Nelly made some valid points and Melyssa Ford showed she was more than a video model. i commend them both.

lmfao MYLESSA FORD????…who da fuck is she besides another video hoe? Seriously…BET get it together for once. Geezus.

I PERSONALLY LOVED NELLY AND TI FOR STANDING UP AND SAYING WHAT OTHER RAPPERS MIGHT BE AFRAID TO SAY.

its about time they talk about relevant issues on BET

I thought Nelly was way too defensive and did not accept any fault for anything- he seemed to have someone to blame for everything.

Not to overly defend Melyssa Ford - but she once WAS a candidate for CSIS (the Canadian version of the CIA). Why she dumbed down I really don’t know. Sad, though.

Those assholes at BET make me laugh. They contribute to the degredation of us as a people but they want to put out “features” that discuss WHY these videos put our Black men and women down? They all need to go away for a while and take their stupid channel with them.

BUN DEM TO RASS!

i loved the show last nite and they kept on lookin back on nelly tipdrill video but he had a good point wat dey was doin up any ways i love me sum nelly and dey juss kept fuckin wit him and t.i. was good 2 he sooo cute wit dat cute ass smile…
Tayda

Glad you posted this I forgot all about part 2 and missed it! Overall I think the show was beneficially in seeing both sides of the argument.

Tianna I do believe that they realize it, but the main issue that I kept hearing was they aren’t the kids parents and that’s who should teach them right and wrong not their music. Yes parents should filter things mos def. In the same token it’s like you not only putting out music for adults because they not the mass watching videos and buying cds. So how can you not take some sort of responsibility. They are just putting out what the “believe” will make money as entertainers, so it is what is it! Do I believe things will change? No, so in the end I guess what did the program really accomplish?

I personally thought Nelly was contridicting himself. He made SOME valid points but he was saying that kids need to be raised at home first (TRUE) but what these rappers need to realize are that they are still looked upon as ROLE MODELS. You are doing your best to sell these CD’s so you can continue to enjoy your house in the hills. Parents should do there job at home but the realization is that these kids still pick up on these songs because they are catchy. I teach my daughter that if you dont understand what the song is really talking about don’t sing it because they all have a back story. Example: i heard a lil girl singing “i keep a white girl like Christina Augulera (whatever) but my thing is lil girl if you dont understand they are talking about drugs don’t sing it. Mad Love!

Anything negative is always going to have a large effect on society. Like everything else does…and negativity spreads quickly than positivity does. That’s why it’s important to make a conscience decision to always try to spread positive energy. Gangsta rap didn’t make people kill anyone however it fueled that attitude and the mood in people…the 90s was an angry time to grow up in hiphop and in the world. I was glad when Nelly came out because he was a party rapper…I love the party rappers and conscience rappers to help keep the peace in the hiphop community

I loved everything about both shows…

These videos don’t only put women down but they also disrespect our black men as well. Grow up BET and stop showing these dumb ass videos that disrespect out culture and everything our ancestors fought for. Stand up black people and get it together geeeezzzzzzzz. Iam a black women and I love my culture but dammit its embarrasing at time.

Fact of the matter is, we don’t need to see half naked big but black women in every video, got damn, can anyone think of another theme?

Nelly made some very valid points - esp. regarding the whole issue with the students @ Spelman protesting his bone marrow foundation the opportunity to come on campus. And his point about his label not wanting him to be on the panel.

The bottom line is - it is all big business, and if the big corporate record labels and television executives were really concerned about the negativity in the music and videos they could no longer support or publish it.

Yes, the artists do have a responsibilty, but so does the buying and consuming public. There is conscious rap and hip-hop music, but it’s not mainstream because mainstream does not support it.

It’s all about big business, and for all of the selling of their souls to the devil, ain’t none of them getting their money’s worth.

GROW UP BET AND STOP SHOWING THESE DEGRADING VIDEOS. OUR ANCESTORS FOUGHT FOR THERE LIVES AND THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO LIVE UP TO. DUMB ASS VIDEOS GEEEEZZZZZZ.. GET IT TOGETHER MY BLACK PEOPLE FORREAL AND BET AND MTV ARE HORRIBLE.. (SHAKING MY HEAD)

the show was worth watching if you dont like wat your children are watching monitor them in the house….. nelly made some valid points and so did t.i. micheal braisden was my boi when he rapped a lil lololololololo …. you cant see wat your kids are doing when they are not with you….. the woman on the panel with the short hair tried to blame hip hop on ery thang ….. music is the key to life and if you saying bitch in da house dont blame the word out side of the house…. a hoe is a hoe whether she in the video or not its the oldest profession dont blame hip hop blame society hoes come in all colors not just black so dont blame hip hop blame the home shit starts in the home lololol

I got sick of them talking about what white americans are doing and how they expose thier women. We still don’t get. Yes White Americans are the one whom set the standards in this country. We seem to always choose the negative, degrading things that this White society have established. Instead we should be taking from them the postive accomplishments along with our own. We have become FOLLOWERS. Forget about the fake hair and nails B.S. We are talking about the negative affects of the black community in association with Hip-hop/Rap music. Yes we are always going to be classified, no it’s never right, becsause everyone is different. But we need to put out more positive images of ourselves. That is the bottom line. It no time to be blaming another race for our shortcomings. We have to take responsibilty for ourselves and our actions.

I just hope that people, society does not treat this issue, (much like many issues that gain popularity and publicity in America), as something trivial, something that is great to talk about now, but in 2 weeks, it’s substituted with something else that’s relevant at that moment.

As much as we try, we cannot and should not shift the blame to the artists. David Banner has said it many times in recent memory (of me watching the congressional hearing as well as other interviews). It is our responsibility has people (men and women) to raise our kids right, be role models for them, not an artist. We don’t tell the Burger King clerk to be a role model, or the bank teller, and the fact is, music is a career for those people, and that’s their job.

Of course it would be good if they used their influence to steer our children in the right direction, but the fact remains that they got off into that direction because we didn’t do a good enough job in showing them the correct path. The reasons behind that open up an entirely new debate.

My question to any parent who has a problem with the music that’s being played on radio or television is, how many letters have you written to these companies saying the programming is disrespectful, and negatively influencing my children? How many of you who have something against the artist’s content go out and buy their cd or tune in to 106 and park, or buy the single “shake ya ass and give me money” on itunes? This world is all about the mighty dollar. that speaks louder to execs than samuel jackson with a loud speaker!

another point…music has always help bring about a change in people. that’s history and a fact. Our black ancestors would sing spirituals to forget about their situation and stay alive. Music has brought whole nations together…it has also built a bridge amongst generations and cultures. The people that don’t understand it should criticize it, that’s like me criticizing Arabic music or something. How am I gone criticze something I don’t know nothing about???? STOP JUDGING WHAT U DON’T KNOW… typical for people that live in America!

I don’t really watch videos and I don’t allow my daughter to watch them I don’t use profanity in my home so I don’t allow my child to listen to music with degrading material. That goes for t.v. shows, also. I am at home making sure of what my daughter is watching and listening to. Yes, it does start in the home. I was raise with know this and I am definitely going to pass on to my daughter. This way she will understand that you have the power of choice.

oops…people that don’t understand *shouldn’t* criticize

And since when did Nelly and T.I. represent positive rappers?

“Drop down and get yo eagle on girl” -Nelly “Flap Your Wings”

Can we get Talib Kweli or Common as spokespersons? BET keeps trying to do something positive and it ends up looking a hot mess.

like t.i and the bible says it wrong to judge…dont blame hiphop for what ur children do..blame yourself

They say the same thing all the time about this issue, either do something about it or debate another issue. Hip- Hop should not dominate every discussion.

to compton_chick23: that why they are on there cuz they are not postive rappers…people want to know why they say the things they do

@ compton_chick,

I think that they needed Nelly and T.I. on the panel because their type of music gets criticized. So having Common and concious rappers on there really would have been pointless!

“It takes lemons to make lemonade!”

A few points.

1. Critics of Nelly, Luda, etc., are not saying they started the use of the N word, the degredation of black women, materialism, violence, etc. They are saying cut down on the glamorization of those things.

2. Luda, etc., appear to have NO IDEA WHATSOVEVER that their music, videos, etc., influence society. They seem to have NO CLUE, that Hip Hop influences, fashion, slang, dance, swagger, attitudes, and so many other things. They seem to have NO IDEA that something happening in their own personal hoods’ when placed on a INTERNATIONAL FORUM has ripple effects across the world.

3. They are using Parents as a scapegoat. I think we all know that it’s the parents responsibility to raise their children correctly. That would be great wouldn’t it? But the reality is a lot of parents do not, and the Hip Hop community knows this. And because they know it, they should be a bit more responsible with what they produce. I personally think my parents did a great job with me, but I was still influenced by things they didn’t know about. Despite their efforts in trying to protect me from certain things, when I was at school or out with my friends, I was exposed to it anyway. Again, at the end of the day it is the Parents responsibility to monitor what their kids see and hear, but ON THE REAL, we all know kids are influenced by more than parents.

Bottom line is PEOPLE NEED TO RAISE THEIR OWN DAMN KIDS. Stop sitting them in front of the tv, radio, or whatever, and then take your sorry ass somewhere or leave the kids alone with anybody, then trying to blame somebody else when your child messes up.

Stop getting high and drinking in front of your kids if you don’t want them to become alcoholics or drug addicts.

Stop parading different men and women in and out of your life if you don’t want them to become whores.

JUST STOP!!!

@SUPERCENT yes! someone with common sense

it’s not just about the children, it is about us as black ppl. i get so embarrassed when i see these negative images b/c although they don’t define me in my eyes, they define my race in other races’ eyes and that hurts. we can’t stop prejudice or stereotypes but if we put out more positive images of ourselves, stereotypes for the most part will have no foundation.

Im not against hip hop, but I definately think it has an effect on the way people, teens mostly, think. I can’t say all teens because there are some teens who were brought up properly and were taught about good and bad things, when u teach a little child about good or bad things, he remembers and tries to do wat is good. This is becasue young children are very influential. The influential stages may still extend to an older age, but what they need is a role model, and not someone they see on tv talkin about bad things

i got a ? for black women on here now i aint defending degrading black women but nelly said some real shit but didn’t get a answer.

would you all not be outraged if rappers put white,asian and latino in there and stop putting black women in the videos would y’all like that?

then look at what t.i said if he bring a video with women dressed up in a woman dress suit bet aint going to play that.

i mean just don’t know what rappers can do the video are way less degrading than they use to be.

but i doubt black women would like if they weren’t even in the videos i just don’t see what option the rappers have because either way someone isn’t going to like it the choice they make.

Poster # 30 New Yorker very well said.

@hayday12 please don’t bring the “do not judge” saying b/c there are so many ppl on this site that judge others based on race, sexuality, way of dressing etc. so that only highlights hypocrisy. t.i. may judge ppl on a daily basis

Melyssa Ford showing she’s more than a “video model” ? please, she has text message commercials moaning and groaing saying “ohhhhh send me a text” . I hate phony people . She’s no better than superhead IMO.

Birdmane12, I think the better question would be WHY WOULDN’T BET PLAY A T.I. VIDEO WITH WOMEN IN A SUIT? Why is it at one time you could not get on Def Comedy Jam if you refused to say the n-word? Those are the questions.

.I’m not cheering on negativity, but truthfully speaking there’s good and bad in everything. If it was all good, how would we know the difference? I’m just speaking the truth, music is a reflection of a feeling an attitude. Most days than not, I’m typically a good person…but some days I want to curse people out, have an attitude, feel cocky, etc.

I personally don’t want to hear all my music be about marshmallows and stars and rainbows, or politics and power to the people.

Every human have to decide for themselves on a daily basis, what’s good or bad for THEM, not for everybody else. Be responsible for you. And as far as kids are concerned, no matter how much you try to keep bad stuff away from them (which I think is great) they still will hear or see it in some form or fashion. Real Talk!

Birdmane12, I think the better question would be WHY WOULDN’T BET PLAY A T.I. VIDEO WITH WOMEN IN A SUIT? Why is it at one time you could not get on Def Comedy Jam if you refused to say the n-word? Those are the questions.

cause bet is about rating and bet may think don’t nobody want to see a woman in a business suit rather than a bikini.

ya know so at the end of the day t.i job is about getting his video played and don’t to many videos get played with a woman in a business suit.

its sad but true.

man..all i kno iz that i ♥ watchin’ it. itz jst real!!

@birdmane12 if t.i. feels tis way, he should get together with a group of other rappers who feel the same way and do something about it. wouldn’t it be great if they could stand up and say something instead of fueling the machine? yeah, we can say “but that’s their job” but really their record labels need them just as much as they need their record labels. i would respect t.i. so much more if he would express his feelings about him having to do certain things to get by. and about the issue of black women in vids, that’s involved with colorism so it’s hard to add that in the discussion. it’s kind of like if a supposed friend of yours was hosting a weed party but didn’t invite you, even though you know drugs are bad, wouldn’t you be offended? that means the person never really liked you (assuming of course that the person didn’t know you hated drugs). same with the colorism and vids. i don’t agree with a lot of what the women do but i’m offended that our society deems beauty to be intertwined with certain skin tones or races. that answer your question

I liked it. I wish the show could have been longer. Nelly seemed too defensive, but he made many valid points…some I never thought of. Basically they said Hip-Hop is not responsible for the state of the black community but rather a mirror of what goes on in the black community.

[...] unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptBET aired their “Hip Hop VS America” series this week on Tuesday. The panel consisting of Hip Hop artists, Professors, Public Speakers, and models brought up many issues concerning Hip Hop and the state of the black community. … [...]

Nelly is right nobody forces these hoes to get in these videos, they’re all grown women, and for that lady that says why does he have one representation of women in video. should he start havin bunch of fat bitches in them, i personally think these women in hip hop videos are how beautiful black women should look like. Women are not offended by rap because i see them shaking they asses to songs lile ”hey papi”,”big pimpin” ouchie wally” and even tip drill.

if u a ho, i’mma call u a ho , too many bitches is shade-Jay-Z(22 two’s)

Wow! I missed a good show. But BET will probably re-run it like 1,358,284,687,951 times. I’ll make sure I’ll remember to tune in next time.

NELLY DESERVE A ROUND OF APPLAUD FOR EVERYTHING HE SAID LAST NIGHT. WHEN QUESTIONS WHERE THROWN AT HIM , HE KNEW JUST THE RIGHT THING TO SAY. HE DIDNT SUGER COAT ANYTHING UNLIKE SOME PEOPLE. WHEN THAT STUPID LADY FROM ESSENCE MADE A STUPID COMMENT ABOUT THE TRIP DRILL VIDEO. HE CAME UP WITH A GOOD ANSWER AND MADE HER LOOK STUPID. WHEN HE WAS TALKING TO THAT DUMB LADY FROM SPELMAN, SHE WAS LOOKING LIKE SHE WAS STUPID TOO.

PEOPLE DEGRADING HIM WHEN THAT WHOLE INCIDENT WAS GOING ON DOWN SPELMAN …I DIDNT. WHAT SAD IS PEOPLE LABEL HIM AND HE IS NOTHING LIKE SOME OF THESE OTHER RAPPERS. HE CAN TALK THE TALK AND WALK THE WALK. HE HAVE A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION FOR KIDS, HE DO THINGS FOR HIS NEIGHBOR HOOD. HE IS A GOOD ROLE MODEL PLAIN AND SIMPLE

MYLESSA FORD IS MORE THEN A VIDEO VIXEN. SHE MADE MORE SENSE THEN TI TRYING TO BE FUNNY AZZ. WHAT SHE SAID ABOUT HER BEING A VIDEO GIRL BECAUSE SHE NEEDED MONEY TO GET A HIGHER EDUCATION WAS REAL. MOST PEOPLE LOOK AT VIDEO GIRLS AS BEING UNEDUCATED AND WHATEVER ELSE THEY THINK. I LOOK AT SOME OF THEM AS HANDLING THEIR BUSINESS. LIKE NELLY SAID, SOME OF THEM HAVE CHILDREN TO FEED, AND A EDUCATION TO PAY FOR. THEY JUST DOING WHAT THEY CAN DO, TO SURVIVE IN THIS WORLD. I’M NOT GOING TO KNOCK HER FOR BEING A VIDEO GIRL. SHE DID IT TOO BETTER HERSELF AND SHE HAVE THE BRAINS AND THE BEAUTY.

I think both sides made good points. The political speakers and professors had good points on how this voilence and negitive image have negitive effect on the black community, but the rappers also had good points when they said they don’t hold a gun to these young ladies head and force them to shake they butt in a camera and how you can’t blame hip hop for everything gone wrong.

Quit blaming and start fixing thats the only way things are going to change this what these people need to realize.

