I Say Let them (Gangsta Rappers) Get There Own Museum

This article is in response to the recent controversy that emerged around the new Hip Hop Museum in New York. The city council which funded part of the museum is insisting that gangsta rap not be aprt of the exhibit. Here’s the article..
p076.ezboard.com/fpolitic…D=16.topic

I say Let them Get There Own Museum.
by Furious Styles

I applaud the people working with the development of the new Bronx museum. I really think its important in telling the story of Hip Hop, that we leave something for future generations to be proud of and to strive for. I believe wanting to be an emcee and to rock a party or have a good time, or to talk about yourself and how fly you are, or cleverly showing your battle ability without degrading people because of your lack of vocabulary, or talking about women and relationships in a nurturing and healthy way, or various societal issues is great. If you are a history of music, these songs with these topics and mood from the 60s and 70s are considered classics, and stand the test of time no matter what new microwave pop corn new act that pops up. Examples- Chage Gonna Come- Sam Cooke, Whats Going On- Marvin Gaye, Sweet Thing Chaka Khan.

But when you begin talking about or glorifying death, murder, mayhem, pimping, misogyny, incest, guns, cocaine, women as objects to just dance, or portray black people, or the Hip Hop generation as a group of people who live in the club, @#%$, fight, drink, steal, or do anything counterproductive to life, I feel firmly that you have no place in a museum, or in the history of Hip Hop, except in showing what was wrong with our culture, and how we should never have future generations go down that road but learn the lessons of history.

I understand the age old worn out statement that Gansta Hip Hop is a product of the environment, its bigger than the thugs, pimps and playas, we dont own the planes that bring drugs into our communities, the-had- a- bad up bringing, no daddy in the house, being shot, the streets, etc. etc. etc.. etc.. But the fact of the matter is that these artists are pushing stripper music into the ears of our children, they are talking about crack selling, distribution, and murder, and wonder why we have so much violence in the lives of our youth. Oh, by the way, what you listen to does make a difference on your psyche, mental health, self impression, everything. . Check out the movie where the dude at McDonalds for a month. If music is food, and you are what you eatThink about it.

If gangstas, pimps, playas, hustlas, tricks, ballers, killers, rapist, murderers, foul mouth imdividuals want a museum to display their works, let them build there own. But for me, I want my kids to take their kids to a museum where they can learn the importance of all the men and women on stage and behind the scenes that made Hip Hop music that had something to say, something to evoke and stimulate thought about life, family, the world, having fun, etc. And I hope my childrens children dont have to go somewhere where they have a Shrine for Nelly but none for Kool Herc, where theres the new track with Trina dissing Khia, but no ladies first by Queen Latifah, where there will be walls of shots of 50 cent, but no remembrance or understanding of Tupac. And yeah, Tupac would be in my museum and 50 wouldnt.

Again, for those of you who may have missed it, read the last 3 lines of the first paragraph. At least with Tupac he was well rounded, and had different dimensions to himself, and was able to challenge himself to talk about more than the bullshit. Most of these new dudes have no reference to Hip Hop history, and have nothing else to talk about. And great artists who have wonderful things to add in the world of music are labeled underground, cant get radio of video play, and are forced to watch people be destroyed for the lack of good musical food. Yeah I said it.

_Furious Styles

Return to Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner

X-Clan Urges People to Boycott World Trade Movie

BOYCOTT THIS MOVIE!!! EMAIL THIS TO YOUR ENTIRE LIST:

9-11areialview

It’s so natural for Hollywood to assume that every Hero is a White man.

by DJ Paradise Gray

Hollywood has always changed facts and edited history. From Charlton Heston
as Moses and Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra. They are only continuing their
tradition of White-washing our history. If they were able to portray Imhotep
(The Mummy and The Mummy Returns who was one of the greatest black Heroes of
all times and Jesus Christ as white without a single peep from our
community, why should this even matter to them in the least?

Situations like this will continue and we as Black people (or whatever you
want to consider yourself) will deserve what we get, unless we are willing
to stand up against tyranny and white supremacy.

Demand that this movie be taken out of theatures. Boycott this movie like
they attempted to boycott “Barbershop” show some community outrage like they
did for the poster of 50’s Get Rich Or Die trying. Cause the national media
to pick up this story.

Do something for a change. (Yes I’m talking to you!).

Paradise Gray
http://www.myspace.com/paradisegray
(Please forward to everyone on your email list, as the national press has
not or will not pick up this story)

Full story in The New Pittsburgh Courier
http://newpittsburghcourieronline.com/articlelive/articles/35730/1/World-Trade-Center-omits-Black-soldier/WTC-movies-unsung-hero.html

‘World Trade Center‘ omits Black Soldier

Following disasters of historically epic proportions like the attack on the
World Trade Center, there are bound to be countless tales of self-sacrifice,
heroism and triumph. Some stories, like those told in the movies Flight 93
and Oliver Stone’s World Trade Center, premiering Aug. 9, are made into
blockbusters for the world to see. Others are either whispered quietly among
family and friends or confined to the memories and souls of those who refuse
to speak of them.

Such is the tale of United States Marine Corps Sgt. Jason L. Thomas–in
spite of the fact that his story and the one told in World Trade Center are
one in the same.

THE STORY

The morning of Sept. 11, 2001 began like any other for Jason L. Thomas. A
student at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice of City University of
New York, he heard about the attack after taking his daughter to his
mother’s house in Queens so he could attend classes.

At the time I was saying to myself, That’s an attack. My mother looked at it
as if it was an accident, but one of the first things that came to my mind
was, They got us, he said.

Immediately after that, I just got in high gear. I had my uniform in my car,
my C-Bag. We just moved into a house, so I had a lot of my personal
equipment in my vehicle. I ran out to my car, got my uniform, got dressed
and shot to the city.

After a delay in Queens, which Thomas credits for keeping him away from the
collapse of the South Tower, he attached himself to a police convoy and made
it to the site within moments of the fall of the North Tower.

Approaching one of the towers, all I see is one at the time, I see the
building come crashing down. It just comes straight down. I park my vehicle
and I remember this cloud of smoke and ash just enveloped where I was. I
stuck my head down in my shirt and scooted behind my car and got on my
knees, but it engulfed the area. So I got up and I just ran in the direction
towards Ground Zero.

At Ground Zero, Thomas immediately began to help by fighting fires,
establishing triage sites to help the injured and assisting with the overall
evacuation. While his primary focus was devoted to the emergency, he
couldn’t help being affected by what had become of his city.

I know this beautiful city, and now here it is, it’s just rubble, he said.
There are fire engines on fire, and you don’t see that everyday–you don’t
see cars and ambulances on fire. I was just trying to take it in.

After hours of firefighting, assisting survivors and in some cases, praying
over the dead, Thomas ran into another marine, Staff Sgt. Dave Karnes.
Thomas presented a plan for a search and rescue mission of the area and he
and Karnes tried to enlist other soldiers on site to help. When they were
told the mission was too dangerous, they decided to go by themselves.

I found a couple guys, but it wasn’t enough, to them, to start a search and
rescue, he said. I remember myself and staff Sgt. Karnes saying, We’re going
to start the search and rescue with or without you, because someone needs
us.

THE MOVIE

The World Trade Center movie tells the story of the rescues of New York Port
Authority police officers John McLoughlin and Will Jimeno from Ground Zero,
as well as that of the men who rescued them. In real life, the officers were
rescued by sergeants Karnes and Thomas. In the film, however, they were
rescued by Karnes and PFC Dave Thomas; a composite character, played by
William Mapother, a white actor, who is meant to represent Thomas.

