Oprah Responds to Hip-Hop Criticism
By Chris Richburg and Clarence Burke Jr.
Date: 5/12/2006 06:15 PM


Talk show host Oprah Winfrey is speaking out about the recent criticism she has received from the Hip-Hop community.

In the past few weeks, rappers Ludacris and 50 Cent have openly condemned Winfrey, who appeared on Ed Lover's Power 105.1 radio show yesterday (May 11) to defend her side of the story.

"I listen to some Hip-Hop. I've been accused of not liking Hip-Hop and that's just not true," she said. "I got a little 50 [Cent] in my iPod. I really do. I like 'In Da Club.' Have you heard the beat to 'In Da Club'? Love that, love Jay-Z, love Kanye, love Mary J. Mary J. is one of my friends."

The backlash against Winfrey sparked last year after Ludacris appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show to promote his co-starring role in the film Crash.

While discussing the movie's racial subject matter with the other cast members, Winfrey interrogated Ludacris about his notoriously raunchy lyrics.

The rapper addressed the incident in the May issue of GQ Magazine, stating that Winfrey edited his comments out of the show.

He also revealed that he wasn't invited to appear on the show initially, and that he felt Winfrey's questioning was inappropriate considering the fact that he appeared on the show as an actor.

"What I got was that by having rappers on her show, she feels like she is empowering in them. It was like being at someone's house who doesn't really want you there," Ludacris told GQ. "I don't see why Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle, who I am huge fans of, it's OK for them to go on Oprah. They speak the same language as I do, but they do it through comedy, so I guess that's acceptable to her."

Winfrey said she and Ludacris continued their conversation after the show, as she attempted to explain why she put the rapper in the hot seat.

"I said 'Look Ludacris, you are so smart. You are one of the brilliant guys. I used to have the Klan on and the skinheads on and I looked out in the audience and I saw contact being made between the guys in the audience and the stage and they were like, 'Yeah get her, get her, get her, Bud,'" she said. "At that moment, I was doing nobody any good [by] putting those people on because I realized that that platform was being seen and heard by a lot of people who weren't as smart as I am.

"My idea was, I want y'all to know that this is what's going on," Winfrey continued. "And I said to Ludacris, 'A lot of people who listen to your music aren't as smart as you are. So they take some of that stuff literally when you are just writing it for entertainment purposes.'"

Ludacris isn't the only rapper who has claimed to be offended by Winfrey's actions, however.

50 Cent told the Associated Press that rappers are a rarity on her show.

"I think she caters to older white women." 50 said, adding that "Oprah's audience is my audience's parents. So, I could care less about Oprah or her show. I'm actually better off having friction with her."

While Winfrey expressed her love of Hip-Hop to Ed Lover, she also decried the misogyny prevalent in the music and stressed that there are many different aspects of Hip-Hop.

The media mogul said she personally felt the worldwide impact of rap during an encounter with a security guard for African political leader Nelson Mandela.

According to Winfrey, the guard greeted her group by saying "Hello n***as."

Winfrey explained to Ed Lover that the guard thought it was the norm because they watched videos and listened to rap music.

Lover later told Winfrey that he would never use the word 'b***h' again.

Hip-Hop's power is undeniable, Winfrey acknowledged, as she noted the music's growing influence years ago, as well as the accompanying responsibility.

"Years and years ago, Quincy Jones and I had this conversation about the evolution of Hip-Hop and what it really means to our culture," Winfrey said. "Hip-Hop is like jazz and gospel music, evolved from the people, a form of protest, a form of expression so you can't deny that, nor would I try. But I do believe there needs to be awareness of who we are, how we got here and what that means about staying here."

http://www.allhiphop.com/...s/?ID=5667

Deep.

CinisterCee said:

yeah

Real deep...

Mara said:

Umm, why the fuck would she have rappers on her show day & night? WTF would they talk about? I mean really, this shit is just dumb.

It's like they're making her choose - is she down for them as individuals OR down for the advancement of Black people/the rights of women, etc. Because sometimes you can't be both. They know what side of the coin they're sitting on, so why are they now mad @ her for not celebrating something that may be hurting us on a global scale? She's looking @ the bigger picture instead of high fiving every knuckle head w/ 10 cars in the garage. Gimme a break...

What she did to Ludacris was still not right.

And did she even actually say all of that? Or is that her justification.

50 Cent is a dumb ass, Ludacris needs to calm down and Oprah is right! Case closed.

VoicesCarry said:

Aaaah, poor Luacris. And those poor, poor rappers. They're so starved for media exposure and the bitch just won't give them a break.

whoknows said:

He went on there as an actor with an ensemble cast. He was not there as a rapper. Oprah should have talked to him in private if she was so interested in making her point. OR she could have actually done a show with Ludacris.