Birdmane12 good question and I was waiting for someone to mention that. And to be honest they already started. The higher in their careers they get the less sisters you see in their videos. Some are first generation mixed looking which is beautiful too but if they are Black women they are the light skin ones. I have noticed that with a lot of videos. Look at Chris Brown video kiss kiss. It was hard for me to even spot a chick that was the true definition of a chocolate sister. The last artist I saw try to put a dark skin chick as the leading role was Jahiem in his video a woman’s worth and T-pain sometimes.

I mean it’s like the sisters are good enough to shake their butt but when it come to the leading roles they get pushed back a lot. Which I do not understand but hey maybe that is just me. But I also think women should take a stand and demand not to be portrayed as the booty shaker in every video. But like the girl said some do it for the money so they do not care how they are portrayed. The girls in the videos now are pretty but we need more variation even though I am a light brown myself I still got love for my other sisters too who beauty are not being seen or looked over a lot.

I’m not sure what to do about this issue. I personally don’t purchase any music that I deam offensive. But I also understand that my lack of support doesn’t really affect the artist. The fact remains that 70% of the consumers are white. What saddens me is that rappers believe they are not responsible for their music and the effect that it has on others. If music can make you feel sexy and attractive couldn’t it also make you feel disgusting and repulsive. At some point they must recognize the power they have and become responsible for their effect on the masses.

@32 I would not feel better if the rappers were degrading women of other races but I find it funny that they seem to have no problem doing it continually to their own.

QUESTION??? If tomorrow all of our black youth started glorifying hard metal rock n roll would we did be complaining about hip hop????

2. Is it BET fault that we don’t have more than one black t.v. network?

3. Isn’t it our discretion if we watch the degrading videos?

4. Did we forget there is a point to BET uncut?

5. Isn’t it the parents responsibility to control what their children watch?

6. When did Hip Hop go from being one aspect of blacks to representing us as a whole?

7. How are they selling it if PEOPLE are not buying it?

8. If we had more than just BET would we really be focusing on it so much.

Answer: No b/c America did the same thing with HBO and when other networks were develop our interest was redirected b/c we had other channels to watch. HBO is still the same at NIGHT but due to diversity on t.v. we simply decided to watch something else!!!

Now I understand that some go to far. I rarely even watch BET but I did see this because I felt it was important. Hip Hop doesn’t represent me. It’s just music. I represent me and I represent Christ. My parents taught me the difference b/t reality and fantasy. Now it is up to us to teach our children the same.

@birdmane12 if t.i. feels tis way, he should get together with a group of other rappers who feel the same way and do something about it. wouldn’t it be great if they could stand up and say something instead of fueling the machine? yeah, we can say “but that’s their job” but really their record labels need them just as much as they need their record labels. i would respect t.i. so much more if he would express his feelings about him having to do certain things to get by. and about the issue of black women in vids, that’s involved with colorism so it’s hard to add that in the discussion. it’s kind of like if a supposed friend of yours was hosting a weed party but didn’t invite you, even though you know drugs are bad, wouldn’t you be offended? that means the person never really liked you (assuming of course that the person didn’t know you hated drugs). same with the colorism and vids. i don’t agree with a lot of what the women do but i’m offended that our society deems beauty to be intertwined with certain skin tones or races. that answer your question

come on your living in a dream world if you think t.i going to do that most likely that will hurt his sells because a lot of people aint going to like that.

look at the rapper chamillionaire he said i aint going to curse anymore on the album were he was cursing he sold a 1 million records on his new one he debuted at 70,000.

he might be lucky if he go gold now he gave in to everyone saying stop saying the n word ho or bitch and none of those people showed up at the record stores ya know.

i know a lot of people who are not happy at all that he stopped cursing like he did before and didn’t buy his new album and i think it would be the same for t.i.

most of the people that wont the videos to clean up don’t even purchase these artist albums or like rap music at all.

and with your second part so you admit you would be offended so then i don’t know what rappers can do bet aint going to play no woman in a business suit,black women don’t like them selves being in the videos and black women wont like themselves not being in the video so i don’t see any choice for the rappers.

i’m glad BET did it and I’m glad the panel was articulate. Too bad the biggest offenders couldn’t be there, but better for the discussion since they can’t string together an intelligible sentence anyway. TI talking about raising kids and morals just makes me SMH.

The main issue here is $. Hip hop artists want $ and they don’t care what damage they do to get it. Thug life is glorified so TI can have an LV birthday cake. If they weren’t paid to be thugs they wouldn’t be. The only way to change it is at the cash register. You can have all the panel discussions you want, but until people stop buying this music and going to the shows it will never change.

So MarvinJH, these rappers are willing to sell out their OWN PEOPLE and degrade THEIR OWN WOMEN just for the check? That says a lot about T.I. and Nelly.

Woww……I mean….if you really really really think about it is T.I. and Nelly apart of the problem?? To me there are waaaay worse “rappers” who talk about nothing but sex i.e. Trillville, Lil Webbie, etc. Why werent they there??? And furthermore, do the rappers have a responsibility as far as lyrical content: yes to a certain degree. Are the parents, not the artist, responsible explaining the difference within music : yes. No one is to blame here….well maybe the music industry!! They are SOLELY in business for SELLING music and not cultivationg an artist!! So if talkin about shakin ass, gettin money, bustin on someones face is sellling they are going to find an “artist” who says alllllll that stuff and make them a celebrity over night AND cash in!!! Feel me?

Sometimes I can’t stand Al but he made a great point. Why do we base our race and our actions on what another race thinks of us? I hear it on this board alot. Example. Nelly did such and such, this make white people think about us even worse. Why should I care what white people think about me, when they been judging my culture and race even before my ancestors could speak this language.

Oh yeah….if yall FOOLS stop buyin that nonsense it would be a change the industry will have to make!! Dummy…………..

the choice is not to make that type of video. i think our american culture is so warped. we talk so much about how strong and individualistic we are yet all i see are followers. chamillionaire had good intentions but he’s not that big of a rapper. he doesn’t have as much influence as t.i.. i already know t.i. isn’t courageous enough to say “hey ppl listen. i do this b/c my label makes me do it and i don’t don’t want to do it anymore.” he hides behind that whole making paper notion and uses it as an excuse. i already know t.i. wouldn’t say anything so no, i don’t live in a make believe world. clearly i’m saying that i would love it if that happened and would respect him more if he could stand up for himself instead of whoring himself out there.

MarvinJH said: most of the people that wont the videos to clean up don’t even purchase these artist albums or like rap music at all.

That is true in some cases MarvinJH, but what they DO know is those negative images affects us all as black people. For example, the very first time Oprah Winfrey stepped into Nelson Mandella’s house in South Africa, his security team greeted them as N*ggas, because they thought that is the way Black American’s like to be addressed? Now, I personally believe Hip Hop had a hand in why that happened. There are many black people who have traveled the world and had similar experiences because that is what they mostly see from us as Black Americans.

The images a few of us put out to the world affects us ALL, whether it should be or not. That is real.

Stop using the TV as a substitute for a babysitter for your children. It is no one else’s responsibility to teach your children morals and values. Nelly, Melyssa Ford, or any other entertainer should be held accountable for being a role model for your children. Celebrities are human just like everyone else, it is up to the parent to provide a decent example for their children to live by.

no he didnt try and talk about the bible!!! he needs to stop…though i really do hate the “hip hop bashing” that goes on from these blind sided black folks…i do feel like the artist need to take responsibility for the fact that they are public figures..whether they like it or not!

Poster # 54 Softestplaceonearth, we should care because we are not the only people on this planet. We have to live with other people in this world, and if we make the world believe we are all immoral savages, the world will begin to treat us that way. Let’s face it, most of the power in America is in the hands of white people, and if they think I’m going to rob them because that is most of the images we as black people present to this world, that may affect my getting a job I want.

I’m not saying black people should live their lives for the sake of what other races will think, but we cannot lose site of the fact we are not alone in this world.

BET is is full of it, they are part of the problem. Also, I agree with Rev. Al saying he wasn’t going to go at Nelly and T.i. while the record execs are sitting at home laughing at us because they know we have no real oower and the corporation is making the real money.
Also, I think it is awful that the record execs didn’t go to Congress but sent their “field negores” David Banner to defend the degredation of his own people. Modern day plantation (LOL) and they don’t even see it or rather don’t care. I also noticed that their is clearly a lack of respect for elders and women by the rappers on the panel/ I like T.I. and Nelly and respect that they did show up, but their whole demenor was one of defense and talking over folks. These guys know what the deal is, bottom line they addicted to the cash…the sad part is even Jay Z big time exec is still rapping about money, cars, and whores…where does it end…

Hip Hop is being blamed for things that were already happening. There are strip clubs doing the tipdrilling, there is violence, there are drugs in the neighborhoods, there are hoes on the street corner. Hip hop is only being blamed because they now have access to a mic and video camera to shine a light on the activities they were already participating in. Nelly and dem boys was going to the strip club before they got famous. So when they got famous they went back and showed the girls some love. LOL

Would we as black people care as much if hip hop didnt mirror what goes on in the streets or in the “hood”. Or just because the white man can see some of our dirty laundry..now we are trying to do everything to cover it back up.

I agree with #50 . What it comes down to is nobody wants to rock the boat becuase everybody wants there chance to get this money, why would you want to jeopardize your chance at getting the success all these other rappers have brought on to them selves by sticking to what sells, I mean look at whats hot right now , soldja boy ?

Do these artist thats comming out now seem conscious enough to be the one to say “stop lets try this this way”, no becuase they want there chance too at getting money too so they stick to the formula.

And its funny number 50 how you mentioned how Chamillionaires new album was frecieved when he decided to get more conscious in his songs becuse rememebr CL DIDNT EVEN COVER THE RELEASE OF CHAMS NEW ALBUM and they are providing a format in which to talk about why rap is in the state it’s in. Not to come donw on CL but that reflects where the peoples head is at.

They continue to talk about how these malerappers are constantly degrading black women , but what about the black women who degrade themselves?

Where was “the Baddest Bitch”, the “Queen Bitch”, Ms. “My Neck, My Back”? They write and rap their own self-degradating lyrics. They define themselves in the most disrespectful terms. If you are going to have the discussion, include all parties.

#62 thats becuase hip hop is a very popular congomerate right now. And all that negativity that gets glamorized in hip hop (I felt like slapping the shit outta Jezzy when he made it hot to wear those angry snowman t-shirts promoting pushing) Is reflected apon all of us becuase it is so popular.

A lot of good points are being made here. I can’t and won’t even begin to get caught up in this debate but I have a question. If TI, Nelly, Luda and all some of these other rappers feel it’s only on the parents to take full responsibility for their children, how responsible could their own parents have been if they were allowed to grow up not knowing what the power of influence is and that there is nothing positive about perpetuating (not creating, but perpetuating) the degradation of an entire culture of Black women and Black men? Do they think their parents did a good job with them or do they blame their parents for not raising them right and teaching them the difference between real artistry and being a “pimp” for dollars? That’s definitely a question I would love to ask them if ever given the chance.

velvetj
Thursday, September 27, 2007

So MarvinJH, these rappers are willing to sell out their OWN PEOPLE and degrade THEIR OWN WOMEN just for the check? That says a lot about T.I. and Nelly.

thats is how you look at it they look at it as like that is how they will sell records how many talib kweli records do you own i own one.

how many nas records do some of these people own that are calling for positive music i mean the main people asking for positive music aren’t supporting the one that are making positive music its weird.

but like nas said
That’s why the gangsta rhymers ain’t inspired
Heinous crimes help records sells more than creative lines

I’ve already adressed this in an earlier post here but please stop using parents as scapegoats. Yes, it’s the parents responsibility but Hip Hop has responsibilities as well. A lot of these rappers sound just like those in the fashion industry. They continously have anorexic looking models on the covers and in the pages of magazines such as Glamour, Harper’s Bizarre, etc.,. Magazines THEY KNOW teen girls purchase. Then they throw up their hands in innocence with regard to image problems of teen girls today. They basically promote a anorexic look in ads and magazines then say:

“if a large portion of girls believe they are fat, it is the parent’s fault. The parents should be more responsible. We are just fashion magazines. We don’t force these girls to look at our magazines and billboards. We are innocent. Anorexia did not start because of our magazines. Teen girls should NOT look at us. They should look to their parents as role models and influences. IT IS ALL THE PARENTS FAULT!”

^^^^^
That is exactly what the Hip Hop community is doing. They cannot seem to see the power they have and how their actions affect the black community, therefor they are running from any type of responsibility. They seem to be oblivious to the influence they have on Fashion, Dance, attitudes, swagger, speech, etc. They don’t seem to have a clue…….or even worse, they have a clue but don’t care.

@ birdmane12, You might be too young to remember but BET had a VERY successful show on at one time and dare I say there were PLENTY of women in suits in the videos. In fact, I rarely if ever saw a video with pure booty popping. That show was called Video Soul and it was quickly canceled once gangster rap, hardcore R&B and all that other stuff started making more money than other genres like Jazz, soul and R&B.

#66 Ms MAC -

I think they know, they just care. Some people really are all about themselves, and if my getting heading means sh!tting on you, then that’s what I’ll do. They are all caught up now, maybe one day they will see the error of their ways and their role in some of this - but Luda and Nelly , and most rappers have said that they do not allow their children to listen to their music or watch videos.

^^ My fault - they just DON’T care

Im not judging anybody but for all these seemingly socially conscious black folks in here Im sure the majority of you in this very thread condemming their music are the same ones that are buying it , lets be real. Lets talk about the hypocracy much in the same way these woman who would never let men call them a derogatory term yet bump the music full of slanderoous word sagainsgt women. Address that.

#60 VelvetJ I agree we are not the only race on this planet. Once again I’m talking about how black people were treated in this country even before they had the right to be free. What I’m trying to say is black people have always been wronged and judged for no reason at all even before they were killing and robbing. Since we have been treated inferior from day one in America we have a certain standard we try to keep up in white people eyes instead of bettering our own community first.

The debate was interesting I wish Kim, Trina, Eve were there to speak for the women.

AT WHAT POINT WILL EACH INDIVIDUAL IN AMERICA STOP AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACTIONS OF THERE OWN CHILDREN. WHEN WILL WE STOP EXPECTING THE DAMN TV TO RISE OUR KIDS. GO RISE YOUR KIDS THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE AND STOP POINTING THE FINGER. THE TV IS DOING ITS JOB, ENTERTAINMENT (JUST THAT ENTERTAINMENT) IS DOING ITS JOB! SO IF YOU QUESTION DO WE HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION TO PRESENT AND GOVERN OURSELVES ACCORDINGLY, SURE WE DO, HOWEVER, AT SOME POINT WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT EDUCATION AND TRAINING THE CHILD IN THE WAY THAT HE OR SHE SHOULD GO STARTS IN THE HOME AS T.I. INDICATED. THIS IS A EASY SCAPEGOAT FOR AMERICA, LET’S REALLY DEAL WITH THE REAL LIVE ISSUES AT HAND HERE IN AMERICA PEOPLE. LET WAKE UP….IT MORE TO THIS THING THAN THE LYRICS THAT THESE RAPPER OR ENTERTAINERS SPIT. PEACE AND BLESSINGS

ms_mac
Thursday, September 27, 2007

@ birdmane12, You might be too young to remember but BET had a VERY successful show on at one time and dare I say there were PLENTY of women in suits in the videos. In fact, I rarely if ever saw a video with pure booty popping. That show was called Video Soul and it was quickly canceled once gangster rap, hardcore R&B and all that other stuff started making more money than other genres like Jazz, soul and R&B.

exactly my point bet is about money and rating and what many of you are asking it to do which is go back to the old days of making good nice videos is long gone.

i may be young but i know a lot of our people never supported c.Deloris tucker and many people did not fight with the government to stop 2 live crew to make those type of videos.

so i say in a lot of ways it not t.i or nelly because they were young then too its the black people who are 30 ,40 and 13 yrs ago who supported gangster rap ,tupac shakur and 2 live crew but now they are regretting it.

its coming back to bite people in the butt ya know if they had helped c.Deloris tucker protest gangster rap and supported the government when they were trying to stop 2 live crew from making explicit videos this would never had happen.

MarvinJH, I will be honest with you. I don’t own any of Talib’s stuff but I do own God’s Son by Nas , Like Water for Chocalate by Common, and several by OutKast. I’m really from the old school but you are right….it is all about perspective. No I would not do a job that hurt my community. I would not put posion in the lunches of school children despite the fact the job would pay a million a year. And I wouldn’t degrade black women in front of the WHOLE WORLD all in the name of, “I need to feed my kids”. Nope, won’t do it. But apparently, many of these rappers parents influenced them incorrectly because they seem to do it without remorse as long as they are getting paid. Shame on their parents.

I did not see part two but I did see part one. I would have to say it is a waste of time to beat the horse to drink.

The point of the matter is this…. TAKE RESPONSIBLITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS! It does not matter if you are on Television or walking down the street, people need to start owning up to the way they dress, talk, and conduct themselves.

