The Future of Blacks in Hip Hop
The Future of Blacks in Hip Hop: Masters or Slaves?
By Tre Millyanz
“Ma, what is this crap you’re listening to? That’s old white people music!”
This is a statement talking about Hip Hop I imagine happening 20 to 30 years from now. Granted, it’s hard for us to imagine now, but look at what happened to Jazz, Rock, and even Country (a little bit). Sure there are Black artists involved in all of them, but, as the originators of each of those genres, we are underrepresented relative to where we were in the past. Most importantly, on the business side, non-Blacks are making 90% of the money. This is where we could find ourselves with Hip Hop if we don’t watch out.
The transition from young, “urban” music to stuffy white people music begins in the corporate board room and ends with the artists. There are a few white trail blazers that creep up from time to time (e.g. Cypress Hill, Beastie Boys, Eminem, Paul Wall, etc.), but eventually they begin to flood the market. The trailblazing white artists usually just imitate the Black artists as best they can with a slight little twist; it might even take you a minute to even tell that they’re white. Over time that little twist becomes a 180-degree turn and the music sounds completely different (e.g. Asher Roth). This is what you have now with all these white rap groups popping up and sounding like they just graduated from some elite boarding school in New England. I’m not hating, I’m just sayin’. If this is the future of hip hop, let’s go ahead and have the ceremony now to officially hand it over to the pasty preppies.
So what does all this mean? Should we be mad at white people for taking over yet another genre of music? No, that’s just what they do…take over and control things. We start trends, they take them over and exploit them for profit. No offense, you know it’s true and you can’t fault them for it. We only have ourselves to blame for not having the vision and will to corner and hold a market. The main point I’m trying to get across is not that it matters what color the artist is. What I’m concerned with is the color of the person signing his/her checks. If we can’t even get in on the artist side in the future, how can we hope to own record labels, publishers, and distribution companies where the real money gets made?
The industry is already set up to pay artists pennies relative to major labels, distribution companies, and publishers, so white business men are already making a killing off of us. But if the trend continues, we won’t even be able to make as much money on the artist side either. I don’t care what color the artist is, as long as it’s a Black person owning the label, distribution, publishing, and writing the checks. Why, because we invented these types of music, so we should own them and use them as vehicles for change and uplift rather than the watered-down, nursery rhyme music that glorifies ignorance and buffoonery and creates Black enemies of Black people. Also, more fundamentally, because we find ourselves in a capitalist state, and capitalism is about competition. More often than not, the “teams” are organized first by race/ethnicity. Don’t take my word for it, read Blueprint for Black Power for a thorough explanation of why this is the case. You’ve got to choose a team and get in this game or get passed by.
Luckily, there is a trend in the industry of artists going independent and forsaking these terrible major label deals. This way they retain more ownership and creative control of their music, so they can make more money selling 100K albums that they would selling a million records with a major label deal. Although this creates more Black-ownership, unfortunately, it’s minor league business and it creates more division (modern day tribalism) and discourages the formation of large Black-owned entertainment powerhouses to rival the European and Asian companies. My suggestion is that rather than everyone starting “independent” labels, we all get together and buy or create a major label, owned and operated by Blacks for the benefit of Blacks primarily and humanity secondarily. I believe this is the only sure way to secure our future and dominance in Hip Hop. Time to step up to the majors son; weak, slave-minded Negroes need not apply.
What is the future of Black people in hip hop? Will we become masters (owners) and take over the game from the CD manufacturing plant all the way to the radio waves? Or will we remain slaves (employees) and end up like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRVqVwGWocM
Disclaimer: the views and opinions stated in this article are those of the author and do not represent the views of DN Group or any of its subsidiaries.
Death of Auto-Coon: The Movement
Negative images of Black culture in the media have finally pushed us over the edge. We’re fed up with the stupidity and ignorance. How much longer will we allow corporations to force feed the general public images of Negroes that do nothing more than degrade our race? While we do not feel there should be one monolithic thought process that persists in the Black Community, we feel the intelligence, sophistication, and ingenuity of our people should be broadcast for the World to see.
