Bill Cosby defents criticism of Hip Hop...music industry "glorifies the wrong things..."

"No no, see, when someone says 'who is it', you're supposed to say who it is!"

(knock knock)

"Who is it?"

'WHO IT IS!'

john at the risk of getting ultra-flamed by you I don't think it's your place to school a black artist on how to represent himself - hate if you gotta hate, whatever, but when a white writer starts telling a black artist what his community responsibilities are...shit man I can't see you putting up with that from somebody else!

-- and what, Friday, 26 October 2007 22:24 (1 month ago) Link

You can't really talk about this as though it were just "black artists" and "how they represent themselves." The industry has a good deal of say in how major rappers come across, what they rap about, how they act in videos, etc. So although I don't dismiss mainstream rap on objection to the lyrics, an honest discussion of this has to reflect the larger forces at play, and saying a white writer has no right to criticize the lyrics of a "black artist," is avoiding that difficult issue.

ethan at the risk of getting ultra-flamed by you I don't think it's your place to school a black artist on how to represent himself - hate if you gotta hate, whatever, but when a white writer starts telling a black artist what his community responsibilities are...shit man I can't see you putting up with that from somebody else!

-- J0hn D., Thursday, October 25, 2007 3:16 PM (2 months ago) Bookmark Link

What's The Deal With Saul Williams?

Sorry, didn't see the first post. Point stands though.

I mean a lot of people in non-mainstream hip-hop, including black artists, blame the music industry for the way black people are portrayed in mainstream hip-hop, feeding to a mostly white audience a hyper-sexual, hyper-violent hyper-capitalist fantasy projected onto black people.

u really think i would use a word like 'ultra-flamed'

i dont give a fuck john hates on or not i think every head has got the right to tell artists what they wanna see them doing but i got the right to call it racist/corny/played/clueless/whatever

And there is probably a big difference between Saul Williams, who I'd imagine has a great deal of say in how he represents himself, and mainstream hip-hop. I don't mean to say that mainstream rappers are all patsies either. A Jay-Z or a 50-Cent is obviously making a very clear choice, but that choice is based largely on what will make money, and they don't seem to particularly care if that feeds a negative stereotype. It's the system, man!

No, I don't really think you'd say that - sorry dude. Wasn't really trying to call you out as much as just call the whole debate out.

oh fuck it
http://m.assetbar.com/achewood/autaux?b=M%5ea11f09b8576e606bcb5038dfdb92fb821&u=http%3A%2F%2Fachewood.com%2Fcomic.php%3Fdate%3D12242007

"mad-rutty" vs. "ultra-flamed"

And there is probably a big difference between Saul Williams, who I'd imagine has a great deal of say in how he represents himself

My Dearest Friends and Fans,

It is my greatest honor to present to you The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!,
my new album produced by Trent Reznor and mixed by Alan Moulder. The wall of sound that we've created is tagged with such graffiti that a passerby would seek out doors and ways to ENTER. Once inside a world defined by dreams come true they'd find aligned with the simplest act of sharing what we treasure. Most people aren't aware of the world of art and commerce where exploitation strips each artist down to nigger. Each label, like apartheid, multiplies us by our divide and whips us 'til we conform to lesser figures. What falls between the cracks is a pile of records stacked to the heights of talents hidden from the sun. Yet the energy they put into popularizing smut makes a star of a shiny polished gun. The ballot or the bullet for Mohawk or the mullet is a choice between new times and dying days. And the only way to choose is to jump ship from old truths and trust dolphins as we swim through changing ways. The ways of middlemen proves to be just a passing trend. We need no priests to talk to God. No phone to call her. And when you click the link below, i think it fair that you should know that your purchase will make middlemen much poorer...

NiggyTardust!

love,

Saul

During the first Lollapalooza tour, Jane's Addiction brings out Ice-T to perform a rendition of Sly & the Family Stone's "Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey (Don't Call Me Whitey, Nigger)". Perry Farrell sings the white part, Ice-T sings the Black part. Black quartet Living Colour comes onstage afterward and bandleader Vernon Reid announces "I'll never be anyone's nigger for entertainment..."

I really hate being called whitey

I really hate Achewood

I love that story about Vernon Reid.

Living Colour was my first show.

i was never into living colour but that story is whats up

Living Colour was my first show.

ha same. Trent woulda been at that Lolla show, so it all comes full circle.

Well then.

omg the last sentence

laz112 said:
I actually have this old album with Cosby and Quincy Jones. Cosby been rapping since before rap started yo. There is this one track called "Hicky Burr" he tore that shit down yo. I think it was released in 1974 or something.

Got a Cosby sweater
Rep it cuz it's better
Follow to the letter.
Yo.

Fingers crossed for a Jello reference

"They think they're hip. They can't read. They can't write. They're laughing and giggling, and they're going nowhere."

with the laughing and the giggling and the jibber-jabber night-train going to nowhere

He's against laughter now?

The beef is on (maybe).

okay at this point everyone involved just needs to stop

Dyson is that dude, but I don't look forward to his mic moment.

i saw michael eric dyson speak at my school a couple weeks ago, hes a supremely intelligent and dynamic guy and because i have a lot of respect for him i am just going to pretend that this doesnt exist

i took a class from that guy! the day michael jordan retired (the first time) prof dyson wore a bulls jersey under his tweed jacket

Can we put together a rap album titled SHUT THE FUCK UP, BOTH OF YOU?

c'mon dan you don't want to hear cosby doing a bjork cover?

Only if it's "Ancestors" (or whatever the Gremlin-fucking song on Medulla is called).

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=UfIBAWAneoo

omg flashbacks

ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Oof they've played this a bunch on KPFA recently.

^^^ Sooooo 1998.