gman1966 said:

Plus to say that you listen 2 urban music in the area u live in, u will NEVER come to true terms and relate to what experiences and feelings we have been through. Now even if it was a black guy who be acting all prissy listening to that music, I wouldve laughed. It just dont look right. It dont match..it's kinda off. And 2 b honest, when i be seeing all these surburbanites listening 2 black music, dressing like us and stuff, but live in sum big house by the lake...it makes me not even want 2 listen 2 the song no more.

You are full of shit and a racist to boot. Your response of "typical response from white people" is proof of your ignorance. You are making a generalization. And by saying "typical" it means you usually expect this kind of response. Dont you ever look in the mirror? Next time I see a black guy being arrested on television, i will say "typical of black people" and i would be a complete asshole for doing so. That is what stereotyping and racism are all about. Making a pre-conceived notion about a specific race of people. It is wrong and you are wrong.

You know nothing about my life. You dont know how I grew up. You dont know who I grew up with. You dont know shit.

If Tupac is your model for "life in America as A BLACK MAN" then I feel sorry for you and others who believe that for putting a self-proclaimed 'thug' like that into a glorified position.

That brings up another question? What is "my culture" to you? What makes up "your culture"? How is "your culture" different from your pre-conceived notion of my culture. If we are both Americans and share many of the same cultural aspects, what are the differences? Do you know your culture. Are you proud of your culture? What do you do to better your culture? What do you expect others to do to better your culture?

You can't be black and live in a big house by a lake?
You can't be black, educated and make good money?
Do you have to live in a poor, black neighborhood in order to be a "real black" by your standards?
Pull your head out of your ass and realize that there are no requirements to being black.
Not only are you racist towards whites, you are racist towards your own people.

Where I live is my choice and has nothing to do with my background so dont make a generalization about me because of where I choose to live. You sound totally rediculous with that trite drivel.
And if this is how you feel then dont complain next time some golf country club or whatever wont let blacks in. That is basically the same thing. Oh, they dont belong here. They cant participate. All because of skin color. It's rediculous.

chemmie said:

No i will never ever put down my bruthas n sistas. But it is funny to me, and kind of irritating to see anyone who looks all prissy, nerdy and live in the suburbs to be bumpin dem ghetto beats. Its not who u r its what u look like n where u at.

Yes i admit that it is stereotypical but look at "The Message" and all other songs where rap grew up from...who wants 2 listen 2 rap about sittin on the beach and playin golf, fuck that. No, urban music usually tends to hard life in the ghetto, and that's where it belongs.

Like Rick James said: "Ghettoland, is the place where we funk!"
[This message was edited Thu Jun 19 9:44:33 PDT 2003 by paisleypark4]

Well that is your problem right there. You are just judgemental by looks. That is all good, but I am sure you do not appreciate when whites provide you with the same honor of stereotyping you or your race.

I am the opposite. I judge a person based on their actions. I dont care what they wear. I dont care about their skin color. I dont care about anything like that. But if you act like a moron, i am going to consider you a moron.

---


I commend NAS on his new song 'I Can'. Provides a good message to black youth. The message is that you dont have to live up to those stereotypes. You can break the mold. You can become educated and live in that house by the lake. That is a good message. You dont have to be a thug or baller or whatever to be a "real black".

chemmie said:

in that same song he preaches of the whites taking away our culture.."still goes on today you see"...

yes... I guess my question is...

I'm sure you will not argue that the mojority of poor, urban areas are populated by minorities. Many of the minorities in those areas do not hold a college degree and are not wealthy from working hard. Some choose to live a life of crime. This, as you can see, is the stereotype of black urban America and yes, it is mostly true.

Now, by becoming educated, earning a strong income and moving out of an urban area and into a suburb, is a black person leaving their culture behind or are they helping to strengthen their culture and their race as a whole? They are helping to break a stereotype. They are making a change.

The people who stay in the urban area and continue to conform to the stereotype are not making any difference. They are just helping to prove small minded people correct. I will not argue that it is hard for black youth growing up to leave a poor urban area. It is real tough. But there are those who do it. I beleive those are the ones who show what everyone (blacks, whites, whatever) are capable of. They are the ones who should be commended.

