Continued from Nas insults every Black American with one word Part 1...
Recent Congressional hearings have gone virtually unreported, with entertainers, media corporations, and radio stations all denying any culpability for the content that is made or any negative effects it my encourage/create. With no one to blame, and pressure from the media seeking to blame someone, individuals like Nas are perfect targets. I can’t say I’m sorry when he chooses to adorn album covers with language depicting the worst insult known in the English language.
Nor can I feel pity for a genre of individuals that appear virtually incapable of avoiding legal difficulties. Take the most recent act of idiocy, the arrest of TI (Clifford Harris Jr) for illegal gun possession. Now that may not be a big deal, virtually every rapper has been arrested on a similar charge, Mr. Harris took it to the next level with an attempt to buy machine guns and ownership of multiple assault rifles and handguns. Can anyone explain why he would need this? And how many other rappers have been arrested this year alone? 2 dozen or so? And how many repeatedly, perhaps a dozen? Or am I low-balling the numbers?
The lack of discipline and personal responsibility displayed by the gangsta rap genre is bewildering. The use of the N-word, multiple arrests for crimes ranging from assault to drugs and more are just too much. Some may disagree on whether my argument of their being sell-outs is accurate, but I cannot see how any might dispute that in the current form and the exclusion of any other format, rap is hurting the Black community.
Mr. Creekmur is correct that 1 bad act does not invalidate 1 or 2 good acts. But when we look at the balance, I see dozens of bad acts and barely a handful of good.
We need change. Not by Congress, or from some corporation. We need to take action ourselves; because that is the only way we will see things improve in a meaningful way. If not, I fear that in 15 or 20 years we will wish for the respective charm of what we have today.
So when Nas releases his new album with a title that blatantly insults every living and dead African American, I would suggest not buying it or getting the bootleg or download. Or is that too much to ask?
3 comments:
As part of the hip hop generation as well as being an educated woman, I am disgusted that you would blog about the honesty of the Boondocks in which a little child sits around his grandfather and curses like a sailor and calls others "nigger" but you would encourage people to boycott Nas's album "Nigga". Why not solicit Nas and find out what is behind the title of the album or even interview or solicit his comment on the content? This just goes to show the overall ignorance and overwhelming need of black people with a voice to be accepted by others. The NAACP assumed it was making a symbolic action by burying the word. I bet you on the next season of the Boondocks Aaron McGruder will talk about this. I think that a lot of the leadership and members of the NAACP are themselves ignoranat and very irrelevant to issues plaguing black people in America unless there is media attention or some kind of profit to be gained. I hope this comment gets approved for others to read.
First let me thank you for commenting on my post.
I see that I hit a nerve as I was hoping to do with my use of the Boondocks video. The purpose was to highlight the nature of the N-word. To show how insulting the word is, and how it’s commonality in modern language is hurtful no matter the color of the person using it.
Yes, the Boondocks has a young child, Riley, that routinely uses the N-word. He uses the term in front of EVERYONE, including his grandfather. And Riley is often used as a symbol of the current youth mentality in the program. And that is honest.
The fact is you may be upset at how often he uses such language, but as an educated, older, non-hip hop generation man I see young kids using this language everyday, throughout the nation. That is what is out there. And I feel the cartoon makes a social commentary on how useless and insulting such actions are. How unnecessary it is and negatively viewed by the individuals around those using the words.
Let me also state. There is no difference in the N-word, no matter how you wish to spell it. It’s the same word, the same meaning, the same insult. It is still the single most insulting and derogatory word in the English language, with no contemporary equivalent for any other race.
Now it may seem duplicitous that I enjoy the Boondocks, yet I deplore the use of this word. Perhaps it is to an extent. But I get the implication being made. That it’s use belittles those that use it, more than making any kind of point in their discussion. Perhaps that is too subtle, or I am missing the point, or the word is too ingrained in modern culture to be seen as I see it.
Now when Nas uses such a word as the title of his album, there is no context there is just that word. If a person you never met before walks past you, of ANY color, and says the N-word to you how do you feel? I have had that happen to me throughout my life, even recently, and it’s no greeting. The same is said of the album by Nas.
You ask me why I did not contact Nas for comment, or consider the songs in the album. Because they have nothing to do with my thoughts, nor do they justify the use of this word. The use of the word in this manner has 2 purposes, to incite anger and controversy in people such as myself – thus providing free advertising. The other purpose is to increase the commonality of the use of this word in the common lexicon. I find neither acceptable.
There is no doubt that the entire legal and advertising departments considered the ramifications of using this word. Their conclusion was that there is no legal impediment and that it will get attention which should translate into sales. This means that, again, and in the most explicit manner I’ve seen in my lifetime executives that could not say this word are going to be paid for insulting ALL African Americans.
Given those feelings and facts, I do not see where I have been ignorant. I would love to hear where you feel I have been.
I do not question the ability of Nas to make the album, or his ability to make social commentary if he chooses. That is part of his First Amendment right. At the same time I am not required to agree. I do not accept his reasoning for the use of this word as the title of his album, no matter what that reasoning is. I do not agree with the ‘social commentary’ of gangsta rap or hip hop as it is mass marketed and molded today. Rap in the past had far more commentary and depth and artistic expression than anything today. In my opinion, most today are just cookie cutter marketing tools for record companies, little different from the wave of boy bands or the one-hit wonders of the 50’s.
I have no connection to the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). I cannot speak for them. While they made a symbolic attempt to remove this word, as did New York City, if the youth of today are continuously fed the word by the media it will not go away. Nor does its meaning change.
You have made accusations against the NAACP, which I do not agree with nor support. I do ask you to explain how the members of the NAACP are “ignoranat and very irrelevant”. What issues plauging African Americans are they not involved with – not what is being promoted by the media, but that they are not doing?
Lastly, I have never restricted a comment on this or any of my blogs EVER. I always approve commentary, with the caveat that profain language, blatant religious rants, and insults/personal attacks directed at myself or others will not be tolerated. I have not had the need to delete or modify in any manner any commentary on my blogs. I hope I will never need to. But there have been several that have come close.
I believe in freedom of expression. I do not believe that I have the sole view on any matter. That is why I have this blog. To increase discussion and promote thought. As long as that is done in a respectful manner, any commentary that is relevant and respectful – even in dissent – is welcome here.
I dont see anything wrong with the album title, we know nas is articulate and smarter than a lot of rappers so what matters is why he is using that word, not the fact that he is using it.
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