It has been a hell of a week for rappers to talk about race. Starting off with Kanye West’s zinger of a quote that, “Racism is a dated concept.” Now we all know Kanye loves fashion but, racism is not a pair of Girbaud jeans.
See now that is outdated, and it would just be wonderful if we could just donate or throw away racism like we have that monstrosity of denim. From the same man who gave us ‘New Slaves’ this is strikingly odd. Yet this is not the first time we heard a similar thought from Yeezus. Luckily we have more conscious rappers such as Common. After, his award-winning song ‘Glory’ from the movie ‘Selma’ he was on the Daily Show and talked about race, in the video below you can watch what knowledge he drops on us.
Son of a…Well we had it wrong all along. Black people just need to extend their hand to white people and say,” let’s move on” and racism will end once and for all. If only we could solve hate that easily it almost sounds like a television show. Open scene; Europeans force Africans into slavery, rape and sell them, yet they eventually freed only to live under this thing called Jim Crow,a few crosses are burnt and some people were lynched ,eventually progress with the help of brave leaders…who get assassinated, go on to disproportionately targeted and victimized by the entire justice system and work force…yet I forgive you, please love me and be my friend, white man says, “Of course!”, shakes hands and the end. Cue shot of the Golden Gate Bridge with ‘Everywhere You Go’ playing in the background and roll credits starring Bob Saget and John Stamos.
Sometimes you get gems from rappers you least expect it from. So when A$AP Ferg talked about race, I just thought this might be the hope I was looking for. This was the last round of Family Feud and Ferg was going name all the number one responses.Then he does the exact opposite.
According to A$AP Ferg,”There’s no racism with the Internet. Racism only was—is probably, like, five generations ago. … Racism is for—I wouldn’t say generations. Yeah, like five generations ago. Racism been over. It’s the old people who keep on holding on to it. We don’t hold on to that s–t. We don’t know racism. We all like having—like, my brother had white—my little brother had white girlfriends. And that’s regular, like.”
No racism on the internet??? I would love to know what parental control function he has on his computer. Maybe he just does not read YouTube comments or visits any forum or maybe he just does not read, because not finding racism on the internet is like finding a McDonald’s that has a functioning ice cream machine past 7 p.m. Also because you have some brothers who laid up with some white women that racism just ends like that? Maybe I missed the memo that we decided against 40 acres and mule for Rebecca from San Diego for 15 minutes.
It is disheartening to hear these quick fix solutions to such a complex issue. Even harder to hear that people in the culture just do not think racism even exists anymore. Q-Tip schooled Iggy Azalea with a quick hip hop history lesson that perfectly times this. “Hip-hop is fun, its vile, it’s dance, it’s traditional, it’s lighthearted,…But one thing it can never detach itself from is being a SOCIO-Political movement.” If you are going to be in this culture than you need to be OF this culture. Apart of that is fighting against any oppression and not keeping your mouth shut or making ludicrous statements to appease the oppressors. The week for race conversation has not been all bad however, as I proceed to play ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ from start to finish.
Follow us on twitter@hiphopenquirer