I believe NAS's song is saying that you can do what you want, make money, live in the big house, drive the BMW and still be "black". You dont have to give up your culture in order to be successful. It just matters what you view is "black culture".

chemmie said:

chemmie said:

well when u look at a white suburbanite who bumps black ghetto music as if he is in it too, kinda feels insulting to what you have gone through vs. them...just trying to act like you

chemmie said:

You don't what the fuck you are talking about I will be damn if I am going to debate with some white boy about issues you know nothing about I was making a general example when I mentioned Tupac. What the fuck do you know about anything other than what you have heard thru music and have seen videos. My culture, black culture, African-Amerian culture is something that we all as black people cherish and are very proud of all of the trials and tribulations we had to endure in this country as black people is and it is nothing racial about that. Black music is a forum that expresses our culture again which you know nothing about

paisleykids4 said:

It's nothing wrong that white suburanite's like ghetto music it is just humorous that they don't have a clue what those lyric's really mean or seen the lifestyle that inspires those lyrics. Like growing up in The Fifth Ward here in Houston, hell Scarface from the Ghetto Boys is my classmate. Like I said in a previous post African-American culture fascinates the hell of out of white people.

I TOTALLY feel where Janfriend is coming from. What blows me away is some of the replies to her original post. All she is saying is JT is just one more example of a white face being put on something created by people of color in order to make money. Nothing wrong with white cats who are real about the music and show respect for the roots of the the shit but JT just comes acrossed forced and I think this is what makes her uneasy watching him. I feel the same way.

chemmie said:

Who in the hell are you to be saying all of this, how in the hell do you know what black youths are going thru? Again this is your bullshit views that you have developed by what you have either read thru articles, or seen in tv, movies whatever. You don't have a fucking clue what really happens in neighborhoods like the one I grew up in. Sure I went to college and I have a degree in Engineering but there a lot of my friends and people today who were not as fortunate as I was.

Oh and one more thing;

It always kills me when someone accuses a person of color of making a racial issue out of something. 99% of the time that racial issue existed already. The fact you have chosen to ignore it doesn't mean it's not there. If I point out there's a fire burning in the kitchen it doesn't mean I started it.

intha916 said:

PREACH.

intha916 said:

Goddamn right!!! that person of non-color touch a nerve with me on that stupid post. These people don't have a freaking clue...

The more and more I read some of the white people's replies, I start 2 believe what Mr.Maxxx & Essence said 2 me b4 *shakes head*

I remember when I was at the bus stop a month ago there's this white chick dressing up like a hip-hop dancer listening 2 Mos Def, she was noding her head like crazy EVEN IF THERE'S NO BEAT lol she was rhyming along and when the word "nigga" pass by, she said "ni,,,!" and gave me this gulty look like I'm going to get up and kick her ass(which I won't) but that really had me laughing.

I don't really feel bad or upset about white folks buying our music cuz hey u know what? Their money is going 2 be in our pockets as far as they don't or do understand what I go through in my daily basis? I really couldn't give a shit at all cuz what difference does it make? They will say "Awww thats bad" and keep it moving anyway, so why should I care?

Anyway, much props 2 JanFriend 4 speaking her mind. Touching a nerve like u did means that you spoke the truth babygirl

Peace

Look at the situation in Michigan, there are a lot of angry young black brutha's up there and I see the same frustations and problems with the young black brutha's here in The Fifth Ward. I see how these young men formulate there lyrics to express what is happening to them that is why it pisses me off when the so-called people try to express opinions on nothing they know nothing about.

The last artist I heard talk about his skin color sellin' records was Eminem so I doubt it's just paranoid black folks making this a racial issue.

As far as the whole "we're all Americans, race doesn't matter" discussion. Whatever. Americans are diverse by definition. Part of that diversity is tied to the different experiences of the cultures and races that make up the country. To me that's a positive thing. Doesn't automatically make you a racist to acknowledge that different races may actually have different cultures. That's just life.

intha916 said:

Thank you!. That's exactly what I was screamin'

Black is cool in the mainstream at the moment.

R&B/Hip-Hop is pop.

