Originally Posted by TonyB06
HK,
I disagree with your contention that there is “no outrage.” There have been several on-going efforts to blunt, if not eliminate, this element of gantsta rap music.
The late C. Delores Tucker led a national education/boycott effort in the late 90s to confront the issue. Rev. Calvin O. Butts, pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church in NYC (and KAY member) led, and continues a similar effort on this front. Rev. Al Sharpton, and his National Action Network as recently as last year continued his work on this effort. It was discussed just this morning on Russ Parr show, how Sharpton urged the boycotting of a Tony Neyo, Yayo? (I’m not familiar with him, but drew contextually the fact that he’s a gansta rapper). By the way Sharpton was CRITICIZED on the Parr show for this effort.
That the mainstream media is unaware or not reporting on these efforts does not translate into “no outrage” in the black community. The national media elite, when it comes to the African American community, are always “late” to the party. And then want to walk in like the party didn’t start until they got there. Nor are the media’s hands clean here. Last night, on MSNBC’s Scarborough Country they referenced a New York Times music review (earlier this year, I think?) of some gangsta rap CD, which praised it be for being “a dynamic, gritty, urban call from the streets” or some such language. Yet, today the Times, the nation’s leading newspaper, is in the criticism choir, attempting to demean the Black community for gangsta rap’s rise. What are we to make of this?
While (for some odd reason) our community heavily consume gangsta rap (to our detriment), I’ve seen several reports -- for years -- suggesting that white teenagers are its biggest consumer. Now, since I don’t think it’s a “black” only problem, I’m not about to suggest it’s a white teenage problem either. But I haven’t seen any reporting saying it’s a white teenager problem. Have you?
I’m glad that the mainstream news community, albeit late, has now found its voice in defense of Black womanhood. But I don’t remember viewing/hearing too much reporting on the degradation of Black women in the weeks/months before Imus’s statement last week. Do you? And I wonder if the mainstream media will remain focused in its reporting on this issue after the Imus issue has subsided.
There are lots of aspects to this story and the bigger issue of race in America. But if we’re going to tell the story, then we might as well tell it all.
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