World Trade Center producer Michael Shamberg said that they knew about Sgt.
Thomas’s role in the rescue, but were unable to find him when creating the
film. He said producers didn’t discover Thomas was a Black man until after
they had started the movie. He also said that in spite of the fact that the
film was co-written by McLoughlin and Jimeno was consulted for authenticity,
no one ever asked them for a physical description of the man who helped save
their lives.

Frankly, we goofed–we learned when we were filming that he was an
African-American, said Shamberg. We would change it if we could. I actually
called him and apologized, and he said he didn’t mind. He was very gracious
about it.

Shamberg also apologized for another African-American officer, Bruce
Reynolds, who was also portrayed as white in the movie.

Thomas, meanwhile, didn’t learn the film was about his story until he saw
the unmistakable image of two marines peering into a whole at Ground Zero
during a commercial for the movie. He said that while he wasn’t angry about
how the film turned out, he does wish it could have been more realistic.

Full story in The New Pittsburgh Courier
http://newpittsburghcourieronline.com/articlelive/articles/35730/1/World-Trade-Center-omits-Black-soldier/WTC-movies-unsung-hero.html

———————————————————————————————–
Paradise Gray
Honorary Chairman, Pittsburgh LOC
National Political Hip-hop Convention
Grand Arkitech Of The BlackWatch Movement
Minister Of Arts And Sciences Millions More Movement
Director Of Almost Home Youth Ministries
One Hood
Http://www.myspace.com/paradisegray

Return to Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner

Is Busta on Steroids? Beating Victims Speaks Out

 

Is Busta on Steroids? Beating Victims Speaks Out

A while back we ran an interview with former Source owners Dave Mays & Benzino shortly after Busta and Mays had their altercation in Miami. The end result was Mays getting hit upside the head with a bottle and having to get stitches. Benzino alluded to the fact that Busta was on steroids and needed to check himself. At first many of us laughed it off and attributed the remarks to a jealous Benzino, but in lieu of this latest altercation, one can’t be too sure.. What’s really going on?

Beating victim recounts rappers rampage,
BY NICOLE BODE and ALISON GENDAR
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
playahata.com/hatablog/?p=1801#more-1801

Busta Rhymes

Busta Rhymes

Busta Rhyme victim was a former fan and plans to file a civil lawsuit after the teen suffered a concussion and a split lip. His violent unprovoked account gives credence to rumors of steroid rage. (This sounds more legitimate than Buster Rhymes story.)

One moment, Roberto Lebron was telling Busta Rhymes he was a big fan – and the next thing he knew, the rapper was kicking him in the face.
That was the dramatic account offered yesterday by the 19-year-old Bronx man, whose allegations of a Chelsea beat-down landed Rhymes in his latest scrape with the law.

While I was on the ground, he was kicking me in the face, Lebron said yesterday. I saw him kick me.
Lebrons crime, he said, was accidentally spitting on Bustas ride on Aug. 12.

Me and my friends were walking across the street. I spit on the street and it landed on a moving car. It was a Maybach. That car stopped, along with two black SUVs.

People came out and they were walking up to me. We realized it was Busta Rhymes, Lebron said in a phone interview arranged by his lawyer.

He asked me, Homie, did you spit on my car? I said Sorry, I didnt mean to. Were big fans of yours. That was the last thing I said, Lebron recalled.

One of his people hit me in the face and I fell on the ground – and then Rhymes came over to finish the job, he said.

Lebron said the star and his crew kicked and punched him in the middle of Sixth Ave. near 19th St. – then yanked his Nike sneakers off his feet and tossed them away.

Rhymes beefy posse kept Lebrons three friends from coming to his aid, and bolted after about two minutes, he said.

I guess they got tired of beating me up, said Lebron, who was a student at John Jay College of Criminal Justice until he took a full-time job hooking up televisions in hospital rooms.

Lebron filed a formal criminal complaint on Saturday, and cops busted Rhymes after his concert at Randalls Island.

Here’s a response from my man C Wise regarding that question…

I keep telling folks this is a mid-life/end of career crisis this man is going through. I’m not a doctor nor do I claim to be one, but Busta’s behavior over the past year has drawn those to believe he’s suffering from roid rage. He’s been in some many different altercations, even with a security detail, Busta seems to find himself drawn into these conflicts, some of which sound like they can be avoided by just walking away.

Is it Steroids? I don’t know and I don’t want to be the one to ask either.

After learning more about what happened to Proof back in April, it made me realize that black men seem to be the ones killing each other more and more everyday. We are often thrown in to situations that can result in violence. I’m not trying to rip off the Boondocks, but lately Busta is making headlines for various “Nigga Moments”, and I’m afraid the pattern he is following may result in us saying another RIP to another Hip-Hop legend. :|

Return to Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner

Take Back America- Davey D Confrontation with Fox News

Take Back America- Davey D Confrontation with Fox News

By Paradise Gray

This years “Take Back America Conference” in Washington D.C was much more exciting and energetic than the one I attended just a year ago. There were more young people of color present and everyone seemed to have extra pep in their step. I began the weekend with The League of Young Voters, taking their empowering “Tunnel Building” leadership training program at the offices of The People For The American Way. The training sessions were good, and included veteren and aspiring organizers from all across America, some as young as 17 years old.

The new National Director of the League Rob “Biko” Baker and National Political Director Khari Mosley handled many of the training workshops personally. It was a pleasure to work with these brothers and I learned some great new ideas and concepts to use for organizing effective actions and successful campaigns. I was happy to contribute by helping to teach a workshop on using new media and the internet (Myspace and Facebook) as organizing tools.

On Monday March 17th we headed over to the The Omni Shoreham Hotel where Van Jones the President and founder of “Green For All” brought the heat to the Take Back America Conference at this morning. Speaking to an overflowing room full of progressive Democrats Mr. Jones passionately explained the benefits of an emerging Green Economy. His inspiring speech informed the diverse crowd about policies and initiatives that could create jobs, efficient energy, reduce carbon emissions and improve local economies.
Mr. Jones received thunderous applause when he noted that by retrofitting American cities with renewable energy sources such as wind, solar panels and other alternate sustainable energy sources it would ensure that we would never have to wage war for oil again!

In the crowd I noticed the Reverend Jessie Jackson, Davey D as well as members of The League Of Young Voters, One HOOD, the National Political Hip-hop Convention, Reverend Yearwood and The Hip-hop Caucus and members of The Gathering.

Keep your eyes on Van Jones and the concept of a Green Economy and Green-Collar Jobs. Van Jones is a dynamic speaker with a great plan, his final words “I am not here to “Take America Back, I’m here to take it forward” connected and resonated well with this large progressive crowd.

Things got kind of heated on Tuesday morning March 18 when the Rev.Jessie Jackson was scheduled speak on a panel “Progressive Movement In A Democratic Era: The Lessons Of King And The Civil Rights Movement“.

The energy was already elevated as everyone was anxiously awaiting 10:30 when Barack Obama was scheduled to give his historic speech on race relations in America. As I approached the Regency Ballroom I noticed the Rev.Jessie Jackson being interviewed by Griff Jenkins from Fox News. Griff Jenkins was being very aggressive as he demanded that Rev. Jackson answer the question: “Do you or do you not condemn Barack Obama’s former Pastor Rev. Wright?”

Rev. Jackson refused to answer in the way that Jenkins was asking, Rev. Jackson accused Mr. Jenkins of using divisive tactics instead of covering the issues that are important in this election, Mr. Jenkins would rudely push his microphone towards Rev. Jackson’s face and reiterate “Do you or do you not condemn Rev.Wright?”

I did not appreciate the way Mr. Jenkins was treating Rev. Jackson and loudly voiced my opinion as Rev. Jackson, annoyed by Mr. Jenkins unprofessionalism, walked away. Mr. Jenkins then interviewed me and and when posed with the same question of whether or not I condemned Rev.Wright, I responded that when your face down in a mud puddle with someone’s foot on the back of your neck, you should not be judged by the words that come out of your mouth at that moment, anger is the appropriate natural human response to oppression!

