Hip-Hop - breaking news, gossip, slander, lies etc

[nomadologist]

That's really a nice sentiment. I'm very aware of the causes of their concerns. The history of American public discourse on racism, especially w/r/t popular music, is so incredibly complicated, though, that positive lyrics are by no means some sort of definitive word on the state of public policy and institutionalized racism.

People in America have been striving to put this sort of thing into perspective for a very long time. It's always on our minds, it's always at the forefront of our politics, it's always right there when something tense happens among different cultural or ethnic minorities here.

Public Enemy is hardly unproblematic to cite when it comes to racism, though, unfortunately: specifically when it comes to Prof. Griff, who's been accused of making anti-Semitic remarks more than once.

Some people would argue that as hip-hop lyrics became more sensationalized and shocking, public awareness of inner city violence and the seriousness of problems like drugs and gangs was raised, which had a net effect that was positive in terms of educating people who would otherwise be sheltered from the harsh realities about the fact that problems still exist for black/latino/inner city impoverished Americans.

(and I never said anything about lyrics making dealers out of anyone, either)

 

[gumdrops]

its something that ties into this other kool g rap song from a few years later where he indicates that he is still against racism and contrary to what some might expect is in fact in support of mixed race dating. he is clearly concerned with bridging the racial divide in society today which i think is a nice sentiment. kool g rap = all about equal opportunities.

eg -
"Puertorican men get mad when niggas fuck they women
Can't stand the sight of seein a black dick goin up in em
But I ain't with discrimination, that's that wack shit
I could care less if you was purple and fuckin a black bitch
So if she lets your ass, go 'head and get some sex from her
God gave her the pussy, she can sleep with whoever the fuck she wanna
The first time I saw some niggas with some chinese bitches
I asked myself a question: where the fuck they find these bitches?"

 

[nomadologist]

yeah, interracial dating has always been a pretty hot-button issue. in NYC it's kinda funny, though, because there are soooo many different ethnic groups here. there many many people who look black but are mostly of puerto rican or dominican heritage, or vice versa, and tons of multi-racial and multi-ethnic people in general, to the point where it seems *really* silly to try to stand by some idea that people should only date within their own culture. in my neighborhood there are lots of people who you'd probably guess spoke english and look african-american, but when you talk to them their first language is def spanish. my neighborhood is one of the biggest dominican/puerto rican neighborhoods, where there are tons of the original reggaeton clubs. i get called "mami" all the time, the neighbor guys expect me to call them papi, everyone uses the hispanic terms of endearment

these are all things americans are fully aware of, even though there are the people here and there who are backward thinking about it, it's hard not to have these things on your mind when you live here.

 

[nomadologist]

in other words: racial "identity" and racial "identity formation" are hugely complex issues in the U.S. hugely, radically complex issues.

 

[tht]

in other words: racial "identity" and racial "identity formation" are hugely complex issues in the U.S. hugely, radically complex issues.

although arguably london is even more ethnically hetereogenous and complex than new york eg something like 40% of the population was born outside the uk.....

 

[petergunn]

cuurtissssssssssssssssss

http://www.cuurtis.com

this shit isn't THAT funny, but it is pretty funny, the "curtisssssssss" hook on cam'ron's dis is pretty great...

"you ain't got no swag w/ buck teeth"

but i gotta say a dude who wears that much purple and pink shouldn't be pointing fingers at wearing clothes that make you look like a "homo"...

i'm kind of torn as i am not much of a fan of neither of them... Cam's disses are much harsher and hit harder, but 50 sounds better, both the beat and his flow...

also like the Method Man quote on 50's track...

 

[Poisonous Dart]

New Shit!

My new uploads for my blog posts as of today, February 12th, 2007:

Ambersunshower-Walter T. Smith (1996)
http://www.sendspace.com/file/bubqmd

Esthero-Breath From Another (1998)
http://www.sendspace.com/file/brq4mi

Res-How I Do (2001)
http://www.sendspace.com/file/kn12vv

9th Wonder presents The Dream Merchant Vol. 1 (2004)
http://www.mediafire.com/?6ejyuezeztn

The Justus League presents The Singles Files (Mixed by DJ Flash) (2005)
http://www.mediafire.com/?6ivjdmglgwm

The Justus League presents Triple Play (2005)
http://www.sendspace.com/file/ktvbxe

Bobbito Earthtones (2003)
http://www.sendspace.com/file/q34ehn

Defari- Focused Daily (1998)
http://www.mediafire.com/?c5mqmnmzyqy

Unkle-Psyence Fiction (1998)
http://www.mediafire.com/?7ndzxterzzd

Godfather Don-Diabolique (1998)
http://www.mediafire.com/?6yozhzmydgn

Scaramanga-Seven Eyes, Seven Horns (1999/2000)
http://www.mediafire.com/?6jzudunemmu

Screwball-Y2K (2000)
http://www.mediafire.com/?9mbwydfozyo

I'll update this again at the end of the month. For more joints visit http://poisonousparagraphs.blogspot.com/ Enjoy!

