I have had numerous conversations over the years touting the positive aspects of the hip-hop culture. Yet constantly I am berated with the same argument over and over again. “It’s so misogynistic.”
"Love is blind, you just see bright light, you up in the club feelin' the night life, lookin' for the right type. Blood rushing to your heart making it beat when she swept you off your feet and made it complete"
-Talib Kweli
Yeah, I can see that. I know what some of you are saying, what about songs like “Move bitch” and “Get Low?” I say to you, what about the forms of music that’s not hip-hop that has the same kind of degradation people are so upset about. What you may be saying to yourself, hip-hop didn’t invent the objectification of women? I know shocking. Let’s see there is the classic tune by Prodigy aptly titled “Smack my bitch up.” How romantic. There is the Rolling Stones tune “Brown Sugar” thought to be one of the more racist songs of its time. Not to mention all of the songs that paint men in a negative light such as Tyrone by Erykah Badu, Goodby Earl by Dixie Chicks and every other man is a dog song that spurned women have been singing for years.
What is the point of this rambling and possibly incoherent rant? It’s quite simple; it’s not just hip-hop. So when the talk of misogynism comes up let’s not automatically cut to a Jay-Z video, how about a corporate boardroom or even a random living room. Hip-hop didn’t invent the unfair media portrayal of women, and they’re not the only ones succeeding off of it.
Instead of finding a scapegoat how about we find some solutions.
Rant over.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Lost Love
Valentines Day is coming up which leads all of us who are living the bachelor/bachelorette lifestyle to take stock of our romantic lives and wonder is it time for us to settle down, or in some cases we ponder those whom for some reason we have let escape from our lives. Here is the tale of a delicate flower who slipped out of my life almost as soon as she entered.
The night was one like many I have experienced before when I left my apartment. There was a chill in the air; the promise of good times with friends, and of course the uncertainty of meeting new people. The night went mostly as planned. I had a few beers with friends, talked football, and generally laughed and talked as I usually do. The night grew late and I decided the time had arrived for me to leave the party. I bid adieu to my friends and went outside to hail a cab…that’s when my life changed.
I stood in the busy Chicago street when I saw her, a delicate flower stumbling out of a bar, no doubt celebrating some momentous occasion in her life. I stood there, perhaps frozen by her grace and beauty as she proclaimed to the darkness of the night, “I’m soooooo drunk!” I of course naturally assumed that someone of her refinement and elegance was married or at the very least betrothed. I of course was wrong as she sauntered toward me and said the words that any lovesick young man wants to hear from a potential bride. “So,” she slurred saucily, “who’s man are you?” Awestruck, all I could do was stammer and stare blankly. At that very moment a cab pulled up and I was spared any further embarrassment. But being the true angel she was she hopped in the cab as well.
As the cab pulled away I let it be known where I live and she appeared to be cool. I assumed she lived in the area and said nothing further. We arrived at my stop; I jumped out of the cab, yet this delightful seraph followed me and informed me that she felt quite drawn to me. I was flattered, but felt at the time I was not worthy of a woman of her magnitude. I sheepishly explained this, as I spoke she swayed with the wind, her balance dwindling, and then it happened She closed her eyes and out flowed a torrent of vomit in the Chicago street. “Whoa! That was intense!” was her reply. She was right, the greatness that stood before me and subsequently vomited in front me was too intense for me, nay any man to withstand. I called her a cab and saw her go away into the night.
Maybe one day my sweet drunken and off balance queen will return to me. Until then all I can do is lament this lost opportunity.
The night was one like many I have experienced before when I left my apartment. There was a chill in the air; the promise of good times with friends, and of course the uncertainty of meeting new people. The night went mostly as planned. I had a few beers with friends, talked football, and generally laughed and talked as I usually do. The night grew late and I decided the time had arrived for me to leave the party. I bid adieu to my friends and went outside to hail a cab…that’s when my life changed.
I stood in the busy Chicago street when I saw her, a delicate flower stumbling out of a bar, no doubt celebrating some momentous occasion in her life. I stood there, perhaps frozen by her grace and beauty as she proclaimed to the darkness of the night, “I’m soooooo drunk!” I of course naturally assumed that someone of her refinement and elegance was married or at the very least betrothed. I of course was wrong as she sauntered toward me and said the words that any lovesick young man wants to hear from a potential bride. “So,” she slurred saucily, “who’s man are you?” Awestruck, all I could do was stammer and stare blankly. At that very moment a cab pulled up and I was spared any further embarrassment. But being the true angel she was she hopped in the cab as well.
As the cab pulled away I let it be known where I live and she appeared to be cool. I assumed she lived in the area and said nothing further. We arrived at my stop; I jumped out of the cab, yet this delightful seraph followed me and informed me that she felt quite drawn to me. I was flattered, but felt at the time I was not worthy of a woman of her magnitude. I sheepishly explained this, as I spoke she swayed with the wind, her balance dwindling, and then it happened She closed her eyes and out flowed a torrent of vomit in the Chicago street. “Whoa! That was intense!” was her reply. She was right, the greatness that stood before me and subsequently vomited in front me was too intense for me, nay any man to withstand. I called her a cab and saw her go away into the night.
