DaCrossover's Daily Rant

I have recently been watching news programs like CNN, MSNBC and listening to some SIRIUS satellite radio. I was thinking to myself with all the issues we are experiencing with cuts to major programs in the urban locations you would think there would be some people outraged and want to spit versus about it in song. 

Well I hate being the ol man at the bar full of 20 year olds I have to say that back in golden era of hip hop artist like Chuck D, Ice Cube, Paris, Jungle Brothers, Native Tongues, KRS One etc. would have NEVER let this news pass them up. 

When the Rodney King beating from the LA Police occurred it seemed that every artist covered it as the ghetto news report in their song, and I must add no, the songs were not corny lectures either they were dope records! Black COP (By KRS), It was a good Day (Ice Cube), Fight the Power (Public Enemy).

Now a day’s it’s as if there is no concern for anybody as all the songs are centered around the artist and his or her ability to make dollars. HELLO!!!!!!! is anyone home? I’m in no way saying that we need to have a whole militant movement in Hip-Hop I’m just asking where is the balance? 

I have kids that listen to Hip-Hop as well as a Son that wants to get into producing, but I noticed that every song they have in their iPod or mobile phone consist of selling dope, smashing hoes, getting gaup, or F#@king up somebody.

What saddens me about this is that 95% of the artist they are listening to DON’T live the lifestyle they are displaying leaving the fans questioning which artist can kick which artist ass. I’m just looking for that movement that will start a revolution of artist wanting to understand and speak on the legislative process, as these young brothers and sisters will be subjected to their laws when they get older. 

Tupac once rap’d “I know it seems heaven sent we aint ready to have a black President” and with the lack of true appreciation for President Barack Obama I think he may have been right. The voice of Hip-Hop is a powerful tool. Don’t believe me? Just look at the artist from all over the globe that are now rapping. The culture has progressed from the streets of the South Bronx to a global phenomenon. 

I just feel that these artist need to be just that ARTist! and not just Recording Artist looking for their next check. I’m not against making money, hell i’m a capitalist I believe that you should be rewarded for hard work, but I also understand that there is room for making a living as an Artist, case in point Jay Z, Nas, Eminem, 50 Cent, TI, Kanye West, Outkast, the names can go on. 

All this ranting makes me wonder, will Nas ever get the credit he deserves for stepping out on a limb on every album to showcase creativity? Will people (before he gets old and passes) understand what he has been trying to do for Hip-Hop? I don’t have the answer for that but I will say “NAS, PLEASE GIVE BIRTH TO A NEW GENERATION OF ARTIST” I’m begging you from one hip-hop head to another. 

for more stories like this tune into Da Crossover every Friday 12:00 to 2:00 PM CST on www.DFWiRADIO.com 

I have been thinking to myself, with all the hype around Kanye West wearing a skirt (kilt) or Asap Rocky rocking a dress on 106 & Park, can we really open ourselves to having a gay rapper?. R&B has had its fair share of gay artist, even those that have not come out of the closet (I won’t go into names) however with Rap, there has always been a level of masculinity  that is overpowering.

Lets think about it, the whole story of a Rapper is a tough person from the streets who is telling the ghetto gospel as he/she sees it. Every hip hop song has references of being more of a mans man than the other, you reference other rappers as soft, punk, chump and lets face it: sissy, weak, feminine or gay.

In today’s rap, the male is always claiming to be the most dominant, and always bragging about the many ladies he has been with on each of the songs. Think about it, every song makes references to dusting something off, taking down something, or beating something up. So if there is a Gay Rapper, will he talk about the same things? if he talks about homosexual experiences is the hip hop community really ready to hear that?

I for one have no quarrels with the homosexual community, I believe they should have the right to marry who they want, love who they want and be who they want to be. With that said, I don’t co-sign to it either. I for one cannot listen to songs containing homosexual references…., nope, cant do it, as matter of fact… Hell Nah!   