In most instances this is not the case. These days, it seems the major labels are only promoting cookie cutter rapers (I mean uh, rappers) that default to coonish behavior in order to remain relevant. If we do not take a stand against those who damage the integrity of the Black race in order to profit from ignorance, we are just as responsible for selling out our race. People that actively value stupidity over intelligence should not be the poster children of the Hip Hop community. People that default to making a mockery of Black culture gotta go! We’re declaring war and starting the movement. Will you join us? Check out the video and song our brother REO The Emcee laced us with and join the discussion:
Letter to a Stubborn Sista
A poem to a stubborn sista…
Racism Still Exists In The Age Of Obama
Last night I decided to take a break from writing a lecture, printing t-shirts, and coordinating superstar rap collabos. All week long I had confined myself to my home office dungeon, only departing upon the insistence of my dreadfully bored canines. On the verge of burnout, I knew I needed to take a break. So when my homeboy REO The Emcee called me to hang out, I was more than ready to take a load off. The swank bars of Rice Village would be the setting for his co-worker’s birthday celebration. With REO needing relief from the corporate plantation and me needing some fresh air and a Red Stripe, we decided to join the festivities at The Baker St Pub. Little did we know that the night would end in frustration, disbelief, and anger over blatant racial discrimination.
The night started off well at Baker St., as I was introduced to REO’s co-workers and their friends. We all talked and laughed as we tossed back cold pitchers of fermented wheat and Patrón shots. At our table, there was no conflict between us, as Black, White, Asian, and Indian all kicked it in harmony. Sitting on the patio in the Texas heat, I struck up a conversation with the Filipino chick to my right. She said her cousin (the birthday girl) was considering a trip across the street to Bronx Bar, where fresh Hip Hop was being spun all night. After all, it was her birthday and she wanted to dance. “The only problem is they don’t like letting Black or Indian guys in there” she admitted. “Really? In 2009 they’re still tripping like that?” I asked. She confessed that she never had first hand experience but that was just the word on the street. REO chimed in that he had been denied entrance on 2 prior occasions, supposedly due to dress code restrictions. Since the birthday girl really wanted to dance and Bronx Bar was conveniently 90 feet away, another young lady with a Mariah Carey skin tone went to scout the scene. When the attractive black/white hybrid returned, she said the bouncer guaranteed us all admittance on the condition that we were all dressed “as well” as she was.
Considering where I grew up, I was curious to see just how “Bronx” the Houston Bronx Bar was. I could hear the DJ mixing 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes, and Big Pun from across the street. We walked over and lined up to let the rhoided up bouncer check our IDs. Directly behind me, REO was the last person in line until he realized he neglected to close out his tab at Baker St. He quickly ran back across the street to retrieve his credit card. As the bouncer granted the others acceptance into Bronx Bar, he paused holding my drivers license to confirm that I was indeed with the group. “Yeah, those are my people,” I explained “We have one more joining us in a few minutes.” He reluctantly unlatched the velvet divider and let me pass. I waited for REO at the front of the bar to make sure he didn’t have any issues gaining entrance. Upon REO’s return, the bouncer asked him to wait at the front of the line. He waived a group of white males around him and swiftly ushered them into the establishment. I tapped the bouncer to let him know that REO was with our group and he just mumbled “Hold on, I’m doing my job.” 10 more minutes pass and the bouncer has already allowed several groups of Caucasian revelers to skip my friend in line. Observing that the Houston police officers next to the bouncer were itching for an excuse to put their hands on a Negro, I grabbed the birthday girl and let her explain to the bouncer that REO was indeed with the group. Once again, the ogre mumbles “Hold on, I’m just doing my job.” Two more white males show up and he promptly checks their under-21 IDs and lets them in. That was the last straw. Bronx Bar was actively administering the 12 percent rule, (coined by my dude Field Negro), by making sure the Black population inside the club did not meet or exceed the current proportion of Blacks to Whites in the United States. I unhooked the velvet rope and proceeded to my car with an irate REO.
While REO was angry, I could not muster the energy to lash out at the ignorance I witnessed. Maliciously reacting to the situation would have resolved nothing, and most likely would have resulted in us being tazered, shot, or arrested. It doesn’t matter if the President is Black or my money is green, White supremacist ideology still lingers in pockets of this country like syphilis. Just when you start to believe it’s gone, it burns you like a hot comb on a nappy kitchen. Don’t allow yourself to believe that Barack Obama’s election has eliminated racism. This is something that every man, woman, and child has to be committed to eradicating. Therefore, if YOU truly want to end racism you have to start identifying those individuals that continue to spread the germ. Call them out. Hit them in their pockets. Boycott their establishments. To the owners of The Bronx Bar, we’ll see how you react when the Houston Chronicle and local television run this story. REO would like to share the inside scoop with the world (filmed directly after the incident):
Michael Vick And The American Double Standard
As the owner of two loyal mutts, I felt no sympathy for Michael Vick when the laws hauled this dimwit off to the penitentiary. Vick got what he deserved. Anyone that promotes the unnecessary destruction of living creatures is a heinous, vile individual. Finding pleasure in the violent demise of animals trained to rip flesh from bones is despicable. Despite the fact that I feel Michael Vick’s punishment was just, I would however like to point out an odd double standard in our current legal system. There are several forms of hunting that cross the lines of morality and feed a culture of ignorance in this country.