If they wanted to be honest, why not just say the truth, they become whatever the record label tells them to become, whatever the image is the record label wants for them to be for the money they will become.

Life Imitates Art! When we watch television or listen to any sort of media it shapes are preception of life and if the life around us does not add up to the preception of the media we create it so that it makes sense to us. Our minds ae very powerful! We are social beings and our entire lives are based on social elements, so to say it starts at home is just not enough, that’s why the saying “IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD” holds so much weight.

I believed that the show did put the issues out there and I’m glad everyone got to speak their piece but I still don’t feel that anything got resolved. I really felt for Nelly when he talked about the whole Spelman incident but at the same time he should have thought about what type of backlash he would recieve from the infamous”tip drill” video. And just like he said he had the right to put that video out , the women at Spelman had the right to say they did not want to participate in his blood drive. That also goes to show people that one bad decision can not only affect your life but others as well. Now if he didn’t make that video people would have been more willing to help him. And I am tired of them using the excuse raise your kids! I mean don’t get me wrong a lot of black parents do need to raise their kids but how can they teach their child values that are right at home and then the kids go out and they are constantly getting these negative messages by listening to their ipods 12 hours out the day or seeing this stuff repeately on television. It basically like it subliminal messages 24 hours a day. So when they constantly hear these beliefs and ideas on a regular basis they begin to believe in them. And i’m sure kids spend more time listening rappers than they do to their parents.

Oh no MarvinJh, brother I was with C. Deloris Tucker. I saw what was happening then and I was sounding the alarm. I’ve said many times, the simultaneous explosion of NWA and 2 Live Crew threw Hip Hop and the black community in a dilemma we have yet to recover. Those two groups changed Hip Hop and the black community and not in a good way. My opinions on negative Hip Hop are not somthing new. Even then I was saying bring the fun back to Hip Hop.

I’M SICK OF ALL DIS MUSIC, ALL OF IT, AND ALTHOUGH I LIKE ME SOME ‘DEVIL MUSIC’, I HAV BEEN AT SO MUCH PEACE SINCE I GAVE IT UP AND MY MODELING, DIS INDUSTRY IS SUPA HARD ON WOMEN AND MY GOD, I CAN TELL U SOME STORIES, I BEEN CALLED EVERYTHANG BUT HOLY

OMG the series is not over until next week it was amazing they had the editor there from Essence, TI, Nelly, Master P, and others who all made valid points on the issue, LOL Nelly was mad pissed especially when the Editor from Essence started knocking him for the Tip Drill video but he and Ti made very solid points, educating children from whats right and wrong in the videos and what to take from them starts in the home. As most of us in the black community are blaming rappers for their lyrics and the content of their videos but its their form of art and self expression it is thier right to be able to express what they have been through and what they learned from it. Yes, they are the prime figures of interest for those not within the black community but education still starts in the home with the parents and I personally dont think its right to blame the artists for problems with parenting skills.

UM NO. They may be able to express themselves but its not like they don’t get paid to do JUST THAT on the regular. Yes. If I made a song called Tip Drill and the video displayed mass foul content, I too would be able to provide a reason why i’d spend my money doing so. Yo! My beef with the industry is, why can’t people, men and women be more responsible for what they put out? Back in the day it was a bout SKILL and if you didn’t have it, you would be KICKED THEE F^CK OFF STAGE. Now, we can’t even decide if its the audience or the artist that needs to be kicked out of the arena. We as a community need to reflect the positivity that is overlooked more than that B!TCH at the party, that ROCK in the pipe, NEEDLE in the arm, PIMP with the cane and so on. When a rapper or a MAN and WOMAN reach an age and/or a stage in life where being a HOT MESS is not cool. I cannot respect TI or NELLY’s weak comments for why they are continuing to throw dirt in the game. Get ya grown man on and stop thinking its cool to make it rain on dem hoes all the time. You left your block years ago, get over it. I know I strive everyday to get off of mine. That hip hop vs. America sh!t is played because its been messed up before anyone grabbed a mic and spit a verse. My beef is with rappers being consumed by their FAKE identities and losing themselves and creating clever marketing schemes to take everyone down with them.

One last thing MarvinJH, you are actually right about a lot of people today supported the stuff back then (Yes I am the exception but a lot of people my age supported it). And now it seems like we’ve reached a point of no return. But I believe if enough people got together, it could happen.

MarvingJH, I can say though I basically disagree with you, at least you are making me think. So I got to give you credit for that.

OK, why is my post being moderated. Who I done pissed off??? lol

Personally I feel the catalyst of hip hop is the system. When hip hop began it was an artform for those to express about the conditions and circumstances that they were expierencing. So to a certain point I feel what the rappers are saying when they talk about certain issues they witness but at the same time I feel its loosing its authenticity because corporate america has formulated into a money making machine and some rappers are just puppets pulled by the strings of corporate americas greed.
As far as the show everyone on the panel had valid points to make. I really like what Cornell West roughly said about how the continous derogratory images that we see of our black women and men stunts our growth in expanding our minds. I truly feel that the parents are PRIMARILY responsible in raising their children. Yes, it does take a village to raise a child but if your children are educated enough they wont even feed into that bullshit. All in all if people want to see change, IT STARTS WITHIN IN YOURSELF. YOU AS THE CONSUMER DO NOT HAVE BUY OR MIMIC WHAT YOU SEE OR HEAR. EVENTUALLY, THIS WILL FORCE RAPPERS TO BE MORE CREATIVE, CLEVER, AND CONSCIOUS IN THE RAP GAME.

Peace

velvetj
Thursday, September 27, 2007

Oh no MarvinJh, brother I was with C. Deloris Tucker. I saw what was happening then and I was sounding the alarm. I’ve said many times, the simultaneous explosion of NWA and 2 Live Crew threw Hip Hop and the black community in a dilemma we have yet to recover. Those two groups changed Hip Hop and the black community and not in a good way. My opinions on negative Hip Hop are not somthing new. Even then I was saying bring the fun back to Hip Hop.

but your one person lets be honest the same black people complaining now was not helping c.deloris tucker or the government back in the day take down gangster rap and degrading videos.

so did nelly or t.i have a choice yes but there elders allowed them to have that right to make those type of videos ya know so some of these people running around acting all goody good needs to take up for they allowed also.

OH I ALMOST 4GOT, WAT’S HANNEN PERCY! NEW ORLEANS REPPIN FA SHO, HUHBRUH!, LOL

I hope this plays over and over again on BET because these are some hair-raising issues that need to be addressed over all. I enjoyed hearing everyone’s point of view during this snippet. Everyone, everyone really made some valid points. Im glad Nelly and T.I. were choosen to speak as well because they are big time and usually controversial rappers if thats what you want to call them.

velvetj

my fault for basically posting the same thing of course we going to disagree different eras lol but i think as long as we realize that hip hop aint going to change unless the videos shows change and people actually go out there and support positive music.

because at the end of the day rappers are about making easy money and they’ll do that no matter what if they got to curse or not get half naked women in there videos or women with dress suits on.

@ marvinjh, You do bring up some good points. As far as the whole C. Delores Tucker thing, I think back then Black people were so pressed to come into their own (so to speak) that they would have advocated ANYTHING that allowed them to seem like they were defying Massa. lol. It’s like a child disobeying a parent just for the sake of disobeying. As many Blacks as their are in the church, and as powerful as Black churches can be when they want to be, they were mysteriously silent when this issue was at the forefront. I personally think it was an act of defiance on the part of Blacks as a whole and a way for them to say show the “White man” that they didn’t have to do things their way, no matter how instrumentally detrimental it was in the long run. I think they saying is Bite Your Nose To Spite Your Face.

Hip Hop rappers are so defensive because this garbage that happens to wonderful beat lines is their lifeline. They must know in their inner hearts that the lyrical content of their music is offensive, degrading and pointless, but they feel they need to sell their souls for the money. It’s all about money. Black men need to realize that doo rags, braids and pants worn down to the ankles will keep them crying foul about life. The really bad part is that there are several rappers who are in their mid 30s who do not want to grow up.

Don’t be fooled, this “discussion” is just to appease people after the “HOT MESS/WE GOTTA DO BETTER” fiasco, BET doesn’t care about black people like that so let’s not act like it’s so brave and nice of them.

LORD, don’t get me started on this topic. I blame everyone. Rappers, consumers, video chicks, radio, labels, video directors, parents, we all play a part in it. But I’ll tell you why artists are partly responsible, because they seem to refuse to admit it.

It amazes me how, these artists claim to this job to influence and REACH people, to share their music “that they put their hearts and souls on” with an audience, but the moment THEY ACTUALLY INFLUENCE people, they wanna blame it on everything but themselves.

Nelly says music isn’t everything,which is true, but music influences people and feeds their minds. It’s UNDENIABLE. Music inspired people, Stevie, James Brown or Ray Charles INFLUENCED people, music has ALWAYS have an impact on people’s minds and behavior since slavery when slaves were singing to God in the plantations for their freedom, it empowered them. During movements, the crowd would sing EMPOWERING songs to encourage the people. So while we can’t blame everything on music, let’s not overlook the impact that it has, because life may immitate art but art immitates life too and more and more. Our culture is POPULAR, the WORLD watches it and immitates it, THE WORLD wears BAGGIES, THE WORLD is rapping rightnow and singing R&B, even in India and Russia people rap, when one person can have the WORLD acting like them, singing what they sing, dressing like them, that’s how powerful music is, it is an power that influences the masses subconsciously and consciously. And I’ll tell you more, black people didn’t stereotype each other UNTIL that rap music shit got mainstream, until the media exposure, YOU CAN SEE ON THIS VERY SITE, black men calling sisters golddiggers, bitches and hoes and sisters calling brothers male hoes, deadbeat dads and thug-wannabees. So how can we ignore music, especially when it is part of OUR culture (whether we like it or not) and hurts us?? We don’t get to choose whether we can let it invade us or not IT HAS ALREADY TAKEN OVER, we’re living in a society OF SOUND & IMAGE!! You go to the mall TV & Radio are on. You go to any public place, you see ads, you hear music, you see videos. Whatever happened to “It Takes A Village To Raise A Child”?? We can’t blame it ALL on society, or public people, but since when is society not PARTLY responsible for the kids they’re raising and we gotta blame 100% on the parents??

And we can’t seperate ourselves from a world that we’re part of. While non-blacks don’t define us, they live with us, we live with them. Everybody knows that respect isn’t deserved without self-respect, where is the self-respect we have for ourselves and each other?? We are the ONLY kinds of people that allow ourselves to call ourselves and each other N and Bs like it’s a fly trend. We call each other N*ggas, then get mad when a non-black person feels it’s okay to call us that? SURE we didn’t create the word but we made it popular!!! You don’t hear whites calling each other crackaz, you don’t see indians and asians using racial slurs to refer to each other, WE TEACH these people how to treat us, the same way we teach our children or acquaintances how to treat us. Have you seen hiphop movies lately? Y’all now how the media is a powerful tool that influences the masses. YOU have a view of a group of people because of what you saw about them on TV and Movies, and read about them, it’s the same with how they view black folks. It amazes how with all the power that we have, we are doing far less good than our elders. People used to admire our struggle and be inspired by it, by Mandela, Malcolm X, MLK, now we’re a laughing stock.

Nelly says “The country we live in allows us to do that”…THAT IS THE “FINDING EXCUSES” MENTALITY that I was talking about. You ALLOW YOURSELF to do that, don’t blame it solely on the country. This country doesn’t stop COMMON from putting video hoes in his videos but the man makes his own choices because he knows the impact that his actions can have on people and the world. NELLY, THIS IS YOUR MATERIAL, THIS IS YOUR HAND THAT SIGNED THE CONTRACT. And WOMEN…….WE GOT TO LEARN TO SAY “NO” TOO!!! Everybody has power and they’re not using it!!! We wanted to have that “every man for himself” mentality soon after integration, it wasn’t about the community anymore, we didn’t stick together, but we didn’t have ENOUGH power when we started that, that’s why the community is so weak now. Being rich is good, but not the detriment of your own, teach that to the next generation. These artists are WELL AWARE of what’s going on, but they refuse to take responsibility, if we don’t stand for something we WILL fall for anything, and that’s exactly what’s happening.

i dont undertand why everyone is gettin soo bitchy over that tip drill video. like im not saying it isnt inapproprite [it was put on BET Uncut of a REASON!] but no one forced those girls to do what they did. guess what people, YOU CANT MAKE AN UNCUT VIDEO WITHOUT NASTY ASS HOES! lol just bein honest

I totally feel Nelly on this one, I agree with everything he said.

pleez hphop is NOT black folks big issue, more like Jena 6 n inner city school stuff and mentoring and BETs own portrayal of its own ppl n…

AND it aint america vs hiphop, maybe it wus a story 4 da week n stuff (imus) but, Um in case u havent notice america is in LUV wit hiphop last week, Um soundscan ? :- ) i mean jus sayin damn
………….
n Um: y does Martha stewart got a hiphop persona herself n she tryna get eminem on her show so hard, AND y do jon stewart n bill maher n robert deniro n stuff all luv it, y is al pacino n his (italian?) music director tryna find a hiphop anthem for da next scarface release he told larry king on cnn dat he was tryin 2, and y did prince harry n will make sure to put hiphop in there memorial concert 4 princess Diana and y is SIR andrew lloyd webber dat British dude thinkin he wanna do a stage show built around hiphop (n eminem lol) and y is karl lagerfeld (Chanel) doin sumthin too & y did chanel n dolce n gabbana n dior n all kinda labels use to do hiphopish style sumtimes (not hiphop style NOW cuz its wack as Hell lol but, da old style wus flyyyy)… and Um also, SOUNDscan last week hello

BET pleez ur late, ur wack, n ur a part of da problem u only newjoint da wackest hiphop sumtimes but, methodman n keith murray n wutang n stuff dont get dat much luv on ur channel barely, n Nas have jus ONE nomination on ur dumm awards but, prolly lil Boosie got like 6 :- ) So m jus sayin america luv it still n, i guess its jus easier 4 u to jus yell at nelly n video girls than bring up like, Jena n DARFUR sumtimes n how da hiphop generation r socially conscious (or not) and stuff like that, right

Wutevr

……
yea a lotta hiphop right now is kinda wack but, n def not perfect but, Um have u seen rockers dey r all like rehab n detox n suicide n… Rock is SO not perfect eithr. so wutevr, u shud try discussin REAL ish, hiphop aint ur issue aghhhh alreadi!

Co-sign @ Chante 100%. I said the same thing (a little differently) but my post keeps getting deleted. WTF??

#93 Chanté said :Don’t be fooled, this “discussion” is just to appease people after the “HOT MESS/WE GOTTA DO BETTER” fiasco, BET doesn’t care…like that so let’s not act like it’s so brave and nice of them.

……………..
yeah i kinda agree dey want a “hot” topic 4 ratings pretty much realli Dass all but Um, dey r late it aint even hot any more lol, at all at ALL, Soundscan NEbody? Oh well jus sayin
n gettin SOoo tired of folks who dont even KNOW bout hiphop tryna talk about it, ALL hiphop aint wrong, a lot of (indie label-based) hiphop is kind of wack and cheap n stuff right now but, girlie videos aint ALL hiphop, dat ish is more like recent, WHy dey didnt have Wu tang (jon stewart even had RZA one time) Rev Run Meth redman erick sermon Nas Mos def eminem… jus hiphop 4 real

ALL OF THESE RAPPER ARE SELL OUTS!

THEY WORK FOR WHITE COMPANIES AND GET PAID BY DEGRADING BLACK PEOPLE. WHITE PEOPLE ARE THE ONES WHO BUY THEIR MUSIC AND BLACK PEOPLE ARE THE ONES WHO GET EXPLOITED TO MAKE IT. WHITE COMPANIES GO LAUGHING TO BANK AND THESE RAPPERS ARE THE MIDDLE MEN CATCHING ALL THE HEAT.

THIS IS A MODERN DAY MINSTREL SHOW. SHUCKING AND GIVING AT IT’S BEST. ESPECIALLY NELLY!

THIS DOESN’T APPLY TO ALL RAPPERS, BUT IT APPLIES TO WAY TOO MANY OF THEM.

WE NEED TO STOP SUPPORTING PEOPLE JUST BECAUSE THEIR BLACK. RESPECT IS A TOO WAY STREET.

IF A WHITE GUY WAS SWIPING A CREDIT CARD THROUGH A BLACK WOMAN’S ASS ON TV I’D CALL HIM, THE RECORD LABEL AND THE VIDEO STATION PLAYING OUT ON THAT BULLSHIT. WHY SHOULDN’T IT BE THE SAME WHEN THE RAPPER IS BLACK?

AND BET WILL BE BACK TO 24HRS OF BULLSH*T TOMMOROW!

