Post Mike Brown: Hip Hop doesn't feel right to me anymore

[10:31]

Don't put words in my mouth breh. Yes I am aware of social constructs, road blocks, and systematically putting people under the thumb of money. I would never tell you some kind of condescending shyt like 'pull yourself up by your britches' or boot straps or however YOU want to word it. I don't subscribe to the thinking that everyone has an equal chance and it's all about effort. I am well aware of the hurdles and the ones I don't have to jump over simply because I look white (but am not fully white) I also believe that those who fight hard and smart will get ahead even when they are being pushed down. Some of the non-white people you tagged are perfect examples of that.

First and foremost who said they were excuses? I am simply pointing out that Hip Hop isn't to blame fully because the things you are angry with will be there with out with out Hip Hop. As far as your point that Hip Hop can reinforce negative stereotypes, sure. I agree with you it can. I also pointed out that if you want to change Hip Hop you can with money, collective buying power, and good ol fashioned support.

As far as fighting the entire system, you are aiming at Hip Hop. I am saying aim at capitalism. Not by yourself either, with others, who are tired of the buying and selling of cultures in this country.

Wasn't directed to to you it was to @Vice Gripp

 

[OnlyInCalifornia]

You say this and yet r&b suffers a similar fate to hip hop. A lot of the current top r&b artists are thugged out, like Chris Brown, or not something worth aspiring to, like Rihanna. If you want ANY source of uplifting - or fukk, just NORMAL- black music, you have very few options. Not all of us black people like hip hop, or want to continue listening to hip hop. I'd also like a little more variety than r&b as an alternative. Since there aren't really any alternatives, and rap is the face of black music curently, it carries the burden of expressing the full black experience and not a myopic pit of negativity and corporatism that rap embraces. We don't have much media that speaks for us, and it sure as fukk ain't the music anymore, so where do we go? Face it; black music is dog shyt in 2014. You can pretend like positive rap being a thing isn't going to happen due to the undercurrents of our culture, but I feel like it's an excuse.

That's because that hybrid Hip Hop/R&B singer is what is popular in the mainstream. Chris Brown is the most visible but he is not the only one.

Isn't there an Aloe Blacc out there putting out albums? I saw Raphael Saddiq in LA just last summer and he crushed it. Now I won't pretend to be an R&B expert and it's not my deal really but just casually I know about these kinds of artists. I am sure if I LOOKED I could find more. Or maybe it is just LA that has this easy access to shows at random places all around the area.

You guys are complaining loudly but is this same effort spent going to shows and digging for albums? You know what sounds like an excuse? You guys complaining that music isn't hand delivered to you.

 

[OnlyInCalifornia]

Wasn't directed to to you it was to @Vice Gripp

Was a bit confused, my bad. I meant what I said tho.

 

[The Notorious K.I.M.]

What can they honestly say to make a difference? The majority of rappers who have a voice are the same ones promoting cold blooded murder.

 

[10:31]

Incorrect. Your racism is showing by the way.

They aren't "my people". EVERYONE is my people. I got this fukked up way of looking at things... see.... I look at ALL HUMANS as equals. I know, crazy concept, right?! You shouldn't call me a white man cuz I'm just a man, homie.

Malcolm X had a quote about that; you should look at him as a man and not a black man, white man, brown man or red man. (I paraphrased this, his quote was way more elegantly worded).

Aside from this post, be honest with me, what have YOU personally done to reverse any of the ills of society? Have you done any community work on social or race issues??

Edit - Only reason I got defensive is cuz you lumped me in with the powers of this country only cuz of my skin color. That's pretty racist... and you don't even realize it probably. I come from a working class family and none of my family are government workers or CEO's of corporations. So I have nothing in common wit these "crackers".

It's a shame Malcolm was gunned down when he reached enlightenment

I was actually just stating that these social constructs are real and not excuses. I also agree with you on generalizing a group of people who when you assess them as individuals are all different. I genuinely apologize for any direct or indirect disrespect.

I'm actually a volunteer in a boys and girls club right outside of little Italy in Baltimore. I've helped young black men focus on getting their education and even acted as role model for those of them who lack responsible adults in their home.

 

[deaddd]

You are part of the problem.

Either you are too young, or just being willfully ignorant and don't know your own history. I suspect you DO KNOW and are just another disinformation agent placed here to deflect from real discussion.

Whoever the fukk you are

I've been a rap blogger for five years and haven't been placed here to deflect anything. You did nothing to refute anything I said either, mostly because you can't.

Also, if I'm part of the problem, how does calling poor, uneducated white people CACs verify THEIR racism or solve problems? That's what's confusing to me. People shouldn't accuse others of things they too are guilty of, such as generalizing, prejudice etc.

 

[The Electric Lady]

So you subscribe to the idea that white racism is based on how black people "act".

No, not at all.

That's because that hybrid Hip Hop/R&B singer is what is popular in the mainstream. Chris Brown is the most visible but he is not the only one.

Isn't there an Aloe Blacc out there putting out albums? I saw Raphael Saddiq in LA just last summer and he crushed it. Now I won't pretend to be an R&B expert and it's not my deal really but just casually I know about these kinds of artists. I am sure if I LOOKED I could find more. Or maybe it is just LA that has this easy access to shows at random places all around the area.

You guys are complaining loudly but is this same effort spent going to shows and digging for albums? You know what sounds like an excuse? You guys complaining that music isn't hand delivered to you.