But swings and roundabouts, when something proliferates widely the next generation automatically want to forge their own identity and rebel, thus creating an opposite and a transition.

I'm not big on the current wave of big rap/hip-hop/R&B acts, so I'm looking forward to the next wave, whatever that might be.

Janfriend said:

Yes i agree also. Janfriend u pointed out something about him that i wanted 2 say so bad but didnt know how 2 say it without coming off as racist. At least Eminem even said, "If I was black i wouldn've sold half!" Eminem continues and continues to throw out credit where credit is due, and that's y i respect him...and he is not about the gangsta ghetto life bullshit that most rappers feel in2. That's where the coo rappers like Common, Talib, Roots, etc. come in.

Once again proving that you are an ignorant piece of racist shit. Racism goes both ways and shits for brains like you are proof.
You still didnt answer my questions.


The key one being... "What do you do to better your culture?" By your racist remarks, it seems like you do nothing. Just answer the questions.


Congratulations. That is a great accomplishment. I bet you worked your ass off to get that degree didnt you? I know I worked my ass off to get my Engineering degree. But I dont get how a lot of your friends werent "as fortunate" as you? What does fortune have to do with it? Hard work, dedication and responsibility have everything to do with it, not good fortune. You used those to your advantage to get an education and become an engineer. That is commendable. Now, use what you have learned to help a youth or two or three out. Help them to learn. Help them get a college education. Help better your "culture".


What do you think a majority of white's perception is of what went on in Michigan? They see a man, regardless of color, run from the police and kill himself. He is dead because he ran from police. By his own decision. It isnt the police's fault for doing their job, is it? Then why the riots? Why act like that and sympathize with a criminal? Everyone has problems. Not everyone riots because of their problems.

Now, on to me. Yes, I am white. I grew up in a military house. Many different schools including 3 different high schools. Primarilly black high schools. I was beaten up most of my life for being a white boy in a black neighborhood. But I got my education. Graduated near the top of my class. went to college. Got my engineering degree. my wife was a teacher at a black inner city school in Orlando and now works for a primarilly black inner city school here in Atlanta. We spend our time after school helping those who need it. We go on camping trips with poor inner city youth who's parents are never anywhere to be found or are in jail. we feed them. my wife developed a program and received a grant to help teach inner city youth social skills. we have taken them to restraunts they never dreamed of going to before just so they could learn how to eat in a civilized manner. we are more parents to these children then their own parents. we are also getting ready to go through the process to adopt a (most likely) black child in need of a home.
Dont tell me what i dont know. i know more than you could imagine. i see it daily. i see people not taking care of their homes or their children. I see it all and i know how these children feel. and the thing is, the only ones that are there to help these kids are the "white boy" and his wife. think about that next time. and think about doing some good in your own community. better your culture because one day people like me are going to run out and the "white boy" wont be able to anymore.


racist pig.

By some people standards here not one black person should b allowed to write or play classical music, bcause, hey, they r just making money of what the white brothas and sistas created and started with.
Oh, and as a middle-class black american u cannot listen to hiphop cause u wouldn't understand the true meaning of the words.
And if u'r irish and u listen to anything else than irish folk music, u'r a racist!!!

Preach on!!!

Btw, on JT's record he is singing about banging girls in fancy clubs, hardly a 'ghetto' subject. Oh, and most of the album is written and produced by blacks, they probably sold their heart to the white devil.

paisleypark4 said:

I can relate to that. Speaking from my experiences at clubs, I notice most of the white kids that frequent "dance clubs" don't really go for the music or the dance aspect, they go primarily to DRINK and get DRUNK in hopes of getting LAID. Most white people don't give a f**k about what's being played at a club as long as they're wasted. They don't feel a song the same way a non-white person would, if it's not a hit (all over Top 40 radio or MTV) they're not going to dance to it or "feel" it.

I remember HOT JAMS would come on in the club and all the black people would scream and get their dance on, but the white people don't come to dancefloor unless it's some mainstream s**t like 50 Cent, Ja Rule, J-Lo. Once again, I'm speaking about the clubs I'VE been to.

chemmie said:

chemmie said:

Ain't this a trip I got some stupid ass white boy calling me a racist pig. What I have been trying to get across to this stupid ass white boy is that first I was expressing the fact that there is nothing wrong with white people enjoying black music it just that they will never truly understand the meaning of most of the lyrics in black music because they will never understand what is to be BLACK.