I argued that Rev. Wright’s sermons were based on real feelings within the black community and had foundations in fire and brimstone preaching directly from the bible. Mr. Jenkins attempted to cut me off in the middle of sentences but I continued that I could quote him hundreds of statements from the bible that he would not agree with and he would not even recognize that I was quoting the bible unless I told him in advance.

I questioned Mr. Jenkins about why he was interogatting Rev. Jackson so hard when Barack Obama would be addressing the situation himself in less than 2 hours, I suggested that Mr. Jenkins that we should all wait until we have given Senator Obama the opportunity to address it personally before we form our opinions.

I guess that wasn’t enough for Griff Jenkins because as soon as the panel was over, his FOX News TV crew pushed past other journalists on the stage who were asking Rev. Jackson questions about the 5th Anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq. Davey D happened to be one of the journalists who was patently waiting for his turn to ask Rev. Jackson some questions, when Griff Jenkins barged in and started dominating the conversation, repeatedly demanding Rev. Jackson to answer, and diverting from the questions that others were asking about the war.

Davey had seen and heard enough, he began asking Griff Jenkins why are you here? Aggressively pushing his mic in Griff Jenkins face as he had done Rev.Jackson, and stepping in front of a retreating Griff Jenkins asking, ‘why are you here?’

Davey encouraged others to flip the script on aggressive TV reporters that come in and try to set a tone that is contrary to the way that you are coming from, “you have a right to stop them from dominating the conversation and regain control. Fox News has declared war on people of color and puts them in a defensive position, not given them a fair chance to answer back to salacious charges and assertions. They have one-sided conversations by asking you questions and cutting you off before you have a chance to answer them. Fox News creates an agenda and then places people of color within that framework to underscore what they are trying to say”.

Davey D said that what they tried to do to Rev. Jessie Jackson was a perfect example of “ambushing someone with the cameras” they kept asking Rev. Jackson over and over “why don’t you denounce Rev. Wright?… And as Rev. Jackson tried to answer they would interrupt him with “why don’t you denounce Rev. Wright?”

Davey D thought that it was disrespectful, not as much towards Rev. Jackson (who Davey says can handle himself) as much as it is towards millions of people who can discern what is outrageous or offensive on their own without aid from someone who doesn’t go to the church so they don’t know how to put things in the proper context. Here is online video of the incident: (from FOX News)

http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/x4rznd

written by paradise Gray
Foxguy
by luvnews

 

Are Boys In The Hood Really The New Terrorists? Pt II

The Demonstrations in Pompano Beach Against Moooslims And The Growing Divide Influenced By The War on Terror

By Bro. Tony Muhammad

www.uannetwork.com

tony muhammed In late June, seven Black men (nick-named The Liberty Seven) were seized and arrested by Federal Agents (6 of them in Miamis Liberty City section) on the grounds of what the community believes to be a case of entrapment led on by an FBI agent who reportedly had the men swear allegiance to Al-Qaeda and commit to the bombing of several FBI offices and the Sears building in Chicago. Partly considering what was making nation-wide headlines at that very moment (The New York Times breaking the story that the Bush Administration has been unconstitutionally spying on millions of peoples financial records), the community regarded the incident as a Weapon of Mass Distractions.

Weeks later, in Broward Countys Pompano Beach, pastor of the Worldwide Christian Center, Rev. O’Neal Dozier, led his congregation to demonstrate in front of City Hall against ”Moooslims” (Muslims expressed in a derogatory manner) that are in the process of building a new mosque in the Black community. The demonstrations came after Dozier made comments against Islam in a news release and on a radio talk show; prompting Governor Jeb Bushs office to ask the minister/lawyer to resign from his post on the Broward Judicial Nominating Committee which he had held since 2001. Dozier, who as a Black Republican has worked closely with Governor Jeb Bush and Attorney General Charlie Crist in recruiting Blacks into the GOP, submitted his letter of resignation on Sunday, June 9th.

Dozier commented to Urban America Newspaper, We can not allow a mosque to be built in a Black Christian community, which would turn our young Black men, who are angry at white people, towards a dangerous religion. When questioned why he regarded Islam a dangerous religion, the pastor asserted that he holds a bachelors degree in religion and philosophy and argued that Islam has a violent history. He argued that the religion itself breeds terrorism. The Pastor was asked if he did not feel Christianity has had its share of violence being committed under its name, especially towards African peoples who were brought into this country against their will and for centuries lynched by their white Christian brothers. Opposing the hard realities of history, Dozier firmly said No, making a distinction that lynchings were not committed under Christianity despite the Ku Klux Klan historically using the burning cross as a traditional trademark symbol. He denied that his concerns have come in response to the arrest of the Liberty City Seven, but made it more apparent by his high emotionalism that he was upset that Islam is in fact the fastest growing religion among Black males in the United States. When asked if he has sat down to talk with Altaf Ali, the executive director the Florida chapter the Council on American-Islamic Relations, and others responsible for the building of the new mosque, Dozier responded in an restless tone, Why should I sit down with them? I know how they feel! I know their religion! I know its origins! They want to kill everyone! Dozier, who has made recommendations to the Bush administration about combining faith-based initiatives with combating HIV/AIDS in Africa, ended the interview by expressing awkwardly, I love the Muslim people. They are victims because they are misguided. They need to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Dozier affirmed that his opposing the creation of the new mosque has not ended; stressing, We will fight until we get results, including the courts if we have to go that rout.

Concerned about the conflicts and misinformation that could potentially spawn as a result of Doziers message regarding the effect of Islam on young Black men, the Fort Lauderdale based Muhammads Mosque #82 of the Nation of Islam has sought to inform the Black community in Pompano the truth behind the religion and its principles. Minister Ronald Muhammad commented to Urban America Newspaper, The Nation of Islam is definitely comprised of Muslims and have many mosques in the Black community, just as our Arab brothers who also have many mosques in the Black community. Muhammad adds, There is no record of violence or negative effect in the Black community as of consequence. Islam is a reforming religion, Muhammad asserts, I dont know where he (Dozier) is basing his argument but history does not support his argument. Critical of Doziers actions while involved in the Broward Judicial Nominating Committee and currently as a pastor, Muhammad argues, Social, civic and religious leaders have a moral responsibility to take a position that represents the general well being and edification of the people that they serve as it relates to the laws and rules that they serve. Muhammad concludes, In any civil society, freedom, justice and equality for all overrides any personal disposition that a public figure may have.

Urban America Newspaper contacted the Pompano Islamic Center for commentary. After greeting a representative on the phone with the traditional salutation of peace for the Muslim world, As-Salaam-Alaikum, and explaining the purpose of the call, the representative who remained unidentified responded with an emotional rant, WHO IS THIS? WHAT IS THIS?

The response is symbolically reflective of the level of distrust that many Muslims and conscientious people have developed for each other since President George W. Bushs War on Terror began in September 2001. Since it has been clear that the Bush administration has been (both legally and illegally) investigating the phone conversations and financial records of millions of people in America, many such people have been limiting the type of conversations they would have over the phone, through e-mail or even in person. Even more obvious, soon after the seizure of the Liberty Seven, various Sunni Muslim organizations nation-wide issued public statements about how those who were involved in the group were not really Muslims and were in no way related to them or their religion, an act that violates the principles of the Islam. Instead of working to gain justice for those are very obviously victims of the system, they step away in fear that one day they will possibly become victims in a similar manner. What is clear is that The War on Terror has played a strong part in increasingly dividing up segments of America who suffer from the same problems; both between communities and within the same community.

