I don’t know about you but I need racism. Just imagine a world without racism. It would be boring.   Cambridge police officers arrested Henry Louis Gates Jr. for supposedly breaking into his own home on July 16th after receiving an anonymous call about someone jimmying the lock to a Cambridge residence. Even more than an example that confirms that dark, subtle or not-so-subtle racial profiling still exists in America, the arrest was a satisfying opportunity to languish in the underlying indulgence of the racism. To put it simply, sometimes we love racism because it feels good to have something to overcome.   Bear with me. This has the potential to backfire on me.   I am by no means saying that Henry Louis Gates Jr. was happy that this unfortunate situation happened to him, but I am saying he rightfully indulged it. When I first heard the news about his arrest, I was in the living room lounging with my roommates in our four bedroom apartment in Harlem. The first thing I said was, “That is the wrong Black man to arrest!” Truly, if any police officer arrests a man like Henry Louis Gates Jr., he will not get a quiet suspect. That person will get an angry Black man who shines a blinding flashlight on the social implications of the matter. He will get an angry Black man who says something similar to what Henry Louis Gates Jr. said to the two Cambridge police officers at his doorstep: “Why, because I’m a Black man in America?” Sure, Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s arrest was f**ked up, but to a Harvard professor the value that such an incident has to expose the termite of racism that still eats at our society more than makes up for the pain and suffering.     That’s why world needs racism. Not the strange fruit, vinegar whip, or tied to the back of a Texas truck racism (please lord put that back in Pandora’s box and swallow the key). I’m talking about the subtle, I-can’t-believe-what-this-white-guy-said-to-me-at work type of racism. Before you say I’m putting my foot in my mouth, let me remind you what it feels like to be a Black man.   Like many African-American males, I’ve experienced my share of racism. White ladies sitting next to me on the train have clutched their purse tighter. Taxis that I thought I had flagged down have whizzed by me. Gap customers have mistaken for me an employee time and time again. When I was 18, a complete stranger asked what college I was attending. When I told him, his follow-up question was “You’re going there to play basketball, right?” S**t, one time around 3am, an undercover cop car pulled up beside my car, ran the red light goading me to do the same, and still pulled me over when I didn’t.   As much as these instances get me riled up, in a weird way, I am proud of them. These are my stories. I often tell them in a fun, entertaining way. I love the fact that although they show the ugly face of racism in my society, I overcame them. Maybe I have just been indoctrinated to accept the limits of my world, but if I woke up one day and there was no racism, it would be a nightmare for me. There would be nothing to overcome, nothing to make jokes about, nothing to get the better of. ‘’   That’s why if you ask most Brown children if they want to be White they’ll stare you down with a glare of wtf-ness because there is a still undeniable flavor and resiliency that oppressed peoples have which is sweeter than any privilege and prestige associated with being White.   That’s also why the media is making this particular instance of racism, Henry Louis Gates Jr. vs. The Police when it really should be Henry Louis Gates vs. The Racist-Anonymous-Tipper-Who-Thinks-That-All-Black-Men-Who-Fidget-With-Door-Locks-Are-Burglars. By barely acknowledging the 911 call itself, we are not even addressing the real act of racism. Until it is legitimately address, Henry Louis Gates’ arrest is merely an identification of racism and not an earnest to combat or eliminate it. For right now, I’m fine with that.   Sidik Fofana is a contributing writer for AllHipHop.com, okayplayer.com, seeingblack.com and the Source magazine. He graduated from Columbia University in 2005, with a BA in English. He currently lives in Harlem, NY. His blog is http://cornerboyjazz.blogspot.comEditor’s note: AllHipHop would rather be bored than deal with the scourge of racism.  

Paul Scott “I’m kickin’ cold facts so true Feels like I’m livin’ in a zoo” Public Enemy Step Right up! In this cage we have the tame, “Negro-intellectualus.” Notice his freshly pressed shirt and creased pants. Go ahead and pet him. He won’t bite…However, watch out for this next animal, “Thug-ignoramus.” Beware of his gold teeth and if he starts reaching for his waist band, call security, immediately! On July 22 CNN will air Black America Part II, their second attempt to paint a pretty picture of black America for their audience. I don’t know about y’all but I’m kinda tired of being poked, prodded and examined by TV network execs on a life long mission to find out what makes dudes like me tick. No disrespect to Soledad O’Brien and the rest of the crew who produced the program but I don’t think these types of shows are meant to enlighten black folks, especially the boyz in the hood. As my lil homie Jae would say, ” How many times are you gonna describe my kitchen to me when we’re livin’ in the same house?” We all have members of our families that run the gamut from “Left out Lamont,” who can’t keep a steady job to Buford “lil Boo Boo” Jenkins who got his degree, became a stock broker and never looked back at the ‘hood. So, we have our own “Black in America” reality series every family reunion complete with ribs and Marvin Gaye CD’s. Shows like Black in America are definitely for the Caucasian persuasion as they have always been curious about black folks. Scholars like Dr. George GM James and William Leo Hansberry have said that the ancient Greeks were fascinated by the Egyptians and Ethiopians. The early explorers of Africa were also intrigued by the riches of the continent, so much so, that they stayed for hundreds of years. However, after the Trans Atlantic slave trade, Africans stopped being objects of adoration and became oddities. There are tales of Africans being held as exhibits in zoos in New York and during the early 1800’s the voluptuous Saartjie Baartman aka “Hottentot Venus” was paraded around Europe so white men could gaze at her “donk.” During the late 1960’s, white America’s curiosity about black folks became a matter of national security because of the various “riots” that were spreading like wildfires . In 1967, President Lyndon Johnson created the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders to find out why black folks were so angry. The Commission released what was known as the Kerner Report which pointed to the media as partial causes of the “riots.” According to the report, “Important segments of the media failed to report adequately on the causes and consequences of civil disorders and on the underlying problems of race relations. They have not communicated to the majority of their audience-which is white-a sense of the degradation , misery and hopelessness of life in the ghetto.” The report also complained that the media was guilty of giving ” disproportionate amounts of time to emotional events and militant leaders.” As far as solutions, one of the things that the report suggested was that the media needed to: “…publish newspapers and produce programs that recognize the existence and activities of Negroes as a group within the community and as a part of the larger community.” So, the networks have followed this method of operation since then , only deviating, briefly ,during the LA Rebellion of 1992 because of their underestimation of the political potential of Hip Hop. It must be noted that these programs also try to convey the idea that cultural assimilation is the ultimate manifestation of black achievement and the benchmark as to whether one has “made it” or not. While many have quoted from WEB Dubois’ , “The Souls of Black Folk,” few have had the courage to pose the fundamental question that he raised in his essay “The Souls of White Folk,” “But what on earth is whiteness that one should so desire it?” He goes on to say that “Europe has never produced and never will in our day bring forth a single soul who cannot be matched and over matched in every line of human endeavor by Asia and Africa.” However, millions of Americans will spend hours this week watching CNN give complex answers to simple questions such as “why inner city black kids are killing each other” when black psychologist Dr. Bobby Wright gave us the answer over 25 years ago in his work “The Psychopathic Racial Personality” “Blacks kill Blacks because they have never been trained to kill Whites, therefore it is outside their experience.” End of series. Just once, I would like to see a network do a six hour series on what produces the white male superiority complex in men like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. Or who controls the economic system that keeps the hood in perpetual poverty ? But I guess the worn out topics of black pathologies and the salvation of assimilation are better for ratings. Oh, well. As Blue Magic once sang, “Let the side show begin…can’t afford to pass it by…guaranteed to make you cry…” Paul Scott’s blog is No Warning Shots Fired.com He can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com (919) 451-8283

