Tell me what you think about this. Nas

[racerx02]

It's long, but a good read.


Ants At Nas' Coon Picnic
Morris W. O'Kelly



Very recently, I asked the question as to what is a “sell-out” in today’s world. The premise of the article was to find a common ground as to the moral center of the African-American ideology and also expose the historical double-standard of how the term ‘sell-out’ has been applied over generations. In the end, I surmised that often times our castigation of fellow African-Americans for supposedly not being ‘Black enough’ was usually misguided…if not all-out wrong.

Case in point…

There has been much discussion about the song, "These Are Our Heroes (Coon Picnic)” by rapper Nas.

You can imagine where this is going.

I waited to see how the Hip-Hop community would address it first. Would this record be embraced, disregarded or met with a response somewhere in between? Would Nas be categorized as a ‘conscious MC,’ who ‘said what needed to be said’ or would he be found ‘out of turn’ for his remarks?

Nas is a brilliant lyricist, without qualification. He is an exceptionally talented and passionate writer with a sincere emotional bond with his people. In short, there are few negatives that you can say about Nas in relation to his contributions to Hip-Hop. (Notice I used the word ‘few,’ not zero).

I’m here to also tell you…NAS is incredibly way off base with his recent audio monologue on who supposedly is and is not a ‘coon.’

How dare he…

No, he’s in way over his head and way out of his league. That, or just trying to sell records like the “pickaninnies” as he termed them in this song. Either way, I have a big problem with Nas trying to “enlighten” the masses on who is or is not ‘Black enough.’ Nas, has no business trying to persuade others as who he thinks is more or less in alignment with the idea of a ‘real’ African-American.

Of course I’m going to break it down why.

Granted, this is a free country in terms of expression and yes, everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion. But neither of the aforementioned in any way validates or justifies the level of hypocrisy and ill-informed rhetoric that Nas spits on this occasion.

For far too long, our young people have been too easily swayed tend to think that simply because it’s on our ‘favorite rapper’s mind’ it’s somehow relevant or even more incredibly, factual.

Sorry, but that’s just not the case. Let’s took a closer look at what Nas has to say…

“Let's hear it,
one for the coons on UPN 9 and WB
Who "yes Massa" on TV
What ever happened to Weezy?
The Redd Foxxes?
Never got Emmys but were real to me”

(sigh)

See, that’s the first problem I have with this record. If you are going to ‘lecture’ the masses, the first prerequisite is to be factually correct.

‘Weezy,’ Isabel Sanford won an Emmy in 1981.

He mentioned ‘The Redd Foxxes,’ i.e. Black comedians of that era. Redd Foxx contemporary, Flip Wilson won 2 Emmys in 1970 for ‘The Flip Wilson Show’ but was also highly criticized for the supposed renewing of black stereotypes in the variety show. Already, Nas’ viewpoint is pretty shaky and flawed from the beginning. Not only were the ‘real’ African-Americans (as he put it) actually winning Emmys, they were also receiving considerable flack for the roles in which they won them.

Know thy history…

I understand what point he is trying to make. The many ‘Black’ shows on UPN and WB networks today seem more like minstrel shows than television shows. There’s some merit to that and must be acknowledged.

At the same time, to ridicule the shows on television today, yet have NOTHING to say in reference to the buffoonery in Hip-Hop music and videos is hypocrisy beyond comprehension. To criticize shows that DON’T refer to us as –ggas and/or –tches, yet not even mention his own albums past and present that DO, seriously undercuts the strength of his argument.

And just FYI, the “Meth & Red Show” (FOX) was far worse than anything EVER on UPN and WB, put together. Nas’ selective amnesia must also be noted here. Turning a blind eye to everything reprehensible in Hip-Hop yet speaking out on the ‘ills’ of the hurtful imagery in media is borderline laughable.

Moving right along…

Nas spends the whole first verse of the song abusing Kobe Bryant. I can’t even begin to reprint the lyrics in all of their vulgarity here, but here’s a sample…

“From OJ to Kobe or let's call him Toby
First he played his life cool
just like Michael
Now he rock ice too just like I do
Yo, you can't do better than that?
The hotel clerk who adjusts the bathroom mat?
Now you lose sponsorships that you thought had your back
Yeah you beat the rap jiggaboo fake -gga you”

For everything I dislike about Kobe Bryant, I would never liken him to a sell-out, a jiggaboo or worst of all to an actual slave. But, like I said, everyone is still entitled to their own opinion, even when it’s absolutely ridiculous; as it is in this case.

I would respond to Nas that anyone who willingly drops out of school in the 8th grade (such as he did) and ‘grows up’ to call our women –tches and hoes in his ‘job’ (such as he does) probably shouldn’t be pointing the finger at anyone in regards to uplifting or embarrassing African-Americans.