No, I am not a vegan. I gobble ground turkey and tear up tilapia on a regular basis. Animals have to die in order for me to get my protein fix; I understand that. Growing up on Hunter Avenue in the Bronx (how ironic), my homeboy Louie and his pops used to deer hunt upstate, bringing back tasty venison to roast in my oven. Their love for shooting and trapping helped New York State control its deer population, but most importantly gave a middle class family 3 months worth of food to eat. Although I could never muster the courage to join them in shooting Bambi’s mother, I respected their choice to contribute to the natural ebb and flow of the food chain.
After moving to Texas and seeing how much hunting is a part of the year round culture, I realized a few disturbing facts. There are not enough deer in Texas for trigger happy, gun crazy, Texans to shoot. So what does a capitalist do when there is a large market for shooting bushy tailed animals and a low supply of targets? They figure out how to make more targets… of course… duh! To my chagrin, there are actual breeding farms that exist for the sole purpose of manufacturing living things; living things that can be transported to game reserves where Uncle Buck and Four Finger Jimmy can blow their heads off – for fun. This is big business folks, check it out HERE.
WTF is wrong with Americans that we allow Billy Bob to mutilate animals with shotguns for sheer enjoyment, yet we just as easily sentence people to jail for dogfighting? Why is it cool for Sarah Palin to fly around in a helicopter shooting arctic wolves? She’s obviously not going to eat the wolf. Wolves are no different from dogs. They’re literally in the same family and able to mate. Yet a presidential candidate can gun them down with a rifle and be labeled an outdoorsman, while a dog fighter gets locked up. This is a travesty of the American criminal justice system. Just one more discrepancy which forces me to have zero faith in the impartiality of United States law.
To make things clear, PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO KILL ANIMALS THEY WILL NOT EAT. Killing a wolf, bear, or anything for utter amusement needs to be a crime. It violates the Mother Earth G-Code. Breeding animals just so some white trash in the South can suit up in fatigues, drink a case of Natty Light, and enjoy the primitive boom of a firearm needs to be made illegal immediately.
Every time there’s a school shooting, people are quick to point the blame for why these tragedies occur. Meaningless hunting devalues life on such a grand scale that killing is no longer taboo, its a national pastime. Year after year, Americans use hunting as an excuse to fuel the expansion of an increasingly dangerous society. Let’s put the weapons down and pick up some books for once. The pen will always be mightier than the sword.
Why It Pays To Be a Dangerous Negro
Reposted from AOL Black Voices
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, PhD
Dangerous Negro is changing the world. A young company founded by strong, intelligent black men, Dangerous Negro is shaking up the corporate power structure with empowered and intelligent apparel, designed to let you know that black men are no longer interested in scraping, bowing and “bojangling” to get ahead. Educated at the top business schools in the world, these men are not just hustling t-shirts – they are making serious money. Entrepreneurship is the Underground Railroad of the New millenium, and these men have signed themselves on as conductors. As winners of the Miller Coors Urban Entrepreneur Series, we can see that their greatest work is yet to come.
AOL Black Voices had the chance to catch up with the founders of Dangerous Negro:
1) What exactly is a “Dangerous Negro”?
Our tagline is: A dangerousNEGRO is a Danger to America’s racial paradigm, a Danger to low expectations, a Danger to degenerate black mentalities, and is Dangerously contagious to the miseducated individual. Are you a dangerousNegro or soon to be endangered Negro?
Basically we noticed a historical pattern of great Black leaders being labeled “dangerous Negroes.” Starting with President Woodrow Wilson’s declaration of A. Philip Randolph as “the most dangerous Negro in America” in 1919, it seems that intelligent Black leaders with organizational skills were given this label. For instance, Martin Luther King Jr. was crowned the “most dangerous Negro in America” by the FBI after the March on Washington. The US Government was fairly consistent in keeping the “dangerous Negro” monicker alive. Due to the global Black community’s current state of despair, we would like to reignite this trend.
2) Tell me about your organization: What do you do, who’s involved?
dN Group LLC is the parent company that operates dangerousNEGRO Black Empowerment Apparel (dN|Be Apparel) and dangerousNEGRO Entertainment (dN|Be ENT.).
dangerousNEGRO arose from the minds of Black men united in the quest to deliver consciousness to a lost generation. Sickened by images of ignorance, we decided to take a stand by giving the world a positive visual representation of Black culture. So our goal was to start not just an innovative clothing line and record label, but a movement.
We firmly believe that through our products we can increase the number of socially conscious individuals around the world, and, in turn, increase their impact on the community. By serving as a visual representation of the Black Empowerment Movement, our brand can help to inspire action and combat the apathy that has taken over many aspects of the Black community.
