’ around slaughtering slave owners, Turner was intelligent. Also, even though the Black Panthers of the late 1960’s were known for bustin’ their guns, it must remembered that the party was founded on a college campus and their main threat to the power structure was their political education classes. Today, since Hip Hop is dominated by Black male voices, the paranoia is still there.
Although Ice T is mostly known for his pimp and gun talk , his most threatening lyric was “my lethal weapon is my mind.” That still holds true today, as ,although white mainstream Americans profess to hate violent, misogynist rap music , the reason why they back it financially and give it a platform is because of their fear of the alternative; music that will inspire Black people to challenge the status quo.
So, it is not really hate that fuels the animosity against intelligence in rap , but fear. And when
this fear is internalized it morphs into self -hatred. As Marianne Williamson said in her oft quoted poem, “our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate but that we are powerful beyond measure.”
Although some rappers are actually intellectually challenged in real life, many are just playing dumb. One of the best examples is one of the hottest rappers in the game, right now ,2Chainz. Although, he is rumored to be academically gifted and ,according to his website, even down with the Hip Hop Congress’s “Respect My Vote” campaign, the message that he sends our children does not reflect any of that. His latest songs, “Riot” and “Rich Man’s World” could have easily been the political anthems of the Occupy Wall Street/ Trayvon Martin Era but instead he chose to continue with the same misogynistic tales of murder and mayhem.
So what do we do?
We declare war.
Contrary to popular belief , there has never been an all out war against Hip Hop ignorance.
Although, back in ‘94 , Jeru the Damaja threatened to stab “Mr. Ignorance” “in the heart with sharp steel book marks,” he is alive and kicking. Reason being, over the years we have either looked to a rap apologist going through mid -life crisis, still tryin’ to be down or an overpaid Hip Hop academian to solve the problem.
However, the solutions are simple.
First, we have to stop parroting the lie that the reason that Hip Hop is in its present state is because that is what “we” want.
Uh...no, “we” don’t.
Unfortunately, anyone who is smarter than a fifth grader is, somehow , always, left out of the official Hip Hop census.
Also, conscious rappers and Hip Hop journalists need to stop goin’ out like suckas. Although, playing dumb may be an entrance requirement for the cool kids table for high school freshman when adults dumb themselves down to fit in with their kid’s homies...We’ll , that’s just wrong.
Finally, as unbelievable as it might sound the best sage wisdom comes courtesy of the late Notorious B.I.G. on his song “Unbelievable,” “dumb rappers need teachin’.” If we can’t make being smart cool, at least we can make being stupid, uncool.
So, no Tyga we ain’t mad because you’re winnin’ ,we’re mad because of lyrics like yours, our children are losin’.
Although, school is out for the summer we have to admit that for Hip Hop, school has been out for decades. It’s time ring the bell and yell “class is back in session.”
A generation ago, KRS One proclaimed “the age of the ignorant rapper is done.” Unfortunately, we’ve been singin’ that same song for 20 summers.
Maybe this year, KRS. Maybe this year....
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott’s weekly column is This Ain’t Hip Hop: a column for intelligent Hip Hop headz. He can be reached at (919) 308-4233 or email info@nowarningshotsfired.com His website is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com Follow on Twitter @truthminista
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
New Syndicated Hip Hop Column Starts Next Week
Starting next week, "This Ain't Hip Hop: the column for intelligent Hip Hop headz will become syndicated. If your website, newspaper or radio show would like to subscribe contact info@nowarningshotsfired.com or (919) 308-4233
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