And THAT’S real…

But I digress...

“Tavis Smiley, Michael Eric Dyson, Stokely Carmichael
let's try to be like them
Nicky Giovanni poetical Black female
Jim Brown to the people who sing well from Fela
to Miriam Makeba
The mirror says you are the next American leader”

I really don’t have any problem with anything Nas says here except the inherent hypocrisy contained therein. All mentioned here are great role models, but none of them would endorse calling each other –ggas and our women –tches. So what’s the point of doing roll call of great African-American role models if what you do is in direct contradiction to what they espouse? If they’re good enough for us to ‘be like them,’ then why hasn’t he even followed his own advice?

Which is it, Nasir Jones? Is Nicky Giovanni a “poetical Black female” or is she another “b***h?” It seems you’ve chosen name-dropping here instead of dropping knowledge.

Moving right along…

If that wasn’t enough to make me shake my head in confusion, Nas ends with some backhanded disses at the feet of golfer Tiger Woods and actors Cuba Gooding Jr. and Taye Diggs.

“Yeah I wanna give a special shout out to the the crew doing they thing out there repping us hard.

”Big up to Tiger Woods. Yeah you don't stop. Big up to Cuba Gooding Jr. You know...yeah you know. Taye Diggs...what up my -gga? Yeah ha ha. And you don't quit and you don't quit and you don't stop and you don't quit.”

I get it Nasir…I get the joke. The common thread here is that all three have White wives. The underlying sentiment being expressed is that supposedly these men aren’t ‘Black enough’…for Nas that is.

Once again Nas…know thy history. Jim Brown who Nas said earlier “let’s try to be like them” had more White women that any of the three put together. And if you knew anything about the Black Panther Party, you’d know that they were NOTORIOUS for their ‘trysts’ with white women. Ahem, Stokely Carmichael, another person on Nas’ “acceptable Negro list” was a former Black Panther Party leader…fyi.

Nas, you’re confusing the hell out of me now. What exactly are you trying to say here? Are you saying that the best golfer in the world, an Academy Award winner and another exceptional African-American actor are less “real” or more “coon-like” because they married White women? These people aren’t role models worthy of emulation?

Remember, YOU asked the question…

“What ever happened to Weezy?
The Redd Foxxes?
Never got Emmys but were real to me”

Another contemporary of Redd Foxx was Richard Pryor. He was another one of those ‘Black comedians’ who DID win an Emmy in 1974. He also married a white woman. In fact, he married a few White women. Was Richard Pryor less ‘real’ to you Nasir than Redd Foxx? Was Richard Pryor a ‘jigaboo’ or slave-like, as you termed Kobe Bryant to be? I’m beginning to think you’re not even sure what point you’re trying to make.

Again Mr. Jones, know thy history.

Similar insults were hurled at rappers like MC Hammer and Young MC in the early 90’s for their supposed catering to the ‘crossover audience.’ It’s only because of rappers like these that there is even a Grammy awards category for rap music today. It’s only because of rappers like these that 70% of all rap music, (including yours) is purchased by non-African-Americans.

Parallel:

Nike originally signed Tiger Woods to a $40 million endorsement deal right as he turned pro, simply on prospective marketing value and potential (i.e. what he ‘could’ mean to the sport). It was unprecedented at the time. Yet, because of Tiger Woods’ subsequent success it opened the door for all types of athletes (Black athletes) to gain larger deals in advance of their careers. LeBron James doesn’t sign a $90 million Nike deal straight out of high school if Tiger Woods fails miserably in the years prior. I won’t even mention the fact that Tiger Woods also went to college.

Mr. Jones, it’s probably out of turn to smack around the greatest golfer in the game today who went to college and revolutionized all of sports marketing simply because he’s not ‘Black enough’ to meet your 8th grade education’s approval.

It’s out of turn to question another’s ‘blackness’ because of the white woman he’s married, yet you yourself have done virtually nothing to uplift your own African-American sisters. Cynically I ask the question…who would want to marry a ‘-tch’ (as you refer to them) in the first place? Why NOT a white woman then?

It’s out of turn to liken one of the best basketball players in the game to a slave while much of Hip-Hop today programs our youth to chase meaningless endeavors like cars, jewelry and…dare I say, illiteracy. In fact, the difference is, ‘slaves’ at least held education in high esteem…even though it was denied to them. You specifically and Hip-Hop historically have not. For every record that says get an education, I can find 80 that say get an Escalade or get some Hennessy instead.

Slave mentality?