Return to Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner

 

The Prophecy of Hip-hop

The Prophecy of Hip-hop
by DJ Paradise Gray of X-Clan-Aug 21 2006

Paradise the Arkitech

Paradise the Arkitech

“Government Intelligence” is a misnomer. With at least a 30 some odd Billion dollar budget, the pre 911 “Intelligence” Agencies didn’t have a clue about what was going on. In spite of the reports of Arab men at flight schools asking to learn how to fly but not how to land. That was a clue that I would expect the lowest level security guard to alert on. How did they miss that? To borrow a line from Keith Sweat “Something Just Aint’ Right”. What I do know is that I’m very uncomfortable with the people who have their fingers on the red buttons. I’m no conspiracy theorist but Bush is looking more and more like Senator Palpatine to me
by the day.

Some people may think that rappers are no rocket scientists, but either someone’s lying about what they knew or rappers are clairvoyant, because they sure did a heck of alot better job than the government, understanding the danger and possibilities for terrorist attacks on The World Trade Center.

Eric B & Rakim’s song “Casualties Of War”, released in 1992 on the “Don’t Sweat the Technique” album, Rakim says:

“So now I wait for terrorists to attack,
when a truck back fires, I fire back,
I DUCK FOR SHELTER WHEN A PLANE FLYS OVER ME,
REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR? NEW YORK WILL BE OVER G”,
Kamikaze, strapped with bombs,
No peace in the East, they want revenge for Saddam”.

Equally prophetic and kinda weird is this next one from Busta Rhymes who seems to stay in the news lately.
(Hip-hop Cointel Pro is on you Busta! Be very carefull, you are probably being set up for a big fall).

Busta rhymes song “Against All Odds” from the 1998 album: “Extinction Level Event (The Final World Front)”

Busta’s prophecy is two-fold here, a combination of both of the other examples.

First Busta’s E.L.E. cd cover features lower Manhattan (the area where the World Trade Center was located) going up in a large blaze of fire, then at 1.19 of the track (911 backwards) – Busta Says:

“DESTROY ANY ARCH RIVAL, OR ANY CHALLENGER,
MAKE YOU REMEMBER THIS DAY NIGGA, MARK IT ON YA CALENDER,
I’m showin’ you somethin’, you ain’t sayin’ nothin’,
My niggaz make noise like a bunch of volcanoes errupting,
NONE OF Y’ALL NIGGAZ REALLY WANNA WAR,
THE TYPE OF NIGGA TO CRASH MY PLANE IN YOUR BUILDING IN THE NAME OF ALLAH”

No wonder they keep hunting him down like his name was Osama Bin Busta!

And last (but not least), The Coup, their CD cover never got released to the public, however it is still pretty easy to find on the internet:

The planned cover art created in June 2001 for The Coup’s “Party Music” album depicts The Coup with an exploding World Trade Center in the background, Coup DJ Pam the Funktress conducts the proceedings with 2 batons as “Boots” Riley handles what looks like a detonator but is actually a guitar tuner. The Cd was released in November 2001 with a different cover after the actual attacks on the World Trade Center.

Could this all just be a coincidence?


Paradise Gray
Honorary Chairman, Pittsburgh LOC
National Political Hip-hop Convention
Grand Arkitech Of The BlackWatch Movement
Minister Of Arts And Sciences Millions More Movement
Director Of Almost Home Youth Ministries
One Hood
www.myspace.com/paradisegray

Return to Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner

Turning Outrage Into Power-National Hip Hop Political Convention

National Hip Hop Political Convention-nhhpc

Turning Outrage Into Power
By Malik Cooper, WireTap

Alternet — August 16, 2006

www.alternet.org/story/40441/

Saying hip-hop is global now isn’t telling you
something you don’t already know, unless you have been
living under a rock since Planet Rock first dropped.
But using the art form for political gains is something
new, and spearheading this movement is the National Hip
Hop Political Convention (NHHPC).

The 2006 NHHPC in Chicago — the second biennial
convention — opened on July 20 and over the course of
three days engaged over 1,000 participants in the
debates over issues like misogyny in hip-hop, media
justice, the aftermath of Katrina, grassroots activism,
organizational leadership and electoral politics. The
convention closed with a concert on Saturday featuring
Dead Prez, Chicago Poets and Boots Riley among many
other artists.

NHHPC was founded in late 2002 when some elders pulled
organizers from all over the country for the first
national convention in New Jersey that aimed at
creating a political agenda for the hip-hop community.
I first got involved at this time, as we worked at
finding the issues of our community. Born and raised in
California’s Bay Area, I had been speaking publicly
since a young age, but became really active when I
finished filming MTV’s Real World series. After the
show I traveled as a motivational speaker to colleges
and got involved with youth organizations committed to
the fight against Big Tobacco. Through a good friend I
got invited to the Bay Area’s Local Organizing
Committee (Bay-LOC) meeting, and began to get involved
in hip-hop politics.

Like other local organizers around the country, we went
around our community with issue sheets for people to
fill out, which we used to create a state agenda.
During the state convention individuals from over 30
states and Puerto Rico came together and created a
national agenda. By February 2005, a group of different
LOC members had a retreat in Atlanta and formed a
national body with a steering committee whose goals
were to help bring local groups together and facilitate
any national work that needed to be done.

After Bay-LOC returned to California, we began to
organize a local Hip Hop Summit at Laney College in
Oakland in September 2005. One day of workshops and a
concert, which included performances from Dead Prez and
E40, attracted thousands. We had support and speeches
from Rep. Barbara Lee and Bay-LOC’s own Dereca
Blackman, and handed out voter guides, which we rewrote
in new language that identified with the hip-hop
generation.

Around the same time, the Chicago-LOC began working as
a host committee for the next convention. It was up to
them to handle the event program, and the event’s
success can only be attributed to their hard work.

The convention itself started with a dialogue between
organizers of past movements like Civil Rights and
Black Power, including Fred Hampton Jr. (Prisoners Of
Conscience Committee), Cliff Kelley (WVON Radio Host),
Angela Woodson (Federation of Democratic Women), and
writer and activist Amina Norman-Hawkins. Organizers
both young and old felt this was needed, since many
believed the torch was never passed on to the new
generation.

Hip-hop politics today — as I see it — identifies
strongly with the Black Power movement; the lyrics in
conscious rap resonate with ideals of Malcolm X and
self-determination. The Bay Area especially identifies
with the Black Panthers since its roots are found here.
But all over the globe — and even in early days of
hip- hop, when most music came from New York — lyrics
focus on the social ills and mistreatment of people of
color in this country. The same “@#%$ the system”
attitude gave birth to gangsta rap. And although the
majority of it now focuses on the material and the
misogynistic, early pioneers of the art form told the
world what was going on or was absent in their
neighborhoods. In other countries like Brazil,
Venezuela, Cuba — today more than ever — hip-hop
serves this same purpose.

Not everyone at the convention represented a LOC, and
with the alliance building that had been taking place
since the NHHPC’s inception, I saw other hip-hop groups
like the Hip Hop Congress represented there in full
force, leading workshops and hosting the concert piece.
The League of Young Voters had a huge presence, and not
only helped raise money for the convention but also
taught workshops on branding the hip-hop political
movement, lobbying, base building and electoral
politics.

The first day’s workshops seemed geared at creating
better methods of organizing the organizers. Panels and
workshops focused on alliance building, using art for
activism, political prisoners, organizing against war
and occupation, hip-hop and gender politics,
nonviolence strategies, and the use of electoral
politics.

On that Friday afternoon, a jam-packed room of folks
from all over the country listened to Kali Acunu
(Jericho Amnesty Movement), Troy Nkrumah, (chair of the
NHHPC steering committee), and chairman Fred Hampton
Jr. (Prisoners Of Conscience Committee) talk about the
many political prisoners that are currently
incarcerated. Harman Bell, Kamau Sadiki, Zolo Azania
Ojora Lutalo, Rodney Coronado, and Veronza Bowers were
a few of the names mentioned. Rapper Immortal Technique
event came in and voiced his support on the issue, and
it definitely was one of the most informative panels.