Maybe one day my sweet drunken and off balance queen will return to me. Until then all I can do is lament this lost opportunity.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Basketball
Dear Basketball,
To some you are just a game, but to me you are so much more. You are the calming factor that is needed in a very hectic day to day life. You are the friend who has been with me the longest, and most importantly you have always been there. Yes, to me you are more than a game. I hope you never change.
Sincerely,
The Chocolate Puma
Monday, February 1, 2010
Hip-Hop How I Love Thee…
For all those that know me they know I love the music of Common and I love Chicago. So for that very reason alone you may have deduced that my favorite song from the South side MC is “The Corner.” After the general panning of his previous album there was much pressure to come back with a “Common album” and the man did not disappoint. The first single released was The Corner. With a slick beat from Kanye West who was at his scene stealing best with this beat and topped off with a phenomenal appearance by the Last Poets one would find it hard to disagree with Steve Juon of RapReviews.com assesment that the lyrical content of Common on this trackcontain profound observations of urban life that show why hip hop is the "black man's CNN.”
So in an age where hip-hop is constantly being bashed for being misogynistic and driven by excess, I would challenge you all to take a minute and as a friend of mine stated on numerous occasions “listen to the words, not for the words.” Simply meaning that because a song has profanity it does not take away from the creativity and originality of the genre, which has infused itself with every part of our culture. For you hip-hop novices allow me to give you five tracks you must listen to in no particular order.
5. Juicy: Notorious B.I.G.
4. Talib Kweli and DJ Hi-Tek: The Blast
3. Outkast: Spottieottiedopalicious
2. Jay-Z: Mama Loved Me
1.Common: I Used to Love H.E.R.
Well friends go out there and immerse yourself in the real hip hop music, it will be a decision you will not regret.
So in an age where hip-hop is constantly being bashed for being misogynistic and driven by excess, I would challenge you all to take a minute and as a friend of mine stated on numerous occasions “listen to the words, not for the words.” Simply meaning that because a song has profanity it does not take away from the creativity and originality of the genre, which has infused itself with every part of our culture. For you hip-hop novices allow me to give you five tracks you must listen to in no particular order.
5. Juicy: Notorious B.I.G.
4. Talib Kweli and DJ Hi-Tek: The Blast
3. Outkast: Spottieottiedopalicious
2. Jay-Z: Mama Loved Me
1.Common: I Used to Love H.E.R.
Well friends go out there and immerse yourself in the real hip hop music, it will be a decision you will not regret.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
More random...
· I love these ads, particularly the black baby. Awesome
·I saw on the news that a doctor at an abortion clinic was gunned down during a church service, apparently by a lunatic who is pro life. The irony of the whole situation is depressing and dos nothing to help his cause.
·What the hell is a Lady Gaga?
·Dear crazy white women, when you want to leave your husbands please divorce them and file for custody instead of claiming you have been kidnapped by a random black guy, it’s getting old.
·The whole Derek Rose controversy is crap. First of all, if he were a regular student with his grades would he have been accepted to the schools that were offering him scholarships such as UCLA and University of Illinois? No. And let’s be real, Rose was not sent to college to learn, he was there to play basketball and earn the University, NCAA, and John Calipari assloads of money. Mission accomplished. Doesn’t mean he is a bad kid, it’s all a part of “amateur” athletics today.
·Father’s rights in this and apparently Brazil are jacked up. David Goldman’s wife divorced him and moved to Brazil taking their kid with her. She passed away a few years later, so the kid should go to the biological father that wants him right? Apparently in Brazil the stepfather gets precedent because he has been with him longer. The only reason he was with him longer is because he happens to be on the same continent. Hopefully one day Mr. Goldman will be able to regain the custody of his son he so rightfully deserves.
Once again, that’s all I got, more later I am sure. Oh and listen to Raphael Saadiq’s last album “The way I see it,” it’s a good listen.
·I saw on the news that a doctor at an abortion clinic was gunned down during a church service, apparently by a lunatic who is pro life. The irony of the whole situation is depressing and dos nothing to help his cause.
·What the hell is a Lady Gaga?
·Dear crazy white women, when you want to leave your husbands please divorce them and file for custody instead of claiming you have been kidnapped by a random black guy, it’s getting old.
·The whole Derek Rose controversy is crap. First of all, if he were a regular student with his grades would he have been accepted to the schools that were offering him scholarships such as UCLA and University of Illinois? No. And let’s be real, Rose was not sent to college to learn, he was there to play basketball and earn the University, NCAA, and John Calipari assloads of money. Mission accomplished. Doesn’t mean he is a bad kid, it’s all a part of “amateur” athletics today.
·Father’s rights in this and apparently Brazil are jacked up. David Goldman’s wife divorced him and moved to Brazil taking their kid with her. She passed away a few years later, so the kid should go to the biological father that wants him right? Apparently in Brazil the stepfather gets precedent because he has been with him longer. The only reason he was with him longer is because he happens to be on the same continent. Hopefully one day Mr. Goldman will be able to regain the custody of his son he so rightfully deserves.
Once again, that’s all I got, more later I am sure. Oh and listen to Raphael Saadiq’s last album “The way I see it,” it’s a good listen.
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