Last week Prez Obama stood before a packed audience and essentially preached to the choir. He spoke about the great accomplishments of the NAACP and how the organization ironically celebrated its 100th anniversary the same year he became the country’s first (official) African American president.   Then he did something that was quite surprising. He addressed Black America, by name: “We have to say to our children, ‘Yes, if you’re African-American, the odds of growing up amid crime and gangs are higher’…’Yes, if you live in a poor neighborhood, you will face challenges that someone in a wealthy suburb does not.’ But that’s not a reason to get bad grades, that’s not a reason to cut class, that’s not a reason to give up on your education and drop out of school. No one has written your destiny for you. Your destiny is in your hands and don’t you forget that.” In the speech (his boldest statement on race in America to date) Obama admitted that African Americans had it tougher than their white peers.   Young black children are 5x more likely to be arrested than whites. African Americans have higher unemployment rates than whites. Blacks are more likely to not have health coverage. Of course what made for the biggest quotable moment was Prez Obama’s urging that young black kids have more role models:   “I want them aspiring to be scientists and engineers, doctors and teachers, not just ballers and rappers. I want them aspiring to be a Supreme Court justice. I want them aspiring to be president of the United States.” How do you tell a kid not to follow the money?   Kids aspire to be whatever will yield them the most money, recognition and respect. A couple decades ago every young boy wanted to be a cop or doctor while little girls wanted to be teachers or housewives.   Today, little brown and black boys want to be rappers and ball players because even during this recession the see that Kobe is still worth an estimated $200 million and Jay-Z is about to release his 14th album, which is sure to go platinum even with bootlegging and downloading. (Sidenote: what do little brown and black girls want to be?)     In order for you to live a comfortable life in this country you have to be rich. The US dollar ain’t worth much these days. European tourists arrive with loads of cash and pillage our stores and real estate market. Chinese investors even plan U.S. home buying trips where the goal is to snatch up a residence in a great location. Meanwhile, the average American can’t get a line of credit to save their lives. Renters are being evicted for not being able to pay rent, while home owners are getting crazy bail outs. Perhaps it’s time the federal reserve team up with Mexico and Canada and get this elusive Amero plan off the ground. Like the Euro, which is whooping the US dollars behind, the Amero will be a unified currency accepted all along North America. One little hiccup in the plan is Mexico.   Not sure if you know but right now it is like Miami circa 1984 in Mexico. Nicky Barnes, Frank Lucas, Griselda Blanco have nothing on the drug lords that are terrorizing Mexico and basically strong-arming the country’s government.   If little poor kids in America aspire to be rappers and athletes, one can only imagine how hard Mexico has it discouraging its kids from becoming drug lords. The peso can’t hold a candle to the US dollar yet drug lords in Mexico are making it onto the Forbes Magazine list of the world’s richest people.   Here rappers sing about their exaggerated tales of being on the block. In Mexico drug dealers pay singers to pen songs about their recent real life drug trafficking adventures. They call the genre “Narco Corridos” or drug ballads.     Now, that is whole ‘nother level of gangster-dom.   Again, How do you tell a kid not to follow the money?   My parents always stressed going to school and getting a college degree so that I can have more earning power. Years after graduating from a “good school” my degree is still in the envelope the university mailed it in, on the bottom of my book shelf collecting dust. I, along with most of my friends, have fallen victim to lay offs and we half-heartedly joke about taking a trip downtown to apply for Food Stamps.   It’s real out here.   If I was a ten year old kid, I’d look at my options hard. I’d aspire to be a rapper, ball player, teacher and president. I’d throw as many darts at the wall and see what sticks.   At the end of the day (the most overused term ever!), don’t we all want to be able to walk into a store and drop a stack of Ameros on whatever we want?     The X Fact(her) is a weekly column that appears on 99problems.org. Started on Inauguration Day 2009 by the League of Young Voter’s Education Fund, 99problems.org is a non-profit initiative that aims to keep young people engaged in the political process through activism and community involvement. Please visit 99problems.org to find out how you can get involved right now! For more on Chloé A. Hilliard visitwww.chloehilliard.com

“A lot of yall comment on how stupid it is. It might be stupid to you, but this is what we do. We eat, we kick it, we throw money. Don’t make this one situation blow the whole thing out.”   Rappers love making it rain on these hoes! Yeaaaaaa-AHHHHHH!   Recently, Jermaine “JD” Dupri defended his right to “make it rain” on exotic dancers in urban gentlemen’s clubs. It would seem that JD, Nelly and other rich rap cats of the “make it rain” culture want the practice to be normal for everybody. At least, he wants to make it seem like there’s nothing deviant about it.   To clarify, here is what JD said to strippers that attempted to pick up money off the floor as it poured on their pretty heads…and booties.   In the club, JD said: “We gonna show y’all how to make it rain. I’m Jermaine Dupri, alright. Y’all are here to dance. Don’t bend down and try to get your money. Don’t start getting the money until I tell y’all to get off the stage. Y’all just keep f**king dancing!”   I often wonder what world these kinds of people live in that allows for the reckless disregard of other people. JD so eloquently re-stated the rules to the strippers so that they knew to stay on target as the source of exotic entertainment for men. These women are struggling strippers. Why wouldn’t they immediately start to pick up money, when thousands and thousands are being “rained” on them? If I’m in the club and they start throwing money up, I’m going to pick it up too. Some dudes might start strippin’ to get that kind of money, but that’s another story.   On the other side, Pac Man Jones said he walked into the club with $100,000, just to throw it away about $40k on some jiggling backsides. He even gave Nelly a stack. Now, I am not saying that the fine ladies at the club don’t need the cash, but wouldn’t that money be better served in other ways? I mean, that sounds Utopian but it speaks volumes as to how far stars have degraded as members of the greater community. Since, there’s thousands and thousands just laying around, here are some ways the money could be spent:   -Somebody’s college tuition (and depending on the school, that’s a full scholarship) -A park or after school spot for kids in the city -A business that actually offers a very good return on investment -An ailing or struggling family members -A child or individual that shows greatness. -Or just spend it on something that turns into an asset. Buy a chunk of GOLD valued at $100, 000 -Invest in a writer with potential to be great!   That’s me! Oops, my bad. I need some “stacks” too!   Seriously, I wonder what kind of men these guys are, because JD makes it seem like everybody gets down like this in The A. And, this isn’t a direct slight to JD or anybody else. But, when I go to a strip club (usually a seedy hole in the wall spot), the girls actually dance on the guys. They tip girls based on some form of interaction that is based on touching or a close movement. They want that thing in their face! Put the money on that thing, pimpin! Based on my observations, these rain makers are just on some sort of sexual power trip. “Y’all just keep f**king dancing!” Like, you don’t see women in the male strip club as much, but when you do, you don’t see them throwing up $1’s to break dudes down.   I’m no “Cap’n Save ‘Em,” but the implications here are disturbing and, frankly, stupid. And, on some real spit, I hate it. I loathe, despise and reject all of these blatant ignorance that is going unchecked in Hip-Hop and the “urban” community. This really isn’t about strip clubs, because it is bigger than that. The people to resign to the face that these guys are probably living in another reality that we just watch with disdain. JD seems to agree.   JD: “I’m from a city where in Atlanta, we do this every day. You’ll hear this in Jeezy records. When Jeezy say he spends $10,000 on one song? That s**t is for real man. It aint no play.”   If it ain’t no play, then why are we playing? This “make is rain” phenomenon is not new, but it has taken on new meaning in the current economic conditions and JD’s present justification of it is baffling. Prayerfully, there are creatives like Andre 3000 emerging and re-emerging to speak their peace, not in opposition, but just speaking. Say something!   To that, I give the last word to Three Stacks, from 2007’s “The Art of Storytellin’ Part 4”   [Andre 3000:] So I’m watchin’ her fine a** Walked to my bedroom, and thought to myself That’s the shape of things to come She said, “Why you in the club, and you don’t make it precipitate? You know, make it rain when you can make it thunderstorm” I’m like, “Why? “ The world needs sun The hood needs funds There’s a war going on and half the battle is guns How dare I throw it on the floor When people are poor So I write like Edgar Allen to restore, got a cord? Umbilical attached to a place they can’t afford What the hell, let us make it rain!     I don’t think Nelly was on the same page as Ashanti on this one. Check out her song, “Rain On Me,” but don’t expect any tip drilling!     This is what you want, some real not safe for work material…a “moshpit of booTAY,” as somebody said.     Finally, here is the footage that was recently released to ESPN that outlined the whole ordeal with Adam “Pacman” Jones at a club that resulted […]

I am pro-social media, but I am also pro utilizing the medium for some sort of long term, fruitful strategy. It is already happening now, but I predict that in years to come there will be a terrible negative backlash on the open nature of the internet, specifically social media.   Right now, there are millions and millions of people on the internet doing the most outrageous and bizarre things that they were doing previously in the privacy of their home.   Well, there is nothing inherently wrong with acting like a complete idiot, as long as you know how to act when you walk outside of your home. With the advent of these social outlets, people are now revealing all that they truly are, for better for worse.   Here is a personal case. I remain active on Facebook but, before I changed my preferences, I would get spammed relentlessly by people’ promoting their events, music and other messaging that had nothing to do with me. So, I updated my status and here is what transpired:     Now, by the end of the conversation, the guy was coppin’ all sorts of pleas and explaining himself, but by then, the impression was made. Never will I forget that guy and part of the conversation is immortalized on Twitpic. With the exposure to influential people so much easier now, there lies opportunity for both intelligent individuals and stupid people alike. Now, this person has likely squandered a moment that could have been for building bridges, not tearing them down.   A friend of mine who is very intelligent, but on the novice side was forced to learn a valuable lesson in social media by ruining a perfectly good entry-level position. He worked for a while as a promising talent at a huge media company. An early adopter of Twitter, he sent out a tweet about a matter sensitive to the company’s business and he was promptly fired. Sure, he was a smaller fry in the company and he only had a few followers, but he had the “wrong” followers. Somebody from the job was watching his every move on Twitter and he had no idea.   It is time to get a clue. If you are active on the ‘Net, there is a landfill of information being collected on you online. This information NEVER goes away, no matter how much you delete data and dead links. Not only does it not go away, it is easy to capture and store the information by third parties. Furthermore, there are future employers, business associates and others that can develop an opinion about you and you don’t even know it. The irony is that many people have online personas that aren’t even consistent with their “normal” behavior.   “I see in 2005, you were at a keg party and you were dancing with a horse. Is that your regular life or just the life you lead on the weekends, Mr. Jones,” says potential employer.   You better believe you are being googled before you walk up in that meeting or sales pitch. They can see it all these days, so be aware.   You don’t necessarily have to beware. As with any tool or device, its usefulness can work in the other way as well. And, I have met several people that have used these brand extensions to elevate their game, not stifle it. There is nothing wrong with having fun or being a joker on Youtube…you just have to make sure that whatever you do doesn’t put a hole in your life boat as it leaves the docks.  