One.

 

[nomadologist]

although arguably london is even more ethnically hetereogenous and complex than new york eg something like 40% of the population was born outside the uk.....

Hmm...maybe, but I've heard that there's this one area in Queens that has the most representations of different national origins as anywhere (any 10-block radius or something) in the world. Can't remember exactly how many (I'm remembering 80?) I wouldn't be surprised if 90% of my neighborhood was born outside the U.S. I *would* be surprised if 30% or more had green cards and/or citizenship.

Plus, you have state after state in the U.S. full of recent immigres

 

[nomadologist]

http://www.cuurtis.com

this shit isn't THAT funny, but it is pretty funny, the "curtisssssssss" hook on cam'ron's dis is pretty great...

"you ain't got no swag w/ buck teeth"

but i gotta say a dude who wears that much purple and pink shouldn't be pointing fingers at wearing clothes that make you look like a "homo"...

i'm kind of torn as i am not much of a fan of neither of them... Cam's disses are much harsher and hit harder, but 50 sounds better, both the beat and his flow...

also like the Method Man quote on 50's track...

i know, cam is like the most metro rapper out there. remember the big pink fluffy faux fur jacket? classic. if the contest were about looks, cam would win by a long shot. he'd win against like most of humanity, though, because he's absolutely perfectly beautiful.

 

[crackerjack]

Hmm...maybe, but I've heard that there's this one area in Queens that has the most representations of different national origins as anywhere (any 10-block radius or something) in the world. Can't remember exactly how many (I'm remembering 80?) I wouldn't be surprised if 90% of my neighborhood was born outside the U.S. I *would* be surprised if 30% or more had green cards and/or citizenship.

Plus, you have state after state in the U.S. full of recent immigres

From Sunday's Observer

"Early on in their Olympic presentation, New York told the IOC that there were "over 200 languages spoken in New York". The boast was dropped from the latter stages after the London bid informed the committee there are "over 300 languages spoken daily in London". The London Olympic bid team specifically attributes its victory to the city's extraordinary diversity. One analyst said: "We see New York as a great American city with lots of foreigners, and London as an international city. We promised the 'world games' with London as the backdrop.""
http://www.guardian.co.uk/saturday/story/0,,2009897,00.html

 

[elgato]

sorry to lower the tone, but has anyone seen that show 'House of Flavor'? caught it last night... reality tv weekly elimination gameshow whereby various ladies clamour for the affection and eventual goal of flavor flav. one of the strangest concepts ive ever heard. not only that, but bridgette nielsen, who apparently is flav's ex, was interviewing and assessing the girls. when he chose which ones were going through to the next round the girls came forward and he hung a giant clock with their face on it around their neck. too jokes, i was completely overwhelmed by it all

what was really deep though was he came off as an incredibly intelligent, astute, sensitive and pleasant individual. i hope it wasnt scripted by someone else, i like the impression its left me with

 

[petergunn]

From Sunday's Observer

"Early on in their Olympic presentation, New York told the IOC that there were "over 200 languages spoken in New York". The boast was dropped from the latter stages after the London bid informed the committee there are "over 300 languages spoken daily in London". The London Olympic bid team specifically attributes its victory to the city's extraordinary diversity. One analyst said: "We see New York as a great American city with lots of foreigners, and London as an international city. We promised the 'world games' with London as the backdrop.""
http://www.guardian.co.uk/saturday/story/0,,2009897,00.html

i have read that fact too... but, i always FELT that paris was more diverse that either nyc or london, w/ nyc running a close 2nd, so i was surpised when i read that...

 

[mistersloane]

i have read that fact too... but, i always FELT that paris was more diverse that either nyc or london, w/ nyc running a close 2nd, so i was surpised when i read that...