Most importantly, it’s out of turn to purport to be ‘real’ in terms of being an African-American and the only thing notable on your ‘resume’ has to do with misogyny and lyrical prowess.

Yes, Nasir Jones is an incredible and brilliant lyricist. But he’s way out of turn, out of his league and in over his head in trying to lecture the rest of us on who is or is not ‘Black enough.’ Such divisiveness only contributes to the problems of African-Americans, not helping to solve them.

Know thy history.

And that too is real…

Morris W. O'Kelly is a freelance entertainment writer who writes content for entertainment personality websites and national media. You can always reach him at: dark.gable@sbcglobal.net.
__________________

[kaleal crooks]

to an extent i feel em....u gotta rep most of what u stand for whole heartedly, but at the same time....... how many main stream rappers are worth their word anyway?

[ScandilousP]

Damn, he punished nas...

[torch]

nas musta really pissed him off.

[jay.eff.]

Should a man who has seen the light not speak...? Yeah know thy history, but fact in song is so few and far in between this is still a breathe of fresh air. Nas is not to be the sole unit in the revolution. The youth have to take intiative themselves, to learn the facts...if a man dwells in his sinful past that is one thing but Nas shows growth from the B*tches and n*gga's days of spittin' on this album...he show he knows the difference between that and women or brothers....b*tch, I undastand should not substitute for woman...but get over it n!gga is here to stay, it's a part of our culture(f whut they think it's positive and not for them). I wonder if dude recognized that in the rest of the ALBUM(not single)tracks he listened to. I'm sure he did see see the growth if he listened.

[TRURYDER400]

I Like That Philly Pic

[racerx02]

Originally posted by TRURYDER400
I Like That Philly Pic
I know I loved it to, but it was to big and al told me a needed to resize it, but I don't know how to resize it. Anyway, there's a counter argument to the article defending nas. I'm gonna see if I can find it, and post it.

[lexfrmqu]

Nas is my favorite rapper and I am from QU, so I have to back him up. But, in all honesty controversy sells and you cant make a subtle message. There is no such thing as a subtle message, a subtle revolution. Just like there is no such thing as a halfway crook. I think that in order to promote your message you have to take it to the extreme and thats what Nas did. I dont entirely agree with his views or the song completely but I take it for what its worth. I feel bad for the simple minded nig*** who take it or more than that.

[racerx02]

Here's the counter argument.


While “Ants at Nas’ Coon Picnic” raises some thoughtful and persuasive critiques of the rapper’s diatribe against “sellouts” in media and entertainment, the author’s fundamental premise is flawed, his opinion misinformed, and his tone quite elitist.

Morris O’Kelly deserves kudos for pointing out the factual errors in “These Are Our Heroes.” Nas, by saying on wax “whatever happened to Weezy/the Red Foxxes?/never won Emmys but were real to me,” misinformed many unaware listeners, who might use him as a reference in an argument or conversation and get embarrassed when their audience points out they’re wrong.

Mr. O’Kelly deserves even more kudos for pointing out that Nas’ praise of Weezy, Red Foxx, and, presumably, their contemporaries are definitely problematic. In the minds of a great deal of people, these actors were the “coons” of their era. The rapper’s unqualified remark ignores the fact that Red Foxx and Isabel Sanford arguably reinforced pernicious stereotypes about blacks in their respective roles. The lyrics also ignore the fact that the black community was sorely ambivalent about the TV portrayals Foxx, Sanford, and others provided for mainstream consumption. Perhaps the strongest point in Mr. O’Kelly’s critique is his assertion that Nas’ clearly calling out non-rappers for buffoonery, but only dissin’ other artists subliminally on the track is somewhat hypocritical and opportunistic. It’s kind of unfair to mention the WB and UPN in a discussion about “cooning,” when Lil Kim is runnin’ around with blue contacts, blonde weave, fake breasts, and is a ‘hood poster-girl for Old Navy.

Despite these worthwhile merits, the author’s primary argument- (in his own words) “our castigation of fellow African-Americans for supposedly not being ‘Black enough’ [is] usually misguided…if not all-out wrong…[Nas] is a case in point”- is fallacious. The MC’s observation that Tiger Woods, Taye Diggs, Cuba Gooding, Jr., and Kobe Bryant are sellouts is correct!

Mr. O’Kelly weakly tries to dispute this observation by highlighting what he thinks is a contradiction in Nas’ logic.