3) How did this company get started in the first place? Also, what’s the background of the founders?
The company was started in Nashville, TN, where 6 of us graduated from Vanderbilt University. The seventh founder has always been a close associate based out of Indianapolis. All of us shared the desire to incite action in the Black community, so we combined our individual talents to strive towards that common goal.
We all have diverse backgrounds. I’m proud to say we boast among our ranks an MBA (Chairman Tre Baker), an MBA candidate (Frank Robinson), a Ph.D candidate (Tracy Holmes), a JD. (Justin Giboney, Esq), a Master of Engineering (President Sebastine Ujereh Jr.), and 2 Bachelor of Arts scholars (Demetrius Walker and Gary Mavindidze). Justin and myself (Demetrius Walker) are also public speakers that travel around the country lecturing.
4) What have you learned about the ups and downs of entrepreneurship? What has kept you going for this long?
We’ve learned that persistence and determination are key. The word Negro has somehow become the most frightening word in the English language, so we have learned to patiently weed through people’s ignorance. In order to enlighten and incite change it takes a strong team committed to teamwork.
Seeing people inspired by our product has kept us going for the past 4 years. We’ve sold thousands of shirts across the country and people seem to appreciate what we are trying to accomplish. In many ways, we are the voice of those who wish to see change in the social, political, and economic well being of their communities. Therefore, our responsibility to Black America keeps us motivated.
5) Who is buying your product at this time?
Most of our apparel customers are in the 14-35 age range and sympathetic to our call for empowerment. We sell an equal amount of male and female shirts.
On the dN|Be Entertainment side we have an enormously diverse crowd of fans from all over the world.
6) You are obviously about more than just selling t-shirts. What tangential progress would you like to make in your community?
We would like to be the alarm clock that finally forces the Black community to wake up. Through dN|Be Apparel, we are forcing people to visibly recognize that “Smart Is The New Gangsta” these days. When someone is wearing one of our shirts they visually impact the subconscious of all in their vicinity. So the fashion side of our company hopes to encourage activism through people’s sense of sight.
dN|Be Entertatinment caters to the sense of hearing on the other hand. Our airwaves are polluted with a significant amount of nonsense. We will be giving listeners music that will encourage intellectualism and promote intelligence.
7) What are your plans for the future?
As the company continues to spread its positive message, dangerousNEGRO plans to become the preeminent leader in urban wear, independent Hip Hop, and multiple other ventures. Once we finish raising the necessary capital, we are confident that dangerousNEGRO will be a household name.
8) Is there anything else you’d like for the AOL Black Voices audience to know?
We would like to thank AOL Black Voices for giving us an opportunity to talk about our business. We encourage everyone to become actively involved in our movement. Go to dangerousNEGRO.com today. Participate in our blog discussions. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/dangerousNEGRO. Join our Facebook fan page as well. Tap us to speak at your schools and universities. This is an interactive movement and we are very responsive to the input of our customers, consumers, and even critics. Help us to get this positive message in every Black household across the country!
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and author of the forthcoming book, “Black American Money.” To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered directly to your email, please click here.
Cornel West And Carl Dix On Obama 7/14
The continued need for resistance and liberation… Be there July 14th at City College in NY!
Nigerian Rebels Sabotage Shell, Agip Oil Pipelines
By Dulue Mbachu
July 8 (Bloomberg) — The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said it sabotaged trunk lines run by Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Eni SpA’s Agip unit in its longest-running series of attacks against Nigeria’s oil industry to date.
The latest raid took place in Bayelsa state at about 2 a.m. local time, Jomo Gbomo, a spokesman for MEND, said today in an e-mailed statement. A pipeline feeding Eni’s Brass terminal was sabotaged at Nembe Creek, while Shell’s Nembe Creek line was damaged in the village of Asawo, Gbomo said.
Shell is investigating reports of “an incident” in the Nembe area, Tony Okonedo, the company’s Nigeria spokesman, said by phone from Lagos today. A pipeline was sabotaged around the Brass terminal, cutting off the equivalent of 24,000 barrels of oil a day, Eni said in a statement on its Web site today.
MEND has intensified attacks against oil installations in the oil-rich Niger River delta since the military began an offensive against its positions in May. The group has taken responsibility for 22 attacks on oil installations and one on a chemical tanker since May 25. MEND says it’s fighting for a greater share of the region’s oil wealth for local communities.
The rebel group rejected an amnesty offer from President Umaru Yar’Adua on June 25, saying the move failed to address key demands. Under the terms of the amnesty, fighters in the Niger River delta have until Oct. 4 to surrender their weapons, renounce violence and accept rehabilitation.
