Anti-Gangsta Rap Petition Begun, directed at BET

[Princesa]

I really didn't have a problem with Uncut it came on at 3 a.m. for god's sake. Compared to what else was on it wasn't that big a deal. What ever happened to changing the channel? Now if it did come back it would make a nice forum for indie, unsigned and well under the radar artists. a lot of good stuff doesn't get rotation. a lot doesn't fit the Rap City or 106 format per se.

[Jenn]

"Gangsta rap"? What decade are we in again?

[Mastrmynd]

heck if i know, jenn.
i thought we left gangsta rap in the '90s.
unless gangsta rap went to the "next level."
hahahaha

[zeraze]

heck if i know, jenn.
i thought we left gangsta rap in the '90s.
unless gangsta rap went to the "next level."
hahahaha

Actually, gangsta rap is now called minstrel rap, which is quite appropriate since it's demeaning to Black people, especially Black women.

Hence, the petitioners are indeed right that BET needs to clean up its act.  It's hypocritical for Don Imus to be fired after calling Black women "nappy headed hos" when BET still airs minstrel rap videos that say far worse.  These videos also explain why BET's new lineup of shows is being greated with skepticism instead of praise.  A lot of people are half expecting Hannibal, for instance, to be a lame minstrel rap video with elephants instead of a top-notch, action packed and even inspiring epic.

So, once again, BET needs to:

1.  Apologize for the misogynist, self-hating material from years past.

2.  Get rid of said material ASAP.

That way the petition above becomes unnecessary.

zeraze

[TripleX]

heck if i know, jenn.
i thought we left gangsta rap in the '90s.
unless gangsta rap went to the "next level."
hahahaha

Actually, gangsta rap is now called minstrel rap, which is quite appropriate since it's demeaning to Black people, especially Black women.

Hence, the petitioners are indeed right that BET needs to clean up its act.  It's hypocritical for Don Imus to be fired after calling Black women "nappy headed hos" when BET still airs minstrel rap videos that say far worse.  These videos also explain why BET's new lineup of shows is being greated with skepticism instead of praise.  A lot of people are half expecting Hannibal, for instance, to be a lame minstrel rap video with elephants instead of a top-notch, action packed and even inspiring epic.

So, once again, BET needs to:

1.  Apologize for the misogynist, self-hating material from years past.

2.  Get rid of said material ASAP.

That way the petition above becomes unnecessary.

zeraze

Okay you REALLY need to step down off dat soapbox and go listen to your Billy Ekstein records and cool out.

[TripleX]

And put my vote in for da return of Uncut too.
My joint was "Momma Call My Lawyer Cause I'm Bout To Go To Trial", it had me lmao.

[Mastrmynd]

HAHAHAHAHHA...
that video was hella cheap!
it always had me laffin'...especially that non acting reporter chick.

"i'm 'bout 2 trial...'bout 2 go to trial!"

[Curtis Metcalf]

It's hypocritical for Don Imus to be fired after calling Black women "nappy headed hos" when BET still airs minstrel rap videos that say far worse. 

zeraze, I'm having a hard time following that line of argument connecting Imus' offense with the airing of any rap videos.  Also, I don't recall BET taking an official position on the Imus situation.  I'm sure you don't mean that one cannot object to a specific insult because somebody somewhere has said something worse.  Perhaps you could expound on your point a bit. 

[Reginald Hudlin]

Imus has been doing his racist bit on air for a long time;  probably before RAPPER'S DELIGHT came out.  To tie the two together is absurd.

UNCUT was cancelled over six months ago, long before this whole drama kicked up.  It was one of the first things that Debra Lee did when she became Chairman/CEO. 

What NO ONE wants to hear about in these conversations is the reality that the line between healthy sexuality and sexual exploitation is really vague.  It would easy for me to enact some stringent rules that would make all the people who are mad at BET very happy.  Of course, they don't actually watch the channel, but hearing about it would make them happy, even though they wouldn't start watching.

