The Problem Is...

The problem is, we lack UNITY...we no longer have a sense of community, no desire to lend a helping hand. Hell, we hardly have the desire to help OURSELVES, let alone ANOTHER man.

There is strength in numbers, but instead we decide to constantly divide, and give one another hell, snitch, and throw one another in jail over petty shit. Over insignificant things, we bitch... we worry about the superficial, the materialistic... that Willie Lynch shit that keeps us separated.

The problem is, we stopped teaching our kids, hell, our children don't even know what their history IS.  They've never heard about the kings, queens, their contribution to the Universe...our young men think they have to be thugs and our young women do not even know their worth.

We have to take a stand, be devoted, love our women and combat the system. Teach our kids who they are, spread knowledge near and far. Let them know of their potential while they are young and we are most influential. Give them your support, build rapport and lead by example. They best way to get them to appreciate the benefits of hard work is to show them a sample.

The problem is, we began to settle.  We stopped aiming for the top and found comfort in the middle.  We took the inch, but didn't go for the mile, even though it took our ancestors' blood, sweat, and tears to gain equal rights, to reconcile.

The problem is, people are convinced that they cannot progress, or have success, and to me, that just makes no sense.  That's the lie they want you to believe, the lie that things will always be hard and that we will not succeed.  Anytime you want something better in life, you are going to have to work hard and sacrifice.

The problem is, we lost that traditional sense of family, that feeling of "I will do anything for you and I know that you will do the same for me...for eternit because unconditional love has become a dud.  We spend time with each other only on the holidays, and even then, we don't know what in the hell we celebrate.

Yes people, it is time for us to come together, learn from all of the stormy times and concentrate on the beautiful weather.  Its time for us to wake up, get right...  start at step one and get things done...in no time, we will be able to basque in what we have become: Solutions to these problems.

We May Have Won The Battle, But We Are Still In The Middle Of War: A Call To Action

So, Reebok decided to stop endorsing  Rick Ross over his controversial lyrics in the song "U.O.E.N.O.".  In the song, Rick Ross says "put molly in her champagne, she ain't even know it, I took her home and enjoyed that, she ain't even know it." The lyrics gained a lot of attention, especially by prominent feminist groups and on social media outlets such as Twitter.  People were PISSED. How dare he say such things? How dare he condone date rape? How dare Reebok support him?  Rick Ross offered a couple of half-assed apologies, saying that everyone "misinterpreted" his lyrics, and that he never actually used the word rape yada, yada, yada. Anywho, the fake ass apology didn't fly and Ross ended up losing his endorsement.

First of all let me start off my saying I WOULD NEVER, EVER, EVER SUPPORT OR CONDONE ANY FUCKTARD WHO THINKS IT IS OKAY TO HAVE SEX WITH WOMEN WHEN "they don't even know it". I WOULD NEVER, EVER, EVER CONDONE OR SUPPORT RAPE IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.

 Also, I love rap music. I love hip hop. I love lyrics. I love beats.  I love the genre. I do NOT love the way that women have been constantly disrespected, objectified and exploited through rap music.

Now. Let's take a little look at the genre of rap/hiphop in general.  For this blog posts sake let's stick with mainstream rap. This is no where near the first time (and I can guarantee that it will not be the last time) we have seen rap lyrics that glorify rape and misogyny. Why have we let this continue for so long? Why are we allowing our sons and daughters to idolize these childish, immature bigots? This has been going on forever, and we need to withdraw support from this type of behavior, IMMEDIATELY. Don't believe me, check out this list of '32 Overlooked Rape Lyrics in Rap' >>> http://smokingsection.uproxx.com/TSS/2013/04/50-absurd-rape-lyrics#page/1... and this is a small list.

Those lyrics were disgusting, right? Why no national outcry? Why no protests of those artists? Why have we (collectively) accepted this bullshit?