‘Incoherent’ Policy
Most fighters are unlikely to be swayed by the amnesty in the absence of a clear policy by Yar’Adua to deal with grievances in the oil region, Sebastian Spio-Garbrah, Africa analyst at Eurasia Group, said by phone from New York. “By and large the government’s Niger Delta policy has been incoherent and difficult to ascertain.”
Armed attacks in the delta, which accounts for almost all of Nigeria’s oil output, have cut more than 20 percent of the country’s crude exports since 2006. Nigeria is the fifth-biggest source of U.S. oil imports. Attacks reduced output to less than half of capacity of 3 million barrels a day, Petroleum Minister of State Odein Ajumogobia said in May.
“We could see oil production fall further dramatically to about 1 million barrels a day” on the attacks, Spio-Garbrah said.
MEND is seeking the “genuine, unconditional release” of its leader Henry Okah, who faces trial for treason and gun- running, the group has said. It also wants “true federalism,” which would give the delta region control of oil revenue while paying tax to the central government, and restitution for civilian victims of military raids in the area.
To contact the reporter on this story: Dulue Mbachu in Lagos at dmbachu@bloomberg.net
Expectations High Before Obama Visit
Original Post from ghanaweb.com
U.S. President Barack Obama arrives in Ghana later this week and expectations among Ghanaians are high. Ghana’s government is running a series of radio ads in anticipation of President Obama’s visit.
“First black president of the United States of America, you have become a shining star, and despite the height of your achievement you are still proud to be called a black man. Barack Obama is coming home. He is coming to Ghana, Gold Coast, the center of the world,” one ad declares.
Information Minister Zita Okaikoi says the visit is a boon to Ghana.
“Once Obama comes here, we should expect good things. Investors would want to come in, to see what Ghana has to offer,” he said.
The government is also using this visit to promote Ghana’s image as a stable democracy, and an attractive tourist destination.
“It sends a clear signal to the rest of the world that you are a country worth visiting. People should take advantage to go there to see why he went there. We think we have got what it takes to make this visit so prominent. And place us where we actually need to be,” said Deputy Minister of Tourism Kobi Achampong.
In Ada, 150 kilometers from the capital Accra, retiree Philomena Dadzie hopes the visit will change the everyday lives of many Ghanaians.
“This is not the first time the U.S. president is coming to Ghana, and Obama’s coming here too will have an impact and this will bring jobs for the youth who are not employed,” said Dadzie.
Fisherman Filemon Atitsogbe hopes Ghanaian democracy can learn from America’s example.
“Democracy started in America, and when Obama comes he will share his experiences with Ghana,” he said.
Back in Accra, preparations are underway for the visit. Some people have renamed their shops, and thousands of posters line the major streets.
The government put up some of them, but a group called Friends for Obama, Ghana, is responsible for the largest billboards. Head organizer Nancy Sam said they are working so hard because Mr. Obama is the first black U.S. president.
“Since he is from Africa, he is half-African, this is the time we should show we are brothers and we should give the support to him. In fact, that is the main reason, that we felt that this is one of us,” she said.
Sam says the group started supporting Mr. Obama even before he got the Democratic Party nomination.
“Because Ghanaians could not physically give the money, $5 each, we realized we have relatives in America: we have sisters, we have brothers in America who are American citizens. So we were able to convince them that they have to pay that money. They have to do everything they can to make this dream of Obama come to pass,” said Sam.
Friends for Obama, Ghana, organized a series of rallies before the visit. Hundreds of people showed up, including Adwoa Frimpomaa, who traveled for five hours to attend the rally.
“He is my mentor, he is my father in spirit, he is my everything . And I love him and I love him so much and I will continue to love him,” Frimpomaa said.
When President Obama arrives Friday, thousands of cheering Ghanaians like her will be at the airport to meet him.
World Day: Michael Jackson’s Eternal Legacy and the Reason for His Death
by Demetrius D. Walker
Many of my friends have asked me why I waited so long to post an article on my childhood hero Michael Jackson. The truth is, until today I didn’t know how to absorb the news. Every time I tried to sit down and write how I felt about Michael’s passing, I became too overwraught with tender childhood recollections of watching Moonwalker. I would think back to begging my parents for a shiny, red zipper jacket or reminisce on singing “Beat It” completely wrong (you couldn’t tell me the hook of that song wasn’t “Beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it, beat-a-beat-a-beat-a-beat it!”). I’m sure most 80s babies will agree when I confess that my fondest memories of that entire decade all center around the phenomenon that was Michael Jackson.