Pharrell is clearly in love with this Lanvin “Piped Blazer,” because the rapper-slash-producer-slash-rocker has been seen rocking it quite frequently this year.   Most recently, Pha-real, as Jay-Z once called him, was seen wearing it to the BAPE Flagstore opening in London. This time, The Neptunes front man wore it with a brown and beige plaid shirt and a seemingly mangled 10-gallon hat. This look was fairly safe compared to his previous style forays, where he had his blazer on with some knee-high horse riding boots. This ensemble had the internet talking quite a bit, yet didn’t isolate P from his core fan.   Here are some of the memorable moment with Pharrell and his favorite blazer along with the looks that he’s tried with it.  In London:   A party earlier this summer: Pharrell at the Soho House in NYC with some Clark Wallabees. Ghostface would be proud. Image Sources, Concrete Loop, Hype Beast DiscussionsView Results

“Euphemisms are misunderstood as mistakes/ But it’s a by-product of the ghetto music we make/” —Canibus, “Poet Laureate II,” Rip the Jacker, 2003. Of the many reasons Hip-Hop music dogged for, one of the most unremarkable is that it teaches bad English—broken English—Ebonics. Critics argue that it celebrates anti-intellectualism, with an emphasis on rhyme rather than reason. Hip-Hop music is largely a compilation of half-thoughts, displaying no linguistic dexterity whatsoever, they say. Of course, these mush-mouths have never heard of The GZA or Lauryn Hill or Canibus; but that belabors the point.    In his seminal 1979 essay, “If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?” James Baldwin stood up to those making such claims far back as the 1960s and 1970s. He wrote: If this passion, this skill, this (to quote Toni Morrison) “sheer intelligence,” this incredible music, the mighty achievement of having brought a people utterly unknown to, or despised by “history”–to have brought this people to their present, troubled, troubling, and unassailable and unanswerable place–if this absolutely unprecedented journey does not indicate that black English is a language, I am curious to know what definition of language is to be trusted. What critics who are yet to acquaint themselves with the reality of the ghetto miss out, is that out of nothing has come richness of language. Out of very little, has been developed a way to communicate directly with one’s peoples, one’s peers and, even, one’s enemies. The French understand this doing—the making of lemonade with lemons—as bricolage.   For instance, one shouldn’t be surprised, in certain parts of New York, to hear exchanges like “What up, son [or sun]?” Detroiters are less casual: “What up, doe?” Through Hip-Hop, we also know that in Atlanta it isn’t meant offensively to be asked, “What up, shawty?” The Twistas, Do or Dies and Lupe Fiascos have made clear why Chicagoans don’t assume everyone is named Joe when they ask, “What up, Joe?” It was also because of Hip-Hop that an international audience was introduced to the theology of the Five Percenters, which many MCs have since adopted. So, it came as no surprise when the phrases “Peace, god” or “What up, god?” was watered on wax.  That no other group has more contributed to Hip-Hop dialect than the Wu-Tang Clan needs no mention. The 9-member Shaolin army are not only responsible for sustaining New York Hip-Hop—at a time many had begun expressing great skepticism about it—they also deserve due credit for creating the explosion of social consciousness that made the early and mid-‘90s an enjoyable period for Hip-Hop listeners. But their greatest contribution might be the strange slangs and terminologies the Hip-Hop community was exposed to, following Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Before Wu-Tang, very few believed that much good could come out of Staten Island (let’s be honest); but after 1993, the verdict wasn’t mistakable anymore. By fusing Martial artistry with ancient mysticism and street speech, they created a brand-new form of dialogue that still unnerves listeners today. Hip-Hop might not, as of yet, be all we want it to be, but it established rich rhetorical transactions that youth around the world have found great treasure in.   No one knew this more than slain Harlem rapper Big L (R.I.P.). On his second album, The Big Picture (posthumous release), the lost lyricist addressed the issue with a song titled, “Ebonics.” A born linguist, Big L wanted the world to “pay attention and listen real closely how I break this slang sh** down.” But Big L wasn’t the only one proud enough of the language spoken around, and by, him to share it with an international audience. Renowned writer E. B. White was no different. Author of the famous children novel series, “Charlotte’s Web,” White wrote an essay, published October 1940 in Harper’s Magazine (reprinted later in his classic text “One Man’s Meat”), titled, “Maine Speech,” in which he surveyed the “tongue spoken” in Maine. “I find that, whether I will or no, my speech is gradually changing, to conform to the language of the country,” he wrote.     In his essay, White listed diverse examples of terms which Maine’s people had developed into a brand they could call their own. Big L accomplished the same aim in his song.   What follows are excerpts from both “Ebonics” and “Maine Speech”: “My weed smoke is my lye/ A key of coke is a pie/ When I’m lifted, I’m high/ With new clothes on, I’m fly/.” —Big L “For the word ‘all’ you use the phrase ‘the whole of.’ You ask, ‘Is that the whole of it?’ And whole is pronounced hull. Is that the hull of it?” —E. B. White “A radio is a box, a razor blade is a ox/ Fat diamonds is rocks and jakes is cop/ And if you got rubbed, you got stuck/ You got shot, you got bucked/.” —Big L “For lift, the word is heft. You heft a thing to see how much it weighs. When you are holding a wedge for somebody to tap with a hammer, you say: ‘Tunk it a little’.” —E. B. White “Your bankroll is your poke, a choke hold is a yoke/ A kite is a note, a con is a okey doke/ And if you got punched, that mean you got snuffed/ To clean is to buff, a bull scare is a strong bluff/.” —Big L “Baster (pronounced bayster) is a popular word with boys. All the kids use it. He’s an old baster, they say, when they pull an eel out of an eel trap. It probably derives from bastard, but it sounds quite proper and innocent when you hear it, and rather descriptive. I regard lots of things now (and some people) as old basters.” —E. B. White A burglary is a jook, a woof’s a crook/ Mobb Deep already explained the meaning of shook/ If you caught a felony, you caught a F/ If you got killed, you got […]

 Jay-Z must respond to The Game with force to this barrage of disses   I won’t dilute the point with a bunch of over-intellectual ramblings in an attempt to complicate so simple. So, above you have this editorial in a nutshell, but if you want, read on.   Jay-Z is at a proverbial fork in the road, but it may not be the time for him to disregard the rules and go straight as he so poetically put it in “Renegade.” Jay-Z remains one of the best that ever did it, but what does that mean in the rap game, which is populated by lyrical cutthroats? The Game, one of the most aggressive and spiteful rappers, is now hurling insult after insult at the self-proclaimed “God MC.” He had a crowd calling Jay-Z an “old a** n***a” in Spain. In the UK, they were recently chanting, “Jay-Z is full of s**t.” Furthermore, The Game has insulted Jay-Z wife Beyonce in song! Well, what next? There is plenty more. According to The Game, he has more, sharper barbed verses for Jay-Z, should the Brooklyn rapper opt to respond.   But that is exactly what Jay-Z has to do – respond and respond with more force that was devoted to Nas, Prodigy and other rappers that he’s tangled with. Please, be clear. This is for Jay-Z to reacquaint himself with the audience that want to see him get back to business. Remember Rocky III, where Rock – in all his posh life – was faced with the Killer Clubber Lang, played by the rugged-n-rough Mr. T.? Rocky’s team didn’t want the champion in with that “animal” and initially refused to give the hungry Lang a shot.   Jay-Z camp cannot act like The Game doesn’t exist anymore even though he seems content with disregarding the Compton rapper. He’s going to have to make a move in the spirit of Hip-Hop…and his career. He’s got the skill set and he’s got a history of going at people himself. Jay doesn’t necessarily need to tangle endlessly with The Game. One well-placed song will let people know that he’s still that guy that wrote “The Takeover” and survived “Ether.”   No worthy champ allows a coup to occur right in his face.   There is a lot weighing in on the success of his new album, The Blueprint 3. Jay’s older but still a far better artist than just about every rapper doing music. Blueprint 3, if it is delivered properly, will open people’s eyes that age is just a number that transcends SoundScan digits. Like other legends, Ali, Jordan, Run DMC, Tupac and others, The God is beginning to appear eerily human. Recognizing that humanity could be the key to survival to Jay-Z, as was musically demonstrated in the first of his Blueprint albums. Remember, that most of the greats became great when they had to rely on their heart, nerve and sinew – not just raw skill.   To really score a KO, Jay-Z is going to have to climb back in the ring and swing for the fences. Not taking anything from The Game, but I want Jay-Z to win and I don’t mean this petty battle. Jay-Z winning is a win for Hip-Hop music and if you can’t see that, you are D.O.A.   Here is The Game In the UK, where the crowd is screaming “Jay-Z is full of s**t”   video platform video management video solutions free video player   The Regular Guy is a columnist that typically writes on Thursday, but felt the need to write this on a Friday. He also believes that Jay-Z will ignore him as he has ignored The Game so far.  

