Some would say the recent altercation at the BET Hip-Hop Awards was just the latest embarrassment to befall hip-hop, an oft criticized slice of pop culture…and they would be correct. It’s the “latest” incident, not an aberration. It’s more behavior deserving of more criticism, only to fall on deaf ears. It is criticism earned and deserved every step of the way. Hip-hop has no intention of changing or improving, and its most respected members have no designs on raising the bar above ignorance. I’m clear on this reality and you should be too. Nothing is going to change, not at least until someone of real relevance within the genre begins to care, and not a moment before.
(Cue Barbra Streisand) “Memories…like the corners of my mind.”
Those are only the award show-related incidents. There is not enough space in this column (or my next 5 for that matter) to highlight the inordinate number of arrests for guns, drugs and random acts of misogyny commonly associated with hip-hop in the past five years alone. For example, I’m not going to spend my time today discussing how rapper Webbie was arrested last month for “allegedly” robbing and kicking a woman down a flight of stairs. I could…but not this time. Today, we’ll just stick with the general themes of lawlessness, misogyny and ignorance; not necessarily in that order.
Recently, civil rights leader and entertainer Harry Belafonte accused some artists, including Jay-Z and Beyonce of “turning their backs on social responsibility.” It’s in moments like these where Belafonte’s words ring loudly and undeniably true.
For the all the financial success attained by Jay-Z, there has been no effort on his part to elevate his music personally or hip-hop more broadly. Although “Jigga” is firmly ensconced in middle age, he still gleefully and carelessly advances his music career calling women Bs and Hs; and men Ns like his 20-something counterparts. Not only is Jay-Z completely indifferent to the idea of acting his age and showing young Black men a better way; he is perfectly content and comfortable promulgating the worst imagery imaginable for the sake of a dollar and continued hip-hop relevancy.
It’s a mid-life crisis with a hip-hop twist.
Instead of being a voice of guidance, a hip-hop elder statesman to the younger generation; Jay-Z still opts to spin yarns about N**** in Paris and sell them on iTunes. You’re 40-WHAT Jay-Z? No amount of wealth will ever validate or justify such a career trajectory. No number of “hits” justifies the Peter Pan mentality or the ignorance and indifference which subsequently thrive on it.
But if Gwyneth Paltrow dares tweet the name of the song or makes direct reference to it, all hell breaks loose. I guess only “we” are allowed to wallow in ignorance and we’re very territorial when it comes to it. Bully for us. Jay-Z can rap it and make money doing it, but the White actress shouldn’t even tweet a reference to the title of the song. Got it. That’s ignorance on top of ignorance. It’s not popular to say, but it’s not untrue either.
But I digress…
Hip-hop has abrogated any and all responsibility as it relates to decency and accountability time and time again. Brawls at award shows have all types of deleterious consequences for all Black men. If you think such public displays of foolishness don’t impact the treatment of Black men around the country, you are a fool. Racial profiling is real and there are laws against it to prove as much. Racial bias is real. And to think, hip-hop had plenty to say about the Trayvon Martin tragedy, but fails to make the connection between racial profiling and racial stereotype promulgation. Stop making these problems worse.
I know, I know, somebody will be quick to tell me about the singular and rare hip-hop artist “here” or “there” who doesn’t subscribe to the ignorance and foolishness; but let us deal with the overwhelming bulk of the art form. Let’s deal with 99 percent as they say in this political season; 99 percent which offer nothing of substance or intrinsic social value.
So imagine my (and probably Harry Belafonte’s) indifference to Jay-Z and Beyonce hosting a fundraiser for President Obama in recent weeks. The reality is that Jay-Z prefers rubbing elbows with the cultural elite and raising money for the president while ignoring the communities he could positively impact for free. But “promoting positive change” is so uncool and so unprofitable, I suppose. It is in moments like these that Jay-Z (and others) could provide real leadership and direction for a generation of young Black men who obviously have lost their way. This is the type of commitment and dedication to social responsibility that Belafonte is longing for yet is nonexistent in hip-hop. The ignorance of the BET Hip-Hop Awards altercation is covered in the media, highlighted on the blogs and cheered on within our culture.
And…and…most importantly used as further “proof” of the incivility and criminality of Black men.
We are all connected. If we can agree that the election of Barack Obama as president positively impacted the perception of African-American men, what do negative incidents such as these do for us?
I’ll tell you, not a damn thing, with all types of long-term consequences.
There are too many in our music communities perpetuating the myth that such behavior does not have repercussions or consequences on the rest of us. I’m here to disabuse you of that notion. It is why people like broadcaster Geraldo Rivera feel so comfortable conflating Blackness and hoodies with criminality. Granted, Rivera’s ignorance can’t be justified, but neither can the ignorance of the likes of award show brawls which inform and under-gird such opinions. Lil Wayne acting a buffoon while wearing a hoodie for a courtroom deposition hurts all of us.
Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine | Twitter@hiphopenquirer
