watermelon, chicken, and grits

Blackwatch · #1 04-06-2002, 03:02 PM

SIZE=1]For all those who thought that I was too nerdy to notice...[/SIZE]
What does everyone think of this new group "Nappy Roots" and this ghetto /hillibilly image that is becoming more and more predominant in hip-hop (Dirty South, Lil' Jon and the eastside boyz, Ludacris and his 'Sexin' Chickens' outside his house, etc.). I wonder, is this an attempt to establish a niche for rappers from the south, or another Marketing ploy by white PR people to sell records? I'm from the south, (born and raised even the rural south in the summer times) , and I ain't never seen no young black folks walking around no farm barefoot with strawhats and overalls (Lookin' like runaway slaves in "Huck Finn" or something!!!!! ). These folks really are not keepin' it real. Hollar at me people....
Blackwatch

Innocence22 · #2 04-06-2002, 04:48 PM

It's just entertainment!!

And the "dirty south" rap craze is just what's hot right now.

It's a fad. Just like hairstyles and styles of dress...it comes and it goes. It's just an image that they are trying to portray to sell records. But who knows, maybe they DID grow up like that. Ghetto Hillbilly image? I've noticed it and mainstream artists like Ludacris make the "South" look very "country." I have no problem with the south....I was born there but people who have never set foot in the south may have the wrong image of how it really is.
I agree with you wholehearedly that these "southern" artists are not keeping it real. Ludacris is not from Atlanta but he fronts and represents the ATL like he was born and raised.

I have a problem with that because he makes the south look very countrified. Not all people from down south eat chicken everyday and drive big Cadillacs and Chevys and talk like they have had no formal education.
I don't mean to digress but people in the North do have a stigma about Southern people. When I was applying to college. I chose mostly southern historically black colleges, and my guidance counselor tried to discourage me from applying to southern colleges because he said "southerners" were SLOW (his exact words!!) He said the education is inadequate to Northern colleges and that I was making a mistake and not living up to my intelligence level by not going to NYU or Columbia.
But back to the music issue...it's just music, enjoy it.

Blackwatch · #3 04-06-2002, 11:40 PM

I could understand if there wasn't a history of whites portraying blacks in "entertainment" as being backwards, ignorant, lazy, undisciplined, sex-hounds, but there is a long history of this, called minstrelsy. Whites had minstrel shows in the 1800's to entertain themselves with the notion that there was always black people around to remind them of their superiority(thus the negative imagery in the shows). Whenever I see blacks in the media portrayed in such ways (minsrtelly) I always remember the purpose of this "entertainment" and also the audience of the entertainment (remember, some sources estimate that up to 80% of rap music is purchased by whites). And the music they are purchasing ain't talking about black empowerment, but "watermelon, chicken, and grits". Another problem with the notion of "it's just music" is that our children get their cultural identity from the media. We can blame the lack of community and parenting for this, but the fact still remains that our children are being heavily influenced culturally by the images in this "entertainment". I'm in graduate school in a small college town in the Midwest and everytime I talk to the young black boys here all they talk about is hustling and "bling blingin'" because that's what they think life is really all about. Is this the rapper's fault? Probably not, but if you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem. And I know that this type of rap music is not part of the solution. Just my opinion.
Blackwatch!!!!!

Innocence22 · #4 04-07-2002, 11:19 AM

I agree with some points that you made, but with others I disagree. Being a high school senior and attending a majority white high school....I have never really studied minstrelsy? Is that like black face...when blacks would be portrayed as really, really black with very huge lips? I've seen those kind of pictures in my history book but never have we discussed what they were. But I do agree with you about the message of rap music...it's definitely not about black empowerment. But at the same time, how can artists rap about something that they do not practice. Can you really picture a group like Cash Money rapping about Black empowerment?

...uh???? No!!! It's ashame that artists like Ludacris and Cash Money can rap about hoes and bitches and go platinum but artists like Mos Def and Common who do rap about black empowerment and uplifting the community not reach the same status in record sales or notoriety. It's all about marketing and what people are into? I definitely agree that us teens do look to the media and music to find identity...but you have to decipher what's real and what's totally fiction. The average person will NEVER own a Bentley or be able to afford Jacob-the-Jeweler. I understand that music does play a part in where teens go to see what's "in" or "hot" but you can't totally blame MUSIC for this. What about ATHELETS??? The fact is that the average teen age boy wants to either go Pro after high school or make it big rapping. Not many black teenage boys I know want to go to college..they either want to be on the corner slangin'..making that fast money, try to make it rapping, or trying to go pro. Now am I the only person that sees a problem with that.

And as far as me being apart of the problem...no, I'm apart of the solution. I'm going to college (a black college!!) to get a degree and give back to the community. I've seen too many "promising" black people just give their life away because they got impatient because they didn't get what they wanted fast enough. What you have to realize is that THIS problem in our community...is MUCH bigger than watermelon, chicken, and grits!!