What about your friends will they stand their ground Will they let you down again What about your friends are they gonna be low down Will they ever be around or will they turn their backs on you   -TLC (1992)   Friends.   Sometimes I hate them, I swear I do.   I am extremely tight with all of my real friends, meaning the people I have run with through the good and the bad. But I am an all-out kind of friend and always have been. So, for as long as I can remember, I have almost always gotten into fights because of my friends. When they are in a fight, I am in! Most times, I don’t need to know if they are right or not.   But, we don’t fight any more – not those physical confrontations at least.   We are embroiled in a different fight and that is the fight of life. So, I am wondering about my friends commitment to this fight. My friends are like family (and much of my family are like friends) and the reality is – I need THEM the way they have needed me. However, when I have called them for something, many of them are straight up bums. Like, my boy Terrone, he couldn’t find the time to help me move. Movers cost a good chunk of change and a few of the homies can offset that cost easily. I have been trying to link with my boy Water for the longest time, just so our kids can know each other. But, dude keeps talking about “this is a bad month” and crying over work. Crying about work forever? Never having a moment for friends or relaxation. I think he’s slowly degraded into human trash, definitely not the nice, outgoing dude I once knew.   On the other side, I have never had these issues with my female friends. I mean, I don’t hang out with them too much, because that may cause another set of issues in my home. Typically, as friends, women are very reliable. Now, if I ask them to help me move some sofas and junk, they may not fare so well in the test. For some reason, when you get outside of the friend-zone with women, all of this support deteriorates. Maybe they are on their best behavior, looking for a chance with “The Good Guy.” (LMAO)   Now, I have had so-called friend that I don’t considered friends at all anymore. These are the slimy dudes that tried to screw my girl behind my back. I didn’t even beat him down. I cut him off and dropped my ex for not telling me. Then there is the female friend that WAS secretly trying to get with me so she decided it was a good idea to send my girl (at that time) a bunch of crazy mess to break us up. The damage was done, but she didn’t get me so she lost too. Those weren’t friends. Those people were life experiences, mere footnotes in my personal history.   My friends have been there for a long time, but I feel like I’m in a pal recession to accompany the one the nation is reeling from. What next? Not sure. I’m loyal but I may have to talk to these folks on some corny s**t. I need to make my point clear, so that if I have to cut people off, there is no mystery. I don’t know if this means anything to anybody else, but I am going to pass off to TLC, who I have been listening to with regards to this matter.   TLC “What About Your Friends”     Whodini – “Friends” (for fun)   Good Guy aka Everyman is a columnist on AllHipHop.com and his columns appear every Thursday or when he sends them over. Of course his views are not necessarily that of AllHipHop.com, but secretly wish we had a big chain.

It is pretty common knowledge that it is high time that the recording industry re-evaluate its practices and business M.O.   This is a direct result of the digital era, however I have an archaic response to the resurgence of the new indie and internet movement.   Record labels need to make the record deal worth something again.   Right now, with all eyes on the artist, the artistry, the sales and the business, the labels are going to need to raise the bar instead of lowering it. In recent history, record deals have been given out like cheap candy on Halloween night. The dude co-signed by the DJ gets a deal. The bum best friend of the multi-platinum rapper gets a deal. The trash rapper that does a few thousand out-of-the-trunk can get a record deal. There’s a clearance sale on record deals, it seems and the industry “got it for cheap.”   These unqualified people are getting signed for all the wrong reasons and very little of it is based on talent or ability. Can we agree that that is most important aspect of an album? I mean, most of these folks don’t even have an interesting story to sell to the people or media. I’m sorry, but even getting shot isn’t enough anymore. The “deal” has been devalued so badly that your average artist boasts about being indie, not even fully grasping he gravity of that. (That’s another topic, but indie is short for independent.) The point is, nobody really cares about getting signed to a deal anymore…they have options.   Don’t confuse this as an anti-indie statement or even a pro-major labels commentary. I firmly believe that we only recently fundamentally got off track, but it seems like Pandora’s Box is completely broken open. Artists as recently as 50 Cent, Young Jeezy and wise older artists like Master P grasped the notion of crafting a full-circle look at their art way before they hopped in bed with the labels. Then, other artists already signed to majors took meticulous care of their likeness and their art, which often extended well beyond their music. That care doesn’t exist anymore, from the artist or the labels. Artist development, A&Ring and other once-essentials are now fundamentally dead.   That can change for the betterment of the business and the future stars of music, if the deal is harder to attain. Getting signed must be a rite of passage of sorts, where only the best of the best emerge victorious.   With the barriers to entry gone, and access readily available, I’m not suggesting that the music game shut down the doors to anybody. In fact, this idea would open up doors to the talents all over the nation and the world that have the goods, but don’t have the inroads. There are more ways for an artist to create energy around themselves and you don’t have to sit in front of the Def Jam building to get somebody’s attention. So, I’m talking about the artists in Detroit, Delaware, Baltimore and Chicago getting in. I’m talking about the MC’s in Rotterdam and South Africa. The labels have to understand, this is what is out there. The artists have to be ready to answer the door when opportunity knocks.   Essentially, what I am suggesting is that – for the fans’ sake – artists must assume control of their own destiny and when they have gone through that industry trial by fire, everybody is a winner.   If the deal is just given out, even the “nobody” doesn’t respect it. The goal: creating the next generation of superstars and salvaging a business that enables potential greats to fulfill their destiny.   Solutions:   Artists: Labels will be labels. Create value in what you do and what you are. Have a total package as an artist and, more importantly, as a commodity. Know the digital landscape in detail, but don’t completely abandon traditional forms of promotion and marketing that work. Have a team.   Labels: We’ve seen what happens when artists are JUST signed. Nobody wins, because many of these immensely talented individuals sit on a shelf, only to get released years after their buzz is the highest. Others do get release dates, but suffer from wackness or simply from neglect. From a business point of view, there will always be an urge to sign the next hot thing on the spot, but treat the artist like a flower and help them blossom. There aren’t many Michael’s, Mariah’s and Madonna’s out there, but there are many reoccurring lessons to be learned from these artists. Chuck Creekmur is the founder of AllHipHop.com, a cultural critic, public speaker and has been independent for several years.  Sometimes, he can be found at www.twitter.com/chuckcreekmur.

