Bohemian67 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

That part was in answer to your post. The next paragraph was in answer to some other generals posts in the thread, not yours. Sorry, no offence intended.

Every since Obama was elected President we have these crazy ass folks running around talking about Black people/life as if we are making up 400 years of history.

Dick Gregory can say whatever he wants to because he "walked the walk". Was it a "conspiracy theory" when the FBI spread lies to the Mafia saying Dick was talking shit about the Dons and trying to get the mob to "hit" him to keep him from becoming politically powerful? No that's facts. The FBI destroyed Gregory's career and it is a testament to the man that we are even talking about him now.

The same people then try to laugh off Prince when the subject of the last 16 years of his career is mentioned and will laugh at folks who say that similar tactics may have been used against Prince and MJ as well. If Prince would have stayed in his little box as a little sex elf then maybe he would have had 23 #1 hits and all of the bullshit awards that seem to catch the attention of many of you here. Instead he starts spitting out the truth in songs like Dr Mr Man,Family Name,Dreamer,etc. and suddenly Prince has lost his talent and the songs are cheap.

sweething said:

I bet he has had more issues about his height more than anything... There is a reason why he never wears flat heals.

Has Prince ever written a song about height pejudice?

Rebeljuice said:

Ok that was wrong but hella funny.

Rebeljuice said:

I bet his height does not hold him back... he is a tough cookie.

Malcolm X said 45 years ago ..." What do you call a Black man with a PHd ? A nigger ,that's what the White man calls him."

That's what we are to some people regardless to what your claim to fame is. I did not say all "White" people feel like this but there are folks out there who subscribe to that notion. So it does not matter if you are President Obama, Henry Louis Gates, Martin Luther King, or Prince ,that's what some think about Black people hence the song.

muleFunk said:

I understand that but too many people do generalize that for all whites, and too many 'black people' take it as a rule of truth.

in my early 20's I was in training for a job and the company would take us to their different sites to work/train. I was on the company van in the back sitting with a AA girl and she asked me, "What are you? what are you mixed with?" I responded and then she told me "Well your still just a nigga"

An older AA woman sitting right in front of us overheard, and walked up one side of the girl and down the other.

I'm defined by my parents foundation and the rest is mine. No one elses.
I mean you can take that train of thought and apply it to any situation and people.

Rebeljuice said:

There is that line from Lady Cab Driver...

muleFunk said:

I call a Black Man with a Ph.D an educated human being. His degrees and the education he absorbs while seeking that education, can never be taken away from him. Doesn't matter what others think about him, because people will always think whatever they want of you, but more importantly, they can't take away your achievements, confidence or self-esteem, unless you allow them to.

As far as the track "Dreamer", It is obvious that the lyrics in that song are "thought-provoking" and has achieved its purpose in leading to dialogue.
[Edited 11/20/09 8:58am]

2elijah said:

GET over it!It has been 45 years time have changed!WE have a Obama!It over!

DMSRCMC12 said:

Get over what? It's just a discussion. Secondly, who is "WE?" and what exactly is "a Obama?"

Lastly, You're screaming at the wrong individual, as I didn't write the lyrics to "Dreamer", where some of the lyrics in that song, focuses on a social ill that still exists more than 40 years after MLK's death in America, and apparently it seems the individual who wrote the song, was/is trying to get that exact message across to his listeners, regarding the existence of that social ill.
[Edited 11/20/09 9:02am]

thedance said:

They were chanting for this song at Paisley where I was standing, but it didnt get played.

OldFriends4Sale said:

-----
Come down to reality. Some white people not all as things are changing are always going to see black folks as lower than low. It does not matter what you accompolish or how much education you have.

Obama gets 30 deaths threats a day and some morons think Sarah Palin would make a better president.

laurarichardson said:

word

laurarichardson said:

Just look at how man racist statement are made torwards black people on a daily basis... www.theync.com or even on www.youtube.com



Then tell me that black people still have no reason to feel unworthy. My little sister hated being mixed because she did not like her race...this thing you want us to be "over" with is not "over" and it will never be.

Man, there is so much ignorance in this thread its frightening!

White people accusing black people of keeping themselves under oppression!!!!!

Racism now doesn't exist just because a black man is president!!!!!

Prince can't sing about certain issues just because he is successful!!!!

Thank god for the few sane people here who manage to put rational and considered thoughts together backed up by facts, instead of ill-informed diatribes based on fear and ignorance!

Mindflux said:

What I can't believe is the "get over it" insensitive comments, that is pretty much typical, whenever a discussion on race in America surfaces. I don't see where anyone plays victim to discussing race or even mentioning the topic in a song.

Not to mention some fans basically telling Prince "Hey, don't sing about any social ills period", simply because many think that now that he is in a higher, financial bracket than your average Joe/Joanne, and does not live the lifestyle of an average joe/joanne, that he should turn a blind eye to societal ills. Some assume he doesn't experience what he sings about, as though they are "that sure" that he doesn't. He may not experience at the level the average joe does today, because of who he is, but that's not to say he doesn't experience it at all or know what racial prejudice feels like, before or after he became a successful artist.