So when my phone went nuts with Tweets, Facebook updates, and text messages claiming MJ’s death last Thursday, I was in disbelief. Michael Jackson can’t die, he’s not like the rest of us human beings I figured. As TMZ persisted that Michael was indeed gone, I argued with friends and family saying I would not believe the news until CNN and other major networks confirmed his death. In the 45 minute window that it took for that to occur, I was completely certain that Mike was just in a coma and he would bounce back from his ailment like the true superhuman he was. Then came the report from CBS News: “Michael Jackson is indeed confirmed dead in Los Angeles.” My heart sunk into my stomach, as it miraculously rained in Houston for the first time in 40 days. I walked outside and felt the tears of every Michael Jackson fan on Earth.
Truth be told, I had lost some of my childhood enthusiasm for MJ over the course of the last decade. I never thought he was guilty of the child molestation charges levied against him, but I was angry with him for allowing there to be any doubt that the accusations were true. “Why couldn’t he just stop inviting these kids to sleepover” I pondered. It frustrated me that Mike would leave himself open to speculation. Therefore, I allowed the media circus surrounding that situation to diminish my admiration for the world’s greatest entertainer.
Despite my reservations about Michael’s naiveté, I will be forever indebted to him for making me a dreamer. Seeing Michael Jackson conquer the whole planet, traveling from country to country causing people to pass out from his mere presence, I felt capable of doing ANYTHING. As a young black boy growing up in homicide central, East New York, I never felt limited in my ability to effectively change the world. I owe this ambition to MJ, the celebrity I most idolized.
As I grew older and started to actually understand the substance in the lyrics I regurgitated as a child, I realized that Mike was one of history’s biggest social activists. Check out this website to find out more about it. Michael Jackson brought much needed attention to the issues of domestic violence, world hunger, poverty, and racism. From his domineering platform as Earth’s biggest pop star, Michael preached love in songs that still resonate from Brooklyn to Tokyo. Watching his memorial service today at the Staples Center, it became painfully obvious that this man has influenced more people than any other human being that has ever lived (except perhaps Jesus, Muhammad, and Buddha). Not only has he influenced billions of people, Michael Jackson has united Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, and Hindus with his gift of song. I wish there was a way to quantify the number of smiles and tears (of joy and sorrow) that this one man has brought.
I’m a firm believer that all things happen for a reason. For the past week people have been scrambling to grasp why Michael Jackson is gone. I even toiled with the idea that his death was senseless. After watching the memorial service, the purpose of Michael’s death became painfully apparent to me. Michael Jackson died so that his legacy would be enhanced at a time when the planet Earth needs it most. His death proves that we can get along with different nationalities, races, countries, and cultures to exemplify the greatest human emotion of all – LOVE. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee (D – Houston) mentioned that a bill has been introduced in Congress to recognize Michael’s contributions to the United States. While I admire Lee’s effort, I feel this is too small of a measure to truly honor Michael Jackson’s legacy. Therefore, I call for a U.N. resolution to install We Are the World / Heal The World Day as a global holiday. I envision World Day as a time for everyone to examine the issue of social equality. It would be a day similar to Christmas, except for the fact that people would give gifts to those whom they’ve never met and need it the most. This is the true legacy of Michael Jackson the Humanitarian. I close with this:
There’s a place in
Your heart
And I know that it is love
And this place could
Be much
Brighter than tomorrow
And if you really try
You’ll find there’s no need
To cry
In this place you’ll feel
There’s no hurt or sorrowThere are ways
To get there
If you care enough
For the living
Make a little space
Make a better place…Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough
For the living
Make a better place
For you and for meHeal The World – Michael Jackson, The Greatest Entertatiner To Ever Live
Talk to Rhymefest Live In The Studio!
“I’m in the process of finishing up “El Che,” and I want to share the experience with you. You can chat, interact with other fans, or simply tune in. Create your profile for free. Starting on Sunday, July 5, 2009, you can join me at 7:00 p.m. central for Fest TV”
Dr Boyce: Three Dumb Things about “Reverse Discrimination”
by Dr. Boyce Watkins
Most of us heard about the recent Supreme Court decision involving “reverse discrimination” against white firefighers. The case has been used to undermine President Obama’s nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. It also seems to prove that the establishment is correct and those of us who argue against the 400 year legacy of racial discrimination have been hitting the crack pipe. Terms like “reverse discrimination” are regularly used to validate arguments against racial progress, and most Americans simply do not understand how racism works in America. The rest of us simply don’t care. Here are some quick thoughts on the issue to help us make sense of it all. Hopefully, the Rush Limbaughs of the world are smart enough to follow along, but I should probably know better than that:
1) The term “reverse discrimation” is silly and misguided: Terms like this were designed by those who feel an entitlement to a certain degree of power in our society in order to alleviate them of the guilt of what they’ve done to every black man, woman and child for the past 400 years. Stop using this term, it makes you look ridiculous. It’s a lot like the fat kid telling the anorexic one that he discriminated against him by taking the last cookie.