TODAY WAS almost A GOOD DAY! On Wednesday, July 8th I got out of bed feeling a little bit better than good! IntelligentSeedz were finally going to interview Mr. Rodney Lofton – Superintendent of Trenton Public Schools. We were happy that we had been granted the interview and it was finally about to happen. Mr. Lofton is a magnanimous brother with a lot of knowledge to offer our youth film makers on the subject of high lead levels in schools as well as what’s being done to correct the problem. You can check out a clip of our Intelligent Seedz upcoming documentary “Dying to Learn” (The Effect of Lead on Inner City School Children) http://www.intelligentseedz.org   So, I do the normal run through go over the punch list of things needed for the shoot, make sure all of the children are up, waiting and ready to go. We arrive at the Board of Education, the youth set up and conduct the interview (big shout to Ra’Ees, Ibreania and Kai yall held it down with a three youth crew, they missed you Amir and Megan). Everything was great, interview went well, superintendent Rodney Lofton was nothing short of informative, well knowledgeable on the subject and he also allowed the seedz to interview Mr. Everett Collins – Director of Buildings and Grounds for Trenton Public School district. We completed the shoot, wrapped up and got on our way; mission accomplish, I’m ecstatic. After dropping the seedz off I hurry to make a studio session scheduled for 1:30pm with Kal and Bizz p.k.a. AD (Angels to some Devils to most). Get there we breeze through the track like professionals, everybody’s happy…we exchange pounds, handshakes and hugs and I’m on my way to my place in Trenton. At this point I’m looking for my Ice Cube cd because TODAY is A GOOD DAY! Driving down Chestnut St. (One block from my gate), I stop at the light. This is when Diamond – a friend, good brother and Hip Hop/reggae drummer for many established and local artist, myself included – jogs over to the car. He asks me “what’s up”, said he hadn’t seen me around in a while, I tell him “my numbers still the same, give me a holla!” He reaches into the car window we shake hands, in the usual long drawn-out way brothers do, he walks off, the light turns green I pull off. Less than two minutes later I’m turning on to my street. I begin to park and this is when the Ice Cube Good Day lyrics and melody begin to grind to a dead-batteries in ya boom box halt. As good as my day was going I’m now being chirped to pull over by the TAC Unit (fancy name for COPS), at the moment I am parking! I mean in mid park, they put the Cherries on, chirp me so I stop about 18 inches from the curb. They jump out of their cruiser briskly, the male officer rushing up to my driver side window, while his partner a female officer maneuvers towards my passenger side window with her hand on her firearm. My windows were already down, so he comes up and asks “do you have license?” To which I reply “absolutely.” Then he asked “do you have vehicle registration?” To which I again replied in the affirmative “absolutely!” He asked if they were valid, again my reply was “absolutely!” After giving him my valid license, registration and insurance cards, he asked “do you have guns or drugs in the car?”To which I replied ABSOLUTELY NOT!” I asked him “what is the reason I’m being stopped?” I’m just parking in front of my home, he didn’t answer the question. Instead he asked…”Who was the guy you were talking to on the corner back there?” To which I reply “someone I know…why?” To which he replied “get out of the car!” I ask him “why..what did you stop me for?” Again he asked me to get out of my car…again I asked why? This time he answered “because I said so!” To which I said “so I’m expected to just do whatever you say no matter what?” To which he replied..”basically!” So, I got out of the car (complete cooperation, although I still haven’t been told why I’ve been pulled over?). He asks me to go to the back of my car. Next, he ask me to put my hands on the back of my car and I did so. At this point he’s patting me down. Then he walks away to search in the driver side of my vehicle? His partner is searching in the bushes up the block where I had just driven past and in the bushes I was now parked in front of (my neighbor’s yard basically). The male cop comes back and continues patting me down, checking my pockets. So, I turn around slightly gazing under my right arm pit, both hands still on my car, and ask “am I being arrested?” And this A-hole of an officer says “now you’re being arrested for ASSAULT ON AN OFFICER!”???? Am I crazy or did he just say I’m being arrested for assault on an officer? Yep, assault on an officer I never touched, disrespected, raised my voice to or challenged in any way? So he handcuffed me they put me in the cruiser and took me down to the precinct. But before we got to the precinct I asked “so, let me get this straight, you arrested me for assault on an officer?” Now, the arresting officer says to me “do you want to be arrested for assault on an officer?” I’m thinking, is this a trick question? So I respond “absolutely not!” This is when he says “you don’t have any warrants, traffic violations, etc., so we’ll take you down, they’ll give you a couple tickets and a summons and let you go!” OOOO..K? I’m thinking “tickets for what..a summons for what?” I’ve […]

“Half these rap lyrics ain’t thought-provoked/ Just a lot of beef till they get caught and smoked/” —GZA, “Illusory Protection,” Grandmasters. “If I rhyme about home and got descriptive/ I’d make 50 Cent look like Limp Bizkit/” —K’Naan, “What’s Hardcore?,” The Dusty Foot Philosopher.  Nowadays, nothing seems to annoy this writer more than the fecklessness and sheer acquiescence of those whom, for lack of a perceptive fan-base, are considered “Gangsta” or “Hardcore.” This topic is no new one. For years, the “Studio Gangsta” has hollered tales of past crime exploits on wax, and for years, those same personalities have escaped through back doors, snitched on comrades, and softened-up faster than rotten bananas, when confronted by incidents they previously claimed to have casually partook in—robberies, stick-ups, chain-snatchings, gun-battles etc.   But my greater gripe is less about the foolishness of these fictional characters, and more involved with the normalized nature of cowardice growing among the Hip-Hop artist community.  To be sure, the last 10 years have produced a great deal of commercialized jargon passing for Rap music; but this fact takes nothing away from the reality that a good deal of quality music was also made during that time-period. Unfortunately, a sizeable portion of it was either never released to the public, or stalled for too long, thereby loosing the appeal it once had.  Enter: Major Record Labels. From Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2, to Saigon’s The Greatest Story Never Told, to Papoose’s The Nacirema Dream, to The Clipse’s Hell Hath No Fury, many Hip-Hop fans have hopelessly awaited the release of these highly anticipated projects. Their wait has been long and in vain.    The only project, out of that collection, to be released was Hell Hath No Fury, the follow-up to The Clipse’s strong 2002 debut, Lord Willin’. And after a two-year waiting period, which consisted of lawsuits filed against their label (at the time, Jive Records), considerable fury had taken form in the duo’s minds. On the first single of their 2006 release, “Mr. Me Too,” Pusha T let it all hang out: “These are the days of our lifes/ And I’m sorry to the fans, but the crackers weren’t playing fair at Jive/.” Their frustration with the “crackers” at Jive was reprised in a September 2006 Rolling Stone Magazine interview, in which Pusha T said the following: “I hate Jive. I hate them m############. With all my heart and all the passion and my soul I hate these b######. It’s about the lynching of every staff member up in this m###########.”     The reason behind his explosive rant was soon revealed: “You could ask anyone in here to give you a marketing plan on Clipse and they could never do it. …It’s like damn, ‘What do you understand about hip-hop? You ain’t had nobody since Spice 1! You don’t know the f###### formula. Everybody in here’s like 50 years old!” His plea to Jive was simple: “Just drop us.” His wish was granted shortly thereafter.  It was painful to witness that ordeal, and watch the drama unfold, but the bravery employed by The Clipse should not simply be shelved and forgotten, flung to the basement of our memories. They understood the costs involved in striking such a defiant pose at the “crackers” who define, design, and decide the fates of most mainstream Hip-Hop artists. Evidently, they had been pushed to the edge of the cliff, and didn’t mind jumping from it. That is admirable on every level. And if more Rap artists put such audacity to work in their professional lives, perhaps radio might sound differently today.     The problem? Most refuse to simply serenade that suggestion.   * * * The 18-year-old Atlanta Rapper Soulja Boy is an easy target. I’m not too caught-up on easy-targets. Politicians, bureaucrats, capitalists, colonialists, conservatives, racists, sexists, xenophobes, and extremists feast upon them. But this character is fascinating. The fact that he originally hails from Chicago—a city which has produced such luminaries as Common, Twista, Rhymefest, No I.D., Kanye West, GLC, Jasiri X, Da Brat, Lupe Fiasco, etc.—baffles the mind. I hate to imagine what these esteemed lyricists think of their fellow Chicagoan.      Nonetheless, I invoke Mr. Crank Dat, not to lend my name to his most-wanted list, but because I think his recent antics dovetail with the theme of this article—testicular fortitude.  About a couple of weeks or so ago, Soulja Boy surprised his 1,000,000+ Twitter followers with a series of posts. Appeared to be aggravated by some requests made of him, he wrote: “Water down my music and my appearance and make me look like something i’m not… THESE CRACKERS DONT KNOW WHO THE F*CK I REALLY AM!!! Then I get signed. this is where my dream slowly died… these crackaz wanna criticize a n*gga. take REAL SH*t and turn it to trash. Like why? Like really. My music dream was THE SH*t 2 years ago before I was signed. It was everything I could ever imagine.” The next morning, however, those messages were deleted. For one who shot to international prominence at age 16, through a song which expressed, in explicit terms, crass sexual escapades (“Superman dat ho,” “Supesoak dat ho”), he seemed fine with watering-down his image and music. In fact, I assumed that the same young man who, last year, took special time out to “Shout out… the slave masters,” because “without them we’d still be in Africa,” hence deprived of “ice and tattoos,” would be the last to lament the death of his “music dream.” (Welcome to reality, partna’!)     Still, I enjoyed his soliloquy, expecting to hear more about this new found conviction.  What I got in return was an article, titled “Money F*cks You Up…,” written a couple of days after the incident, in which he tried to make amends for his remarks by placing them in proper context. In his short essay, he affirmed the age-old truth: “Money f*cks you up.” The fortune, fame, and felicities of success […]