Saturday, July 21, seemed to begin with many issue-
based workshops and panels on education, criminal
justice, health and wellness, Katrina, immigration,
gender rights, white privilege in hip-hop, and media
justice. The media justice panel included Lisa Fager
(Industry Ears) and Davey D (Hardknock Radio/Breakdown
FM), who talked about a variety of subjects like the
media’s control over hip-hop and net neutrality. The
immigration and gender rights were two new issues added
to the 2006 agenda. I led the panel on gender rights,
whose purpose was to expose some of the misogynistic
rap lyrics in a social context, allowing participants
to better understand why the popular rap pushed by
record executives and radio stations seem so focused on
portraying negative images.

After the panels were over, a concert was thrown with a
battle between local folks. Using all the elements of
hip-hop, from rapping, break dancing, DJ-ing and
graffiti, crews took to the stage to compete for a
$1,000 prize. Afterward, local conscious artists like
Akbar, and national artists like Dead Prez and Immortal
Technique gave amazing performances. Even Chicago’s
rain and thunder could not clear the crowd formed at
Mandrake Park.

Sunday was a day for the national steering committee to
hear the voices of participants. Delegates representing
different LOCs, artists and organizers for different
groups were allowed to change the agenda and recommend
action steps that the LOCs can take home and start
implementing. The location for the next convention will
be announced soon. Will it be back East in New York,
down South in Atlanta, out West in the Bay Area, or
will newly formed but highly active Las Vegas LOC take
the 2008 to its Red State? We shall have to wait and
see.

The organization as a whole has a talent at balancing
the varied political views of its members, some of
which seek to fight for social justice through
electoral politics, while others seemed more determined
to fight through grassroots activism. The way these
varied ideologies have still found a way to work
together for a common goal is why the NHHPC is still
going and growing strong. The structure with no leader
but still led strong through the local organizing
committee gives this organization a type of strength
that I have not seen in many other organizations that
function more top-down. I believe this unique model
will help keep their work relevant, and the
organization intact.

===
For more information about the NHHPC, or to learn how
to start a LOC (Local Organizing Committee) in your
area, go to HipHopConvention.org.

[Malik Cooper is the national spokesperson for the
NHHPC, as well as a Bay-LOC member. He also owns a
silk- screening and embroidery shop called People’s
Choice Printing.]

Return To Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner

BET’s Cousin Jeff Speaks Out Against Democrats

Cousin Jeff aka Jeff Johnson’s Statement:

cousin jeff JohnsonAug 16 2006: Over the past few days I have been run through the blog and email world as a traitor, an undercover operative, a money chaser, a republican sellout, and many other things. I have been talked about and attacked by people that I have considered colleagues, and in some cases friends, without a phone call or email to inquire about my decision. I have had professional contracts cancelled and future contract negotiations halted all as a result of my announcement Friday August 11, 2006 to officially support the campaign of J. Kenneth Blackwell for Governor of the state of Ohio.

However, I am not angry, bitter, resentful, or moved to retaliate. In fact I understand my brothers and sisters who question my decision, are angered by my decision, and even feel betrayed. Many of you out there think that I have lost my mind; some think that I have sold out, and others think I am chasing money.

This letter comes as my opportunity to tell the people whom I work for (my community) and work with my reasons for making such a difficult intellectual, emotional, and spiritual decision.

First and foremost I am not nor do I have plans to become a member of or work for the Republican Party. When the press release announcing my support speaks to ‘working for the campaign’ it means that I will be on the road speaking about the issues that I believe in and the need for urban and young people to come out and vote. Finally I AM NOT AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CAMPAIGN OR RECIEVEING COMPENSATION PERSONALLY OR THROUGH MY COMPANY FOR MY ENDORSEMENT. I have asked the Campaign to cover Health Insurance coverage costs that I have lost as a result of my endorsement of Blackwell and the campaign has agreed. My first priority is to make sure my children are protected, HOWEVER, the work that I do has never been about chasing the dollars and it never will be.

Beyond that, it is impossible to assess my decision without looking at the historical and current implications of the black political universe in America. Reconstruction thrust former African slaves into a period of being players in the political games of the US as opposed to simply being political pawns used by one side or the other. It was the party of Lincoln, the Republican Party, that former slaves embraced feeling that the party was dedicated to advancing their social and political best interest. Not until the early days of the Civil Rights movement did it become apparent that the Democrats were more interested in pushing for the legislative changes at the legal, state, and federal level that would provide blacks with a better quality of life than the Republicans. And so we shifted our party loyalty from the Republicans to the Democrats.

What made our shift to the Democratic Party so different from our time with the Republicans was that we now had institutions like the NAACP, SCLC, and others that were responsible for making and maintaining our political alliances. During the Civil Rights Movement these organizations and their leadership were responsible for ensuring that those alliances translated into social and political change. And they did. The passage of both the Civil and Voting Rights Acts were in part due to the political alliances made by those like Roy Wilkins and others working in connection with grassroots activists. However, after the death of the Kennedy and King we saw yet another shift.

That post-civil rights shift brings us in many cases to where we currently exist: the era of the professional activist. The post civil rights leadership provided by many we know and some we don’t know has been both incredibly effective in some areas and simultaneously negligent in others. We have seen great gains by many people of color as a result of much of their work. However, many of our leaders and organizations are now supporting these same alliances without the manifestation of social or policy changes for our community.

It must be said that the black community of 2006 is no longer the monolithic community it was 40 years ago. With that there are multiple agendas that exists within the black community, other communities of color, and poor communities. Some of these agendas overlap and some are in direct opposition to each other. Unfortunately in many cases there is no agenda at all and we find ourselves forced to acquiesce to the pre-packaged agenda of the Republican or Democratic parties that in both cases leaves many of our agenda items on the floor (if they ever made it in the room).

We are now faced with a political climate where we are forced to choose one party or the other instead of candidate-by-candidate assessment based on our own agenda. We therefore demonize each other based on party affiliation, chastising democrats that support republicans and vice versa instead of challenging both parties to better represent our agenda and in turn earn our vote. This practice of blindly supporting candidates that do not have an agenda for our community is the paramount reason for my decision.

I believe that there is as much demagoguery and scare tactic rhetoric on the left as there is on the right. As I look at the issue of voter disenfranchisement, I was on the ground mobilizing people in OH in 2000 with the NAACP and in 2004 with the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network. I was present during the finger pointing and name-calling following the election, and I watched as the congress failed to follow the lead of Stephanie Tubbs Jones to get to the bottom of the situation. I questioned some of the pre election tactics and post election posturing of the Republican Party regarding the issue. However, it is important to note that in at least two of the counties where the most complaints of long lines and too few voting machines were reported there were Democrats at the head of the county election process. It was their responsibility to determine how many machines were to be placed at each location, not that of the Secretary of State. In essence both parties are complicit in not doing everything possible before and after the elections to ensure that every voter has full access to the polls and that their vote is counted. Party agendas have taken precedent over people’s access.

Secondly, after looking at both campaigns I do not see an agenda for my community in the Strickland plan. I hear rhetoric about public education, with no strategy to get there. I do not see the few blacks within the campaign being empowered to do what is necessary to engage the community with substance. He has yet to provide support to either of Ohio’s HBCUs even by visiting the campus. I also see Strickland doing black community drive-bys as opposed to meeting one on one with key leaders in the major cities of OH to share his agenda for us.