I think the shows producers could have done a better job with the panel. T.I. is just ignorant, and Nelly is a pop star. THe only reason he was there was for his bachelor party video (tip drill). If they really took the program seriously then they wouldn’t have gotten the entrie 106 and park audience to set out there and clap everytime T.I. or Nelly said some more dumb shit. To get great results for a debate such as this they should have had rappers from all generations ..young and old.. and discussed things that way. Or better yet invited some of the youth that this is supposedly affecting. I think BET threw this program together and if they attempt some more mess like this put a lil more thought into it.

Chanté
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Don’t be fooled, this “discussion” is just to appease people after the “HOT MESS/WE GOTTA DO BETTER” fiasco, BET doesn’t care about black people like that so let’s not act like it’s so brave and nice of them.
________________________

That’s so true, and let’s not forget, they had BET Uncut - if they didn’t provide a forum and platform for those types of video, then the artists would not have been racing to see who could be the grimiest.

Unfortunately, it has expanded so far beyond that now. These artists are creating and developing their own soft porn DVDs, and the women are lining up to be in them.
And these DVDs and XXX rated videos are advertised and sold in mainstream magazines. I don’t even buy VIBE because of the explicit ass out ladies on the last few pages… Somebody holla at Quincy Jones.

# 49 & 62 MADE SUCH GOOD POINTS. AND IM SICK OF THIS DISCUSION. IF PEOPLE DIDNT LISTEN TO THE MUSIC OR WATCH THE VIDEOS THEY DAMN SELF HOW WOULD THEY KNOW SONGS WORD FOR WORD AND VIDEOS FROM BEGINNING TO END? THOSE FEMALES HAVE A CHOICE THATS WHAT THEY WANT TO DO IF THEY DONT MIND WHY THE HELL SHALL WE? WHY WAS YOUR CHILD UP AT 3 A.M TO WATCH UNCUT ANYWAY? THATS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. THEIR ARE WAY MORE IMPORTANT THINGS AFFECTING AMERICA AND HIP HOP IS NOT ONE SO SOCIETY NEEDS TO FOCUS ON THE REAL CAUSE AND NOT TAKING THE EASY ROUTE LIKE T.I SAID. I LISTEN TO SO MUCH RAP AND DONT WANA SLANG NOTHIN OR MURDER ANYONE. IT ALL COMES DOWN TO IRRESPONSIBLE PARENTS AND WEAK MINDED INDIVIDUALS. MURDERS, DRUGS, HALF NAKED WOMEN, PIMPS, HOES, ECT…EXISTED WAY BEFORE AND WILL EXIST AFTER. JUST BECAUSE SOME WANT TO HEAR MIND EXPANDING MUSIC AND BORING VIDEOS THE MAJORITY DONT. PEOPLE LIKE TO BE ENTERTAIND. POINT BLANK.

Damn… after reading this, I can’t blame Lil Wayne. If at 15 years old, his Mom is encouraging him to go out and have a baby, with anybody, ’cause she’s lonely… What? This is a sad situation.

“A year after Rabbit was gone, I was on tour like crazy with Cash Money, and my momma said she was bored, alone, and scared in the house by herself. She was like, ‘Why don’t you just have a baby with somebody? Just tell the little girl’s mom I’ma take care of the baby, don’t worry about that.’ I was like, ‘I don’t have nobody I like like that!’ She was like, ‘Just find somebody! You don’t like Toya?’ I was like, ‘Alright, I like her then.’ Toya was 14 when she got pregnant, and I was 15 asking 14-year-olds. Toya’s the only person that agreed outta all the ones I asked. I said that my momma wants a child. And they was like, ‘That’s your momma’s problem!’ So Toya was like, ‘Shiiit, when we due, boo?’

– Lil’ Wayne on Antonia “Toya” Carter, his first wife and the mother of his daughter

Damn…….It’s some long ass post on this thread.!

I was proud that Nelly spoke so eloquently on how he felt about certain issues. I was glad that he did not let the “elders” on the panel railroad him; he was able to stand on his on. I agreed with alot that he said considering hip hop- taking on the weight of the world. A lot of the issues going on in the world did not begin when hip-hop began, so why should it end there?

SORRY, I THOUGHT NELLY SOUNDED LIKE A ZIP DANG FOOL THE WHOLE NIGHT. HE DIDN’T REALLY MAKE ANY VALID POINTS, JUST A BUNCH OF EXCUSES AND EXAMPLES OF HOW MANY OTHER BUSINESS/INDUSTRIES/PEOPLE WHO ARE BAD EXAMPLES, AND HOW THEY DID IT FIRST, SO HE TOO SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO IT. SO WHAT I GOT FROM HIS COMMENTS WAS EX: IF ONE MAN COMES ALONG AND RAPES A WOMAN, THEN A SECOND MAN COMES ALONG AND RAPES HER 10 MINUTES LATER, ONLY THE FIRST MAN SHOULD BE PUNISHED……ONLY A IDIOT THINKS THIS WAY….HE WAS RATIONALIZING HIS IDIOTIC CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEGRADATION OF TODAY’S SOCIETY/YOUTH……………NELLY’S MUSIC CONTRIBUTES NOTHING TO SOCIETY UNLIKE SOME OTHER RAPPERS WHO KICK SOME KNOWLEDGE…

I HATE THAT HIS SISTER PASSED, I CONGRATULATE HIM FOR WHAT HE TRIED TO DO ON HER BEHALF….HOWEVER, WHEN OUT OF ONE BREATH, IT’ “BITCH THIS, HOE THIS, GRILLZ THIS, SORRY BOO, IT’S HARD FOR EDUCATED PEOPLE TO TAKE HIM SERIOUSLY ON ANY OTHER LEVEL. HE WAS SO UPSET THAT HE GOT BANNED FROM THE COLLEGE CAMPUS….WONDER WHY? WHEN THAT’S ALL YOU TALK ABOUT IN YOUR SONGS, AND YOU SOUND SO STUPID, SHALLOW, AND UNEDUCATED (EXCEPT STREET KNOWLEDGE), SOME PEOPLE WON’T EVER TAKE HIM SERIOUSLY OR VIEW HIM MORE THAN ANOTHER DUMB ASS. IT’S NOT FAIR, BUT IT IS WHAT IS IT. TRIPS ME OUT WHEN RAPPERS EXPECT “REAL PEOPLE” TO OVERLOOK WHAT’S COMING OUT OF THEIR MOUTHS WHILE THEY ARE RAPPING AND SINGING, AND TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY ON SOME OTHER LEVEL. IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN….SO STOP ACTING SO SHOCKED..YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW….SO BE IT. NELLY GET’S NO POINTS, SITTING UP WITH HIS FISTS BALD UP LIKE HE’S THE DON TALKING LIKE A DAMN FOOL…..I WAS YELLING AT MY T.V. “NEGRO PLEASE!”

this site sucks keeps aborting

THEY WERE ALL SOUNDING STUPID FOR THE MOST PART, I HATE WHEN THEY GIVE SOMEONE THE FLOOR AND EVERYONE GETS QUIET TO LISTEN AND THEY SAY SOMETHING STUPID. THE FIRST PART OF THEIR STATEMENT NEVER GOES WITH THE END…….AL SHARPTON, TI AND OTHERS

OH YEAH…THIS WAS THE DUMBEST STATEMENT OF ALL THAT NELLY MADE:

“I MAKE MUSIC FOR KIDS, AND I MAKE MUSIC FOR ADULTS.”

WTF! CAN ANYBODY NAME A KIDS ONLY RADIO STATION? I THOUGHT YOU JUST TURN ON THE RADIO, AND IT PLAYS MUSIC….IS THERE A KIDS ONLY HOUR? HOW WOULD I DIRECT MY CHILD TO THE “CHILDRENS ONLY MUSIC?” ANY CLUE? ANYONE CAN LISTEN TO IT…ALSO, HE KNOWS DAMN WELL THAT MUSIC IS TAILORED MADE AND GEARED FOR YOUNG PEOPLE CAUSE THAT’S WHO MAJORLY BEING THIS JUNK. HE WAS LYING SO MUCH, I TURNED MY CHANNEL. IT’S JUST SICKENING TO HEAR THE EXCUSES…

THE ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM IS, PEOPLE JUST STOP BUYING IT, AND THEY WILL GO AWAY…

109.
I love Nas
Thursday, September 27, 2007

this site sucks keeps aborting
—————

lol. You too? I swear I’m being targeted! lol.

I loved the fact that the issues surrounding Hip Hop music were being discussed, kinda reminded me of the good ol’ BET days when Tavis Smiley and Teen Summit was on.

Well…. Nelly made a “few” good points, but I felt that he was mainly being vague, dodgin the issues and trying to change the subject most of the time. He looked uncomfortable, nervous and afraid… and I think it was partly because he (knew) that video was going to come up. And although I am sorry for the loss of his sister, I thought that it was wrong for him to bring that up at that time. I know he was upset about it, as well he should have been…but it just seemed to be another way to “avoid”. I love me some Nelly, but wrong is wrong and right is right ….and to say that he was providing females with a job because some of them needed that money for school, bills, food on the table etc is again incenuating that when all is loss black females need to resort to shaking their ass and degrading themselves to make it or to survive. Wow, no wonder he doesnt have a problem with Irv sleeping with Ashanti, I guess he was understanding her “hustle”…*shaking my head*. Surely black women are worth more than that.

He was EXTREMELY contradictive. I wanted to slap him when he had the nerve to get upset about women taking it offensively when rappers use the term b**** or hoe in records saying that they should (know) who they are referring to…but then, when the professor or editor made a comment about the gold tooth wearing brothers he immediately got upset and said, “Hey, Im one of those gold tooth brothers…in fact, I have two!”…double standards? So he can get offended regarding stereotypes, but women cant? He can be offended about how brothers are viewed with gold teeth, but black women cant get offended about how they are portrayed in videos and on lyrical content? Knee Grow puhleeze! It wasnt just that, he contradicted him self everytime he opened his mouth. I was really disappointed and kinda look at him differently now.. It would have been better had he just said that the video as well as other things done were back then…but this is now….and he is no longer in that frame of mind, he is past that. But the fact that he still thought it was okay and didnt want to take responsibility fueled more fire.

And I see where everyone was coming from regarding “growth” in music….alot of the artists arent growing….most are on there 3rd, 4th, and 5th CD….still talking that same bling, bang, booty, suck, poke, steal, rims, tires, cars, azz, b****, majic stick, weed, houses, hoes, cars etc. that they were talking about when they made their first CD… So I concur. Dang, arent you suppose to elevate in life? Shouldnt you look back at your body of work and see where you’ve changed and grown and matured?

Moving on ….The Professor made goose bumps come up on my arm, I wanted to yell AMEN!.. He was the truth forreal….like it or not, he was on point like a mofo. And as for T. I. I must say that I now know why folks love him. For 1…he knows (when) and how to dress appropriately for certain occasions…and 2…Even though I didnt agree with everything he said…I must admit that he was very laid back and calm, he knows what part to play and when. I must admit that his swagger status just went up a few notches for me.

Lastly…we as parents are first and foremost responsible for our children. If you chose to have a child, you need to be a parent and ‘raise” the child. And it is a 24/7…365 days of the week job. You are always on call, wear atleast 20 hats a day and never get personal days or time off…so know this!! But at the same time…all of us, regardless of our profession or notoriaty must to learn to take responsiblity for our actions and choices.. Thats my 25 cents worth on that.

I love hip-hop…but you have to take responsiblity for your artistry. Part of that is taking the criticism of your work. When you are a public figure, like it or not, you represent a demographic as whole. There was a time when black public figures were not ashamed to say, “I am black and I’m representing for my black people”. Now you have public figures who want the black community’s support, but doesn’t want to represent the black race. Secondly, if it were any woman of any race, I would have a problem with those videos because as a woman, I know that woman are constantly exploited. Women are a minority in this world as well.

i missed it!

@ 106. JSCENE, preeeeeeeeaccchhhhhh!!!!! You summed up what can be said about Nelly perfectly. He is SO full of shit!!!

@ 111. MzCynik, excellent post, especially the part of them being offended when people talk about their gold teeth but women can’t get mad at being called bitches. This reminds me of Kevin Liles on Oprah being offended cause his rappers and him were referred to as CLOWNS, yet he “doesn’t understand” why women are offended by the use of the B and H words? LMAO!!!! Oh and artists’ “growth”, that was well said.

@ 112. Screaming
“There was a time when black public figures were not ashamed to say, “I am black and I’m representing for my black people”. Now you have public figures who want the black community’s support, but doesn’t want to represent the black race. ”

>>>>>> I agree!!! THANK YOU!!! They all wanna reach people, they all want our support but the moment they got it “I don’t represent y’all”.

LETS JUST BE HONEST, THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN FILTER MUSIC ENTIRELY. I MEAN, ITS POSSIBLE, BUT NOT LIKELY. MUSIC IS AN EXPRESSION AND HOW CAN YOU TELL A RAPPER TO HOLD BACK ON RAPPING ABOUT THE THINGS HE/SHE EXPERIENCED?? YES, WE SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR ACTIONS, ESPECIALLY IF YOUR LOOKED APON AS A ROLE MODEL ..BUT YOU CAN’T CHANGE A CULTURE THAT HAS MADE SO MANY BLACK MINORITIES WHO, AT ONE TIME WERE DOOMED FOR DESTRUCTION, INTO SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE TODAY. AND LIKE NELLY SAID, YOU CAN’T EXPECT A PERSON IN THE LIME LIGHT TO CONDUCT THEMSLEVES AppROPREATELY IF THEY WERE NEVER TAUGHT…EDUCATION IS THE KEY!!!

ALSO, BLACK PEOPLE SHOULDN’T TAKE THE CONTENTS OF LYRICS SOO PERSONALLY…THEY DON’T NECESSARILY DEFINE WHO WE ARE AS A RACE,

FOR EX: WHEN A RAPPER USES THE WORD “HO” , “SLUT”, AND “BITCH” IN HIS/HER LYRICS, THEN HE’S PROBABLY REALLY REFERING TO A ho, slut or bitch in real life who could be white, chinese, indian, black..etc.!!!

HOWEVER

I DOESN’T HELP WHEN YOU only GOT pretty (BLACK) women dancing to these same lyrics..it gives a misenterpretation of the culture and makes other people (whites & older generations) THINK THAT IS OW ALL BLACK WOMEN ARE BECAUSE THATS HOW WE ARE REPRESENTED “Nappy Headed HOs”

I could go on and on for daysss,,,,its a difficult topic, period.. I hopr that we can all find a medium one day, but until then…………………….

Thank you for all the people who didn’t buy into whatever TI and Nelly were saying. Didn’t see the program because I knew exactly what those rappers were gonna say: The same old stuff you always hear; parents should be the ones teaching their children. Yes they should but of course theres more to it than that. Kids are bombarded with negative images all the time, you can’t avoid that stuff. Some of it just sinks into your mind and you start agreeing with it cuz everyone else is doing it.

And some of you that have posted pretty much said everything that I wanted to say and put it very eloquently, so theres no point in mentioning it again. But I just wanted to raise one question that I didn’t hear a lot mentioned. What about all those single mothers out there who can’t always be around to see what their children are doing? Those mothers have to work 24/7 to keep food on the table. Young black boys are growing up without a father, people. We all know that a lot of black men are walking out on their families, which is why young black men desperately need a positive black role model to look up to since their daddies aren’t around to teach them how a black man should act. They dont need to see rich black men parading around trying to be a thug and talking about shooting people and slapping girls’ butts.

And single mothers can’t be everywhere blocking out all those negative influences. A lot of young black men are growing up today looking at these music videos thinking that its cool to act like that. They don’t have a father figure telling them that its wrong to call other women bitches and hoes. These young boys don’t realize how wrong it is to say those demeaning words to women cuz they keep seeing rich, popular, and successful black men doing it all the time and getting rewarded for it. And those rappers keep getting away with calling women those words, so don’t you think young black boys are thinking “well if he can call women bitches and hoes, then how could that be so wrong?”

TI and Nelly know exactly what they’re doing. They’re getting paid for calling black women hoes and know that their cds will sell even more if they add a bunch of black women in their videos shaking their asses. They’re selling their souls to have those fancy parties, nice cars, and to live the life of luxury. And for all the people who say that you shouldn’t buy the music if you don’t like what you hear, I have to say that that doesn’t even matter. WHITE people are the ones who are buying the rap music, and they’re enjoying listening to black people making a fool of themselves each day. I’m not saying that they’re all racists but all those white people who buy the music sure don’t mind hearing black men call black women derogatory names.

Nelly seems to be more interested in making money than trying to portray positive images.

T.I. was disrespectful towards the woman who is affiliated with essense or ebony.