I took a bit of a break from writing. Life is real and some of my previous editorials had some people after me. I have been running in fear of my life. The thugs…The E-Thugs. I’m petrified of all these E-Thugs roaming the Internet Superhighway terrorizing everybody like they own the ‘web or something. If you don’t know, an E-thug does all the things that a real life thug does except those actions physically violent or intimidating. Typically, they have better-than-average computer skills, particularly within the context of message boards and “keystyling.” The “E” in E-Thug stands for “electronic” for the oldies reading. The E-Thugs have landed and they can stand you down solo or with a gang of other E-Thugs. This phenomenon has progressively gotten stronger over time and as the online platforms have grown. So, the larger the audience, the harder the E-Thug. What the E-Thug isn’t so good at is face-to-face interaction and confrontation, but they can fend off just about any typist attacker with a swift movement of their fingers. I can’t lie. I’ve written several of my columns and the comments and commentary of the E-Thug would make me believe that my life was in danger. Whenever I start seeing somebody typing in all caps, laced with profanity and irrational thoughts, I can only visualize a psychotic person slamming their keyboard foaming at the mouth. Like, this person has to be plotting a murder, if they only had the IP address of their victim. I’m from an era that experienced much of life without computers, so when you had an issue, it was usually dealt with after school or face to face. Generally, the crowd would congregate as well. Or, even more fun, we would play the dozens, a right of passage where you verbally sparred with friends (or enemies) through hurtful, funny jokes. These things happen in the digital space now. If a twitter “fight” breaks out, people run to that page to see what is being said. If you were a genuine thug, you could get away with pushing people around. Even those dudes would get tested from time to time. The point is, everybody knew there was some sort of bounds that they had to operate within or else you may end up writing a check you couldn’t cash. Most e-thugging is associated with the young and reckless, but that’s not totally true. Recently, I have seen grown professional men e-thugging and digital gang banging on each other. It’s just weird to me and also shameful. Perhaps they want attention or to make up some aggression that they lack in physical interaction offline. Men have always needed to show their masculinity in some way or another, whether its lifting weights or typing hard enough to damage their PC. On the others side, I have seen actual thugs discover the computer and magically become E-thugs. But these dudes are generally more serious and will even give their prison number or something as a badge of authenticity. They can go back and forth, between real thug and E-Thug. But, their P.O. may not appreciate terrorist threats in real life. I don’t know. But, what I do fear happening is one of these wack job E-thugs is going to feel the need to cross over and make their gangster felt offline. Somebody is going to mess around and create the next Columbine disaster or worse. For now, they lurk under the cloak of anonymity and live “strapped” with threatening words that beg the question “What if?” What if… Some fun pictures. Please do not take these images personally and kill me. Good Guy aka Everyman is a columnist on AllHipHop.com and his columns appear every Thursday or when he sends them over. Of course his views are not necessarily that of AllHipHop.com, but secretly wish we had a big chain.

Def Jam and Adidas; two disparate companies sharing innovative pasts and futures. The former holds place as the essential Hip-Hop label, built on acts like LL Cool, Slick Rick and Public Enemy. The latter is a bedrock in sportswear, and inadvertently or not, Hip-Hop fashion harking back to the debut of ubiquitous Pro Model/Superstar (aka Shelltoes).In celebration of Def Jam and Adidas’ 25th and 60th anniversaries, respectively, as the common thread, the two companies have teamed to produce the adidas Originals Def Jam collection. This clothing will include sneakers and apparel. Special make-ups of traditional Adidas kicks including the Superstar, the Forum Mid and the Stan Smith. Tees and track jackets (see photos) will also be included in the line. [cont. below]At a recent Adidas sponsored release party for their Blackout! 2 album, Def Jam artists Redman and Method Man gave their take on the Adidas and Def Jam union. “To me Adidas is synonymous with Run-DMC. Adidas is synonymous with fat laces, and taps on the bottom of the shoes, ya know, shell toes,” said Method Man. “Their history alone is way beyond Redman or Method Man. The influence that Adidas has in the hood, I really can’t tell you. I just like a fresh pair of sneakers. It’s three brands the brothers really mess with, and Adidas is one of them.” video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsfree video player Adds Redman, “Connecting with Adidas and knowing they history means a lot. I’m glad to be a part of the family, serious. As far as the partnership with Adidas, I guess they needed some personality. All the staff that works for Adidas is probably young, was probably into our music when they was a little younger. Somebody was like why not Red & Meth? It’s good that we can stand out. We can appeal to the younger crowd.” video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsfree video player Lately the now de rigeur rapper clothing lines or collaborations can tend to turn off buyers weary of their tendency to include auspicious logos and low brow pandering in their designs. But the adidas Originals Def Jam collection seen below and to the left combine traditional adidas designs with smart details like “AD.60.DJ.25” inscriptions and subtle homages like the burgundy colorways that DJ’s will remember from the Def Jam label’s 12” record sleeves.  Current Def Jam acts including Ghostface Killah and Young Jeezy will be revealing their own special adidas and Def Jam co-branded clothing in the coming months. The collection will be available at select retailers and the Adidas Originals store beginning in July and August. aqua blogs about Hip-Hop, kicks and everything in between at Slang Rap Democracy.

Perhaps I’m not surfing the dark corners of the Internet closely enough, but I haven’t come across any amazing conspiracy theories in a while. I’m sure paranoid people are still out there telling anyone who will listen that Prez Obama is the anti-Christ, the government flushed drugs into the hood (are they still doing it? if so why wouldn’t they make weed legal so that they can make more money off it?) and America, Mexico and Canada are looking to become a unified state (with all the drug wars going on in Mexico…I’ll pass). I’m sure there are more than enough conspiracies out there regarding our government to scare the crap out of even the biggest critics. Thanks to Youtube.com I did some research and was able to find some conspiracies for your viewing pleasure. For the record, I’m not stating that these are true but they are making statements that make you go “Hmmm.” What are some theories you’ve come across? – CH The X Fact(her) is a weekly column that appears on 99problems.org. Started on Inauguration Day 2009 by the League of Young Voter’s Education Fund, 99problems.org is a non-profit initiative that aims to keep young people engaged in the political process through activism and community involvement. Please visit 99problems.org to find out how you can get involved right now! For more on Chloé A. Hilliard visitwww.chloehilliard.com

“Now, I’m sure that some of my “post racial” Black and liberal White friends will say that I need to calm down…   Back in the late 1800’s a Scottish woman wrote the controversial book “Little Black S####.” Although, the story was about a dark skinned Indian child with exaggerated Negroid features who liked to rumble with tigers, S#### gave birth to a long line of S####- like comedic characters for the next century.   Based on the reviews of Sacha Cohen’s new movie “Bruno,” some people still find this type of racially, offensive humor hilarious.     According to the trailers for the upcoming movie, Cohen plays Bruno, an Austrian, homosexual fashion reporter.   However, the part that they are highlighting in the commercials deals with Bruno adopting a black baby to whom he lovingly, refers to as “Gayby.”     When we first meet Gayby he is being lifted out of a box at an airport by Bruno who is decked out in traditional African ceremonial garb.     The reason for the Black baby in the box:     “Angelina’s got one. Madonna’s got one. Now Bruno’s got one.”     Later there is a scene where the baby is covered with bees, which I suppose is a reference to those Sally Strothers “Feed the Children” info-mericials with Ethiopian children covered with bugs.     In the movie Bruno, also mentions that he swapped his iPod for the baby.      Not very funny to a person whose ancestors were traded for cheap gin and rum.     Of course, the Hollywood honchos and their stable of PR apologists will swear that there is ,absolutely, nothing offensive about this movie, as it is a satirical film that pokes fun at many cultures.  Anyone offended by the movie just can’t take a joke.     We are not amused.     I have an embedded keen sense of when people have stopped laughing with me and have started laughing at me. So excuse me for being a little hypersensitive.     Also, I am aware of the mass media’s historical use of “picanninies” to sell movie tickets and boost ratings.     From the Topsy character in Harriet Beacher Stowe’s, well intended, Uncle Tom’s Cabin novel to those old Shirley Temple movies and even to the 80’s “Arnold” character on “Different Strokes,” who would puff his cheeks out and go “What you talkin’ ’bout Willis” in every episode to the absolute delight of his adopted white father and white housekeeper, the picaninny character has survived.     As Thomas Cripps wrote in the outstanding anthology “Split Image: African Americans in the Mass Media by Janette Dates and William Barlow:     “Hollywood movies have always exhibited a sort of cultural politics in their treatment of ethnicity but their usages of African Americans have always seemed resistant to change, even under the pressure of social crisis.”     Even with two beautiful Black girls living in the White House, Hollywood is still pickin’ on picaninnies.     Now, I’m sure that some of my “post racial” Black and liberal White friends will say that I need to calm down;  perhaps get a cup of green tea and mellow out.     I do have a sense of humor, black folks have a long history of  “playin’ the dozens” and dissin’ each other for fun. But there is always a point where a “yo mama is so black joke” goes too far and then…     Pow…In the face!     As the late comedian Richard Pryor said in his skit that was immortalized via Public Enemy’s sample on “Prophets of Rage”     “I have a right to be hostile. My people are being persecuted!”     Sacha Cohen needs an old fashion back ally beat down for exploiting black babies like that.     (So, if I ever catch you in tha hood, homie be prepared for a behind whippin’.)     “Who me?”Why is it that Black folks are the only ones who have to wait for an official national consensus before they express outrage. Or they must wait until some black leader gives them the green light to get angry and then the red light to tell them when to chill back out?     In 2009, I don’t have to wait for Rev. Al or anybody else to give me permission to express my sense of moral outrage.     For too long African Americans have been at the bottom of the ladder of social advocacy.     When members of the Jewish community were upset over a verse in Michael Jackson’s “They Don’t Care About Us,” it did not take an act of Congress to have the song pulled from store shelves.     Even if someone abuses a squirrel while filming a nature flick, you can bet that a militant group of PETA activists will mobilize in a matter of hours in front of the director’s house pelting it with pistachio nuts.     Black folks should demand the same respect instead of buying into the coming PR spin that Bruno is a humanitarian effort with the sole purpose of bringing about a new era of world peace and universal brotherhood.     I guess that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. One man’s treasure is another man’s piece of racist trash.     Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com He can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com       The views expressed inside this editorial aren’t necessarily the views of AllHipHop.com or its employees.

