I don't like Miley Cyrus nor do I like the hip hop music and culture not that this would shock you... it is all trash taking this country down the wrong path. I would say Don Lemon a gay black man from a small town in the south had many obstacles to overcome growing up. So Russell basically saying hip hop is a creative art form these young guys need to express themselves through, yeah blame the white guy, racism meanwhile denegrade their women glorify the thug culture, materialism without hard work or getting an education and not ever developing skills or a trade yada, yada...I knew you would take Simmons side<g>
First, hip hop is music....its no worse than heavy metal, rock and roll, or the blues all of which were expected to take the country down the wrong way in their day.
Secondly, Don Lemon had a lot going for him........I believe his mother was a professor and his father a working auto mechanic. That's all it takes to get out of poverty. The fact that he's gay pretty much insures that he would be very concerned with appearances.......gay men are known for being well dressed, well groomed and in great shape.
Thirdly, some aspects of hip hop are creative......they are an expression of anger and a reflection of a culture. Some of it like Soldja Boy is just fun. There is good hip hop and bad.......just like with any other music genre.
Fourthly, what's with the persecution complex? Of course whites are going to get blamed. They are very much responsible for a lot of the negatively in the minority population because of their dominance in this culture. That doesn't absolve the minority populations from doing the work and walking the walk but it doesn't mean the white community can just throw up its hands and make believe it has nothing to do with the mess.
For several years, I lived in the barrio in LA. Gangs were well entrenched in the neighborhood. I got to know which gangs were most active in my neighborhood by their 'colors'. I used to run every day........one day while while walking and getting ready to run, I realized there were two cholos walking behind me. They looked to be about 14 years old. They were wearing the colors of the Avenue 52 gang. I didn't like them behind me so I slowed down to let them pass. As soon as I slowed down, they slowed down. When I sped up, they sped up. I was starting to get worried. I figured they were carrying and might try to do something. Eventually, I got to the place where I normally would start to run and they peeled off and went the other way. For the next 3 mos, I would see them a couple of times a week, and we would play that game......they sped up and then slowed down mirroring whatever I was doing. The last time I saw them as they were leaving, one turned and smiled at me. Never saw them again. John, they were kids.......teenagers. Like every other teenager in the world, they liked playing games...........even if they were gang members. I think we have lost sight of the fact that 'these people' are human just like we are. All this fear and animosity just holds us back. It needs to stop. |
