Spelman Students Protest: Don't like the music? Should you ignore the cause?

[jojapeach]

Originally posted by Eclipse
Frank was working my last nerve talking about them being hypocritical. I certainly saw his point about the other rapper that came for homecoming (and liked the way the ladies handled it), but I was yelling at the radio "Do you think it is hypocritical to play the music you play, say the things you say, then talk about Bishop said this and Bishop said that and play your little Gospel song and do your little scripture before you go off the air?"

ROTFL If that wasn't the pot calling the kettle black!

Question: Do you or anyone else know how this got publicized? Did Spelman do a press release?

Towards the end of the interview, Frank asked them for press releases because they had no idea what was going on at Spelman. (Sounds normal for a college in a large city.) I don't recall Nelly's foundation promoting the drive locally before the controversy began.

[MsRevlon08]

Originally posted by Conskeeted7
Just to play devil's advocate for a minute...why turn down Nelly's bone marrow drive if it's the music that you have a problem with? And I bet he didn't have to beg any of those strippers to do what they did in the video. They are probably proud of their performances and would do it again in a heartbeat. True, it is not a good image to have of any woman, but if he is trying to redeem himself through a good cause, why knock him for it? Maybe he's just doing what he knows will make money so that he can draw attention to better causes like bone marrow. If those strippers weren't dancing for him, they'd be dancing for someone else. He just gave them an additional venue.

I feel the same way. Nobody is forcing anyone to watch it. I am a firm beleiver in non-censorship. TURN IT OFF IF IT OFFENDS YOU!!!

[AKA2D '91]

Originally posted by jojapeach
ROTFL If that wasn't the pot calling the kettle black!




Towards the end of the interview, Frank asked them for press releases because they had no idea what was going on at Spelman. (Sounds normal for a college in a large city.) I don't recall Nelly's foundation promoting the drive locally before the controversy began.

Isn't Nelly's sister suffering with some kind of ailment? I think this is why he didn't appear at Essence last year b/c he was beginning this campaign to raise consciousness about the ailment. It could be bone marrow or organ donation.

ETA: This does not excuse whatever negative images are found in his video. However, we must remember with that business, IMAGE is everything. Nelly (Cornell) may not be into all of that "tip drill" business. I don't know, but to make the "paper" "Nelly" is into it to for that reason. I guess.

[reddawn18]

Originally posted by AKA2D '91
Isn't Nelly's sister suffering with some kind of ailment? I think this is why he didn't appear at Essence last year b/c he was beginning this campaign to raise consciousness about the ailment. It could be bone marrow or organ donation.

It is Bone Marrow.

[Eclipse]

Interesting essay from a Spelman professor

Past Imperfect: The Hoodrat Theory

By William Jelani Cobb

The flyers posted in Cosby Hall said it all: "We Care About Your Sister, But You Have To Care About Ours, Too." The slogan explained the position of the student-activists at Spelman College whose protests over Nelly's "Tip Drill" video led the artist to cancel his scheduled appearance for a bone marrow drive on the campus earlier this month. But in a real sense, their point went beyond any single rapper or any single video and went to the center of a longstanding conflict in the heart of the black community.

Full Disclosure: I am a history professor at Spelman College. I've also taught several of the students involved in the protests over the video. I don't pretend to be unbiased in my support for their actions. I openly supported the students who - and this is important - never uninvited Nelly or canceled the marrow drive. They did however request that he participate in a campus-wide forum on the problematic images and stated that if he did not, the marrow drive could continue, but his presence on campus would be protested. That Nelly's organization decided to cancel the drive rather than listen to the views of women who were literally being asked to give up bone and blood is tantamount to saying "shut up and give me your bone marrow."

This is the truth: hip hop has all but devolved into a brand neo-minstrelsy, advertising a one-dimensional rendering of black life. But stereotypes serve not only to justify individual prejudices, but also oppressive power relationships.

read the rest at www.jelanicobb.com

ETA: This essay is not on his site, but since we cannot post entire articles I won't until I find it's source. It was emailed to me by a friend.