“Hey young world, the world is yours/” —Slick Rick, “Hey Young World,” The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.  “Do we sell our souls to the Devil/ For yellow pieces of metal/” —M.anifest, “Wahala,” Coming to America. You’re between the ages of 9 and 16, reading this. All your life, you’ve been told that the world is yours to conquer. Many have encouraged you to pursue your dreams and passions. If you work hard enough, and dream far enough, the opportunities are limitless, they said. All you have to do is set forth your feet on the path to success and self-discovery. Well, I’m here to tell you that if major Record Label executives, terrestrial Hip-Hop media, commercial Hip-Hop artists, and mainstream Hip-Hop fans have any say, this world would never become yours. Know that most music executives are no better than the financial geniuses whose scandalous endeavors are reason for today’s global economic meltdown. Know that they don’t mind poisoning your intellect with any kind of music, destructive as it may be, so long as it’s financially profitable. Know that they have at their disposal the fate of most of your favorite artists, and they’re much willing to swing it in whichever direction they so please. Know that their true intention is never to equip you with musical contributions that might stimulate thoughts, but to throw their weight behind any piece of sound that appeals to their conception of the world—hyper-capitalism.  Know that if they decided, at once, to promote productive, progressive, and prophetic music from their chambers, your future might not end up dominated by auto-tune prostitutes—as it’s currently positioned to. Know that if they spent more money on artist development, diversity of style, and lyrical versatility, the world might truly be yours. “Roll to every station, murder the DJ/ Roll to every station, murder the DJ/” Understand that most of terrestrial Hip-Hop media—radio stations, websites, blogs, TV stations—are essentially foot soldiers of the Record Label executives. Understand that the on-air personalities which you listen to on your favorite stations are not as powerful as they might sound. Understand that these robots cannot resist the pressure to play over and over again a select number of songs; for if they do, those who construct the playlists would see to it that their job is given immediately to someone who can perform more obediently and efficiently—the job of a radio DJ nowadays seems to be easier than a telemarketer’s. Understand that payola—pay for play—is the new world order of today’s Hip-Hop media—be it the cable entertainment channel designated for Black people, be it the well-known Hip-Hop blogs, be it the popular Hip-Hop news sites, be it your “Hot” and “Power” radio stations—thereby rendering farcical any such schemes as “call-in-requests” or viewer-decided countdowns.  Understand that their passion for cowardice has endangered your future a great deal, ensuring that the only artists permitted for radio play are those whose morals are found in the gutters of Materialism, Misogyny and Minstrelsy.. Understand that if they, overnight, grew up beyond their pubertal stage, and began demanding quality music from the Record Labels, refusing to play songs which beat the same drums of filth and immorality, dedicating their airwaves to socially responsible tracks, the world might truly be yours.   “I can’t rap—pass me the program/ I can’t sing—pass me the program/” Be aware that many of the artists whom you love so dearly are perhaps your deadliest enemies. Be aware that, in these times, a backbone is as useful to a commercial Hip-Hop artist as a sunglass to a blind man/woman—a prop. Be aware that if spinelessness was a life-ending disease, most of your beloved artists would be deceased. Be aware that their inability to speak candidly against injustice condoned in the music industry—misogyny, racism, homophobia, materialism—is not so much acceptance of it, but fear of what cost political courage demands.  Be aware that many Hip-Hop artists have little say over what kind of music they lace their vocals on, what image is promoted to the public, what content is contained in their music. Be aware that if they looked around and saw their strength—the strength of a supporting public—and developed some intestinal fortitude, commanding the respect they deserve from their bosses and putting first their dignity, not only would the music you listen to not contain so many derogatory remarks about women, not abuse your innocence at such young an age, and rather appeal to a greater sense of who you are, but the world might truly become yours. “Take my beloved Rap music, erase the beat/ Consumers act like they’re afraid of intelligent speech/” Never forget that many mainstream Hip-Hop fans are less honorable than a trained chimp. Never forget that these flock of sheep are much willing to do the Record Labels’ bidding, that their integrity is not worth more than the $10 cds they thoughtlessly spend their paychecks on, that their self-worth has been purchased and sold by the same executives who taunt them with free concert tickets and backstage passes. Never forget that in their hands lies the future of Hip-Hop music; in whichever direction they decide to take it, through the power of their penny, it will go. Never forget that they know the extent to which their culpability has noosed cheap imitation around the neck of Hip-Hop artistry, cutting off all circulation of creativity from its head; but they’re unprepared, anytime soon, to repent and turn from their wicked ways.   Never forget that in this company they hold the most shares, but if they don’t start making enough noise now, letting the Record Labels, media stations, and artists understand their frustration with the lackluster values being promoted through modern-day Hip-Hop, these powerful shareholders would be trading the future of a bright, upcoming generation for the ephemeral opportunity to snap their fingers and shake their money-makers. Never forget that they can, with one push of the button, reset the dangerous drive Hip-Hop has taken this last decade, […]

“I am a nightmare walking, psychopath talking/King of my jungle just a gangster stalking”-Ice T on “Colors”Back in ’94 Dr. Dre and Ice Cube did a video for “Natural Born Killaz” that gave the viewer a glimpse into the mind of a psychopath. While Hip-Hop fans were bobbing their heads to the beat, little did they know that the homicidal rantings were mirroring scientific research?Earlier this month, news reports surfaced that scientists are suggesting that gangsta-ism is not solely based on socio-economic conditions but genetic abnormalities.According to a study conducted at Florida State University’s College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, “Boys who carry a particular variation of the gene Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA), sometimes called the “warrior gene,” are more likely not only to join gangs but also to be among the most violent members and to use weapons.”I can just imagine the scientists chillin’ in the lab with the Geto Boys’ “Mind of a Lunatic” pumpin’ over the intercom while they wrote their research papers.The data for the report was gathered from The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health located at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, that gathered the information from “a nationally representative sample of adolescents in grades 7-12 in the United States during the 1994-95 school year,” according to the organization’s website.And all this time we thought the fascination with gangsta-ism started when Snoop Dog first did the Crip Walk at the Source Awards.Although, the linking of genetics with gang bangin’ may be new, the efforts of white folks to try to use science to justify things such as racial superiority goes back more than a century.There are many who have used Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution as proof of the Caucasian’s superiority over other races.In his book “The Ice Man Inheritance,” Michael Bradley argues that while Darwin’s work may have been published too close to the end of slavery to have made an impact he writes ,”I have always considered it a sobering thought that had Darwin’s “Origins of Species” been published a decade earlier, the US might still be afflicted with slavery today.”There have also been studies trying to link genetics with criminal behavior dating back decades. As far back as 1968 there was an article in Time Magazine, “Chromosomes and Crime,” that discussed the issue of criminal behavior and genetic abnormalities.Harriet Washington, author of the book “Medical Apartheid” explores an earlier study to link XYY syndrome with criminal behavior. While she discounts the theory of the criminal gene, she writes that even if there is such a thing as a XYY chromosome indicator for criminal behavior it is “a white one; not a black one found more commonly in white men then blacks.”But we must be very clear, the current discussion of the warrior gene is not about what makes white men sell other races into slavery nor what makes some of them put on white sheets and terrorize black people, this study is about a gangsta culture that has been mostly attributed to black and Latino youth.So we are not talking about scientific facts but a public perception and its link to popular culture and life in the hood.It has already been discussed, at length, how violence and misogyny in Hip-Hop may contribute to methods of social control such as the disproportionate incarceration of black and Latino males but when you throw genetics into the mix, you venture into the ugly world of eugenics.As Washington writes in Medical Apartheid, “eugenicists promulgated the weeding out of undesirable elements by discouraging or preventing the birth of children with bad genetic profiles.”In a time when cities across the country are, desperately, trying to find ways to stop “gang violence,” this could easily lead to calls for genocide for the common good of the community. Desperate people do desperate things.But this may already be happening.Could the easy access to firearms, the crack epidemic and the brainwashing of black youth by commercialized Hip-Hop all be part of plot to remove undesirables from the planet?History has recorded plots just as evil.If there is such a thing as a “warrior gene”, could not that gene have been present in those who joined “gangs” to fight against slavery and injustice from Nat Turner and Toussaint L’overture to Malcolm X and Huey P Newton? So, the study could be killing two birds with one stone.We must realize that Foundations do not donate millions of dollars without rhyme or reason. They do it to supply information that will be used to develop public policy. These policy makers are not trying to analyze the minds of white men who tie black men to the back of pickup trucks and drag them down the back roads of Texas, they are trying to come to a scientific conclusion as to why “O Dog” blasted the Korean grocers in Menace II Society and how to prevent it from ever happening again.If innocent “inner city” babies perish in the effort to stop gangs; so be it.Even as you read this, there are those who are meeting to discover ways to get rid of gangsta fetuses before they become OG’s.Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com. http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com. He can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com