~Innocence22~

Proverbs31:30 · #5 04-07-2002, 06:38 PM

This is a very interesting topic. I must agree with Blackwatch.

It makes me cringe every time I see I a group of white students on campus riding to the lyrics of "N____ this", and "N_____ that."
*Then we get mad when they want to sing the lyrics too.

It disturbs me everytime I see a group of our "fair skinned counterparts" sitting around listening to a song by one of our "cousins" that talks about "how many *&^%s I can get to do this or that for/to me", or "how much bling bling I can fit on my wrist, around my neck, in my mouth, on my car."
*Then we get mad when they make up all kinds of stereotypes about us.

And it hurts my heart when I talk to our young people and realize that their priorities are on sex, money, and material possesions.
*But we continue to fill their heads with the same non-sense. And promote it ourselves by buying it.

I believe that it is time for us to stop, take a look at ourselves, and grab a hold of this generation, before the "world" does. Let us not forget the honor, pride, and integrity of the African American.

_____________________________________
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated
5-Boule'-01
via Beta Mu Omega

AKAtude · #6 04-07-2002, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Proverbs31:30
This is a very interesting topic. I must agree with Blackwatch.

It makes me cringe every time I see I a group of white students on campus riding to the lyrics of "N____ this", and "N_____ that."
*Then we get mad when they want to sing the lyrics too.

It disturbs me everytime I see a group of our "fair skinned counterparts" sitting around listening to a song by one of our "cousins" that talks about "how many *&^%s I can get to do this or that for/to me", or "how much bling bling I can fit on my wrist, around my neck, in my mouth, on my car."
*Then we get mad when they make up all kinds of stereotypes about us.

And it hurts my heart when I talk to our young people and realize that their priorities are on sex, money, and material possesions.
*But we continue to fill their heads with the same non-sense. And promote it ourselves by buying it.

I believe that it is time for us to stop, take a look at ourselves, and grab a hold of this generation, before the "world" does. Let us not forget the honor, pride, and integrity of the African American.

I feel the same way. These recording artists and their record labels are "entertaining" the masses at our expense and yet our young people are either too blind or too stupid to realize the damage it is causing.

Dancerella1908 · #7 04-09-2002, 12:49 PM

I am a school teacher and I see the negative influence that some of music and some entertainers have upon our impressionable youth. Alot of them think that life is all about fancy cars,making fast money,buying expensive jewelry,and having various sex partners.Basically living life in the fast lane. It is sooooooo sad. When you try to reach them and show them how to acquire the finer things in life through education and working hard,they look at you like your a fool!

Many of these students aspire and dream of becoming athletes or entertainers but can barely read or write. They know all the words to the latest songs or all of the hot gossip about the entertainment world,or know what new gear is out. Sadly their priority just isn't school.

I also tell my students that it is great to dream big but you must have an education to help you get there and have some staying power. One must be able to read and understand a contract to lessen the chance of being cheated.

But back to the music I'm not trying to censor what the entertainers do. We have no control over that,but I think that the youth need more realistic and positive role models and parents need to be more aware of the music and images that interest our youth. OUR LEADERS OF TOMORROW!

KnowledgeEternal · #8 04-09-2002, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Innocence22
Not all people from down south eat chicken everyday and drive big Cadillacs and Chevys and talk like they have had no formal education.

Come to my hood then. I'm down off of Cascade Rd. in ATL and if these people aren't living countrified, I don't know who is.

Maybe its the Boston in me talking but parts off the south are considerably "slow". Not in their general intellectual capacity but in their whole mindset. Its a lot more laid back than I'm used to up in the Bean.

peepin101 · #9 04-09-2002, 11:40 PM

..alright, i took that from Honey...but, anyways...I agree 100% that i'm sick & tired of being sick & tired of these lame-@$$ so called entertainers...they could care less about the long term effects of their bling blingin' in order to get the short term dollar...i had the misfortune of being in the same vicinity as a black girl, black guy, & a white guy...they were chit chattin', kidding & all...then, the white guy says "i was gonna do blah blah blah, but ni**as be.." whatever else he said after that i didn't even hear...my skin was on fire...& what's worse the black guy went on chattin' like nothin'...i think at least the girl was a little embarassed, b/c she walked away from them at that point...it's just sad...my dad & i were discussing how at the rate the generation y kids are going, there's going to be a huge discrepancy in the social & economic classes (which to me is beyond frightening)...these kids just want to thug out & that's it...so, sorry i ain't tryin' to be a school teacher (especially since a lot of them aren't listening to what you have to say anyway)...b/c i don't have love for them like that...i wish i did, but fearing for my life just going into work is not on my agenda...my granny still loves substitute teaching (God Bless her for having real love for reaching the kids)...however, i still have a real fear for her...i'm certainly not saying all children are a lost cause, but there's way too many to not feel like we are in real danger of losing a generation.