Swimming these academic waters is dangerous…

This is pretty far out of the scope about my blog, but I feel the need to speak on it a little. That being said, I won’t spend too much time on this bullshit.

Monday, I am scheduled to give my bi-annual lecture on stepping in an United States folklore class at Indiana University. For those that don’t know, I am a member of a Black Greek organization (Blu Phi!!!) and did step in my undergraduate days. It just so happens that I will be speaking on this phenomenon a week after a white sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha, won the grand prize at the Sprite Step Off Competition in Atlanta. The results upset many Blacks who felt that the runner up team, Alpha Kappa Alpha – Tau chapter, were more deserving and only lost due to racial politics. Many feared that one of their beloved cultural productions was being co-opted and even accused Sprite of straight racism.

Ok. I am not going to spend any time discussing who should have won the competition. I’ve watched both performances and they looked about the same to me. What really concerns me is the sudden backlash against Sprite. I had issues with this competition from the very beginning. I saw it as another example of one of our sacred traditions being commodified and mass-mediated by corporate America. I feared that it would lead to us losing control of it. However, the prize money was huge, so how could I really tell an organization not to participate? If I was a broke-ass undergrad, I probably would have as well. But, I would have been aware of the implications.

Look, our Divine 9 organizations were cool with selling-out our traditions and kissing Sprite’s ass as long as the money was coming in. As soon as  they felt short-changed, as the AKAs did, they starting crying foul. You can’t have it both ways. By relinquishing the cultural rights to this tradition, which we did through our participation and support, we opened the door for outsiders to step in and establish themselves within it. Actually, because this was a Sprite production, the labels of “insiders” and “outsiders” were skewed or even reversed. If there were any “outsiders,” it was the Divine 9, as ZTA holds more of a kinship with Sprite in terms of power. Stepping left our control and became part of the established American power relations which usually results with us being dominated (or losing a stepshow).

Lets be real. None of our organizations were in the show to uphold heritage. It was about money. I’ve never heard of a sorority having a member of a fraternity as their step-master. Stepping is supposed to be inextricably tied to an organizations history, icons, rituals, and identity. By having a non-member of your org play the role of step-master, you’re placing your heritage in an outsiders hands. This case is especially disheartening because, at least to me, it makes these girls appear to lack the ability to lead themselves. It looks like the stereotypical case of helpless women in need of male aid in order to achieve their goals. I guess when money is involved, though, all sense of pride goes out of the window. You do whatever it takes to fill up your bank accounts, even if that means undermining and dismissing your organization’s fundamental purposes.

Sprite ultimately cowered under pressure and used a bullshit excuse to make the AKAs co-champions. I guess squashing all the negative press was worth the extra $100,000 in pocket change. Congratulations to Zeta Tau Alpha from the University of Arkansas and Indiana University’s Alpha Kappa Alpha. I hope this serves as a lesson of what can happen when you place your heritage in the marketplace.

Str8 G

Check out this story from CNN. The long running Austin City Limits television program aired its first hip hop hour this past Saturday featuring Mos Def and K’Naan. Though I am barely a fan of Mos Def and not at all a fan of K’Naan, this is definitely a historic moment.

-Str8 G

Aisha Sekhmet “White Man’s Bitch”

This is a discussion that I have had privately and have seen electronically. In the wake of Michael Jackson’s death, people are now re-examining his influence on music. In this context, the Beatles are often credited as being the only artists to have a similar or greater impact on popular music. This debate can get really intense and often polarizing along a number of lines (race, age, etc). That being said, I would like to know what you all think. In terms of artistry, performance, industry, and other aspects of musical culture, who has had the greater influence: Michael Jackson or the Beatles? Please vote and comment if you wish.

Had to get something out while the feelings are fresh. Hands down the greatest artist of my time and one that has the greatest of impacts on my music culture. My engagement and experience with hip hop, therefore my entire life, would be significantly different without Michael Jackson. This is one of the saddest days of my life. A more fitting tribute is forthcoming, but for right now, to mark the moment (and my feelings), here are my favorite Michael Jackson samples.

De La Soul “Breakadwawn” samples “I Can’t Help It” from Off the Wall

Nas “It Ain’t Hard to Tell” samples “Human Nature” from Thriller

SWV’s “Right Here (Rmx)” samples “Human Nature” from Thriller

LL Cool J’s “Hey Lover” samples “The Lady in My Life” off Thriller

Jay-Z’s “Izzo” samples “I Want You Back” by The Jackson 5

Trae f/H.A.W.K. & Fat Pat “Swang” samples “The Lady in My Life” from Thriller

” Swang” is one of my favorite songs ever and a fitting way to close this out. Trae wrote this in tribute to Fat Pat and DJ Screw, but it also ended up as a memorial to H.A.W.K. as he passed shortly after its release. Michael will always be remembered through the people who knew him, the fans whose lives he touched, and the music legacy the he leaves behind.

R.I.P. Michael Jackson

I’m only posting these videos because I always wondered what happened to this guy. R & B singer Houston (Summers) had a hit singe, “I Like That” a few years back. Unfortunately, he later gouged his left eye out in an apparent suicide attempt. He pretty much disappeared after that. Based on these video, he still seems a bit unstable.Mental health in the Black community is part of my research. I really hope he’s getting the help he needs.