Known as “the first Dominican Male Supermodel”, Miguel Perdomo sort of “fell into” modeling about five years ago.    Miguel Perdomo   After repeatedly being stopped and asked whether he was a model, he decided to try his hand at it.   Chris Collins, a Ralph Lauren model and friend of Miguel’s, helped the aspiring model get his foot in the door by walking the runway at a Phat Farm show.   The rest is history. Since then, the Paterson, NJ native has had constant work for brands like COOGI, Calvin Klein, AZZURE and more.   Azzure got Miguel’s face on nationwide billboards and publications, which lead to his increased popularity.   Eventually, Sean John expressed interest in the aspiring model. Diddy met with Miguel himself and signed him on.   He has since been referred to as the “face of Sean John”, being one of the brand’s top models. He was in their ad campaigns for the past two years, and is currently working on the 2009 fall campaign.   Miguel also spends time participating in various charitable organizations, such as lending a hand to youth at his local YMCA, and contributing to the “Dominican Tornado Relief”.   Find out more about Miguel Perdomo below, such as his style turn-ons and turn-offs, as well as tips for our male readers on how to dress! AllHipHop.com: What career could you see yourself in if it wasn’t modeling?   Miguel: I would be a graphic designer. As we speak, that’s what I’m working towards, so when I’m done modeling, I will be very much involved in graphic design. I’m also currently working on my own t-shirt line.   AllHipHop.com: You’ve mentioned that you’re grateful for being one of the key faces of Sean John since you’re a fan of the line. What other brands are you into?   Miguel: I’m into a lot of brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Public School, KAWS, Billionaire Boys Club, Ice Cream and my new favorite Play Cloth. I like underground brands much more than mainstream ones. I appreciate the passion that goes behind them, as opposed to a shirt that just says “GUCCI!”. I’m a graphic head, so I need some creativeness to my clothes! Play Cloth Spring 2009   Miguel: Well, I have a lot of different looks that I rock. I can be corporate, casual, collegiate…but my overall favorite has to be Pharrell. He dresses like he doesn’t try hard. He’s random with his style, I love that! I also like Fonzworth Bentley‘s style. Will.i.am – I love his style as well as Andre 3000‘s because they’re not scared to be all over the board. A lot of dudes can’t pull that off! My favorite designer and the person I look up to is Tom Ford. Just clean, sleek, and clever; my favorite style. Like James Bond.   AllHipHop.com: What are your top three wardrobe essentials for summer 2009?   Miguel: My top accessories are definitely my Dolce & Gabbana or DITAS shades, G-Shock watch and bucket fedora hat. G-Shock G-Force Glide Military Watch by Casio   AllHipHop.com: Can you give our male readers a few of your personal style tips?   Miguel: My personal tip on how to dress is to basically be yourself and be comfortable with your style. You have to feel your outfit. There’s a lot of men who are insecure with their personal style. If you don’t feel right in it then its not for you. I’m my own personal stylist, so before I leave my house I have to feel very secure about what I’m wearing. Fashion is your personal expression, that’s how I see it. Tom Ford actually said it the best – Always dress like you came from somewhere important!   AllHipHop.com: With you having many female fans, we would like to know what your biggest turnoff is in terms of a woman’s personal style?   Miguel: If a woman can’t dress in 2009 I don’t know what to tell her! She has to know all the essentials. I love a woman who doesn’t wear a lot of make-up. She has to be classy and have that sexiness about her without being raunchy. I hate when women smoke too, that’s a big turn off. I see smokers and just imagine what their lungs look like! I’m very much single and just waiting for “her” to arrive! So let’s just say I may be single for a long time!   See some of the latest from the brand that ignited Miguel’s career – Sean John. The brand introduced colorful and witty graphics in their summer 09 collection: Monroe Tee by Sean John Hamilton Jean by Sean John Future is Black Tee by Sean John

Born in New York City, Dres was raised in North Carolina where he met fellow NYC native Mista Lawnge. The two became the 90s hip-hop group, Black Sheep. The duo was part of NYC’s Native Tongues hip-hop movement, which also included De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest.Black Sheep’s 1991 debut album A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing went gold, with classic hits like “The Choice is Yours” and “Strobelite Honey”. Dres Dres and Mista Lawnge were quickly recognized for being intelligent and creative lyricists, expected to embark on a long and successful career. Black Sheep After lack of promotion and resulting poor sales of their follow-up album, Non-Fiction, the duo split up to took on solo projects. Although they did re-unite on a couple of projects including the 2006 album 8WM/Novakane, Mista Lawnge eventually left to pursue a solo career. It has been noted that his contribution to 8WM/Novakane was limited. Dres has since started his own record label, BumRush Records, and continues his solo music career. AllHipHop.com got a chance to speak with Dres and get an 80s/90s “hip-hop style 101” as he reminisced about fashion in Black Sheep’s heyday. He also discusses his upcoming album The Black Pool of Genius and more. Check it out: AllHipHop.com: You came up in the 80’s and 90’s. What were you rocking back then in terms of brands and trends and how has your style adapted since? Dres: In the 80’s I rocked Wallabees, silk shirts, mock neck shirts, Adidas and gold chains. We were extra with the hair. It was definitely the quintessential project kid, young hustler look. We wore stuff that differentiated us from the average cats. Waxy Leather Wallabees by Clarks In terms of my style now, it’s pretty close to what it was like back in the 90’s. I was never “Afrocentric”, rocking dashikis, etc. I became more of a Polo kid – clean cut and almost preppy. You would have [A Tribe Called] Quest or De La Soul in dashikis, African garb – safari clothes. You might have seen me in a Missoni sweater and Timberlands. A dashiki I still wear clothes that are over 10 years old. I got my stuff cheap, we used to hustle. We did everything we could do to make people think that we didn’t hustle whereas these days, kids do the opposite, like wear a shirt that says “I SELL CRACK” with pants that are way too big. They try to make a statement that isn’t even true in most cases. When we were coming up, we wanted to be well versed, walk into any room and be able to garnish a certain level of respect from whoever is in there. I know grown men who don’t even own a pair of slacks. We always had a realization of Manhattan. It was always the place, the breeding ground for where we wanted to be – successful. We wanted to play on Park Ave and Fifth Ave as well as the projects. AllHipHop.com: What do you think about current trends kids are wearing? Like skinny jeans and heavily embellished clothing? Dres: Definitely not a fan. I kind of understand youngsters trying to find their identity. They are so far away from recognizing opportunities, they just walk right by them. I definitely see the evolution of urban designers though. I mean I never owned FUBU or Cross Colors. Nothing wrong with them, but I just never got into it. Those clothes look buffoon-ish to me. Like I remember Karl Kani bringing me clothes that stopped at my knees when I was on Arsenio Hall. That type of stuff was never part of my pallet. It probably didn’t come across well that I didn’t support many urban brands, but now they’ve evolved into something I might actually look at. Like stuff without logos plastered all over it – that’s more up my alley, I might just take a second look. If I like it, I wouldn’t be afraid to wear it at this point. “Have the balls to just be yourself. One of the hardest and easiest things to do in live is to just be yourself” – Dres I didn’t see my father in anything but a suit and he was a heroine dealer. He would be taking off his suit jacket and playing basketball in the middle of the day. I came from chic and stylish projects. Girls in my projects boosted [stole] us clothes. Guess Jeans at $200 a pair, stuff from Nordstrom and Saks. They would take our sizes, go shopping and sell us whatever they got for like a third of the cost. They actually would pick out stuff based on what we would look good in. These girls had a good eye for fashion. When I got into music, I had a good sense of style and what looks good on me. Not only in the hip-hop world, but also outside. Kanye looks at me and tells me I need to be dressing him. At first I wasn’t sure if he was messing with me. I was always comfortable in my own skin. I never owned a pair of Jordans. What kids do for Jordans now reminds me of what kids used to do for minks and sheepskin back in the day. It makes me think why our kids are fighting each other to achieve a status that is so impossible to maintain? I mean they’re not lowering prices, they’re raising them. In these times, it seems everybody has stepped their style game up. Sean John is not only competitive with other urban brands, but also with Ralph Lauren. That’s very cool. It took a minute for urban brands to get there. In our “Flavor of the Month” video, I wore a Hugo Boss suit. But I don’t rap about what I’m wearing, or my car. What I’m wearing should just be a given; those aren’t things you should be rapping about. When I was very young, […]