While I completely and wholeheartedly agree with Reebok's decision to withdraw their support from Rick Ross, I must ask when Reebok decided to care about Ross' lyrical content.  Did they not realize that he has been rapping about drugs, violence, and disrespect towards women for his entire rap career? Likewise, while I am elated that people decided to take a stand against this disgusting "rape culture" that seems to be increasing, I must ask WHY NOW? Why are we just NOW denouncing these type of lyrics on a large scale?

We have really got to do better.  People always say "oh its just a song" or "they're just lyrics" and "its only entertainment" but we do realize that media heavily influences people's thoughts, which in return affects people's actions, right?  And by people I mean the youth. It is the youth who are most influenced by the media and celebrity actions. And the youth are our future. We have to start giving them appropriate examples to live by, and insisting that inappropriate examples no longer be romanticized. If we do not lead, mentor and support the next generation, who will?

There is soooo much more that I would like to say on the topic of respecting our women, women respecting themselves, the horrendous act of rape and the idiotic support that violent language and images receive... but those will be other posts for other days. For now, I just want to say to everyone: DO BETTER. We deserve better. The next generation deserves better. I am not willing to destroy all morale just to preserve (inappropriate) entertainment.  We have got to start supporting more positive images of ourselves.  We have got to start providing more positive images of ourselves. We have got to start leading by example. Our LIVES depend on it.

We may have won a small battle (getting a corporate sponsor to publicly denounce Rick Ross on behalf of his harmful, rape-promoting lyrics) but we most definitely have not won the war. Although we CAN WIN THE WAR if we take a stand and refuse to tolerate blatant disrespect and counterproductive entertainment.

I am willing to take that stand for our future. Are you?

My Response to LL's Verse on 'Accidental Racist'

WHAT IN THE ENTIRE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING DUDE? 

So this was your big chance to address the black experience in the American South and you chose to tell white people that we would forget the iron chains (aka 400+ years of brutal chattel slavery, rape, murder, degradation and mutilation) if they didn't judge our gold chains? Really?

So you're just going to tell white people that they can wear swastikas and confederate flags if they accept our du-rags (DU-RAGS... something that NONE of us black folks even wear anymore).

You REALLY thought it was a good idea to tell white people that they don't know what its like to live in the hood, and not to judge your sagging pants? Surprised you didn't tell them to buy us all fried chicken and "Free My Baby Daddy" TShirts.

Whelp, I guess I should be happy that you were able to display  manners by addressing your hypothetical audience as "Mr. White Man" , and telling him that you want him to get paid, and that you would love to buy him a beer and "conversate". (*PAUSE* No one was able to inform you that conversate is NOT a word? None of your producers, writers, editors, publicists, NO ONE advised you against using a made up epithet? Damn.)

And then those ignorant ass ad-libs at the end REALLY got me. Of course you had to let everyone know (on a country song about a white man in the American South) that you are not from the South, because that was so relevant.  Then you made sure you told us, multiple times, that we should "let bygones be bygones" and forget the past. Yeah, ignore our history. That's right. It isn't like our existence is rooted in our history at all. No, no, no...we should let the past be the past. Forget where we came from. A tree can survive without its roots, right?

Oh, and the shoutout to Robert E. Lee and Abraham Lincoln for "freeing" you (aka the slaves), cute. Except you neglected the small fact that Abraham Lincoln NEVER had the best interest of the slaves in mind. He didn't even like black people.  Thanks for not giving a mention to any of our great pioneers. Thanks for not acknowledging our resiliency and strength. Thanks a lot.

Quite frankly Mr. LL Cool J, sir... YOU FUCKED UP. That was some of the most embarrassing shit I have seen to date.  If I may offer a few words of advice: just stick to licking your lips and taking sexy pictures.  Keep your mouth closed on the racial issues next time, okay? We'd really appreciate it.

Sincerely,
A Black Woman from the South who has never worn sagging pants, gold chains, or du-rags