I live in a London borough called Haringey, and in a recent ethnic study it was *most ethnically diverse place in the UK*...a great factoid came out whereby if I stopped and talked to someone on the street, there would be a 90% chance that they would speak a language different from mine ( or I theirs ). It makes me skip down the street everytime I think of it.

 

[nomadologist]

From Sunday's Observer

"Early on in their Olympic presentation, New York told the IOC that there were "over 200 languages spoken in New York". The boast was dropped from the latter stages after the London bid informed the committee there are "over 300 languages spoken daily in London". The London Olympic bid team specifically attributes its victory to the city's extraordinary diversity. One analyst said: "We see New York as a great American city with lots of foreigners, and London as an international city. We promised the 'world games' with London as the backdrop.""
http://www.guardian.co.uk/saturday/story/0,,2009897,00.html

Does London have the same racial tension issues the U.S. has? Or similar ones? Paris has its issues. Never really hear about London having any...

 

[nomadologist]

sorry to lower the tone, but has anyone seen that show 'House of Flavor'? caught it last night... reality tv weekly elimination gameshow whereby various ladies clamour for the affection and eventual goal of flavor flav. one of the strangest concepts ive ever heard. not only that, but bridgette nielsen, who apparently is flav's ex, was interviewing and assessing the girls. when he chose which ones were going through to the next round the girls came forward and he hung a giant clock with their face on it around their neck. too jokes, i was completely overwhelmed by it all

what was really deep though was he came off as an incredibly intelligent, astute, sensitive and pleasant individual. i hope it wasnt scripted by someone else, i like the impression its left me with

Flav is a sweetheart. He really is, you can tell he's a hopeless romantic. He was *obsessed* with Brigette Nielsen (sp?) when they were hooking up during Surreal Life. You could see the adoration in his eyes.

P.S. There have already been a couple seasons of "Flavor of Love" here, and I think Flav finally found a girlfriend. "I Love New York" is even better--it's one of the ex-contestants living in ahouse full of meatheads who are vying for her.

 

[elgato]

P.S. There have already been a couple seasons of "Flavor of Love" here, and I think Flav finally found a girlfriend. "I Love New York" is even better--it's one of the ex-contestants living in ahouse full of meatheads who are vying for her.

that girl New York came off very badly to me though, maybe it was just a bad week or something

 

[nomadologist]

that girl New York came off very badly to me though, maybe it was just a bad week or something

She's terrible, just an awful, terrible person. That's the "joke" of the show. That no one would ever *want* to date New York, except these losers.

 

[elgato]

She's terrible, just an awful, terrible person. That's the "joke" of the show. That no one would ever *want* to date New York, except these losers.

ok decent i was suddenly stressing that i'd been overly judgemental and that that made me a bad person lol

anyways, back to hip-hop!

 

[nomadologist]

From Sunday's Observer

"Early on in their Olympic presentation, New York told the IOC that there were "over 200 languages spoken in New York". The boast was dropped from the latter stages after the London bid informed the committee there are "over 300 languages spoken daily in London". The London Olympic bid team specifically attributes its victory to the city's extraordinary diversity. One analyst said: "We see New York as a great American city with lots of foreigners, and London as an international city. We promised the 'world games' with London as the backdrop.""
http://www.guardian.co.uk/saturday/story/0,,2009897,00.html

Here's a bigger question for me: do these people who speak the 300 languages speak English? Because there are entire neighborhoods in Brooklyn where you could spend hours trying to find someone who speaks English. NYC has pockets of immigrant populations who work the unskilled labor sort of jobs and who never really assimilate to "American" culture in terms of speaking English and all of that...

 

[mistersloane]

Here's a bigger question for me: do these people who speak the 300 languages speak English? Because there are entire neighborhoods in Brooklyn where you could spend hours trying to find someone who speaks English. NYC has pockets of immigrant populations who work the unskilled labor sort of jobs and who never really assimilate to "American" culture in terms of speaking English and all of that...

First generation I'd say no -especially the women - but by the time their kids are at school, the kids are going with their mums to the doctors to translate etc. I think over here the racism is more covert, but generally I think London is pretty mind-blowing culturally, mix-wise. I think generally race is less and less an issue, religion and culture maybe more so. It's hard to generalise though, but I was *not* picked on by a gang of twenty Somalian kids last week cos they had an argument over whether I was mixed-race or not lol. Just as well cos I was carrying two grands worth of equipment on my back...

Here
http://download.yousendit.com/E8ECE4E87D1414C6
is a PDF of the Western Bigotry Index, which makes for quite interesting, if long, reading.