(Courtesy of Hood News)

Peace

The FBI has received information that Baton Rouge rapper Lil’ Boosie played in role in the February murder of fellow Baton Rouge MC Nussie (read more here). Chris Lynell “Nussie” Jackson was a popular artist in the Baton Rouge area and the loss what felt by many. Interestingly enough, those close to the Baton Rouge immediately pointed the finger at Boosie and weren’t surprised when the Feds did as well. Apparently, Nussie was rumored to be involved in the murder of Boosie’s friend Lil Ivy. The comes on top of a report that Trill Entertainment (Boosie’ label) heads Mel & Turk attempted to kill Baton Rouge artist Beelow. Obviously, Trill Ent, home to Webbie, has major issues to deal with.

I originally ignored this story, but the recent murder of Atlanta artist Dolla made me revisit it. Dolla, artist on Akon’s Konvict Muzik, was shot and killed at a Los Angeles mall on Monday. The 21 year old was an up and coming artist who’s buzz was steadily increasing.

All of this has forced me to reexamine not hip-hop culture, but more specifically its gangsta sub-culture. I have been a staunch supporter of g-rap ever since I began listening to hip hop. It has been a major part of my life and has even helped me find a career. I can honestly say that my life would be less without it. As I have gotten older, I have become increasingly frustrated with the violence and death surrounding the culture. Whereas before, I was quick to separate the music from issues in the Black community, I now see it a bit differently. I will never be stupid enough to say that the music creates the violence, but to outright deny the relationship between gangsta rap and Black street/gangsta culture would be foolish and irresponsible. The list of murdered gangsta rappers is ridiculous:

• Nussie (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
• Tupac (Oakland, California)
• Biggie (Brooklyn, New York)
• Soulja Slim (New Orleans, Louisiana)
• Fat Pat (S.U.C.) (Houston, Texas)
• Big Hawk (S.U.C.) (Houston, Texas)
• Big L (Harlem, New York)
• Mac Dre (Vallejo, California)
• Fat Tone (Kansas City, Missouri) [retaliation for Mac Dre murder]
• Yella Boy (UNLV) (New Orleans, Louisiana)
• Dolla (Atlanta, Georgia)
• VL Mike (New Orleans, Louisiana)
• Yaki Kadafi (Outlawz) (New Jersey)
• Camoflage (Savannah, Georgia)
• Half-A-Mil (Harlem, New York)
• Stack Bundles (Harlem, New York)
• Freaky Tah (Queens, New York)
• Seagram (Oakland, California)
• E-Money Bags (Queens, New York)
• Mister Cee (RBL Posse) (San Francisco, California)

Those are just the one’s I could think of off the top of my head. That’s not to mention all of the artists (C-Murder, MAC, Mac Minister, X-Raided, Big Lurch, Max B) who have been charged and/or convicted for their violent activity.  Gangsta rap, which has the capabilities of being a voice of resistance, has become implicated in the violence that plagues its source communities. For me, its both saddening and very personal. All of these guy were murdered around my age. The leading cause of death for black mean aged 15 – 34 is homicide, so I guess its not illogical that it would effect one of the most prominent sub-cultures in young Black America.

Recently, there has a been a large movement away from gangsta rap in favor or more “concious” or hipster rap. There has been various reasons for this, some I get, others I can’t get with, but I do understand the call for “positivity.” I, however, still love gangsta rap. I love the aggression, the creativity, the rebellion and, especially, the insight it offers into the world of young black men living in the margins of society. I just read a critique of Dolla’s murder and gangsta rap by Earl Ofari Hutchinson (article), and while I agree with some of it, he still presents that same old attack on the credibility and authenticity of gangsta rappers. Rappers’ authenticity is not the issue. What is authentic, is the murder, the death. The violent world surrounding these artists is often criticized, but rarely explored. Maybe if we engage with the music, we could gain a better understanding of this plague on our communities. Another issue Hutchinson mentions is the stereotypes generated and supported by the violent world of gangsta rap. I couldn’t give a damn about stereotypes. That is completely irrelevant when people are getting killed. Instead of worrying about how violence reflects us, we should care about how it destroys our most vulnerable.

I’m praying for Dolla, Nussie, Boosie, Mel, Turk, and all of their families.

Peace.

“Apology” is a brand-new track from alleged domestic violencer Chris Brown. It sounds like this record could be directed at ex-girlfriend(?) and alleged victim Rihanna, but listen to it and decide for yourself. The jury is out on Chris Brown, but this is a good record. Chris Brown doesn’t really fit the context of my blog, but the situation is intriguing. So, whatever. Check it out!

Peace and I mean PEACE!

While I could not label myself a fan, I’ve always had respect for Chris Brown. The young dude is mad talented when it comes to dancing and his vocals are tolerable. He always seemed like a cool kid, who just did his thang.

This past weekend, Brown was accused of physically assaulting an unidentified woman. The police have refused to release the woman’s identity, but it is reportedly his longtime girlfriend, singer Rihanna. Monday, Brown turned himself in to police, and was released on $50, 000 bail. Read more about the story here

Now, to some (or many), in the hip hop community, physically checking an out-of-pocket women is one of the ultimate forms of gangsterism. Women, in this pathology, are subordinate beings who should never disrespect “men,”  Of course, in the real world, that’s utter bullshh. There’s nothing gangster, trill, dope, or cool about putting your hands on a woman. I must admit that a great deal of the music I (and my peers) consume frequently present this type degenerate violence. I will never say that hip hop creates this ideology, but by our consumption, we in some ways reinforce it. This is not a call to stop listening to the music. I could never do that! However, man, we gotta cease our disrespect of women in life and art!

Anyways, at this point, these are all allegations. None of us were there, and we don’t know what really happened. If Brown turns out to be guilty, he is, in my opinion, the ultimate b*tch. There is never a reason to grab, shake, push, or hit a woman. That is not gangster!

Peace and Straight Gangsterism is Back!