The author wrongly assumes that the rapper’s beef with Tiger, Taye, and Cuba is solely that they have white wives. He says sarcastically, “I get the joke. The common thread here is that all three have White wives.” He then tells readers that the real heroes Nas suggests we emulate (eg. Jim Brown, Stokely Carmichael) had relationships with white women too, thus the rapper’s reference to Tiger and ‘em as sellouts is bogus, or inaccurate at least. So happy that (he thinks) he has sonned Nas, Mr. O’Kelly asks an irrelevant rhetorical question: “[since Richard Pryor married a few white women], was [he] ‘less real’ to you, Nasir, than Red Foxx?” He even says arrogantly in a following line, “I’m beginning to think you’re not even sure what point you’re trying to make.”

The problem is Nas’ admiration of Jim Brown, Stokely Carmichael, et al, who also had penchants for white women, is easily reconciled with his disgust with the three jiggaboos in question. The theme of “These Are Our Heroes,” as the title so obviously implies, is that “our heroes,” the few blacks that have achieved fortune and fame in the mainstream, are not saying or doing enough for the advancement of black people, especially those of us that reside in the ghetto. Why the pompous author missed the whole point of the song and believed that Nas dissed Tiger, Taye, and Cuba just because they had white partners, I can only speculate. Not everyone is preoccupied wit’ white folks.

Jim Brown, Stokely Carmichael, Red Foxx, even Richard Pryor, who the author also mentioned, all were clamorous about the racism and relative poverty that African-Americans still endure, despite the personal hardships such outspokenness brought them. Jim Brown’s grassroots organizing efforts are well known. Stokely Carmichael’s work on behalf of black folk is nearly legendary. Red Foxx and Richard Pryor both became famous for stickin’ it to mainstream America.

In contrast, Tiger Woods will not even publicly acknowledge he is black, never mind say anything about anything or do anything substantial for the rest of us. (Can you pronounce Cablanasian?) What else has Taye Diggs done concertedly for blacks besides pave the way for other, similar-pigmented actors to participate in scripted interracial relationships on screen? Cuba Gooding, Jr. embarrassed us all by literally doing a back flip for winning an Oscar, for best supporting actor of all honors, for a grossly offensive role in Jerry Maguire. (Show me the money!) Media outlets everywhere captured his unbridled hysteria with snide humor long after the end of the ceremony. His shall indefinitely remain the most undignified, dare I say, stereotypically slavish award acceptance.

Kobe Bryant, who has not exhibited any solidarity with his fellow (mostly black) ballplayers until late, mentioned another black man’s name in a police interrogation room. (They call that snitchin’ where I come from!) He intentionally slandered his own teammate, Shaq, without provocation; while completely aware of the consequences his allegations could have on the latter, even if false. In other words, he nearly marred another black man’s persona in order to deflect attention away from himself. What could be more slavish, more “coon” than that- tellin’ Massa bout da otha field hands to keep da whip off of ya own back ‘n earn da ova see’as good graces? Again, how Mr. O’Kelly missed the obvious juxtaposition of the “heroes” and the “villains” of the track is somewhat mesmerizing.

Perhaps, the message eluded the author because he ostensibly is not a fan of Nas or rap music in general. Anyone who would write and have published the words, “You [Nas] specifically and Hip-Hop historically have not [held education in high esteem],” obviously knows nothing about the MC or his genre. He must not have listened to or understood “The World Is Yours,” “Poison,” “The American Way,” among other songs by Nas, which would also explain his simplistic, inaccurate depiction of Nas as a misogynist.

Who else nowadays would release “I Know I Can” as one of only two singles from his LP? Mr. O’Kelly also must not have been around in the ‘80s and early ‘90s when rappers overused terms like “mathematics,” “science,” and “knowledge of self.” He must not have ever purchased a Chubb Rock, Jeru Tha Damaja, OC, Ras Kass, Paris, KRS- One, MC Lyte, X Clan, Poor Righteous Teachers, or even, a Public Enemy album. He must only be familiar with the “bling bling” brand of rap that became popular after 1997/1998.

In most hardcore circles this lack of knowledge would disqualify him as a true rap fan or critic. It’s ironic that the same comment he makes about Nas applies to himself- he’s in over his head.

[BIOHAZARD]

:cool:

[booya_driveby]

By what Nas is saying, he seems to think that you should have to act poor. Whats wrong with getting educated, speaking proper english and making money by other means than rapping and slinging.

[mid-gray]

:blink: :crazy: it is a song that all

[1900KiLLa]

Man this was a good read.. i immidiatly felt like an asshole after reading the 1str part.. because i agreed with Nas... Well all i can say in his and my defense is that you can tell when someone is trying to hide the fact that they one of the "jones boys" you dig..

[dblj08]

these articles were good. i see where both of them are coming from. i don't agree with everything nas is saying, but there are a lot of blacks who don't do enough for their community but its hard to judge other people when you are not in their situation

[sunaru]

i liked both articles and to play devls advocate i can see where they both come from