2/27/07
Jeff Stultz
Florida
HOW RACIST IS IT...
... that the documentary suggests that a few 'white' executives are forcing this violent culture onto black people? How can a hip hop fan who blames 'whitey' for this horrible misrepresentation then tie a bandanna on his head and strap on his 9mm? This is as dumb as smokers saying corporate executives are forcing them to smoke. No tobacco company ever held a gun to someone's head and made them smoke. They use advertising and suggestive (maybe deceptive) ways to sell you cigarettes... but it is up to YOU to quit. Hip hop doesn't have any addictive ingredients however black people will identify it as a bad message, then refuse to quit listening to it. What, does a handful of whitey execs control millions of black zombies??? Whitey says jump and black men jump? No. It is the other way around. If the culture didn't support the violence then the executives would stop producing it. Truth is that Bill Cosby would never survive in 200x because black people don't identify with that. No black businessmen or successful black doctor would ever be supported by hip hop, which craves only violence, death and mayhem. Even black spiritual leaders who try to emulate the immortal Dr King are drawn more to the violence and emotionally powerful anger in his voice than his peaceful message. When black society can accept that they have control over their own destiny then maybe things will change. However as long as this mythical "THE MAN" still exists, blacks are going to be slaves to him.
2/27/07
Everly
Inkster, MI
I am so happy that someone finally had the courage to make a documentary on how degrading hip-hop is today. I don't even like calling that mess hip-hop. It really hurts my heart to see how disrespectful our men are to our women and how our women feel that that's the only way they can be loved by a man. We as a people are clueless when it comes down to knowing when we are being played by white corporate America. In my opinion, we are going into another form of slavery...mental slavery, where we know more about who the tightest rape stars of the day are, but we know nothing about our history or anything else for that matter. The white corporate label owners (massas) use the black executive (house negros) to get the ignorant hip-hop wannabes (field negros) to create music that continuously put down our people. I wish our people would wake and start uplifting each other as opposed to tearing each other down. Peace and Blessing to you all.
2/27/07
Niajah
Philadelphia, Pa
This was my first time viewing this film. I'm sorry to say I was not impressed. I thought this was a poor depiction on how Hip Hop is. Even on how the "Black Culture" truly is. Now yes Hip Hop has lost it's way big time. I just don't want people, no matter what color, race, or creed believing this is what all African Americans and Latin people are like. Being a Muslim women in American is hard. It's hard because of 9-11 and because I'm different. Living in Philadelphia with a large Muslim community is bitter/sweet. I say this because people who are ignorant to the religion are impressionable. They see one Muslim misbehaving and think all Muslims are the same way. This is how I feel the film helped the "Black" stereotypes stay alive. In one part of the film about five or six white teens was asked questions. One of the questions was " do you think that Hip Hop put truth to the stereotypes" they all said YES. Come on if your trying to make a point or a difference airing the flaws may not be the best way. Instead air what should be done not the problem trust me they know already.
2/27/07
Matthew Zink
Elk Grove Village, IL
First let me say that I only caught the last five minutes of the movie but will experience the rest of the film as soon as possible. As a young white male growing up in what I guess you could call a predominantly white suburb of Chicago, I was an outcast in the community just because of style of music I listened to. Dr. Dre, The Chronic has just coming out when I was in high school. I knew every lyric on that disc. To me, this CD represented a different point of view on life. I only see now, in my mid 20s, that this reality was negative and that allowing it to influence me was a mistake. As I see it gangsta rap and even today's chrunk or slump, or whatever the hell you call it is not the true essence of hip-hop. A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Jurassic 5, People Under the Stairs, Dilated Peoples....take a listen.
2/27/07
Caleb Armstrong
Catonsville, MD
It can hardly be argued that money, by and large, has driven and influenced the current state of music as a whole. Hip-Hop, it seems, is finally starting to grow out of its troubled childhood; by acknowledging the problems that taint this popular art form, those voices that advocate change will start to be heard and hip-hop can begin to mature. Artists such as Mos Def, Chuck D, and Talib Kweli will begin to gain more influence and take root in the minds of the community. One person, not a hip-hop personality, that I wish Byron had tried to contact is Aaron Macgruder of "the Boondocks" fame. His criticisms of black culture seem to be very much in line with Byron's. I find that there are few positive depictions of men in the media. We're constantly concerned with the media's presentation and objectification of women that the topic of masculinity is discarded rather quickly. Men are generally portrayed at the villain regardless of race. Once again, revolution in how we define what it is to be a man or woman is the only way to bring about any concrete notion of change.
I think that this documentary is a very revealing work, with ideas and concepts that run through a deeper context than just hip-hop. Maybe Byron's work will begin to bring an audience to redefining social roles altogether. It's good work, it really is.
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