2) Racism is actually not the primary problem: The problem in America is not that whites hate blacks and want to kill us; it is that the whites who are descendants of the whites who used to kill us are not willing to acknowledge that these actions have a lasting impact on our society. When you go into most major universities, there are very few black professors (check out my campus, Syracuse University, which rarely gives tenure to African Americans, but has no trouble scouring the housing projects looking for their next Carmello Anthony). All of these disparities did not come about by accident: They came about through hundreds of years of consistent and deliberate attempts to keep African Americans in the underclass of our society. Guess what? It worked. If you want to understand America’s past, you must only look at its present. The huge imbalance of power along racial lines is a modern day manifestation of all that has occured in our nation’s tainted history. But white male supremacist thought teaches us that white men have most of the power and money because they are simply better than the rest of us.
3) Aretha Franklin best describes what Americans need to have in the racial dialogue: R-E-S-P-E-C-T. There is a reason that most African Americans are scared to death to speak out against racism: Because they get mobbed. They lose their jobs for speaking up, they are chastised, attacked and ridiculed. There is an effort to beat you down and shut you up for not going along with the power structure. Personally, I am not bothered when others attack me, but I was reminded of this caveman-like behavior after seeing the crazy comments that were made when I pointed out the clear use of racial stereotypes in the most recent Transformers film. I also see it every day when my colleagues at Syracuse hate me for speaking up for black people.
The point of a racial dialogue is not for you to agree with what every person of color is saying: It is to respect us when we say it. If a woman feels that her husband is mistreating her and she says, “Honey, it really hurt me when you said I was too fat,” the husband has several options in response to her statement. He could yell at her and tell her why she shouldn’t be offended by what he said, or he could simply say, “Look, although I don’t quite understand why this offended you, I will be more careful in the future because I know that it bothers you. I do this because I care about you and want you to feel respected.”
Some Americans don’t always show respect when people of color speak up on issues that affect our lives. We are told that we are too sensitive, that we are crazy, and that we are making things up. But the truth is that there is glaring, overwhelming and undeniable statistical evidence stating that these racial imbalances are real. Even the most racist of whites (you hear me, Sean Hannity?) will not dare argue that there have not been hundreds of years of murderous and holocaust-like terrorism of people of color in America. The remnants of this discrimation show themselves all around us in our horrifically imbalanced society. To think that you can reverse 400 years of devastation with 30 years of affirmative action is non-sense.
Many Americans think that racism relates to what we are doing right now. They think that racial inequality will magically disappear if we simply “stop being racist.” That’s like saying that you can drive a car at 100 miles per hour for 3 years straight and that by taking your foot off the gas, the car is going to stop, turn around and start moving backward. That’s silly. If Americans are serious about creating real racial healing, the truth is that a meaningful and respectful dialogue must occur. We must be every bit as deliberate and progressive in removing the inequality as we were in creating the inequality in the first place. Killing the messenger on a regular basis is not going to solve the problem.
In the audio clip below, I have a conversation with Elliot Millner, a black attorney who breaks down the logistics of the Sonia Sotomayor reversal and how it affects every day Americans. Please take a listen.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Distinguished Scholar with the Barbara Jordan Institute for Policy Research at The University of Texas Southern. For more information, please visit www.BoyceWatkins.com. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered directly to your email, please click here.
dangerousNEGRO WINS M.U.E.S. PRIZE!
Awarded 25K Grant in National Business Plan Competition
After competing against hundreds of minority owned businesses across the country, dangerousNEGRO Black Empowerment Apparel (dN|Be Apparel) was recently awarded $25,000 at the culmination of MillerCoors’ Urban Entrepreneur Series (MUES). Owners Tre Baker, Justin Giboney, Sebastine Ujereh, and Demetrius Walker were on hand to accept the prize at Chicago’s Blackstone Hotel. Known for being an edgy, yet socially conscious streetwear line, dN|Be Apparel has proven that it has a profitable business concept, which will undoubtedly expand as the company continues to accept new capital from enthusiastic investors this summer.
Hatched from President Woodrow Wilson’s 1919 characterization of A. Phillip Randolph as “America’s most dangerous Negro,” the company is best known for promoting positive messages and social awareness through its graphic tee shirts and school lectures. With tees carrying clever, universal messages like “Smart is the New Gangsta,” dN|Be Apparel is winning over those concerned with the deterioration of social values in their community. Supporters sharing dangerousNEGRO’s rejection of the victim mentality have not only purchased shirts in mass quantities, but have also participated in discussions with company lecturers Justin Giboney and Demetrius Walker across college campuses.