Many complain about the ridiculous, so-called music with bad grammar that many rappers, sing about that makes absolutely no sense at all, but let an artist sing about societal ills and concerns, and makes sense, suddenly it is not worth listening to? I believe "Dreamer's" lyrics contain some "uncomfortable truths" for many, and that could be the reason why some fans may not like what they hear in that song. It's thought provoking, and comes much too close to the truth about race relations in this country for many, and some rather keep that topic under the rug.

What about the artists of the 60s/70s, during the Vietnam War, the days during the fight for civil rights, that raised awareness to those specific, societal, political and economic situations? So now it's wrong to do so? I don't get it.

[Edited 11/20/09 9:47am]

Just because Prince sings about a social subjects for 'a change' (instead of all that 'shallow crap' by these rappers) doesnt AUTOMATICALLY mean its a great or even good lyric about such themes.
In fact, i think the majority of his lyrics about social- and political subjects have been very awkward and poor (wether its Ronnie talk to Russia or a new song like Colonized mind). Its just not his 'thing'.

Riverpoet31 said:

Shut up racist.

Riverpoet31 said:

Perhaps, but you've displayed yourself to be an idiot, so why should anyone take your opinion on board?

And, for you especially, here's a Prince line for you to digest (whether you think its poor or not);

"Of all the things that base a rhyme
How is it that U everytime
Regurgitate the racist lines that keep us apart?

Thank God this ain't Monopoly
U'd make us all go back 2 start"

Riverpoet31 said:

How do you know it's not his thing?? Who said there was a "special requirement" for raising the awareness of a social ill? Why would you say it is not a good lyric? I think this part of the lyric (below) explains itself fully. The artist mentions that he expected so much more from a society that bragged about the freedom that this country has, yet at the time of Dr. MLK's murder, that freedom was pretty much limited to a specific segment of the society, now almost 45 years after Dr. King's death, race is still an issue in this country. People are still being "judged" by their skin color. Stereotypical assumptions about them still exist. Our President surely has been racially mocked and disrespected because of his skin tone, and no other President has.

Portion of Lyrics to Dreamer - by Prince

"I expected so much more from a loving
A loving, loving society
A truthful explanation"

Not to mention even after all the accomplishments/achievements made by persons of color, they are still not respected as first-class citizens. Look at the horrible racial comments you made about Black people on this thread, suggesting they are all pimps, drug dealers and on welfare, and you made all kinds of other assumptions about them.

You made a statement that they play victims when discussing slavery, which in fact is not true. But I do think that you are the one afraid of the topic because of the guilt you impose on yourself, because you know it was white slave owners of the past that brought harm to the Blacks they enslaved and raped, and fathered many children from Black slave girls/women.

Do you blame Blacks for the poor whites that exist in the various parts of the Appalachia, where many of those poor whites hold the highest rate in "toothlessness?" in the entire country? Are you aware there are a large population of whites on drugs, and refuse to get a job, even when it was offered to them? Do you know that in the Appalacchias and parts of rural America, that there are white people so poor, they sleep on the floor, because they can't afford a bed, and on government assistance?

Are you aware that there are many white families living in rural areas of the south and the Appalachians, that are on drugs,in jails, and have prostitutes living among them? Do you blame Blacks for white people being poor, drug dealers and in jail?
[Edited 11/20/09 10:19am]

exodus said:

no no no. raised on a SLAVE PLANTATION GUYS.SLAVE PLANTATION

joelmarable said:

No, it isn't! Its "same". Get some ear buds!

Mindflux said:

It's "raised on the same plantation"

Mindflux said:

According to facts on lotusflow3r.com:


it is Same Plantation

When i say 'its not his thing' I mean to say: i am most of the time not impressed by his lyrics about social- and political subjects (understatement...). There are other lyricists who simply write much better lyrics about these kind of subjects.

When it comes to the rest of your reaction. Things like:



I am saying: WTF are you talking about? I never 'blamed' black people for anything, as you are saying. I have never said that all blacks are pimps, ho's whatever. Thats what YOU make of it.
Okay, i sometimes have a tendency to play things a bit 'sharp' and to provoke, I agree, but those are your perceptions, and not my assumptions.

What I was trying to say that the way SOME black people seem to deal with their history and position irritates and annoys me, thats NOT racism. I point at a certain way of thinkng / mindframe i simply don't agree with. Its coming from a certain group of black people in this case, but i equally despise groups of white people who blame 'foreigners' for all of their problems (are they representative off all white people? I dont think so), or, lets say, fundamentalistic muslims, christians or jews who think they have all wisedom in pact, and tend to force their views unto other ones.

Let's get back on topic and stop derailing this thread: Thanks in advance.


Can someone explain this line:

Peanut butter logic, served on a bed of lies
Don't go down too easy, when you've seen your father cry

I know what it means and I was hoping someone else could provide an explanation.

Riverpoet31 said:

Riverpoet do you understand by said ignorant things to provoke someone, you are creating negative energy around yourself?