Secondly that remark about me doing something in my community believe I am but I am not going to mentioned it to prove anything to your "PUNK ASS".

Third that comment about you working in our community and saying it like black folks better appreciate it "FUCK YOU" we have some issues in our community no doubt and it will be a long hard road to fix what has happened to black communities across this nation but in time we will be just fine. I don't know who in the hell you think you are.

Fourth when I said the typical response for white people is that "Color should not matter" is because it is so easy for whites to say that when they have never experience what black men have to endure in this country.

That's cool your wife is a teacher in a predominantly black school. I attended predominatly black schools from elementary to College and some of my fondest teachers were white.

Again I failed to realize and understand ( which I could totally care less) is when I told you that you will never understand what it is to be black or to grow up in a black neighborhood like my beloved "Fifth Ward "RACIST"

"racist pig" man fuck you!!!

chemmie said:

Imitation is not the highest form a flattery, it's a mockery. For example men imitating women (drag queens) is a mockery of women, not the flattery they disguise it to be

Metallica? How does a white band doing white music have anything to do with a white boy doing black music?

chemmie said:

Hairstyle? Excuse me, but braids is not a hairstyle. When a black man or woman wears braids, they are making a statement about there ethnicity, Ancestry, and culture. It is NOT the latest "do"

chemmie said:[quote]And THAT is racism my friends. What does the color of your skin have to do with the music you like or should listen to? Nothing at all.



It shows in your rants.



Once again, it shows.



Country music is a derivative of plantation spirituals (ever notice the intense level of pain in the songs and the somber subject matter?) Check out Pamela Foster's book My Country: The African D...c Heritage for more info about the roots of Country music from actual country/southern music scholars and reputed musicologists.



Woop-dee-doo. You now qualify for your "I'm Down with the Colored Kids" decoder ring. I know more about the works of Chaucer and other authors of 17th century English Renaissance literature than a majority of the non-college educated population in the U.S. -- and I'm black. Am I suddenly a reputed scholar on 17th century English Renaissance literature? No. Do I hold more ties to it than the Englishpeople in the UK whose ancestors were actually descendents of that actual Renaissance? No.



Your ancestors never originated it. Therefore, it isn't yours historically.



Yes they can. Example: Salsa and Tejano are authentically Latino-American musical artforms indigenous to the Latino American people within the United States. You, as a white person, cannot lay claim to its roots or form allegiances with its cultivation. Sure, you can listen to it and consume it with your dollars, but it's not yours to own and bastardize. Another example: Miami Bass music is an artform exclusively created in the Southeastern U.S., a Swedish boy from outer Djursholm can't just come in and take it over because it never belonged to him. Yes, he can TRY to emulate it, but he can never lay claim to it because it's not his.



Melting pot is the wrong terminology to describe America. To melt something down is to gel it to conform to ONE SINGLE thing -- in essence, to ASSIMILATE. Assimilation is never a celebration of diversity. We live in a "salad bowl" society, mixed with all different types of cultures, religions, sexual orientations, ethnicities, outlooks and viewpoints. For you to melt all these facets into one homogenized, one-size-fits-all, politically correct, McDonald's Happy meal facade defeats the idea of diversity to begin with and is more parallel to Nazi Germany than the American ideal.



Let me guess, the TV show Bionic Woman was the first time "French braids" were introduced. Oh, and I bet corn rows are a "gang thing." It's obvious that you're uninformed about a lot of the subjects you so voluntarily give "knowlegde" on. "Cornrows" is not the latest fad, it's a traditional African hairstyle thousands of years old. Oh yeah and "Ashanti" is not some crappy R&B singer, it's actually a people in Africa =0 Read "Before The Mayflower" by Lerone Bennet, a book which goes in concrete detail on the music, literature, luminaries, history, culture, education, traditions, customs, et cetera of Africa and the African Diaspora you know oh, so much about.