I go and support the artists I listen to and respect. I can support music I love and still try to start a dialogue. Honestly, you sound like you're excusing my observation.

 

[10:31]

To my white bredren


I'll kill all the CAC references from this point on. I appreciate you're honesty in assessing this issue. I genuinely mean it and I'm still encouraging open discussion on the topic.

 

[Incogno]

In a perfect world people wouldn't look at each other as different...just because of mere superficiality...

...but satan is the god of this world

that's why Jesus Perfect Humility is important...his perfect humility exposes satan's lies and conditioning...

"There is neither Male or Female...Jew or Gentile...slave or free(i believe this means poor or rich)..for you are all one in Christ"

what happened in the garden of eden?

satan(fixated on his beauty as lucifer)deceived eve=superiority complex(hides feelings of inferiority)
adam chose to listen to eve over GOD(isn't a respecter of persons)=inferiority complex(hides feelings of superiority)?

"the first man adam became a living being,the last adam, a life-giving spirit"

 

[Mass]

Slowly waking up.

Peace to this thread.

 

[John Hull]

I've been a rap blogger for five years

Clap for a wigga wit his bloggin ass

People shouldn't accuse others of things they too are guilty of

Right, you start off with a couple of logical fallacies, (ad hominem, tu quoque) and then expect to be taken seriously?

I see thru you cap, mister " what about black on black crime, reverse racism is just as bad" etc..

Go read a book or something

 

[Mass]

Im over here listening to this kendrick lamar album and reading some good posts in this thread...

If all goes well we should be able to take this culture back. I'm staying hopeful.

 

[THE MACHINE]

I have mixed emotions about hip hop right now but I am leaning towards agreeing with the op. White people have felt black people were a threat long before our hip hop fore fathers were even a gleam in their parent's eye, so to rely on them for help us is absurd. The images we put forth are damaging to black youth. We criticize and complain when white people portray us as thugs on predominately white entertainment, as we should. We complain when black actors put on a dress which feminizes the perception of the black male to the world, as we should. We complain when we are seen shucking and jiving, as we should. But if we do this, we have to have the same resolve when we have a chance to put our own images forth. The way we treat black women in music and videos is absolutely disgusting. Can you imagine how many young girls are growing up with the images of Love and Hip Hop, Real Housewives etc. as their definition of women. The way we talk about our fellow brothers in music is absolutely disgusting. While we need to report on whats going on in our neighborhoods, we also have a responsibility to say how we can fix it. Violence sells in rap but it doesnt mean its the right thing to talk about for an entire album. Crack rap sells but it doesnt mean it should be the main focus of an album.The whole time the protesting was going on in Furgeson, I wonder how many voter registration tents were set up to register the 12% of black voters registered in the city. When we get the stage to make a impact, we have to drive the dagger directly into white supremacy. Images of black people doing the right thing on television and in music will spark change in our youth. Im all for building a black utopia within the US, but we need to take control of our image.

edit: they were registering voters a couple of days ago

 

[Vice Gripp]

It's a shame Malcolm was gunned down when he reached enlightenment

I was actually just stating that these social constructs are real and not excuses. I also agree with you on generalizing a group of people who when you assess them as individuals are all different. I genuinely apologize for any direct or indirect disrespect.

I'm actually a volunteer in a boys and girls club right outside of little Italy in Baltimore. I've helped young black men focus on getting their education and even acted as role model for those of them who lack responsible adults in their home.

Respect for not just having the knowledge but putting forth real world action to make a difference! I've done a lot of charitable work in my community as well so I got mad respect for ya.

It's a DAMN shame him and Martin and other leaders were gunned down (JFK, John Lennon) because we seem to have a lack of voice in the artistic department in ALL areas and genres. That's why I switched my own style up to only talk about real topics.

We are the public; we are society. We can make true change as long as each of us realizes the power we all possess. Discussions are always the starting point and then real world action needs to happen as well.

With that being said I definitely agree with your OP that hip hop isn't that rebel voice it once was. It's like aiite these artists make a song after Mike Brown dies but then they gone go back to the gang bangin drug dealin persona that they usually do on their real albums.

 

[Truth200]

I have mixed emotions about hip hop right now but I am leaning towards agreeing with the op. White people have felt black people were a threat long before our hip hop fore fathers were even a gleam in their parent's eye, so to rely on them for help us is absurd. The images we put forth are damaging to black youth. We criticize and complain when white people portray us as thugs on predominately white entertainment, as we should. We complain when black actors put on a dress which feminizes the perception of the black male to the world, as we should. We complain when we are seen shucking and jiving, as we should. But if we do this, we have to have the same resolve when we have a chance to put our own images forth. The way we treat black women in music and videos is absolutely disgusting. Can you imagine how many young girls are growing up with the images of Love and Hip Hop, Real Housewives etc. as their definition of women. The way we talk about our fellow brothers in music is absolutely disgusting. While we need to report on whats going on in our neighborhoods, we also have a responsibility to say how we can fix it. Violence sells in rap but it doesnt mean its the right thing to talk about for an entire album. Crack rap sells but it doesnt mean it should be the main focus of an album.The whole time the protesting was going on in Furgeson, I wonder how many voter registration tents were set up to register the 12% of black voters registered in the city. When we get the stage to make a impact, we have to drive the dagger directly into white supremacy. Images of black people doing the right thing on television and in music will spark change in our youth. Im all for building a black utopia within the US, but we need to take control of our image.

edit: they were registering voters a couple of days ago

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