Can we as a community become more realistic and stop saying it’s up to the parents to raise their kids. We’re living in a time where the young ppl now have been raised by KIDS themselves. So celebs should demo some moral responsibility. If not for our community, do it for our ancestors. I’m sure they didn’t march so we could act a fool and do ANYTHING for money.

It was okay. I think the only valid points that were addressed where from Dr. Michael Eric Dyson. Nelly tried to present valid points, but all he did what try to flip the script so that what he’s done doesn’t seem that bad. I used to be a huge fan of Nelly when I was in high school, then I actually read his lyrics. Hip hop may be the mirror of black america now, but it doesn’t have to be. Instead of trying to mirror negative images, why not project something positive. That’s a cop-out Nelly & T.I. C’mon now…let’s be real.

It was okay. I think the only valid points that were addressed were from Dr. Michael Eric Dyson. Nelly tried to present valid points, but all he did what try to flip the script so that what he’s done doesn’t seem that bad. I used to be a huge fan of Nelly when I was in high school, but then I actually read his lyrics. Hip hop may be the mirror of black america now, but it doesn’t have to be. Instead of trying to mirror negative images, why not project something positive? That’s a cop-out Nelly & T.I. C’mon now…let’s be real.

Also did anybody catch when Nelly said that his daughter “made the honor roll and she can pop, lock, and drop it with the best of them”?

isn’t she under 12 y/o?
is that the norm now, or am i just old-fashioned?

I think that this is that the Rappers are 100% correct in holding their ground. It is not a rapper, a singer, football player or models job to make sure your kids have a good influence. I dont think that being a single parent is harder then being a married parent. That is just a cop-out. She type-casted herself, she didnt even need a song. A parent is a parent nomatter what. If you have those kids it is your job to take care of the them and make sure they doing the right thing. Why is Al Sharpton there and what is he talking about? He can always be counted on to throw the race card in there. Nelly said some pretty dumb things but for the most part he was right. If I’m not mistaking his little girl is 12, so she has no reason to be pop lock and dropping it. But his is right about teaching you kid to do the right thing.

# 120…I remember when Nelly said that (one of his many stupid comments). The first thing I thought was, his daughter isn’t living in the environment that’s portrayed in these videos. I’m sure his daughter is not going to aspire to be a video girl.

I also thought…how could Ashanti be with him. He sounds so ignorant. And I am glad those Spelman students put his ass in place. He’s stupid for even thinking that educated women aspiring to be professionals would enjoy watching women being degraded.

And what is Melissa Ford going to say. She seems to be more focused on her looks/sex appeal than her brains, which is not a good example either.

I THINK THAT MOST OF THE RAPPERS WERE DODGING THE QUESTIONS A LOT. EVEN THOUGH RAPPERS SAY THAT THEY ARE RAPPING ABOUT WHERE THEY COME FROM, I THINK THAT THEY ARE GLORIFYING MORE THAN TELLING A STORY. SCARFACE AND ICE-T ARE AN EXAMPLE OF RAPPERS WHO TELL STORIES IN THEIR RHYMES. NO ONE PLACES A GUN IN THE FRONT OF ANYONE’S HEAD TO PURCHASE RECORDS OR APPEAR IN VIDEOS, BUT RAPPERS HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THE NEGATIVES INTO POSITIVES. IF A PERSON WANTS TO PROSTITUTE, NO ONE IS FORCING THEM TO, BUT IF ALL PIMPS DECIDE TO RETIRE AND “JOHNS” DECIDE NOT TO PURCHASE SEX FOR MONEY, THEN PROSTITUTION WOULD BE OUT OF BUSINESS. MIKE JONES WAS A WASTE OF TIME UP THERE, SOUNDING SO IRRELEVANT. NOT EVERY KID HAS SOMEONE TO RAISE THEM SO, THEREFORE BAD INFLUENCES SUCH AS THE WRONG CROWD AND EXPLICIT RAP LYRICS CAN HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE YOUTH.

KIDS ARE NOT STUPID. WHEN WE TELL THEM THAT SOMETHING EXPLICIT IS FOR ADULTS, THEY ARE THINKING WHY NOT FOR ME TOO. MANY PARENTS CONTRADICT THEMSELVES , SO THUS, MANY KIDS GROW UP CONFUSED OR LIVING DOUBLE LIVES. MODEL PARENTING IS THE MOST OVERLOOKED ELEMENT OF PARENTING. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT MOST PARENTS NEED TO PRACTICE WHAT THEY PREACH. HOW IS NELLY GOING TO EXPLAIN “TIP DRILL” TO HIS DAUGHTER, OH, “SWEETY THAT IS FOR ADULTS ONLY”. “OK DAD, I AM AN ADULT NOW, CAN I WATCH OR HAVE SOMEONE TIP DRILL ME?”

The show was very interesting I was very surprised by a lot of things….How intelligent nelly and melyssa Ford was. Mike Jones shouldn’t have been on the show because the whole time he was quiet…They talked about some valid topics in hip hop that needed to be addressed…and both parties had valid points…I was very upset at the way jeff johnson kept cutting of the individuals when they were trying to make they point…One of the inportant things in hip hop that are corrupting young men mines growing up now is the whole light skin dark skin factor in music videos and am very surprised they didn’t hit that topic…I just don’t think hip hop shoul dbe blamed for alot of thinggs going on in society right now

Nelly should’ve listened to his record label and stayed off the panel because he’s not getting positive feedback, but i’m glad that he didn’t listen, because now i have more reasons to not support his music. BET didn’t do a good job on the production of the special, but I’m glad that I watched it, because it makes me want to re-evaluate which artists I support. I’m really sick of BS music…it’s getting old now.

Like #99 said, we need to stop supporting people just because their black; respect is a two way street.

WHAT EXACTLY DID OUR ANCESTORS FOUGHT FOR?
OUR FREEDOM OF SPEECCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCH
AND THAT MEANS RAPPERS AND PEOPLE IN THE HIP HOP COMMUNITY
U KNOW IM JUS ABOUT TIRED OF HOLIER THAN THOU HIPOCRITESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
IF IT WAS UP TO ALL YALL WE WOULD STILL B HOUSE NIGZ(YES MASAH)

Plain and simple…artist be accountable for your words. Stop passing the buck. People grow up in the hood all the time, and the people didn’t, don’t really care. We don’t need you to point out everything that the hood represents. If you do, atleast be creative…until that is accomplished. you dont deserve to be called an “artist”. That’s like saying I’m the President of the united states…am I really? Just because I say I’m the president doesn’t mean I really am!

These rappers promote drugs and violence robbery and killing. A lot of them grew up in projects and rough neighborhoods and all the youth that live in projects and rough environments look up to them and use them as an example for there lives.They say it starts with the parents but what happens when you grow up in the projects where your mom is on crack because the local drug dealers are always sell in your hood. When she does what ever it takes to get that high that she goes into prostitution, or the crack attics that sell everything they own for that hit, or the people that get robbed everyday just so they can buy more drugs. This stuff happens in black communities everyday. You rappers may not have created this but you promote this life everyday to black kids that try to emulate your success. they say that they just tell how there life was and that they don’t promote it but why do you have a catchy beat and instrumentals that play over and over on the radio’s if your not promoting it.They glorify it and sell it like drugs. someone like jay-z almost 40 years old made half a billion dollars and he still promotes drugs and how much he used to sell in music. Way to go jay keep bringing down the black community, what you did in your life is nothing to be proud of. the families that were broken up, the blood that have been spilled because of your drugs. No one looks at the big picture and the people that they affect with there actions.Jjust cause other people do it doesn’t make it right. Just so you know jay if you do read this, drugs leads to poverty, prostitution (which bring std’s) abuse, violence, and death (overdose and death do to violent acts). Its time to act your age and show some progression and stop being so ignorant to the influence that hiphop has on the world. We’ve changed the way people talk, they dress, they act, we have influence beyond the united states just look at japan. Now if hiphop can do that, why cant we bring unity amongst each other, lets end this.

At the end of the day, the point is, Hip Hop needs to be about more than B’s and H’s and money and bling, aren’t we more than that as a people, why are the images so limited, and this is in the mainstream, so like it or not, this is what the kids are listening to because it is everywhere. And like I said in an earlier post, this is exactly what White America wants to hear because it confirms that Black folks are animals and are killing and abuse each other. The rappers will argue that they rap about it because that’s what’s going on in the streets but they not only rap about it but they advocate the violence and the misogyny, you can talk about it but you don’t have to be about, show people there are other ways to think about things, show young black men that you can be more than a drug dealer, a pimp, a rapper, an athlete. It seems to me that as much as rappers want to claim they care about their community they actually don’t because they underestimate the potential of their own people, and they make millions of dollars off ignorance and keeping people down. I’m sorry but I will no longer continue to support music that does nothing to uplift my community. I don’t care how much charity work these rappers do, the fact is that the records will reach way more people than their money, so you put your money were your mouth is and stop looking like a damn jiggaboo on tv.

Rappers need to take responsibilty for the music they produce and stop blaming everyone else. No one is making them do anything, they have free will. If they weren’t so money hungry and selfish maybe they would actually think about the music they make and how it effects people. And they need to stop with the excuse that sex and violence sells, so does drugs, so does clothes, so does food, this is a damn capitalist system, everything is created to sell. But if you look at he billboard charts 9 times out of 10 the only degrading and violent music in the top 20 will be the hip hop records. What formula is Fall Out Boy using, they are selling millions, so is Carrie Underwood and Rihanna, why is that Hip Hop feels that they can only sell by degrading themselves and others, it just shows you the mentality of many of these rappers and record labels, they don’t expect much from young Black men, only negativity.

Black folks we need to realize that it doesn’t matter if we stop buying these trash cd’s they will still sell because millons of white folks are buying it. What we need to do is continue to hold these rappers and record labels responsible for what they create and promote.

So when these rappers talk about this is the life they are living…I get that up until your 3rd cd is released. After that its like no honey you are in a gated community and you dont sell drugs or commit crimes anymore so why do you keep rapping about it? And Nelly knows that if his daughter grew up and was caught on tape having a man slide a credit card down her crack…that shit wouldnt be cool so he needs to stop acting. Some of these lyrics are getting out of control. Its disturbing when I’m at a predominantly white college (University of Georgia) and some white frat guy rides by bumping some song thats talking about N-word this and N-word that. As a race children out of wedlock, education, and lack fathers in families should be our top priorities.

Just watched the whole thing. Nelly seems ingnorant and uneducated.

“WHAT NELLY IS TRYIN TO SAY IS, ITZ NOT RIGHT TO JUDGE”–T.I. IS FUNNY.

Good show… everyone had good points, but T.I. and Nelly both sounded half illiterate at times. Melyssa Ford is an intelligent woman, she should have done something else with her career.

This is a touchy topic because everyone has a valid point . I watched the first part of the series the other night and I was actually laughing at Melyssa Ford acting as If she’s a decent wholesome woman now. When I’ve seen a few commercials of her just recently ,with her ass tooted up talking seductive for a text message commercial , stop the BS and be honest . Don’t get on television and act as If you are a role model for the young women and still doing whorish shit . As far as the rapper’s ,yes , they need to take responsibility for their brand of music. T.I and Nelly were very ignorant . “My daughter pop, lock, and drop it , with the best if them ” now Nelly ,that was some ig’nant shit to say. I can respect Nelly a little more because he did accept that his music affects people rather than refuse responsiblity like T.I did. T.I was downright stupid .I was embarrassed for him. He said the dumbest shit “You lucky Im not doing what Im rapping ” something to that effect , ummmm so T.I why are you still rapping about it then ?? but that lady from Essence was so out of line and rude. I understand being a single parent, which by the way is not the hardest job in America but that’s another topic . You can’t blame rapper’s for the music your children are listening to . You as a parent need to filter that. This is getting out of control . The television should not be a standard to raise your children by ! And furthermore , If rappers stop rapping today children will still be exposed to the same things especially children in the hood . This is so much bigger than rap music we as a society need to get it together not just rapper’s . If rapper’s stop rapping today something else will be the blame for childrens problems, instead of parents just admitting that alot of them are lazy .

What was the big deal about he Tip Drill video? It was never played during the main stream hours of other videos. I saw it once or twice at like 2am on the uncut show but if your kids are up that late watching tv then you should check yourself first.

I didnt see part 2 but the first part didnt impart any knew information. I commend Nelly and T.I. for even showing up but often times these dudes let their emotions get them and you CAN NOT lead with emotion and make your point. They should (esp. Nelly who made great points) think through the answer before responding though

I have several points/questions to ask…

1.) Why do Black people say “White people do it” like they are the standard for comparision? Did we not forget that their race is to credit for most socially deviant behavior, serial killers are found to be White males, anarchists, pedophiles and not to mention they have members that are of low ses (socioeconomic status) just as we do - and not to mention uneducated.

2.) Why were they on Nelly so bad? Over 50% of the show was about Tip Drill.

3.) The show did not solve anything, only open a can of worms.

4.) Tell me what M. Ford does since she said she did videos to pay for college or as she said “university”…word of advice to all video chicks because you aren’t models - talk to Sallie (Mae) not Nelly. She did not make a point, all she did was try to put herself above other video chicks and she has a reputation for being a jump off. What is her 8-5 or shall I say 12-4 because that’s when her screensaver or 555-Ford plugs come on.

5.) Why weren’t parents on the panel and parents should take more responsibility for what their children do and stop trying to blame it on rappers and tv. If you know you’re gonna get choked out by your mom or dad or have respect for them, you’re not going to do certain things. Period.

6.) Rappers don’t put their videos on tv.

7.) Why does everybody have to refer to or take a jab at Blacks all the time?
Find something else to do. They need to worry about the president who seems to be borderline illiterate ass and let me not forget to mention he graduated from Yale a frichen Ivy League school - this totally lessens the school and the mission of it if you
ask me. He has no tact, interpersonal skills, is not a thinker, is a
nincompoop and is a bumbling idiot.

8.) When will somebody call out the new president of BET…nobody ever mentions her. Is she the president or a puppet?

9.) Some of the rappers that should have been on the panel weren’t, i.e. 50 Cent…well the whole G-Unit, Cam’ron even though he’s broke now, Slim Thugg…the list goes on.

10.) Nobody can walk in between raindrops and everybody does not think alike. When and if everybody does…I’ll show you some people that aren’t thinking.

Okay usually in here I crack a few jokes, make some comments about some pop culture and sometimes some serious points and go about my day, but today, I send this message out and hope someone reads it and critically thinks about this move to turn a blind eye to the self deprivating, self hating -art-less (calling themselves artist) people.

Are we to believe that negative hip-hop does not denegrate the lives and work of those who have tried to push for us to be better and live better lives then those before us.

I cannot help it but to believe that someone in the homes of Nelly, TI and the rest of them didnt raise them right. What did your parents do to ensure that you would not disrespect women or yourselves and call it art? It was up to them to raise you right, too bad they failed at that.

To disrespect a black woman in such a manner is the ultimate disrespect. What makes them any better then those who wore sheets and paraded naked black women around for sale years ago??? The human auction in 2007 appears to be promoted by us, defended by us, and geared towards us —BET!!!

Think about it, now they (the women) make a few dollars back then they were barely clothed and fed, but what these videos say to me and any EDUCATED–(I MEAN MORE THEN A COLLEGE DEGREE BUT KNOWLEDGABLE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF WOMEN, AFRICANs, and AFRICAN AMERICANS and the AMERICAS) SELF LOVING BLACK WOMAN is that that BLACK WOMEN ARE FOR SALE. Now its quadroon mallatos and hispanic women, but who cares it all leads to the same thing the denegration of women.

I cannot stop people from supporting these hankerchief head wearing negros, but someone day when God ask them how did they contribute to the life of hunmankind, did they live Christ-like, they will have to finally answer for the continued denegration of womankind. The ultimate truth is not here on earth.

My viseral response is that I do not watch videos or listen to the radio because most it is trash. I am careful to not let in what I do not want to put out there. I continue to promote people not watching these videos. I try not to watch TV shows that make us less then who we are, descendants of EVE, the ultimate Black Woman. When I do I ask myself what is the value of this, how can I learn from this, what does this say about me.

I try to teach young women that looking like a prostitute and dancing like you are in the video does not mean men desire you in a respectful loving way. I try to live the life that others who have died for in order to honor them. I try each day to be an example of good living and self loving child of God.

Yes I fail and so do they everytime they put one of those darn videos or songs out.

But I am no sell out, the difference is I will not disrespect or dishonor those who made a way for me to be the best that I can be. I will not do something to harm my race because its popular or will garnish me millions of dollars. They used to call those people the house negros–letting massa use them to continue the plight and destruction of black people–now the call themselves Nelly, TI, Trick Daddy, Puffy, Ludicrious, 36 mafia, Ja Rule, Fifty Cents… still sitting in the house selling us out..