It must be said that I DO NOT agree with Blackwell on all issues. I am pro-choice and believe in a woman’s right to choose and strongly disagree on any move to take that away. I also do not believe that vouchers will save public schools, merely help a few get out of bad situations. I do however support Blackwell’s move to propose a clear education reform plan to see an increase in classroom spending for public schools. It is reform of this and other types that will push us to repair schools that are bankrupt. I also support Blackwell’s plans for job creation and economic development. He has had the best record of any state official in OH providing state contracts to black owned firms spending over 35% of available resources with minority firms. Finally, he has served on the Board of Wilberforce University for 10 years and continues to support the institution through his presence and resources, moving the President of the University and former congressman Floyd Flake to serve as the co-chair of his campaign (unpaid).

I must again reiterate that I will no longer support those who do not feel a small obligation to support me through their agenda. I would rather know what I am not getting with Blackwell, than have no idea of what I am getting with Strickland. There are many organizations on the left that would tell blacks that Blackwell is bad for them, when those organizations have no black agenda or staff at the highest and lowest levels to carry it out. We must become independent thinkers and not allow others to demonize others as if they are for us.

I am claiming my independence.

It is for that reason that I can endorse not only Ken Blackwell in Ohio, but also Kweisi Mfume in Maryland. While Mfume is running against a popular black republican (if he moves on from the primary), I believe that Mfume will better carry our agenda. As a former congressman and President of the NAACP, he has proven his commitment to our community. I am excited about his campaign and will work as hard to see him win in Maryland as I will work in Ohio for the candidate I believe, at the end of the day, will carry MORE of our water.

As a community, regardless of what demographic of the community you are a part of, I urge you to think independently. If your convictions lead you to disagree, then so be it. Just don’t allow yourself to be plugged into the political matrix moving by a partisan remote control.

In a song titled ‘My Petition’ from her project Beautifully Human, the prolific poetess, Jill Scott writes

‘You say you the know the way to go, and I should follow, but all of your empty promises leave me hollow’

Oh how do I trust you? How do I love you when you lie to me repeatedly and Oh How do I have faith in you when you just don’t come through like you said you would

While it is said she applicably wrote this to George Bush, it could easily be asked to the Democratic Party as well. I would ask that we challenge both as vigorously as we can.

While many of you reading this may still think I am off base, I ask that you would be critical of my decision, but not my character. Challenge my logic, but not my integrity. For while you may disagree with my ideology and more so my methods, I am doing what I believe is best for the people and communities that I have given over ten years of my life to. I simply believe that it is time for us to change the game.

Your Brother,

Jeff

Below is the initial press release from Ken Blackwell who is accused of handing Bush the election via Voter Fraud practices…

From the Ohio Republican Party’s Website: http://www.ohiogop.org/News/Read.aspx?ID=1215

BET Host and Former NAACP Official Joins Blackwell Team

Friday, August 11, 2006

Gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell today announced Black Entertainment Television (BET) host and former NAACP national youth director Jeff Johnson has joined his campaign team. Johnson will serve as the campaign’s advocate to young and urban voters.

”Jeff Johnson is one of the most influential leaders of his generation,” said Blackwell. ”I am proud he has joined my campaign team as we embark on this historic endeavor.”

”Ken Blackwell represents the very best that Ohio has to offer in this year’s gubernatorial race,” said Johnson. ”My feelings reflect the position of many within Ohio’s African American community who believe that Mr. Blackwell has a clearer vision for Ohio’s diverse Black community. I will carry the message that it is time to challenge the antiquated political alliances which have failed to include young and urban voters in their policy agenda.”

Johnson is considered the voice of a new generation of leadership. He engages viewers on issues ranging from violence to voting on BET’s ”Rap City” on Wednesdays from 5 to 6 p.m.

In addition, Johnson is the CEO of Truth Is Power, a lifestyle consulting firm in Washington D.C., and formerly served as the youth pastor at the Empowerment Temple AME Church in Baltimore, Md.

From 2000 to 2003, Johnson served as the national director of the NAACP Youth and College Division. He was responsible for more than 700 Youth Units representing over 60,000 young people.

Raised in Cleveland, Johnson attended the University of Toledo where he was the first person of color to serve as student government president.

Whatever Happened to P-Diddy’s Vote or Die?

image

Whatever Happened to Vote or Die?
By Davey D

July 18 2006: I have this nagging question, that won’t go away regarding Mr. Sean ‘P-Diddy’ Combs. It’s the eve of the second annual Hip Hop Political Convention, so I’m in a political mind set and hence I keep asking myself; ‘Does anyone know what the hell happened to his Vote or Die Campaign and his organization Citizens for Change?’

I mean I already know the obvious, he shut that shit down a while back and he’s been running around throwing lavish parties, doing Making The Band’ for MTV, he was in a play Raisin of the Sun’ and now he’s gearing up for his new album in October of this year.

On the surface, most people are gonna be quick to say, ‘Dude was phony and all his ‘Vote or Die’ campaign did was help sell him a bunch of T-shirts’. Others will say he was never really serious about politics in the first place and he was on some sort of ego trip when he jumped into Hip Hop and politics arena.

Maybe it’s me, but I don’t think it’s as simple as that I remember when Diddy spoke at the Patrick Lipert Awards in February of 2004, before he started Citizen For Change or launched Vote or Die, he caught everyone by surprise when he jumped on stage to accept an award and told the packed audience he wanted to ‘Get Bush’s ass out of office’.
The crowd roared with approval and P-Diddy repeated his remarks to make sure his point was not missed.

Startled officials from the non-profit, non-partisan Rock the Vote organization who put on the event got nervous real quick and moved toward Diddy as if to hurry him up. I guess he realized that by making such an overtly partisan statement he could get RTV in trouble so he backed off just a little and tried to recast his remarks.

But then Diddy came back harder by talking about how Bush was a lousy President who failed to comfort grieving mothers who lost their sons to the War in Iraq. The crowd went nuts and Diddy restated his opening remarks about ‘Getting Bush’s ass out of office’. Nobody including myself thought we’d hear such biting remarks from Mr. Party Central aka P-Diddy directed at the president

After he left the stage I tried my best to get a copy of the remarks, but RTV held on to their copies and wouldn’t release them. Although there were a number of press outlets present including MTV, you didn’t really see or hear a lot of coverage regarding Diddy’s remarks. It wasn’t until several months later I got a tape of his speech Which you can hear here:



In the meantime Diddy went out and started his Vote or Die campaign and showed up everywhere including the couch of Oprah to extol the values of voting. When I finally caught up with him, it was at the Democratic Convention that July. He was definitely passionate but avoided talking about his remarks about Bush when I brought it up. He kept saying that he was non-partisan and hadn’t made up his mind. It was like a mantra. I figured he was just being careful because Citizen Change was a non-profit and he didn’t wanna get hemmed up the way Russell did when he campaigned to end the Rockefeller Drug Laws the year prior.

Now after the 2004 election we all know and heard the blowhard talk show pundits like MSNBC Chris Mathews who tried to take aim at Diddy and claim that the youth/ Hip Hop vote never materialized. That was in fact a lie. The goal was to get 20 million people to the polls. More than 21 million showed up marking an increase by 11% of voters between the ages 18-25.

With respect to Bush’s opponent Senator John Kerry, the only demographic to vote for him in the majority and with record numbers was the Youth/Hip Hop vote. Sadly his spineless punk ass never bothered to show any gratitude. It was the older critics of the youth vote who voted for Kerry didn’t pull their weight in the last election

But back to P-Diddy. Here’s a guy that often states that he hates to fail. If he does have an ego, it’s one that pushes him to look and sound good at all times. I can’t understand how he just slide off into the sunset without a word. Regarding his campaign. That’s not a good look. Why not continue the momentum? Was it really about selling t-shirts? Was it really about jumping on a trend? If Diddy was so passionate and so much against Bush’s politics in 2004, why wouldn’t he jump at the chance to weaken the president’s grip in these 2006 midterm elections? Forget the ‘Vote or Die’ campaign; I just wanna know why he’s been so silent about any of these issues.

