...But I can't. The question of Pepsi's right to take Ludacris off of it's endorsement roster isn't the question here, Pepsi is a private company that can hire and fire employees at will.
The issue of a Double standard that has come up in several posts in this thread is interesting to say the least. Doggystyle says that Ludacris should be seen as an actor, playing a role , like Samuel L. Jackson or Al Pacino. Intersting because no rapper ever claims to be an actor on their records, that would cut into their crediblitiy "on the street" and record sales. Sure, Ludacris or Easy E probably never killed anybody, but in the records they say that they will, not some character that they portray. When Ludacris says "I got H*** in different area codes..." he's is not saying Ludacris is portraying the role of a pimp for this story I am rapping in, he is saying Ludacris is a pimp!!!
Part of the appeal of rap for years now has been authenticity, that they are giving you real life through the art of rapping. Acting is a different art form, it doesn't rely on the actor's own life experience necessarily in order to be performed. The best raps come straight from heart, written by the person performing it (ideally). The acting roles come straight from the actor's ability to tell a story not necessarily about themselves, or to portray a character. For the most part, actors aren't expected to write the stories they tell or the characters they play. For rappers to start hanging their hats on the nail of "I ain't keeping it real" it would take away from their credibility as rap artists, which, in my opinion is a joke. I haven't seen a RAP ARTIST in heavy rotation on BET for about 8 years. What you see now a days is a bunch of street hoods who are greedy, unashamedly so, and who will say anything that a record company wants them to say in order to get paid. They don't even have a clue about hip-hop aesthetics, artist integrity, or art period. They are giving away the art, check the soundscan. Eminem is the best selling rapper today. He by far isn't the best, but white folks say he is, because we gave rap to white record execs who now tell us what is acceptable in the rap game (a rap aesthetic). In 20 years, Rap will be like Rock and Roll, Jazz, and Blues with Eminiem going down as the best rapper of all time
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Ludacris, just like 90% of the rappers out today, doesn't deserve the black community's support on this or any other issue. Until rappers get back valuing rap as an artform and not a cash cow, we will continue to see gross injustices occur towards them. Most rappers sell out the black community daily, it's time we hold them accountable.
Blackwatch!!!!!!