"The Biggest Stunt of a Stunna"

So I was driving on the highway on my way to class and I overheard something on the radio. Apparently, rapper Rick Ross was allegedly reported to have been a corrections officer in Miami before he was a rapper. This was quite funny to me, not for the fact that he had a job in corrections but for the fact that he would lie in his raps where he speaks of his so called "gangster" lifestyle. He speaks of drug trafficking and other illegal acts that are a part of his life, but I have to question the validity of such after hearing about this alleged career of his. But aside from that, I have to wonder if living the life of a gangster is the only way to make it successful in the rap industry.

As I think about the rap industry, the first thing that comes to mind is the thuggish lifestyle that is often glamorized. But then after that thought, I think about the rappers that may have come from those types of conditions, but their lyrical content speaks to a generation in need of hope and love. Rappers such Common, Lupe Fiasco, Nas, and even Jay-Z have come from rough areas where an infestation of drugs, alcohol, violence, and sex circulated on a daily basis and survival was the goal each day. However, what stands out about each of these artists is that though their lyrical content once spoke of their detrimental surroundings, they have since today shown growth in their lives in their lyrics, lifestyles, and even public appearances.

I often look at some of the other popular rappers out there now that speak more about gang violence, sex, drugs and the like and wonder if this is really what rap is all about. Does an upcoming rap artist simply become respected based on how many times he's been shot, how many people he's killed, or how much time he's spent in a penitentiary? If that's the case, then how do we expect our younger generation to feel when they hear that the only way to get up is to put someone else six feet under? Can a rap artist be respected by only speaking of positive and thought provoking subjects?

Rap artists of today that are glamorized based on their hard core thuggish lifestyles are of course making platinum singles and selling out concerts. But that doesn't discourage the rap artists that have grown and matured from their years of the thug life. Even rappers such as Tupac that lived the life of a thug and grew up around drugs, alcohol, and sex, didn't let that outshine their true talent as an artist. He never shied away from political topics, uplifting topics, and other thought provoking topics such as mothers, strong women, and just getting together to have a great time. Until now, it seemed that rap told a story. It had a beginning, a middle, and an end. It contained characters, a narrator, and a lesson. However, nowadays, it seems that it becomes harder to find a story in a book that is written by bullets, blood, and the sounds of clanging cells bars.

Buckling up becomes more common - News

Buckling up becomes more common - News

WSU dean elected to high-ranking trustee position - News

WSU dean elected to high-ranking trustee position - News

"Who to Blame?"

So I have always been a fan of learning about my culture. I've always loved being a part of controversial conversations, especially when it comes to social issues such as education, racism, leadership, religion. You name it, and I'll probably have an opinion on it. I have been watching this year's chapter of BET's Hip-Hop vs. America poll and I must ask myself who is to blame for the degradation of women and our Black men out there in the world?

As I sat and listened to the various people involved on the poll, I couldn't help but shake my head at how we as a people have come so far, yet still have such a long way to go. I listened to the chosen poll go back and forth in discussing the negative images that the Black race has to face, especially when it comes to the negative images of Black women. America wants to blame everything on hip-hop: drugs, racism, miseducation, misogyny of women- you name it and it's been blamed on hip-hop. But it can't all be blamed on hip-hop. In fact, the blame begins in the comfort of our own homes.

During the times of slavery, Blacks did not have a voice. They're destiny, purpose, lives and the like were determined by the masters that held the whip. Women were being stripped of their own being, and were forced to be raped, killed, and degraded all because they did not and could not have their own voices. Now, let's travel some decades later to the '60s. It was during these years that though racism was still at large, Blacks were coming together and holding one another up chanting, "We Shall Overcome." Not only were we activists and leaders, but we had forced ourselves to have a window for us to speak, for us to make our own destiny, for us to be who we wanted to be. Now, let's go a little further to the '80s. Hip-hop was really beginning to change. For once, women began to break into the hip-hop era where their voices could be heard. Female hip-hop artists had power and saw an opportunity for their sides to be heard. Now, let's go to the new millenium. Well, let's just say that it's not a pretty picture.

Back in the early decades, Black families were together. Black families were going to church together. Black children obeyed their parents. Where has the love gone? What has happened to my generation? Mothers are no older than their own children. Schools are being run by students. Black women are left to raise their children alone. Black men are being killed by homicides now more than ever. HIV/AIDS is killing more Blacks than any other race on the face of this earth. Where is the love? Where are the leaders? What have we done to ourselves?

Notice how I say 'ourselves.' We as a people have gotten so comfortable with blaming society on why things are the way they are for us. Now don't get me wrong, society has given us some hard cards to deal with, but sometimes we have to take personal responsibility for our actions. We cannot just dipict ourselves in a way that is degrading to both men and women alike. We need our women to not be afraid to stand up and have a brain and see themselves as sexy. We need our men to stop killing each other and help each other instead. We need our children to stop raising children or worse, letting the streets raise them.

Who is to blam? The answer is most of the time, we can only blame ourselves.