Sometimes I wonder if he pissed some folks off in high places who saw him as having the potential to really wreck some political havoc and as a result he got unceremoniously got shut down. I mean it’s not like P-Diddy has always been spiffy clean. There’s had to be few times he was ‘ridin’ dirty’. It’s hard not to when you get to certain levels in the music biz. It’s hard not to when you get high up there in politics. On certain levels in both these professions people play hard and they play for keeps. Positioning, market share and power are the end games.

With that in mind, how can I not put it past folks who roll in that infamous Neocon circle of Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Pearle and the rest of the gang that have all but hijacked the government and led us to War, to sit idly by when their position is challenged.

Think about it, if you were a high-ranking political type trying to make power moves and you looked out your window and saw a guy like Diddy telling people to vote your ass out of office, you don’t think you wouldn’t dig up some dirt on him and shut him down and make him be quiet?

You don’t think you would find some sort of angle where you could literally make him an offer he couldn’t refuse? We’re talking about the music biz folks, where it’s always dirty. We’re talking politics here folks which has long been the dirtiest and grimiest business you can get into. Vote or Die had the potential to unseat some folks who many believe went out and stole a couple of elections and lied to us so we could be led us into a war for fictional reasons. In short the guys in power don’t play.

If you think this is far-fetched, look at the vicious attacks that regularly go on during campaigns. Look at the Swiss Boat ads that sunk decorated war hero John Kerry. Look at how war hero Senator John McCain got taken out by the Neo-cons in their character attacks on him. Remember this was a guy who was a Prisoner of War during Vietnam and he stayed in prison and endured all sorts of torture to save the lives of his men.

When he ran against Bush in the 2000 primaries he looked perched to maybe win the GOP nomination, but Bush’s team took him out with the vilest attacks. Nowadays John McCain has totally changed his tune and wholeheartedly supports the president after he once proudly stood against him. He must’ve gotten some ass kicking to have changed up like that.

For a boisterous guy like Diddy to suddenly go silent, one can’t but think that something went down behind the scenes. Listen to his remarks in that February before the election. Ask yourself, how do you go from saying all that to not saying anything? The silence is glaring. The absence is more than noticeable. Diddy said he wanted to get Bush’s ass out of office and apparently, somehow, someway, somebody got his ass out of politics. How did that happen?

During the recent BET Awards, Diddy showed up to the press gallery about 20 minutes after boxing promoter Don King came through and lit up the place by telling everyone why George Bush is the greatest President ever and how he’s been real good to Black people.

Politics was on everyone’s mind when Diddy came to field questions and several reporters including myself and Andreas Hale of HipHopdx.com along with a woman from another newspaper who’s name I forgot, raised our hands to ask P-Diddy the 64 thousand dollar question; ‘Where did ‘Vote or Die’ disappeared to? ‘Do you agree with Don King and think Bush is a great President for Black people?’ etc etc

In typical BET fashion, the press monitor avoided picking anyone who he thought would ‘go there’ and instead chose three people who asked Diddy simple questions like ‘what kind of outfit he was wearing and how does he like working with Yung Joc’. He answered those three or four questions and bounced with the wind.

So anyway, P-Diddy involving himself in the 2006 election or politics in general is not be all, end all. This weekend in Chicago, there will be others who are fully prepared to engage that arena and they’ll stick I through no matter what. It’s like I said 20 years from now some of us will have grand kids and they’re gonna come across a video or an old Vibe Magazine cover or read about this campaign and they gonna have a few questions. It’d be nice if we one day got a full explanation.

Return to Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner

Hot 97 Protest…Now Sharpton Wants to Jump in-What’s the Hustle?

Now Sharpton Wants to Jump In… What’s the Hustle? Hip Hop Activists Respond…
by Davey D

DaveyD-Raider-frameToday the NY Daily News ran an article about the Reverend Al Sharpton wanting to write letters to the FCC and call for a 90 day ban on ‘gangsta rap’ and anything that reeks of violence and has the potential to spill out in the streets.

This sounds good on the surface and considering what took place last week at Hot 97 in New York it sounds damn near practical… But there’s always a catch and a behind the scenes story to the one being sold to us.

First we have to ask ourselves where Sharpton was over the past few years when these media reform campaigns were first conducted, the most prominent being the ‘Turn off the Radio Campaign‘ that was launched and supported by community activists Bob Law, the December 12th Movement, Chuck D of Public Enemy, dead prez, The Zulu Nation and numerous others community organizations in New York.

A huge tribunal featuring a number of NY City Council members, artists ranging from Hip Hop luminaries like Stetsasonic, Public Enemy and Afrika Bambaataa to legendary R&B crooners Ray, Goodman and Brown who filled a church on Madison Avenue in Harlem in January of 2003 to address the important issue of how Black folks were being depicted in media outlets serving New York.

There were at least a 1000 people in attendance and the tribunal went on for at least 5 hours with community member after community member speaking and airing out their grievances. Sharpton was no where to be seen. Nor was he around to lend his considerable clout in the months that followed when Law worked tirelessly to get this campaign off the ground. Sharpton was not around when the Turn off the Radio Campaign sparked off in other cities like Kansas City, and Cleveland to name a few. Sharpton was no where to be seen when similar efforts were launched in places like Detroit (Black Out Fridays), Seattle, Chicago and most recently Miami.

Al Sharpton

Al Sharpton

Sharpton was absent from the fight when the huge media reform campaign called the ‘People’s Station Campaign‘ sparked off in San Francisco. Here members of the Hip Hop community including artists and numerous organizations got together monitored the Clear Channel owned Urban Music stations in the area and issued a report to the community and various media outlets. The efforts not only forced change on the big Urban giants KMEL and KYLD, but it was the subject of numerous media stories including a huge front page story penned by author Jeff Chang called Urban Radio Rage How Clear Channel Wrecked KMEL on front of the Bay Guardian.

Many of the issues that Turn off the Radio campaign as well as the other efforts around the country, were similar to the ones raised by the coalition that protested against Hot 97 last Friday at Union Square Park. People have grown tired of the racist remarks directed at the communities of color this station serves. They were tired of the type of degrading music that is constantly being pumped. The recent shooting in front of Hot 97 involving 50 Cent and Game’s entourage was just icing on the cake for the momentum that had already been brewing within the Hip Hop community.

Hopefully people do not forget that what was the real catalyst behind Friday’s March 4th protest was the insidious, racist Tsunami song that Hot 97’s executives allowed Miss Jones and her morning crew to put on the air. Initial complaints to the station were ignored and dismissed until websites like Okayplayer.com owned by the Grammy Award winning Hip Hop band the Roots and WBAI DJ J-Smooth and his blog HipHopmusic.com alerted their readers what was going on.

This in turn sparked more people to come forth as Smooth, Okayplayer and other Hip Hop oriented websites began chronicling the tireless efforts of organizers with the Asian and Southeast Asian communities that had now taken up the fight against Hot 97. Because of the similarities and concerns raised in previous efforts, folks from all backgrounds were able to come together and re-address the grievances at Hot 97.

Protest at Hot 97

Protest at Hot 97

Again Sharpton was absent. During the whole Anti-Asian Tsunami incident there were no headline making statements from Sharpton about media reform or restraint. He was absent from this highly publicized fight. No phone calls, no letters, no nothing. He didn’t even come to the first protest at Hot 97 which was attended by City councilmen Charles Barron and John Liu who helped organized this effort along with Asian Media Watch. He certainly wasn’t at any of the planning meetings or any other media reform gathering.