And for the women who do it because you do not feel disrespted. Its a job like any other modeling job, prositution is legal is some coutries too, doesn’t make it right. And yeah some of the slaves in massa’s house also believed that slavery was a good thing, didnt mind giving up the goods to massa because at least they were not in the field doing the real work…yeah you too Melissa Ford, Karen Steffens, Buffy-Body-, etc etc, keep massa happy and shake it…while little girls watch and believe that is all they will be…but that isnt your problem…right?

For those sisters who support these fools and watch these videos, secretly or opening wishing to be in them, I pray for you. I pray for the daughters and sons you will raise. I pray that you find a way to reconcile everytime a man or woman calls you a bitch or a hoe in a disrespectful manner with the music or images you see in these videos which promotes the use of such words through their publication and normalcy of those images. They make it common place so that you become more familiar and adapted to its use, sort of the like N word, it cannot be wrong because we use it right…until Imus used it…now its a problem, sounds like a double standard to me. Sound like BS to me… I pray that you finally see who you are, believe in who you can be, and critically start to think about what these vidoes and songs mean.

I say garbage in garbage out. Do not let in your hearts and minds what you would not want to share with the world. You dig…

the one has spoken….and I’m out!

Folks this is a pointless disscussion - Nelly T.I. Who are they but whores to this cookie cutter industry, these are not business men they don’t sign their on checks. Let’s go to the powers the be the Lables exec’s who put this crap out to our communities?? That is why they are so defensive b/c this is there career..This is something that they get paid to do, beleive me Nelly and T.I. Would not want there kids to look like whores and drug dealers on the tv screen that is why they are making the $ to give them a better education. IF you want to change the industry stop buying in the all the none sense the record lables bring your way Stop complaing and DO! Peace

I CANT FULLY COMMENT ON THIS TOPIC BECAUSE I DIDN’T SEE THE SHOW BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS I AM NOT WORRIED ABOUT MY DAUGHTER SEEING THIS MESS BECAUSE I MONITOR WHAT SHE WATCHES AND SHE HAS NOT REACHED THE AGE OF VISITING FRIENDS HOUSES TO WATCH IT ELSEWHERE, I’LL CROSS THAT BRIDGE WHEN I GET THERE

BUT I , PERSONALLY, AS A BLACK WOMAN AM TIRED OF SEEING BLACK WOMEN BEING DEGRADED IN RAP VIDEOS-SO OF COURSE I DON’T WATCH IT BUT AGAIN IT DOES PERPETUATE THAT ALL BLACK WOMEN ARE GOOD FOR IS SHAKING THEIR ASSES AND COLLECTING A MAN’S MONEY IN EXCHANGE FOR SEXUAL FAVORS

AND AS MUCH AS PEOPLE WANT TO BELIEVE THAT THIS HAS NO AFFECT ON OUR SOCIETY I BELIEVE THAT THIS SPECIFICALLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE BREAKDOWN OF BLACK WOMEN/MEN PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS

AS LONG AS A MAN KNOWS THERE IS A WOMAN HE CAN HAVE SEX WITH JUST FOR HIS NOTORIETY OR HIS MONEY-WHY IN THE HELL WOULD HE COMMIT TO ONE WOMEN OR NOT CHEAT ON HIS WOMAN

WHEN WOMEN HELD THEMSELVES TO HIGHER STANDARDS AND ENGAGED IN SEX WITH A MAN ONLY IF THEY WERE IN A RELATIONSHIP-BLACK RELATIONSHIPS WERE BETTER, PEOPLE GOT MARRIED AND THERE WERE LESS SINGLE-PARENT HOUSEHOLDS

EVERYBODY IS SEX CRAZED BLACK MEN AND WOMEN-NOBODY WANTS TO COMMIT AND EVERYBODY SEEMS TO BE SLEEPING AROUND (BASED ON THE RISE IN STDS AND AIDS CASES)

AND THE IMAGES PORTRAYED IN VIDEOS HAVE BECOME MORE OF A REALITY THAN JUST PURE ENTERTAINMENT-SEX ACTS THAT USE TO BE UNIMAGINEABLE OR MEANT TO BE FANTASIES ARE COMMON ACTS COMMITTED BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO PROBABLY HOOKED UP AT A CLUB LISTENING TO SONGS LIKE TIP DRILL ETC.

JUST MY TWO CENTS

I agree with Keeke and The_One - my sister and I both said the show was pointless and just opened a can of worms that is now crawling around. “Talk is cheap…”

“Hip hop is hypocrisy and you can quote me.”
-Victoria

@THE_ONE

THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE AND I’M SO GLAD THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE LIKE YOU OUT HERE

IT’S SO COMMON TO JOIN THE MASSES AND AGREE WITH EVERYTHING AND DISAGREE WITH NOTHING

WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY THAT IS ALL ABOUT SELF-PRESERVATION IF YOU WANT IT OR YOU CAN DO IT-WHY NOT? NOBODY EVER REALLY QUESTIONS WHY THEY DO WHAT THEY DO OR EVEN STOP TO CONSIDER WHO IT MAY AFFECT.

IT’S CALLED MORALS-LAWS SHOULDN’T BE THE ONLY STANDARDS PEOPLE ADHERE TO, HAVING MORALS AND BEING ACCOUNTABLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS ARE CHARACTERISTICS THAT MANY OF OUR ANCESTORS HAD THAT WE NOW LACK-

WE STAND FOR NOTHING AND FALL FOR EVERYTHING AS LONG AS IT MAKES MONEY

Just stop it already…

Make no mistake, I don’t place all of the blame squarely and soley on the shoulders of TI or Nelly or rappers in general… But with power comes responsibility. As soon as one cashes that check, you must also own the power and consequence of your art.
Also that argument about parents is so LAME. My parents were very protective of me and did their damndest to monitor my activities. Still, I found a way to sneak and watch the likes of Benny Hill and other adult programming on the sly. Clearly that was 20+ yrs ago and definitely before the advent of the internet and mp3s. The point is no one lives in a vacuum and while parents need to be the most inflential persons in their child’s life, to suggest that if the child gets a hold to anything that can be damaging, the parent has been negligent and shierks their responsibilities is absurd. ***** I remember watching a special on Nelly a couple of years ago and he spoke about how his mom used to work in a fast food restaurant so she could provide for her children. She also managed to find time in her schedule to attend all his little baseball games. Yet and still, he also admits that he started selling drugs with some of his St Lunatics crew. Does that mean his own mother should be condemned? Did she somehow fall down on her job as a mother? Of course not! She is a human being doing the best job she could to raise her son and daughter.

@93. PREACH!!! I agree 100%

Why were people clapping for the lady? I don’t understand what’s so commendable about being a single mom — it’s no achievement in and of itself. She might have had a point but she definitely didn’t make a strong argument. Nelly made her look silly. I ENJOY tip drill, and I have an Ivy League degree and no criminal record. What’s her point exactly?

EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!! READ Post # 93

Chante, that was right on sistah!

121. JA

“It is not a rapper, a singer, football player or models job to make sure your kids have a good influence. I dont think that being a single parent is harder then being a married parent. That is just a cop-out. If you have those kids it is your job to take care of the them and make sure they doing the right thing.”

———————————————————–

That is true. Whether if we admit it or not, it all starts at home. You have to sustain the best example when it comes to children so they won’t look to outsiders as a role model. I was born in 81’ when the music started changing, I had a love for Hip Hop music but my mother wasn’t having it. She would forbid me to listen to certain as Snoop Dog, Ice T, Easy E. She would block BET & Yo! MTV Raps Show just so show she was not playing with me. She would also take time to discuss Hip Hop & R&B artists stating that they are only for entertainment…meaning they will do anything to become famous and rich…they don’t care about you or the messages they are sending out to the world…it’s all for show. She would teach about higher education, representing myself in a positive manner than what society thinks of me and to become the total opposite of what I saw on music videos.

However times have changed and parents are not communicating with their children. Most parents are working 12-hour shifts just to keep the lights on and food on the table. They you have some parents who don’t know how to reach their children because no one taught them. Regardless, today these babies look to the television for guidance and what they are receiving is a bizarre lifestyle image from artists on how to behave and present themselves. Being this is fact, we all should demand more from these artists & other entertainers. Because whether if they admit it or not, children are looking up to them as an example.

As the old saying, it takes a village to raise a child and EVERYONE needs to play their part. Entertainers, people in the church, the neighbors and family members all play a part in a child’s life. It just wasn’t my mother who inspired me to do right in life. It was the all the people that she surrounded with that showed how to become a responsible, happy adult. Thought I know many do not have it like I did but we can’t rappers when we continue to suppport them. The foundation of a encouraging life starts at home whether if we want to admit it or not.

# 93

That is very true. Sad, but all so true.

Why does it have to be hip-hop versus America? Why can’t we have a discussion and agree to disagree. If we come in against each other how can we ever have a peaceful discussion.

I think some of the music and the videos have gone to far and some of it is just silly. But there is some serious and consciouss stuff going on as well. I think the records are not selling anymore because you can only make the stuff so many time until even your core audience will get sick of it eventually.

What I don’t lilke is how they link all black music to hip-hop and it is not. I also don’t like the fact that young people think they only have to listen to rap. I think they need to have more diversity in your life. If everything in your life comes in the form of one thing it makes you an extremely limited person.

So lets try and have a discussion and not an us vs them. Because within us there can never be an usvthem because we are us and them.

Ok what the hell took y’all so long to post this? Complexndope and I were speaking about this on another one of the posts that had to do with T.I (I think it was the one where he was leaving Christian A.).U shoulda been on this one since they showed Part One of the special… i’m just too tired to comment on it but I loved how they all showed their points and made it a significant factor that they get the msg out to ALL of America and not just black ppl or just adults…

toodz

Well said Keeke, TMOE, Richard, Baliey, THE ONE, and many others

I think there are alot of people out there who are misinformed about this topic or are just uneducated. I just don’t understand how anyone in their right mind can say that hip-hop does not have a negative influence on people. I’m 20 years old and I go to college and I recently worked as a tutor but now work at a community center and I know firsthand what these young black kids are talking about and doing. These young black girls look at these music videos and think its cute to dance like a slut and dress like one. Young black boys think its cool if they dress like a thug and some of them who even come from affluent families think that its cool to sell drugs and carry guns around because rappers do it and think that at the end of the day if they do it too, then it’ll make them look tough.

These rap videos promote ignorance and misogny - black kids think its cool to talk like some uneducated loser because they think that if you appear smart, then it means that you’re acting white. So a lot of these kids talk in ebonics or slang and spit out the n word like its nothing. How frustrating it is to see 12 year old boys talk about how they’re gonna “fuck that nigga up” or shoot somebody over nothing. And then you have boys who call other girls their ages bitches and hoes because some girl doesn’t wanna be their girlfriend. (Trust me I always call them out when I do hear them say that). These boys hear their favorite rapper say those demeaning words all the time - on the radio and on tv - so how could it be wrong? And these videos teach black girls at a very young age that they have to act sexual if they want a boy’s attention and that they have to dance like a slut and give into their temptations if they want a guy to like them.

And it doesn’t matter how strict some of their parents are: the kids can behave well-mannered when their at home but once those kids leave their house and go to school or to the courtyard, then you really see their true colors. And BET is apart of the problem. The only time black children see people of their skin color on tv is on BET. There are only a few television shows that include a black person or any other minority in the cast. Even that, theres ALWAYS just one black person or one hispanic person on these television shows. You never see black people on television unless its on BET or TVONE reruns of Living Single, In the House, New York Undercover, etc… How can you tell young black people that they shouldn’t watch BET, when its the only time that they can see black people of their skin color on tv all day and everyday? The only time they see prosperous successful black people on television, is on BET or on sports channels. Thats why so many of them think that the only way they could make it is if they become a rapper or an basketball player, or a NFL player. Lets face it BET represents black people and its a poor representation of us.

What people see on BET, is what people think of black people as a whole. Because of the negative images that are associated with hip-hop, people all over the world are going to continue to think that if they see a black guy on the street, then he is going to rob them or shoot them. Call them ignorant for thinking that but its not their fault if they do think that.. Not only that, but I’m tired of the whole world thinking that all that black women can offer is a lap dance and a “good time.”

ABOUT RAPPERS DEGRADING BLACK WOMEN AND MAKIN THEM LOOK LIKE HOES:

1. THEY ARENT DOING GREAT THINGS FOR THE IMAGE OF BLACK MEN (THEMSELVES) EITHER. I HATE HOW THE WHITE MEDIA LABELS OUR BLACK MEN AS PIMPS AND DRUG DEALERS AND CRIMINALS. SURELY THE NEGATIVE STEREOTPYES OF BLACK MEN ARE JUST AS DAMAGING TO SOCIETY AS THE NEGATIVE IMAGES OF BLACK WOMEN. MALE OR FEMALE, WE’RE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT. BLACK WOMEN MIGHT SHAKE THEIR ASSES IN VIDEOS, BUT THE COON STEREOTYPE OF BLACK MALES IS ALSO BEING PURPORTED.

2. BLACK WOMEN ARE NOT HELD AT GUNPOINT TO BECOME VIDEO HOES. THEY DO IT BY CHOICE–SO U CANT JUST ASSUME THAT THEYRE IN THEIR SITUATION CAUSE SHE WAS FORCED BY BLACK MEN TO DANCE HALF-NAKED IN SOME STUPID VIDEOS. PC LIBERAL FEMINISTS SAY THIS SAME THING ABOUT WOMEN IN THE PORNO INDUSTRY BUT GUESS WHO MADE THAT DECISION TO DO SEXUAL ACTS ON CAMERA—THE WOMEN THEMSELVES. I, AS A BLACK WOMAN, DONT WANNA BLAME EVERYTHING ON BLACK MEN OR EVEN WHITE PEOPLE IN GENERAL. VIDEO HOES ARE DAMAGING THEIR OWN IMAGES AND ARE DOING THE SAME TO OTHER BLACK WOMEN.

I think hiphop does have a lot of influence on our youth but hiphop along is not the only problem. What about television, and some of the shows they are showing for all of America to see. We need to make our kids realize that it’s okay to listen to music but look up to people that really make a difference like doctors, teachers, and people of that status who are not in the lime light. And BET has some of the stupidest shows on TV so they really need to step their game up since they are portraying BLACK ENTERTAINMENT.

And as far as disrespcting females, I’m a female and I feel that a lot of females disrespect themselves to stoop to certain levels to even get in a video; so why don’t they do other things for themselves besides stand up half naked in a video; which a lot of them are doing for little or no money.

i don’t think the rappers made any valid point. i respect them for coming on there, but they made no valid points. nelly made a few but tried to blame everyone else and he needed to take responsibility for tip drill, TI ried to blame everything on the household, some I agree but others didn’t make any sense. Bet needs to stop playing these dumb ass videos. I agree with the Professors, Public Speakers at least they made sense. waste of my time!!!!

AND CONTINUING ON MY SECOND POINT–I REMEMBER SOMEONE WHO APPEARED ON DEF COMEDY JAM DURING THE 90′S SAID THIS–HE SAID THAT SOME CHICKS WOULD GET OFFENDED IF ANOTHER WOMAN CALLS THEM A BITCH OR A HOE, BUT IF SNOOP DOGG SAID IT, THEY BE WORSHIPPING HIS ASS AND SHIT! VIDEO HOES GET TREATED LIKE BITCHES CAUSE THEY DONT RESPECT THEMSELVES.

This discussion or roundtable rather should have been done about 10-12 years ago,why is it happening now? What these artist are doing is nothing new! The only diffrence is that rap music is a huge money maker right now so it’s in the forefront.Why are people so up in arms about in now when the ho’s, bitches, and the glorification of violence and sex have been running rampant in rap music since the early 90’s

Thanks guys.

I hate that they get these people on these shows who feel that just because they study hip hop, they know everything, you cant study hip hop, hip hop is a feeling, a culture, an understanding. to say that rappers are expected to be rolemodels is bull, because these are the same cats who raised themselves in the streets, or by gang members who were the only family they knew. some rappers got in the industry very young, and most were rapping before they got signed, and what they were rapping about, cars and guns, and their life, is what got them the record deal. everybody cant be a common and a nas. yes that all well and good, but i believe that sometimes people dont see that, and need to realize that. i have so much more to say, i need to go on oprah or BET with something like this and speak.

I just think that there is more than one influence in all life. Not only do flowers need water to grow, it needs the sun, and not only does it need the sun, it needs nuturing…I said all that to say that people are the same. There’s going to be more than one influence in your life, and it’s up to you to decipher what’s going to make you grow because unlike a flower, it can’t take care of itself. Kids are smarter than what everone is making them out to be. I was a kid when I was first exposed to vulgar hip hop like NWA and Luke…I heard it, my parents didn’t talk to me about it–hip hop wasn’t the first time I heard that language. I didn’t let it shape my mind into thinking that I am what they were saying???? I saw music for what it was, it’s not my parent, or my God. It was a sound, a beat, a thing. Could it have influenced me? Sure if I let it…but it didn’t. People need to stop acting like kids are so mindless that they can’t tell the difference between this, that or the other. Sure everyone doesn’t have parents, but everyone that didn’t doesn’t attribute their lives to music and if they did then ok. But Nelly, Snoop, Pac, or whoever never gave me anything but a dope sound to bob my head to because that’s all that I accepted it to be to me

Instead of rapping about tip drills Nelly shoulda been rap about bone marrow- for real - maybe because of his status that would have been more effective publicity….

The title “Hip-Hop vs. America” sounds kind of terroristic, lol. Maybe it was a subliminal message regarding the stance America has always taken and will continue to take against the “hip-hoppers” (blacks and hispanics). The program, in my opinion, was a microcosm of the dialogue that occurs when black people try to discuss serious issues amongst each other. There was alot of impassioned rhetoric and alot of good questions asked, but no one answered anything because no one could. No one could because black people have the enormous issue of having to overcome racism and oppression and at the same time feeling as if they shouldn’t offend the white man when they speak about those issues. That’s why everyone was so frustrated. Due to the fact that no one wants to offend the caucasians, all serious black dialogue quickly devolves into name-calling and arguments between men vs. women and old vs. young because we have to “start with ourselves”. We do have to start and end with ourselves but in real discourse about the problems in the black community, the caucasians will ahve to be addressed. Simple as that. Even within the hip hop vs. America guidelines, the real battle shaped up as the civil rights movement generation vs. the post-crack epidemic generation and the sanctimonious sisters versus the manipulative, misogynistic, exploitative young black man, lol.

From what portions of the show I saw, people like Michael Eric Dyson represent everything that’s wrong with so-called black leadership in America.The man has mastered the art of saying absolutely nothing in the midst of all his phony, polysyllabic, male feminist, pimp talk bluster. Did anyone in the studio or viewing audience really even understand what the hell the man was talking about? When he spoke, people either laughed or they got confounded and looked quizzically at each other. That’s obviously why the white man allows men like him and Cornel West to teach at some of these colleges, i.e. Georgetown University. They deal with metaphysics, pseudo-philosophy, idealism, contrived Afro-centricity, and political correctness. Don’t forget the glasses either, lol, they always have to wear glasses so that people can think that they’re intelligent. As soon as real solutions get broached, the inner coon in those men will come out, guranteed. There’s a conflict of interests because they get their power and prestige from white America so they will not bite the hand that feeds them.

I applaud Nelly’s courage for coming on the show, knowing that he was going to get castigated like he was. He was impassioned in how he spoke and that almost made up for the fact that he had little foundation to what he stood for. T.I. should be great in “American Gangster” if the acting and posturing that he did on this program was any indicator. The man contradicted himself when he claimed that rappers speak about the realities in the black community but then acknowledged that if they made videos depicting the upstanding or just average aspects of the black community, BET and MTV would reject the video. So the man basically acknowledged that these rappers are the real bitches and hos because they’re getting sent out on the stroll by the music and television executives. The program’s producers would’ve been just as fine having Nelly square off vs. Stanley Crouch one on one. Those were the only two people on the panel who really had a purpose to being there as opposed to seeking a television appearance. Crouch makes decent points but he’s one of those blacks from the 50’s and 60’s that’s too proud to acknowledge that the civil rights movement wasn’t effective.

As for Melyssa Ford and the other sisters, they really mocked themselves and each other. She kills me with that, “I was paying for my college tuition. I’m not like these new girls.”, spiel. She set the standard for whoredom in these rap videos and all she has to show for it is a cocaine habit and periodic television appearances. I wonder if anyone will ever have a show with all the prominent female rappers and take them to task for the images that they propagate. If they do, it would eventually become another black male bashfest any damn way, lol.

I believe music is vital to life, so to think music does’nt affect people is foolish. Music is a language spoken by every person on the face of this earth. Black people birthed Hip Hop and it changed the world - literally. I once was in a remote african villiage and heard Jay-Z on the radio- Hip Hop has transcended every race and nation. Unfortunately in it’s birth place , America - it has been raped of it’s truth . Like they said on the show, in places like France, Japan, London people are still passionate about the true essense of Hip Hop.
My point is Music is more than just vibrations in the air- it is spiritual, it’s can change emotions and feelings. It affects people whether these rappers/artists know it or not. Do i believe elements of Hip Hop have damaged the reputation of Black America?- Definately.
Do i believe that Hip Hop is destroying American society? -Hell No.
Do i believe in freedom of speech and espression? -YES !

But i feel everyone has to take responsibilty for what we put out there. And we as women need to stop

Ya’ll say parents need to watch their kids but you got some parents who work two jobs to put food on the table and don’t have time to watch their kids all da time. Some kids are in the position where they have to watch themselves. Not only that bet have uncut like its damn porn channel knowing kids can wake up in the middle of the night, especially Friday when its no school the next day, and watch uncut with the tv low while their mom are sleep. There’s also boys with no father so they gonna look up to rappers, and we all know a single mom cant teach a boy to be a man.

Like I said, everything has an influence-it’s up to you to let it. People have their own mind, they just have to use it.

WHAT A WASTE OF AIRTIME? BET SUCKS AND BLOWZ…
nelly t.i. and mike Jones…the main ones feedin garbage to the youth with all that ice this, ho B8tch that..N8gga I got this you aint got that kind of bullshh.. neither of them artist are real…if they truly mean what they say they wouldnt be feedin the young black youth garabge azz music thats self destructive…their music would be a bit more polictical and wise….not commercial gimmick azz popcorn hiphop…rhymes thats just meant to sell instead of rhymes that can used to help created a positive change..I can most certainly give *two middle fangaz* about what that video cluck has to say…and then tha braod has the audacity to say she wants be a rolemodel for young girls? What she meant to say was for young and upcomin video hoz? BET is so damn backwardz its pathetic that station can go to hell…im so disappointed at BET AND THEY LAME AZZ SHOWS.

ASHELy…my sistah you are dead wrong…I know plenty of hardworkin single moms who have raised their sons better than any man could have…yes its a good thing to have a family..and thats why sex shouldnt be overrated and abused…And please do not make up excuses for tired parents who say they dont have time to raise their kids…because my mom worked her azz off and went to school but she also made sure I was taken care of first and she has done a damn great job in raisin me…and trust me theres many other moms out here that work hard azz hell but still make time to raise their kids the right way…so ma open up your eyes a bit wider…

BUMBA I *cosign*

I agree with number 5 on Nelly

Preach Judah! lol… and for LacLady I agree with you to a certain extent but I do think Ashley was right too…

I was raised by a single mother and I don’t mind saying that I think that I turned out pretty well. She instilled morals and values in me and basically raised me and my brother in a christian household. But the thing is, its still very difficult for young boys to grow up in this world without a healthy father figure in their lives. As much as my mom trys to continually instill values in all of us, I do see my little brother hanging out with the wrong crowd and he actually thinks that theres nothing wrong with calling a woman a bitch. Even though that word was never once used in our household, I’m not stupid, I know where he got it from. I see those kids trying to imitate those rappers, trying to talk like them and dress like them.

A woman can teach their son on how to be respectful to other people but its not the same when its not coming from a male figure that he could connect with on a one-to-one level. Psychologists say the most important relationship a boy could ever have is with his father. And lets face it, since many fathers are not living in the household, boys are going to keep looking up to these rappers because they don’t have any other successful black man in their life to look up to. Statistics keep showing that black men who don’t have a father in their lives, are more likely to do drugs, drop out of school, get into gangs, or even father a child. Moms can do their best, but again, I have to say that its been proven that the strongest and most important relationship that a child will ever have, the one that will have the most impact, is with their same-sex parent - the mother to daughter relationship and then the father to son relationship.

Thats why its important for the daddies to be around for their son, to teach them how a man is suppose to act. Unfortunately, it looks like young boys are looking up to these rappers for guidance into trying to find out what a man is suppose to look like.

Rappers need to face the fact…THEY ARE ROLE MODELS…hell, everyone is a role model to someone, that’s just the way it is!..I’m a teacher and the other day I heard two of my “academically challenged” students break down the meaning of lil wayne’s verse in his latest song… I was shocked these students are barely passing and they were able to understand everything he was saying…I’m with them for 180 days, they have never met lil wayne and they care more about what he says than I do! So, I hope they realize that they do have an influence!!!!

Hip hop has nothing to do with ignorant parents letting their children run wild while they fill their noses with cocaine.

People say that it is the parents responsibility to raise the kids. In most black communities, 70 percent plus of black kids are born into single parent homes. Parents work more and are home less. What parents?

If people thought about the situations kids deal with in many Black communities, they’d voluntarily limit raunchy booty aand trap music.

@KENNY …WOW .. “should he start havin bunch of fat bitches in them, i personally think these women in hip hop videos are how beautiful black women should look like.” ME BEING A FAT GURL IM SHOCKED TO HEAR SOMETHING LIKE THAT … THOSE WOMEN IN THESE VIDEOS ARE PRETTY BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT ALL BLK WOMEN SHOULD LOOK LIKE …YOU SOUNDED VERY IGNORANT WITH THAT STATEMENT … NOW IM NOT SPEAKIN ON IT CAUSE IMA FAT GIRL BUT BECAUSE IM A BLACK WOMAN AND I KNOW IM BEAUTIFUL ..ANYWAYS ABOUT THA SHOWS .. I LIKED IT THEY WERE SPEAKIN SOME TRUTH EVEN SUPERHEAD WAS SHES ON PART 3 ON BET.COM/ONBLAST…..I WENT AND WATCHED IT LAST NIGHT…I FEEL LIKE U ANYONE GOT BEEF WITH HIP HOP DONT LISTEN TO IT .. IT DONT DEFINE ME NONE OF THA SHIT THEY SAYIN IN THEY SONGS …IM NOT THA BITCH OR THA HOE THEY TALKIN BOUT SO IT DONT OFFEND ME ITS MUSIC TO ME THATS IT THATS ALL .. I MEAN SOME STUFF THEY PUT OUT I ASK WHY AND WHO GAVE THEM A RECORD DEAL BUT OTHER THAN THAT THIS IS ENTERTAINMENT … THATSWHAT THEY GET PAID TO DO ENTERTAIN ME…

Please remember the women in the videos always have a choice in what they do and how far to go. Dont always blame the Rappers for the videos. u can be a video model and do it tastefully. no further.

Sorry the TipDrill issue and it being upset by Spelman girls is just as dumb for two reasons.These women be up in the club shaking their ass to these song so it makes no point to me.It makes it invalid.and I agree with Hdizzle.And Lil Kim,Eve and Trina are just as nasty.When Eve came on BET Rap City acting like she was some angel I thought she has some nerve.

BET - know exactly who their demo ifor every show… they know they have babies watching 106 & Park and they still market soft porn to kids.

There is nothing wroing with some of those videos as adult ent but why not play them at night, why not be more strict about what is on 106 & park.

Is their payola on BET? I just don’t think all of those videos are really votes on by those kids.

Parents - stop being lazy and get off the couch and use your pin # to block certain channels in your family. My best friend has satellite and she blocks several channels in hrr family room and her kids room… her adn her husband get EVERYTHING on satellite….. but her kids don’rt. Too many irresponsible parents out there. Call your cable /satellite company!!!!

Record Labels - Start signing and PROMOTING more artisit like Lupe, Alicia, Chrisette, Erykah, Jill Scott, Kanye, Lauryn Hill, and Usher…stop promoting GHETTO culture Kelly Rowland,,, you were rich by the time you were a teenager!!

RADIO - the payola system is not working, radio one is still losing money!! Think outside of the box and start playing more artisit from independent labels like Teedra Moses who are more relevant and talented… you might actully be more successful.

BET is one of the least watched national cable channnel according to latest reports that cover cable tv. Radio One is losing profit on hip hop stations…. this is all because of payola!!

Way to getting one step closer to solving an issue, bring all the problem makers, and criticizers together, & lets have them speak their mind. U guyz, we r going in full circle here. This shit will never be solved, we’ll just keep having discussion panels, but i still see the same old music videos on BET and MTV Jams, so………….

#49 you are so right! I am an African-American femaile (30-ish) and grew up on real hip hop and I have seen the change! I listen to all listen to some of the rap they were referring to, but I know that doesnt define me as a person. It has never influenced my decisions because I understood it was “fantasty” and I was taught to resect myself. If more parents (black and white) stopped relying on the tv to raise their children it wouldnt be an issue! It is not these entertainers responsibilty to raise our children! Just like Nelly and TI stated the record companies, media outlets, and the consumers wouldnt buy the product if it didnt have mass appeal. You cant fault or blame the entertainers for “doing their job” and appealing to the masses! Its time for parents to step up, and take control of their children! Its also time for people to stop blaming the rappers for the women who CHOOSE to be half naked in the videos! They are grown ass women who decided to do that! If anything,. thee needs to be a panel to stop them from degrading themselves!

Co-sign on #5.

@127

THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS IN THE CONSTITUTION, WHICH WAS WRITTEN BY SLAVE OWNERS, AND IT ALSO CONSIDERED BLACKS 3/4 OF A PERSON. IF ANYBODY OR THING IS HYPOCRITICAL IT IS THE CONSTITUTION.

Why did the old jerks who started all this crap and nonsense act like they were scared to open their mouths???? I know I would be if I went all out to destroy other peoples’ million dollar careers!!! And A-hole Oprah who started all the crap and is behind it wasn’t even on the podium. She’s running scared too.

YEAH, OPRAH STARTED ALL THIS CRAP. SHE EVEN ASKED THAT OTHER TALK SHOW HOST NOT HAVE RAPPERS ON THEIR PROGRAMS AND THAT THEIR CONTRACTS BE CANCELLED. NOW HER SCARY AZZ IS HIDING BEHIND AL, AND THOSE OTHER OLD FOOLS. SHE’S BEHIND ALL THIS ANTI-SAGGING STUPIDITY TO GET BLACK BOYS LOCKED UP FOR FASHION TOO. NOW HER SCARY AZZ IS TRYING TO DISASSOCIATE HERSELF. SHE STARTED ALL OF IT WHEN SHE GOT JEALOUS OF 3 6 MAFIA FOR WINNING THE ACADEMY AWARD AND SHE DIDN’T FOR THE COLOR PURPLE. THE PRAISE HOGG WAS HOPPING MAD ABOUT THAT.

i couldnt turn the channel, each individual made several valid points. and i love how professional t.i.

Well, I think its easy to blame the rappers for the down fall of the black community but lets face it, there are so many other factors out there and we can not hold one party responsible. Music videos are meant to entertain not to teach, that’s what are parents, pastors, and teachers used to do. We have the freedom of speech and we can not limit that to people other than rappers. We have a choice whether or not to buy the music, to tune into BET and as parents we have a choice of what we will and will not allow our kids to watch. Its amazes me how we can find so much fault in the rappers and publicize all the negative, but how often to we hear about the positive things they do. How often did we hear about Nelly’s foundation? Like it was said, they could be living the life to make the money or telling you about there experiences. Which would you rather have. Music has been the only outlet for alot of troubled youth. If you ban what they can and cannot say it will only cause more trouble. Parents are not spending enough time with the kids to find out about what they are watching, who they are hanging with and what they know or don’t know. That’s not the rappers fault. Some of our pastors are not willing to speak on issues hurting our black communities out of fear and that’s not the rappers fault. Some of our teachers view their job as another day at work and not instrumental part of a childs future, others are afraid of correcting kids because parents are more likely to be upset and want to fight than supportive and appreciative. That’s not the rappers fault. These women make a choice to be in these videos, they are not forced. Some of them make it a career to be in every rappers video, its a choice. Put more books in your childs room, more child hood games instead of all the fighting and shooting playstations games, play more games with your kids and dont subscribe to cable. Stop shifting blame on others. Rappers can not control what we as parents allow in our homes, cars and kids possessions and should not have too. Kids are not allowed to be kids anymore, not allowed to go outside and play, ride bikes, jump rope all they want to do is sit in front of a tv, computer and playstation. You control that. We have to be positive role models for our kids and bring them into the company of other positive people we want our kids to see.Its not a rapper/entertainers responsibility. Yeah you wonder if they think twice about the things they say but its there choice. We can’t take it away. It amazes me how offended we can get over a video but we won’t join our neighborhood watch programs, PTA’s, city councils. What’s degrading is not teaching these kids in schools, just passing them on to get them out of your schools, what’s degrading is not reporting the local drug dealer in front of your house selling to kids and their parents, what’s degrading is allowing our daughters to think that because their mothers, grandmothers were on welfare its okay and acceptable to be content being on welfare, what’s degrading is knowing your child is mixed up with the wrong crowd and being to scared to but a belt on him or her or call the police when you know he’s committed a crime, what’s degrading is bringing all these men in and out of our children’s lives, what’s degrading is being so focused on the negative and not being open minded to others peoples ideas, thoughts and cultures, what’s degrading is continuing to find others to blame for our own down fall as a black community such as the “white man”, the system, the rappers and not taking responsibility for our own actions, not fighting the battle of black on black crime in our own communities, not trying to elimate the dependency of welfare in our communities, instead of talking about our brothers and sisters, why not pull them to the side and help them, give them a chance to work for your company..proud black business owner. Stop looking to for a place, person or thing to place blame and step up to be a part of the solution starting in your own home. Now if you aren’t registered to vote (excluding the convicted felons that can’t)then your word means nothing so stop complaining and stop commenting, if you haven’t joined your kids PTA then your word means nothing, if you haven’t reported or stood up against crimes in your own neighborhood, your word means nothing. Start close to home, then go world wide but eliminating the power of choice and right to free speach and expression is not the way to solve the crisis in the black community.