In addition to dangerousNEGRO’s clothing success, the company also boasts a new entertainment company. dangerousNEGRO Entertainment is an independent record label geared towards producing music with social and progressive substance. The company plans to grant artists full creative control over their projects, while operating in partnership with them. On the heels of forming dangerousNEGRO Entertainment, famed professor Dr. Boyce Watkins mentioned “these young brothers are doing something never before seen. Once they secure the capital they need to further develop their concepts, dangerousNEGRO will grow into an unprecedented urban empire.” As the company continues to spread its positive message, dangerousNEGRO plans to become the preeminent leader in urban wear, independent Hip Hop, and multiple other ventures.
Additional information about dangerousNEGRO can be found online at www.dangerousNEGRO.com, twitter.com/dangerousNEGRO, youtube.com/dangerousNEGRO and the dangerousNEGRO Facebook Fan Page. For interviews please contact Marketing Director Demetrius Walker at (615) 491-5859 or Demetrius@dangerousNEGRO.com.
What Is dangerousNEGRO?
A lot of people ask whether the world needs dangerousNEGRO, as if the struggle is over. The truth is the struggle is far from over. Our communities are in shambles. The statistics are frightening. We say there is no better time than now to focus on uplifting our people!
What The Senate’s Apology For Slavery Really Means
by Demetrius D. Walker
You probably missed it, (I know I did), but the United States Senate issued a formal apology for slavery a few days ago. [Begin Sarcasm] Thank you Uncle Sam! This news made my Juneteenth shuckle buck all the more livelier, as I not only celebrated my ancestors learning of the 2 year old Emancipation Proclamation, but now the great-great-great grandsons of their slave masters unanimously concluded “My bad.” So now that the federal government has come clean after 144 years, I guess everything is all good. Break out the tea and crumpets, chicken and watermelon, gin and juice… celebration time Negroes! [End Sarcasm].
Recognizing four hundred years of injustice a century and a half later does nothing to fix the fabric of a nation stained by slavery. Let’s take things into perspective; in a court of law, when you confess to a crime you are forced to serve your debt to society and/or pay a substantial fine. What does the Senate’s apology mean if it is not followed by social or monetary dividends? Absolutely nothing! America changes by zero percent as a result of its recent acknowledgement of slavery. To paint the picture even clearer, your Uncle Sam kidnapped your parents, murdered your extended family, raped your sister, whooped the black off your back, and then told you to shut up and live a normal life. After living for years with these mental, emotional, and physical scars Sam comes back and says “Hey dog… I did some pretty jacked up stuff to you back in the day. I’m sorry. We’re cool now right?” Umm wrong… Either you help me fix these mental, emotional, and physical scars or I believe you’re full of crap Sam. As a matter of fact, I kind of want to triangle choke you for insulting me with this empty apology!
Remarkably, Sam isn’t the only uncle that needs to get choked into submission around here. Tom makes me angrier. Mr. Pimp Hop himself, Russell Simmons, added traditional house Negro commentary via the Huffington Post saying “This was a day that many of us have dreamed about for our entire lives… I urge you all to take a moment to recognize the importance of the actions of the United States Senate.” Come again Russ… “a day that many of us have dreamed about for our entire lives?” Where can I sample the magical gummy juice you’re sipping bro? On my list of things I dreamed about my entire life I would say “Black president” was probably in the top 10 (behind quantum teleportation and Beyonce). The Senate apologizing for slavery – not even in my top 500. I sincerely hope there were no Black people out there waking up every day hoping for an apology from the US Government. Blood Diamond Simmons further added “The pain has lasted for the past 144 years, and now with our government taking the right step in apologizing, I know that we can begin to heal.” Really? This is what begins our healing process? Before Thursday, us Negroes had to walk with our heads down, but now that the Senate has apologized we can hold our heads high and move on…. Riiiiiggght. Russ, I know you’re trying to set yourself up for a political career but c’mon buddy, cease with the tomfoolery.
If the United States would like to formally apologize for slavery it should methodically implement a system of educational equality. Schools in underprivileged communities should receive additional funding to improve the facilities, curriculum, and quality of life for students most at risk of becoming health, jail, and death statistics. Pushing urban high schools to a perfect graduation rate and a 100% college matriculation rate should be the focus. (If you think I’m being idealistic check out Capital Prep in Hartford, CT). Closing the achievement gap is the only way the United States Government can convince me that it is sincere in its apology for slavery. Anything less would be uncivilized.
Make it Plain: Independent Afrikan Education
Another episode from our brethren, the Sons of Malcolm. This speaks to a very important issue in our community. Most of us don’t even realize how major this issue is, which just proves the point further.