Of course, those same stringent rules would not allow for Beyonce, Janet Jackson or Tina Turner (all of whom have appeared on Oprah for shaking their ass, among many talents)...and would also cause a ban on Chris Rock, who has appeared on Oprah for saying all those words people want banned.

Art and rules don't easily mix.  There is always a genius (Richard Pryor, for example) that makes you throw the rules out the window.

My solution to all this is not focus on banning things (even through BET has the most stringent rules of ANY network that airs music videos) but to create a wider range of programming that LEADS the culture without LEAVING it.  If art reflects society and we don't like what we see, why don't we focus on fixing the culture, and the cultural expression will follow.

[Jenn]

It's hypocritical for Don Imus to be fired after calling Black women "nappy headed hos" when BET still airs minstrel rap videos that say far worse.

Z, you're too smart to say such ridiculous sh*t.

What NO ONE wants to hear about in these conversations is the reality that the line between healthy sexuality and sexual exploitation is really vague.

"So Jennifer, how come you didn't lose your sh*t over Tip Drill?"
"Uh, because the video turns me on? Shut up, you."

Every woman in her life has wanted to be, to some extent, a girl like the ones in the TD video. Any woman who tells you otherwise is lying to you.

[Pantherfan]

What I would like to see is a balance between various music videos shown. I remember in the late eighties and mid-nineties shows like Rap City and Yo! use to show different rap videos ranging from gangsta to conscious but it seems that when one type of rap blew up the rest was shoved to the back. I have no problems with gangsta rap (I still refer to it as "Hardcore Hip Hop"), but I would just like to see a balance of different rap styles represented on the music video tip.

[Wise Son]

What I would like to see is a balance between various music videos shown. I remember in the late eighties and mid-nineties shows like Rap City and Yo! use to show different rap videos ranging from gangsta to conscious but it seems that when one type of rap blew up the rest was shoved to the back. I have no problems with gangsta rap (I still refer to it as "Hardcore Hip Hop"), but I would just like to see a balance of different rap styles represented on the music video tip.

Variety is indeed what is missing. It's something that goes beyond BET, though, although they might be in a position to help change the status quo.

Also, 'hardcore' always meant Public Enemy and the like to me.

[zeraze]

It's hypocritical for Don Imus to be fired after calling Black women "nappy headed hos" when BET still airs minstrel rap videos that say far worse.

Z, you're too smart to say such ridiculous sh*t.

Prove me wrong that BET doesn't air minstrel rap, and I'll retract the statement.

zeraze

[zeraze]

zeraze, I'm having a hard time following that line of argument connecting Imus' offense with the airing of any rap videos.  Also, I don't recall BET taking an official position on the Imus situation.  I'm sure you don't mean that one cannot object to a specific insult because somebody somewhere has said something worse.  Perhaps you could expound on your point a bit. 

Of course, Black people should be angry about Imus insulting Black people. I just think we shouldn't give a Black person a pass for doing the same thing.

It's all about consistency.

zeraze

[zeraze]

What I would like to see is a balance between various music videos shown. I remember in the late eighties and mid-nineties shows like Rap City and Yo! use to show different rap videos ranging from gangsta to conscious but it seems that when one type of rap blew up the rest was shoved to the back. I have no problems with gangsta rap (I still refer to it as "Hardcore Hip Hop"), but I would just like to see a balance of different rap styles represented on the music video tip.

Exactly.

Mainstream rap music before the mid-90s was simply more diverse and innovative.  If you didn't care for NWA or Snoop Dogg, you had alternatives like Will Smith, Run DMC, and Public Enemy.  And BET not only reflect this, but help encourage the range in the genre.

Now, mainstream rap is dominated by corporations that believe gangsta rap equals all of hip hop and will snub any act that doesn't fit this narrow view.  Once again, BET mirrors this trend.  Naturally, the network is getting criticized along with the corporations and sellout rappers who profit from the new status quo.

That's the issue.  Does BET and by extension hip hop stick with the current materialistic path?  Or will the network dare to take some risks that will defy people's expectations and result in real innovation?

zeraze