Tuesday, July 20, 2010

In Defense OF Hip-Hop

I recently came across an article on the web written by a guy named Thomas Chatterton Williams the article is called Black Culture Beyond Hip-Hop it was published in the Washington Post back in 07 and its made of the kind of things that piss me off. First the guy attempts to make the argument that its hip-hop that causes the stagnation of graduation rates of black inner city kids. Well firstly he has no proof of such a statement its mindless ignorance. Second there is who knows how many factors that play in why drop out rates are so high. It could be inner city arrest/crime rates, drug usage, inadequate education, too high education standards, lack of support, and the newest one a lack of credible institutions. To blame hip-hop for drop out rates is asinine to say the least. He cites a writer in his column that I would much rather tackle his name is John H McWhorter. McWhorter (black guy believe it or not) is a black conservative "intellectual" who has written books and for the purpose of this topic also wrote a negative critique article on hip-hop.

John H McWhorter is on of hip-hops most out-spoked challengers. In his article called How Hip-hop Holds Blacks Back he points the finger of blame at hip-hop for promoting black stereotypes with a few more added gems. He blames hip-hop for misogyny, anti-social behavior, anti-authority behavior, criminality, over aggression and hypersexuality. He views hip-hop as an assault on the black race that should be extingushed. Well I say all the elements he blame hip-hop for is American. America promotes criminality (The Sopranos, Goodfellas etc...) America promotes hypersexuality (Real World, Sex In The City etc...)Yep America promotes misogyny (anyone notice how the media butchered Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin? or how women are greatly disrespected in those old gangster movies i.e Michael Corleone slapping his wife in Godfather 2?) Hip-Hop is a reflection of American culture believe it or not. He says hip-hop provides a fatalistic view of the inner city and assaults the mentality of young blacks. I say no song is worse than actually walking past drunks and crackheads on your way to school. The view he speaks of existed before hip-hop because the people's complaints existed bfore hip-hop.

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