VoicesCarry said:

Ludacris is mad because his demons are staring him straight in the face. Oprah HELD HIM RESPONSIBLE for the images HE put out there. Oprah didn't attack him she was just holding the guy accountable. And more people need to hold these stupid ass rappers accountable for the sh*t they do. Suburbanites love to listen to this shite music at their frat parties, house parties in their cars or whatever, but do you REALLY want thugs and lowlifes in your community.

It's a ghetto fantasy that is being marketed! And I'm glad Oprah, Bill Cosby and other black folks out there aren't catering to it and are holding these clowns accountable. These rappers look ridiculous.

Mara said:

If Oprah feels so strongly about this, then WHY is she listening to their music? NO.

To begin with, Luda is one of the more tolerable commercial rappers around. Oprah didn't hold anyone responsible, and in fact Luda agreed that she had valid points, but they should not have been made in that venue.

VoicesCarry said:

Oh, the injustice! The injustice I tell you!

whoknows said:

If Oprah had any guts regarding this issue, she should do a show about it or simply release a statement to all the major markets confirming her views. But nothing is gained by an illogical and poorly-orchestrated attack on one rapper who was in the cast of Crash.

VoicesCarry said:

I think Oprah was just trying to find some convenient statement to throw out there. Just like lots of bigots like to say they are "friends" with the people they discriminate against.

Luda's got "hoes in different area codes," so I applaud him for his responsibility. Way to go, Luda!

But on another note, I do agree that Oprah got tangential to some degree with Ludacris on the episode. She also mentioned how girls and women play into these misogynistic elements of hip hop such as the "hooker/ho/prostitute" construct. Lil Kim Trina, Khia, and a lot of these new school chicks are purportedly "owning their sexuality" to a degree but at the same time they are selling themselves short, playing into the constructs of the big boys club and are still just seen as objects regardless of how much money they make from self-objectification, they aren't respected like the MC Lytes, Queen Las and Bahamadias of the game for their rhymes. And that's sad, even if it was seemingly superfluous to the discussion of the movie.

I didn't know being a rapper was akin to being a Clan member

Mara said:

Oh, I have no doubt Oprah likes In Da Club considering she danced to it on one of her shows

I am not disagreeing that Oprah has valid points. I do not think Luda deserved it that time out, considering he had contributed to something that many people (but not myself) feel was a worthwhile film about race relations.
[Edited 5/13/06 14:36pm]

CinisterCee said:

She said they continued their convo after the show...

CinisterCee said:

Oh stop it, you guys are taking shit out of context & trying to make it into some other shit

CalhounSq said:

I think it was a rhetorical question on Cinnie's part. Do we know if she said this? No. Could just be something she made up now to justify her actions.

CalhounSq said:

So is Oprah

VoicesCarry said:

How many shows does Oprah do a year? 200? How many has she done all together? 2000? She's not a robot. She's gonna make mistakes but she was right to tell one of them what she thought face to face. Probably it was the 1st rapper she'd had on in years and she just had to give him a piece of her mind. I'm glad there's one major figure who's independent enough not to bow down to shit just 'cos it's popular.

whoknows said:

Now that's certainly illogical. How exactly do you think Oprah fashioned her multimedia empire? By shunning the popular and embracing the iconoclast? Certainly not. Oprah has made a career of sucking up to the popular. It's certainly OK to have crazy white man on your show if he's there to sell a movie!

VoicesCarry said:

hmmmmm I say!!!! hmmmmm
[Edited 5/13/06 15:05pm]

oh for christ's sake. leave Oprah alone. she's practically the second coming. nobody's going to get anywhere in life and entertainment by beating up on Oprah. she's been the most successful black woman/person in the US for 20 years. she's been here longer than any of them and will outlast them all. what exactly do they think they're trying to accomplish by beating up on her? it's going to backfire on them.

VoicesCarry said:

Good point, but is Tom Cruise fucking up the image of a whole race?

whoknows said:

No, just a religion. And short white men.

The irony is that Luda was doing something good by participating in Crash.
[Edited 5/13/06 15:22pm]

VoicesCarry said:

...yet Oprah chose not to emphasize this point.

VoicesCarry said:

I will say this, in all the years of watching her show, she does play favorites when it comes to her guests and who she spotlights.

However, with the hip hop thing, Luda just got a tad hyperdefensive... Oprah wasn't treating him like that FOX News guy who influenced him losing his Pepsi gig. Also, I think he was saddened that this powerful woman didn't hld him in the highest esteem or invite him to the Legends Ball. lol ok let me stop. I'm getting silly.

I would be hyperdefensive too if Oprah had her Angel's Book Exercise Club banning my music.
OK so maybe her audience doesn't buy rap CDs in the first place ( so, that's what 50 Cent meant).

VoicesCarry said: