Ya know, I can understand where Mr. Watkins and everyone else who posted is coming from. But when will the black community wake up and stop blaming people on the outside for what is going on inside their homes?!!!
I have worked with children before, and there is a big difference between the kids who know all the celebrities and popular songs vs the kids who don't. The kids who know all the latest usually have the worst attitudes, don't want to listen, constantly getting in trouble, don't want do any work, and their parents are usually missing in action. Whereas the kids who have not been exposed to the celebrity and entertainer world are more focused, respectful, and their parents are more involved. Its time for the parents of these children to be held responsible also!
Now tell me why the black community will not do anything on a local level to do something about this? During slavery, the black community fought for freedom on a local level by organizing together and on a national level by petitioning the politicians and the government to change the laws. Nowadays, where is the unity in the black community? Black people are quick to use phrases like "nappy- headed, ghetto, darkies, etc...No one wants to address the local problems, only the national problems and they are not going after the system that caused it to be the way it is, just the products ( BET, Rappers, etc) of the system. BET didn't force anyone to have kids, or force their kids to do bad in school. If the only way people are looking to address the problems in the black community are by blaming popular culture, and other outside forces, there will never be legitimate, long-lasting change.
And I know Fred doesn't like my views, cause he erased some other peoples comments who agreed with me yesterday.
Finally someone is calling them out on it. He brilliantly explain and linked rappers lyrics to the destruction of the black communities. To be sure of course they're other aspect to equation but this is definitely one of them. BET sold out long time ago guys like Sumner Redstone, Robert Iger, Rupert Murdoch monoplize our whole media with garbage. Too bad Black people don't have their OWN media companies. We could make some music for trailer part trash, meth addicts and suicidal white kids.....
LoveDaMusicHard I don't think you fully understand what he was saying, he's actually putting more blame on corporate America and using BET is one of its outlets. Now you mentioned you've worked with kids before (I have too) and I noticed your observation as well, but one thing I noticed you didn't mention was the level of income and social classes these kids families are in. In alot of cases parents who are "better off" with a higher income who live in a better neighborhood have time to spend with their children and monitor closely on what they're watching, while other parents who are "worst off" who works two to three jobs just to make sure their children have food in their stomach and clothes on their back are less involved in their children lives and can't monitor exactly what they're kids are watching... Now with this fact can we really blame the parents for "bad parenting"????
It's much deeper then what's going on home, our economic system, our mass media plays a BIGGGG part on the destruction of black communties.....
@bk
I disagreed with assessment of Hip Hop and the culture on two counts.
1) Lil Wayne is talented in the sense that he can entertain. But his lyrics are not as talented on the level of someone like say, Lupe Fiasco.
2) Music only reflects what's already inherent in the culture. Now I don't doubt that many teens emulate their favorite rappers. But at the same time we must ask, where are those teens parents? The music is there to entertain us only. If kids are taking in more than that, there's a problem with the kids. Not necessarily the music.
[link to external website removed]
Just for a little more exposition.
Oh and to your point of better off-worse off parents, I agree to a certain extent. What I mean is, the vast majority of those parents are single women. Where are the fathers? You hear in rap all the time about absentee fathers. Even in old school rap. So this problem started way before rap came along.
Secondly, my parents were exactly the same. My mom & pops worked two jobs to keep a roof over our heads. However no matter how tired they were when they got home, they STILL made time for us. Not to mention they signed us up for after school programs when they couldn't be there. Those programs have started to receive less and less funding.
So there's a political aspect to this discussion as well. Anyway, I have to go study so I'll check back later. I'm sure you have a lot of points to address, just don't think I'm ignoring you if I'm not back for a few hours.
@Know 1) I agree Lupe is much more lyrically talented than Lil Wayne our OPINION matches, now ask yourself who do the mass media promotes more.......
2) Multiple studies proves a violent environment (which in most cases are the hood/ghettos) creates violent criminals (when I get home ill post some sources) now to be sure there's exceptions, but you can't deny this solid conclusion. In addition most popular dressing style are directly from a lyric of a rapper. Rappers have more influence to the youth than they even know. Now I explain the solution with parents to love on my previous post but Ill add we can definitely put some blame on teen parents who were not ready for parenthood I completely agree but if were ever going to fixs the problem we must look at the much broader scale than home
Excuse the horrible grammatical errors. I'm on my mobile and I'm just getting the hang of it. And ill check out your link when I get home as well.. not to sure how to copy and paste on this.
@Bklnykey718 No doubt, I feel where you are coming from. MTO just posted the other day how cigarette companies are making ads targeting the black youth in CA. However, when I worked with kids, it was in a low-income elementary school and ALL the parents were considered low income. What is sad about it is, the majority of the kids who didn't know the popular culture were immigrants! Some, I want to stress SOME and not all, of the black students were discussing Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, quoting lyrics, and more interested in the popular culture than school. These kids are more easily influenced because for whatever reasons, their parents are not showing or teaching them better.
That is all I'm saying. Yes, I understand there are corporate forces out to destroy the black community, but the black community has to be stronger to combat all the destructive forces aimed at it. Parents are still the most important people in young, impressionable children lives. Parents need to filter what is allowed in the home, not buy the music, turn off the tv, not buy tight clothes for their daughters and baggy clothes for their sons, and have serious conversations with their kids about being a respectful citizen of society. Parents need to let their children know there is way more to life than what these rappers and BET are glamorizing.
@ LoveDaMusicHard
You are right. I used to work in the school system, so I know what you are talking about. This article is discussing Dr. Watkin's correct assessment of BET, so I can focusing on that. If I was to discuss the problems of the black community, it would take me all year! One way for parents to regain control of their kids is turning off trash like BET. Its a start-not the final solution.
@ jmagic If you can't see the bafoonery in BET and how they got rid of important shows like Teen Summit, BET Jazz, and BET News, then how can we even have a discussion? BTW, I don't support Tyler Perry or anyone/anything that makes my race look stupid.
@Bk
1) They promote Wayne more because he has the ability to entertain more.
2) I agree that violent areas cause more violence. Environment is a big reason as to why there is so much crime. But what are the reasons for that environment? Music? I would disagree. I don't think the majority of kids commit crimes because of some 3 minute song. They were likely going to commit those crimes whether that song existed or not. We have to remember that crime in those violent areas were prevalent BEFORE rap came along. I don't doubt that it's somewhat glorified through the music and yes many teens do emulate what they hear in those rap songs. Why do they do it is a bigger question. I don't think it's as cut and dry as "it sounds uber cool".
@Kim I agree, turning off BET in the home where there are children is a must! I'm actually glad the convo is getting started, hopefully it will lead to some real solutions. Sometimes, in IMO, I feel there does seem to be an attack on the young black culture that is vague and condescending towards those who happen to listen to it.
@Know 1) They promote Wayne more because he has the ability to entertain more.
2) I agree that violent areas cause more violence. Environment is a big reason as to why there is so much crime. But what are the reasons for that environment? Music? I would disagree. I don't think the majority of kids commit crimes because of some 3 minute song. They were likely going to commit those crimes whether that song existed or not. We have to remember that crime in those violent areas were prevalent BEFORE rap came along. I don't doubt that it's somewhat glorified through the music and yes many teens do emulate what they hear in those rap songs. Why do they do it is a bigger question. I don't think it's as cut and dry as "it sounds uber cool".
1) According to whom? is that a fact or an opinion? why is every positive rapper such as (common, mos def and Lupe) get much less airwave than gangsta rappers? A rapper relaying a positive message can't entertain an audience?
2) I never made the argument that music causes violent environment, that's a silly assessment. Personally I think are economic system causes violent environments but more to my point -- gangsta rap musics promotes behavior such as violent acts, buying expensive clothing and drug dealing as societial norm accomplishments so in other it keeps the deterioration of the black community in motion. Now you ask "why do they do it" well again there's multiple factors but one of them that's undenible is lack of resources
Black people are alway's criticizing something...there is "buffoonery" on every channel known to man...smh...it's just like Lupe Fiasco saying that President Obama is the biggest terrorist in the world...you slaves will do anything to make a successful black person or entity look bad for your masters.
I mean honestly some of the comments portray you people as knowing what you are talking about and obviously you dont, i have 2 boys(black boys)and they love hip hop, they are both straight A students(of course you will say they are an exception) no they go to a school that is 95% white. (wait Im on to something) Black people should stop putting eachother down and start building eachother up. Hip hop has made our young black Men into mega millionaires, provides jobs for alot of you, Jay campaigned for our first black president, so did jeezy, and Im sure many others. true,BET has become white washed but that's only bc we sat back and let it happen, like many of the things that happen to our community- "they call it the projects because it is a project, an experiment, we're in it only as objects..."Sean Carter" for all of you that are confused by that statement, shame on you.(especially if you are from the projects).
@bk
1) According to the radio execs and club promoters. Who are you most likely to hear in the club? Wayne or Mos Def? Who are you likely to hear in a lounge? Wayne or Mos Def? Now, do more people to lounges or clubs? See what I mean? I don't agree with it. It's just the way of the world right now. Sucks.
2) Yes we agree that gangsta rap does somewhat glorify violence and materialism. The only point of contention we have is how much influence it has over our kids. I say not as much as we make it out to be. These kids were gonna commit crimes because of their desperate situation. I want touch on some LoveDaMusic said though; we ARE living in a blameless society. Many of our kids are growing up with a point-the-finger mentality. All their decisions get blamed by something else. The media, the music, the white man. While these no doubtably play a role, your decisions are still your decisions and are no fault but your own. Our entire 80s babies generation has grown up blameless, and we've seen the effects. Our 90s babies are now growing up the same to the point where idiocy is shown more favor than intelligence. She said it perfectly. We need to start looking within.
@bkmissing
Hey I agree with you homie. Hip Hop is one of the greatest we as a people have ever created. We can't deny that violence, misogyny, and materialism has been glorified through it though. Time to step back and take a look at exactly why.
@Know 1) Yes they'll play more Wayne than Mos Def in the clubs and lounges why? because thats what's popular in the radio, and highly promoted in the media. Remember that nowadays, many record companies are huge corporations that own a variety of record labels... So whoever they invest is the one that stands out. Let's also not forget entertainment (being entertained) is a matter opinion not FACTS!
2) Basically we're agreeing more than we're disagreeing. You said: "These kids were gonna commit crimes because of their desperate situation" that may be true but it's the attitude they have toward the situation that makes it an continuing pattern. Let's not be so narrow about the inflenuce these rappers have, it's not only crimes its also fashion from young men dressing to emulate their favorite rap artist to young women dressing to match the women and dancers featured on the feature videos. This is an undenible fact, the extremely saggy jeans with namebrand boxers that plunge our community came directly from rappers. I don't think we live in a blameless society, if that was the case incarceration amongst black wouldn't be so high!
I believe in accountability and responsiblitiy, you do something wrong you pay the price PERIOD!!!! But if anyone who sincerely want to fight the root of the problem can't just simply blame the parents or just assume if my KID can make every kid can make it, the solution is much deeper....
mr watkins has gone too far comparing BET to the KKK say whatever you want about BET but comparing BET to the KKK is very low and plus black folks like mr.watkins want to talk bad about BET but yet don't say nothing about VH1 or MTV because those channel stereotype black folks too have you heard of favor of love? black folks hate each other more than white folks like those girls from spelman college protest against nelly for his uncut music video but yet said nothing about monster's ball.