I think the most valid point regarding the view of black women was when the young lady on panel (don’t remember her name) made the point that America only see’s black women in one light, and that ass shaking, raunchy, “superhead” types b/c there are no other images of black women on TV. The only other time we see that, is on the CW lineup. Thats it. So America starts to believe what it see’s.

To LACLADY
OK I see you had to share your story yea what ever. Anyways my eyes are open. That’s your mom good for her. I have witness some single parents who are more at home than work. I’m not talking about watching their kids far as taking care of them. As you you know a mother busting her ass at two jobs is in my book is taking care of her kids putting food on the table and so on. I’m talking about not home enough far as seeing what their kids watching 24 hours. Then you got to look at some situations where kids parents are on drugs an taking care of themselves. It’s just so many situations out there that don’t even come from bad parenting. From kids living with their grandparents and you know they old ass can’t keep up with these fast ass kids. It does makes it harder with out a father figure. A young boy will rather look up to a rapper than maybe his uncle or somebody because rappers seem to get more of their attention. Lets be real here. Some boys be like o that nigga aint my daddy to someone in they fam oppose to them following what a rapper does. And sweetie I have been in situations as where I had to take care of myself and younger siblings, which I choose not to discuss… Beleve me their are alot of different situations out there u need to look at before coming at me…… Ya digg!!!!

Ashley,
I disagree. A single mom can teach a boy how to be a man. One thing for sure a real woman knows what type of values, morals and characteristics of a real man she wants by her side and all she has to do is instill those things into her son, be supportive, get involved with his school, sports and keep an open line of communication. We have to stop saying a child needs both parents. Yeah it would be great to have two parents in the home, but what we need to do is stop making excuses, stand on our own two feet, take ownership, work hard, be positive, be supportive and last but not least pray. If we keep making excuses nothing will change. As a single parent I know times get hard, situations seem unbareable at times but what keeps me going is the love for my child and wanting her to more out of life and also the love and respect I have for myself won’t allow me to do anything but work hard and be a loving parent. I lead by example. I want my child to see me a strong black, professional and independent black woman, who works hard to provide for her and her child while still finding time to reach out and help others in need. Hip Hop can’t teach her that and shouldn’t have to. Some things are a parents responsibility.

Look…

I only watched five minutes of this show and turned the channel. I’m so sick of this HIP-HOP vs. AMERICA bullshit, I don’t know what to do. So I simply solve that problem: I only support positive hip-hop which is mostly underground/independent. Best thing, the indie rap is better than the mainstream and I never grow tired of it. Fuck Nelly, Fuck T.I., Fuck MC Blah, Blah, Blah and Lil’ Wakkakakakaka…whatever. As a Black woman their music offends me, so I don’t waste my money on them nor do I support them. Sitting up and bitching about it won’t go anywhere. All America is doing is giving these young coonish rappers more ammunition top create more ignorant and degrading music. I don’t care if they are in it for the money, they need to become MEN and grow up, invest their money and represent the good Black men much longing for. The mainstream rap industry is sleazy and money-hungry, therefore, I’ll support those underpaid, yet extremely talented indie rappers. =)

Toodles.

@ #10

You had me until you said “Nelly”. Tell me how does he being a “party rapper” make him positive? Just because you like parties? As far as I’m concerned, HE is negative simply because he accepts the degradation of women. Period.

Sorry but I cannot put him and concious rap on the same fucking boat.

[...] who help to perpetuate negative and limited female images. Recently she appeared as a panelist on BET’s Hip Hop vs. America, which gave her an opportunity to address materialism and ask Nelly about the portrayal of women in [...]

i’m a black girl living in France (sorry for my english) and we listen a lot of hip hop there,whe are approximately 4 millions blacks in france mosty from Africa and french-carribean
black people in france have much respect for african-american culture ,we are admirative when we see powerful black leader…because you may not know but it’s not easy for blacks in europe, there is a lot of racism and discriminations
we have none strong black leaders,so imo hip hop culture has a responsability because much black girl in france/europe/africa want to look like the girls in these video,and black boys want to have 50 cent lifestyle
there were debates about hip hop’s portrayal of women here too, because what you tend to forget is that american hip hop influence many other country, not only your, so the negative image dont hurt just african-american women, but also damage black women image all over the world
I saw place where there is no black people,and the sad thing is that the only black girls they know are the girls who shake their ass in music video, people can be ignorant and think all black girl are like that
African-americans are known all over the world from these videos,rappers dont want to take their responsabilities but they have a huge mediatic exposure ,they could encourage healthy lifestyle even outside the U.S,but they are more interested at making money

I’m sick of the ignorance on this board. Just because a person has a right to mouth off doesn’t mean they should. Ignorance always seems to speak first and loudest and some of you need to learn how to write proper english. You can barely communicate and string together a proper sentence to communicate and yet you think it’s ok for people like Nelly to continue to place blame everywhere else but on himself. We all have choices in the way we want to see our community represented. Here is a fact. Nelly and a lot of rappers are entertainers. These people are also role models when and if it suits them. It’s not okay to stand up one minute and say you have the right to freedom of speech and the next say you’re only putting on an act to sell albums. Take some responsibility. I’m an african-american woman who has had the advantage of living outside of the US for many years now and I can tell you, the rest of the world does NOT see us as educated, talented, or even on par with other cultures especially white people. They assume we are the same bullshit stereotypes we ALLOW to be put out there about us. And the worst part is, they’re mimmicking it!!!! I see Lebanese boys who dress, talk, and act like inner city black boys from the ghetto. I see Maori girls getting weaves and fake nails to look like what they see in videos. And when they approach a real african american, they approach me with the same mentality as someone in a music video. Nevermind that I’m educated and am probably there to help improve the way their governments are treating them.

Wake up. It’s not cute or cool to look like a fucking idiot. If you want to voice an opinion fine but don’t talk or spell in broken english or abbreviated symbols. Grow the fuck up and realise what kind of image you are putting out there. You are NOT keeping anything REAL except the stereotype that black americans are ignorant, uneducated, violent, socially inept, and unable to raise a decent family unit.

We’ve been through too much shit as a people to let this crap continue and I am so sick of it. I’m sick of us and the shit we do to one another. I can’t call a lot of you brother or sister anymore because you are the same person who’d all me a bitch or a sell out for writing this. I want better for us. I want YOU to want better for yourselves. Change this industry today and we’re on our way to having a better tomorrow. And music isn’t the only industry that needs this help.

The topic is very controversial. People put it so high on a pedestal it sits up there with “important issues”. I agreed with a lot of points T.I. & Nelly made because they were valid. The one thing i really commended Nelly for was the comment about the structure of a home produces the type of people that are in society, not the music. N yes Nelly had begun to get really defensive when it came to his controversial video “TIP DRILL” but if puzzles me how Porn is one of the things “America” produces but porn itself isn’t on trial like his video is. SHYT YOU CAN FIND PORN ON A MA FUCKIN’ HBO CHANNEL!!!! PARENTS BLOCK YOUR TV’S.

I also loved T.I.’s comments….the part where he explained hip hop is like a mirrored image to life in ma hood and shyt. It was so tru you couldn’t despute it. I also like how he said his usage of “B’s, F’s, & H’s” was like an attention-getter for the less intelligent among us. BECAUSE IT IS TRU….T.I. CARRIES A MESSAGE IN EVERY ALBUM, TRUST ME I HAVE THEM ALL!!!

ONLY THING I CAN ARGUE WITH IS THE FACT THAT HIP HOP HAS SO MUCH POWER IT CAN DO ANYTHING. THEY CAN MAKE JUMPIN’ OFF BRIDGES SOUND APPEALING. SO PARENTS HAVE TO MONITOR WHAT THEIR KIDS ARE SEEING, OR HEARING UNTIL THEIR MINDS CAN DEVELOP MORE INHIBITIONS.

I felt like I had to get out here and hear the reaction to this special, and this site offers the place where the real communcation happens. No communication happened on the show…not between the panelists, anyway. Dr. Dyson didn’t really listen to TI, Nelly didn’t really answer Farai Chideya’s questions, etc. It was a string of words spewed at a series of closed minds. It was a bunch of talkin w/no one listening. No one, except all of you. No one, except all of us.

What I hear is the head and tail of the same coin. What I hear is Nelly argue for the freedom of choice in our society while simultaneously negating his own responsibility for his choice of representation in either his music or videos. What I hear is TI offering his evidence that he has written positivity in “other songs” on his album, but the only tracks that get picked up are the ones that promote this gangsta lifestyle. What I hear is the regurgitation of Hova’s Moment of Clarity–”I can’t help the poor if I’m one of them/so I got rich and gave back, to me that’s the win win”– while neglecting the concept that the legacy of that mindset will live on in that image long after what was given back has been spent.

What I still haven’t heard is one mainstream rapper deciding to make a choice. I’m looking for one lyricist to make the choice to put a socially conscious rhyme on the hottest beat on their record, not on that filler track for the album. I’m looking for one to choose to spit something of substance behind the sickest hook on their record, not that hookless run-on sentence that’s buried beneath the hottest single. The beat and the hook sell the record: that’s how it boils down. Until that yet unnnamed rapper decides to make that choice and put their mouth where their money is, the de facto result is all that’s left. And that leaves the rest of us without any choice whatsoever, aside from shunning the shlock that passes off as hip-hop.

[...] I’d love to see Bill Cosby go head-to-head on one of the Hip Hop vs. America debates on BET, where the actual rappers and people most affected by the conditions he so vividly describes could [...]

I think the topic was very inportent and hip-hop should not be blamed for anything people of america do.They do things out of their own will.Every body likes to point fingers but they dont never take responsibility for their own actions.

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yea hip hop vs america has to be one of many legendary shows of 2008, because every time i look at that show it makes more and more sense towards the influences that it has on people but if only they made a show for the United Kingdom because i believe that they should open the eyes of the younger generation over the United Kingdom.

im kind of half and half on this subject even though it is demeaning you really do not have to watch it we do have choices

I think its about time people have addressed such issues in the hip hop and black culture. We as women, it is up to us to take a stand in what we believe in and we as in black people is to stand up for our people and to make sure we stick together. I wanted to argue about hip hop and how they think of women for the longest….We have to make a chance….music have to change. This all started as a little seed then it grew into a huge plant and its getting wayyy out of hand. Every music video you see a woman has to be half naked and disrespected…I’m not saying that it was the rapper’s choice to put her in the video because it was up to her to be in it but the lyrics of the rapper was up to him. Rappers and even singers control what they write in their music and they are in control of their actions. Women are in control of what they do and how they present themselves. Women don’t have to do low things to get disrespected, we can just be on the street or in a store. And the things that go on t.v millions of young people are watching it and they take in what they see on t.v. So many boys trying to be thugs and so many girls are trying to be like the girls they see on t.v. Boys only like the girls if they look a certain way and girls are willing to give up their body and their respect for themselves for boys. Teen pregnacy is out of control in this lifetime and it doesn’t make no kind of sense. But young people take it what they see and they do it just to fit in. God didn’t put us women on earth to be disrespected by men. Adam wasn’t disrespectful to Eve. God put women and men on this earth for a reasonal purpose and the purpose was not for us females to shake our ass in videos or be sex icons for men or to be sliding down poles. He didn’t put men on earth to throw money at women or to date her because of her outer appearance. Me, as a female has been disrespected a couple of times. I had a boy tell me I had big breasts…I went home and cried because that was just the rudest thing someone could say to a female. I’m sure everyone wants a man who respects them for their mind, for their personality and for the affection they give him. And I think rappers think we blame all this on them but if you turn on the radio and hear a song its either about money, a girl havin a sexy body and the artist is lusting over her or about cars or girls with big asses….thats all u hear. Only about sex..even some singers have songs like that on the radio so its not just rappers. If it ain’t about sex half the time its doesn’t sell. Why do sex sell? Why do people want to hear every song about sex? Like Plies, all he talk about is sex and i still hear every girl saying they like Plies. Its like if I don’t look a certain way or dress a certain way he ain’t going to like me or if I don’t have sex with him he just going to run to another girl…and why would that other girl give it up? We as women are so much better than we are on t.v. or in real life. And I think the girls in the video and on them real it t.v shows have a choice to stand up and be a woman and say i don’t want to do this…girls on flavor flav and videos ain’t making us women look any better. Its makin us worse. Women even white women has always been lower than men. They say its a man world but women still have their say so in it. And women these days most of them like to be disrespected. They like money to be thrown at them and they like to have sex and they like to shake their butts for men….but why be so low with yourself? I listen to the music these days but that don’t mean I like what I hear cause I really don’t. So its not just men its some women too. Because how you carry yourself and how you present yourself thats how you going to get treated. If you show up at a party half naked of course you going to get disrespected. If you go fully dresesed then you will get respect. Thats with guys who wants a lady who presents herself well but other boys will be all over that other chick because she looks easy. I seen many girls just go to a talent show with these tight tight booty shorts on and tight shirts and they look trashy just some of the girls in the videos and on tv. The way black people think of themselves and the way men treat women and the way women treat themselves is going down hill. Black people way before this time worked to hard especially women to be treated and thought of like this. Men say women can’t do this and women can’t do that…women can do anything they want but most women choose to do the wrong thing. Even teenagers choose the wrong path. They choose to have sex to sell themselves out, to drop out of school and to have babies and to do drugs….boys choose to want those type of girls and to disrespect them. It doesn’t take a man to tell a women she has big boobs and fat ass. It takes a man to tell a woman shes beautiful on the inside and out and that shes a strong woman. Being half naked and shaking your ass in a video that is not being a strong woman. Working to provide for your family, havin respect for yourself and presenting yourself well thats being apart of a strong woman!!!!!!! We people who believe in changing the world and standing up for what we believe needs to be the bigger person and take a stand forreal. This is our chance! And this is real talk….

As black woman I feel that some dont use their voice. Why sit down. Get up and defend yourself. I dont see anything wrong with the video or the song. It wasnt I that was on there and I know that it isn’t me who he’s rapping about. Everybody wants to get all out of shape about tip drill. Ok, how old is that song and video? If that’s the way those women chose to present thereselves, that’s on them. Everyone has to assume responsibility. Everyone has the right to voice their opinion. What I dont understand is why do females get mad because they are only known as TV H@*$!!! It’s crazy. Didn’t nobody tell them to go on tv and show what their momma gave them they did it on their own. Don’t disrespect yourself like that and you want get the negative feed back. Just because you come up a certain way doesn’t mean you let that own you. Somewhere you have to say I dont want this and change it. I was brought up ruff but it made a woman out of me and nothing else. There always seem to be a cop out for reason’s why you do the things you do. It’s in your heart if it wasn’t you wouldn’t do the things you do. It’s like we are saying it’s ok to be W’s and betrayed as dogs because that’s what you chose to be. Why get mad at Nelly when he is calling how you see it. What about the woman that is looking for that ticket out, and she sees this celebrity or some baller and use him as her sercutiy. A man can only do and treat you the way you wanna be treated. What else is he suppose to do when your main concern is you so his is himself. What about the woman that sleep with so many man they dont know who the father of their child is and dog a man. Quit putting yourself out there and letting others put you down. Look at Melissa Ford. I mean what did she do that was so great besides being on video with her behind sticking out and disrespecting herself and dont like how she is talked about but what did she do to get where is at. Everybody has the chance to go to school. For those who thinks differently Im sorry, but somewhere take responsibility for your actions. Karen Steffans takes the cake she goes and sleeps with all these different man write a book and oh no it was just that I was looking for love and I believe what they were telling me. Whatever half of the men had/has wives it’s like she did just so she could write a book and get paid. Then she dedicates her book to her son wow and she is on the PTA!!!!! So at what cost are you willing to get paid. You have to love yourself enough to say no there are no shortcuts to life. You have to live it to it’s fullest. You might fall, but pick yourself back up and say Im got to keep it moving hard work pays off. Basically what Im saying you make your bed you lay in it and it’s simple as that. Some females have that mantality to be the way they are and you cant change that.