In addition to all this, let’s go back into time when the Turn Back the Radio efforts were underway and we had all these FCC hearings about how many stations Radio station owners could have in a market, you did not see or hear Sharpton raising this issue. You certainly didn’t see him at too many of the hearings. I know because we covered most of them on our airwaves at Pacifica and I spoke at three of them. (Monteray, Seattle and San Francisco)

So what’s this all about? Why is Sharpton jumping in at the 12th hour? Is it because this is the hot topic of the day and he wants to be a part of it? Maybe… Maybe not. The media reform and media justice argument has been around for the past 3 years and have been hot topics. He could’ve ran to the bank with this during his Presidential campaign. But he didn’t. He certainly never had any of the main Hip Hop activists who have been dealing with this from day one come on his Sunday night 3 hour radio show on WLIB which is now home to Air America. We spoke with Bob Law who let us know that not once did Sharpton ever help out with the widespread efforts behind this campaign.

So what’s the motive behind Sharpton suddenly wanting to write the FCC and call for a ban on gangsta rap? Well, he’s seems to be redirecting the argument back to the artists and away from the media owners and executives who are really responsible for giving them air time.

Jeff Smulyan CEO of Emmis

Jeff Smulyan CEO of Emmis

In the NY Daily news article, you don’t see him calling them into question the role Jeff Smulyan, Rick Cummings and Barry Mayo who are executives at Emmis. You don’t see him calling for a meeting with John Hogan, Steve Smith or Doc Winters who are key executives at Clear Channel. You don’t see him calling on Cathy Hughes or Alfred Liggins or Mary Catherine Sneed (MC Sneed) who run things at Radio One. He covers his steps by saying, he doesn’t wanna mediate between the artists and that this is a recurring problem, but he stops short of placing blame where it really belongs on the owners of these outlets. Many of them not only grant platforms to these artists but they also grant platforms to other activities that help promote beef like the infamous Smackfest where they have sistas from around the way smack each other for cash prizes. Everyone knows this hence the protests and objections over the past three years.

This is important to note, because folks who have been organizing around media reform are very clear that artists like 50 Cent and Game have to own up to the role they play in these conflicts, but this is bigger then them. This goes back to those who have final say so as to what gets aired and how they ultimately profit off of these divisions. So now we have Sharpton who has good working relationships with Kathy Hughes at Radio One and Barry Mayo the General Manager at Hot 97 coming to the rescue.

Sharpton was strangely silent and didn’t shoot off letters to the FCC a few weeks ago when members of Game’s entourage brutally beat a deejay (Xzulu) and hospitalized him after an interview they conducted on Radio One’s WYKS in DC. He never asked for a 90 day ban when Radio One banned and then un-banned the Game’s record from being played on the air. Industry insiders are wondering if pay for play tactics were behind that move.

Many see Sharpton’s involvement as a subtle but soon to not be so subtle smoke screen to protect the attacks on his media buddies at these outlets. Today he’s calling for ban. Tomorrow he’ll start focusing on the artists and will do all that he can to downplay the role and responsibility of this executive friends at these stations. Who knows perhaps they will even grant him a weekly show so he can air out these important issues.

My point being is that what sort of ‘off the record’ conversations has Sharpton been having with these folks that he has not been able to come forth and say something like ‘I just got off the phone with Radio One and they agreed to do a 90 day ban, or I just spoke to Barry Mayo and convinced him to do an on air truce and dedicate a day to conflict resolution which is what Pittsburgh radio station WAMO did the other day. ‘.

One would hope and suspect that Sharpton had these conversations with them before making his announcement about going to the FCC. One has to wonder what’s really going on? Did he speak to them and they told him ‘No Way’? I find this hard to believe.

In the words of Public Enemy.. ‘Don’t Believe the Hype’ and ‘Can’t Truss It’ cause we aren’t.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4Yv1ay0CmM

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Rev. Al airs gangsta ban plan

BY TRACY CONNOR and BILL HUTCHINSON
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

The Rev. Al Sharpton

The Rev. Al Sharpton is calling for a 90-day ban on radio and TV airplay for any performer who uses violence to settle scores or hype albums.

“There has to be a way to step in and regulate what’s going on with the airwaves and with violence,” Sharpton told the Daily News yesterday. “The airwaves are being used to romanticize urban violence.”

The activist minister plans to ask the Federal Communications Commission and the country’s major radio broadcasters to back his proposal.

His call follows last week’s shooting outside Hot 97 radio’s SoHo studios that apparently was sparked by a feud between rappers 50 Cent and The Game.

A member of The Game’s entourage, Kevin Reed, 23, of Compton, Calif., was shot in the buttocks after 50 Cent bad-mouthed The Game during an on-air interview at the radio station.

Bad blood between 50 Cent and The Game continued to boil over the weekend when The Game challenged his former mentor to “Come get me, you little bitch!” during a concert in Long Beach, Calif.

Last night, 50 Cent was escorted through LaGuardia Airport by Port Authority cops “for his own protection” when he arrived on a plane from Detroit about 8 p.m., a Port Authority spokesman said.

Said Sharpton, “We may not be able to stop people from shooting, but we can stop people from profiting from the violence.” Sharpton declined to comment specifically on the beef between 50 Cent, who was born Curtis Jackson, and The Game, whose real name is Jayceon Taylor.

Sharpton said he has no intention of trying to broker peace between the two rap stars, who have both recently released top-selling CDs.

“You can’t deal with this on an artist-by-artist basis,” he said. “I’m not going to become a mediator between artists. This is a recurring problem.”

In a letter Sharpton plans to send to the FCC and broadcasters, he said the outcry against violence among entertainers should be just as loud as the response last year to Janet Jackson’s breast-baring Super Bowl stunt.

“I recall the outrage that the FCC and others displayed in response to the Super Bowl performance of Janet Jackson,” Sharpton wrote. “Yet, when acts of violence happen around radio stations that actually have caused bloodshed, there has been a strange and disturbing silence from all quarters.”

http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/40700.htm

HOT97

An on-air personality at one of Hot 97’s sister stations says he was booted off the air after complaining about a song that features the lyric “Beat that bitch with a bat.”

Paul Porter said his falling-out with KISS-FM came after being told by the embattled hip-hop outlet, “Make up your mind: Do you want to stand up for kids or the company?”

The freelance announcer, who is also a volunteer instructor at a public school in Queens, told The Post that he voiced his concern last year after a 12-year-old student asked him, “Why does Hot 97 play these records?”

The offending song, “Party and Bulls- – -” by rap artist Rah Digger, was a favorite of the little girl’s father – who had recently beaten her mother, Porter said.

“I was shocked that a sixth-grader was so aware, but saddened that I had no answer,” said Porter.

Although the announcer’s complaint led to a new zero-tolerance policy for on-air profanity, Hot 97 just five months later launched a violent on-air contest called “Smackfest.”

That’s where young women compete for a $500 prize by striking one another in the face, not only to try and produce the loudest slap but do the most physical damage – including drawing blood.

These revelations come less than a week after an associate of rapper The Game was shot outside Hot 97’s Manhattan studio by a man believed to be an associate of rival rapper 50 Cent, while “Fitty” was inside promoting his new album.

50 Cent had just said on the air that he was ejecting The Game, a former protégé, from his posse.

Six weeks earlier, the station came under fire for playing “The Tsunami Song,” a twisted “We Are the World” parody mocking victims of the natural disaster that killed more than 200,000 people.

Porter says the Hot 97 DJs told him soon after the shooting that the controversies stem from programming director John Dimick’s inexperience with hip-hop.

Emmis Communications, the parent of Hot 97 and KISS-FM, hired Dimick in November from Jefferson-Pilot Communications in San Diego, where he oversaw country, jazz and alternative-rock stations.

“It’s been a zoo up there since Dimick took over. He doesn’t know what he’s doing,” Porter says one DJ told him.