Call me ol skool, narrow minded, shallow or whatever, I think if the rapper is gay then he should just spit fire! Period! Now if there was a gay lyrical genius like a Jay Z, Nas or Eminemn just spitting raw rhymes, well, hum that’s a different story. I can ride with that (no pun intended) but as long as he is not talking about “swinging an ep” with another dude then I can listen to the music and see him for the artist he is. 

So I guess my point of view is how I view the gay community as a whole, which is do what you do. Just don’t give me the details. I believe that hip hop is for everyone, I just think that if you are going to be gay and want to be an artist that is accepted in the world of hip hop, do like Frank Ocean, don’t make gay your niche, just make great songs and the community will follow.

for more listen to Da Crossover every Friday 12:00PM - 2:00PM onwww.DFWiradio.com

Okay, I didn’t think it would really happen, but when the Boston Bombings happened I said to a friend in jest, “sooner or later the President will get the blame” not to be taken seriously. I mean no one in their right mind would ever have tried to make a connection to the Boston Bombings and our President. 

Leave it up to the GOP (Guns Over People) to start the rhetoric. I heard SC Senator Lindsey Graham tried to make a connection between the attack on our embassy in Benghazi and the Boston Bombings. I saw another Politician try to say George W Bush kept us safe and under Obama we have been under attack. 

Really? GWB kept the US safe for 7 years except that one big gigantic attack on our country where we lost over three thousand (3,000) citizens. How can people even compare the two with out sounding like a complete moron? When does the blame game stop, unlike with GWB I don’t think this President received a PDB that indicated two ass wholes are going to attack the Boston Marathon.

People, all i’m saying is that we can have our differences on opinions but we are not entitled to our own facts. Lets hold our leaders accountable for things they have control over. We live in a world with nut cases, foreign and domestic. Understand that there is no one that keep us 100% safe all the time. That’s like blaming the current Police chief for every crime that occurs under their watch. 

for more listen to Da Crossover every Friday 12:00PM - 2:00PM onwww.DFWiradio.com

When at work one day I had an Asian American girl tell me something that had me shaking my head, she told me “I only date White guys because I have high standards”. Yes I was thinking the same as you “WTF does that mean?” Being in a relationship I had no interest in the girl however, she was very attractive. She repeatedly tried to correct herself and explain as she can tell I was offended. 

This got me to thinking “does the rest of the world see us like this?” the depictions of Black People as a whole is always negative. Although there are many successful African Americans in the U.S. today (outside of Sports, and Entertainment) it seems that only the Entertainers are celebrated for their successes. But can I be upset at the how the world depicts us with the sudden emerge of Reality TV, Rap Videos (with artist looking grungy and having their pants underneath their asses) or the constant images of celebrated drug dealers on American Gangsters. 

Lets think about it, every race seems like they are okay with dating someone from another race but when it comes to dating a African American, then its time to pump the breaks. No, I am not speaking EVERY instance, but in the broad sense. It seemed that when The Cosby Show first hit the scene we were on to something; A Black Doctor married to a Black Lawyer with a brownstone in Brooklyn raising a family together.

Following The Cosby Show came A Different World, young African Americans working towards a college degree. Yes, African Americans were finally seen in the light of positive, hardworking, family oriented people. I’m not sure where we ran out of runway space and took a turn into the pits of buffoonery but with the boom of the Internet and YouTube it just seem that the new “Cosby’s” are now seen as The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Love and Hip Hop and Doctors Wives. 

I am hoping that with the reelection of President Barack Obama, networks will develop a story line that will show people in powerful roles other than rappers, sports players or divas. Don’t get me wrong I am proud of our Athletes, and TV stars but just tired of seeing the images of Black Americans so monolithic when there is so much more to us. Maybe if this was the case, people like my Asian American friend wouldn’t only see one race of people as having high standards. 

for more listen to Da Crossover every Friday 12:00PM - 2:00PM on www.DFWiradio.com

THEY HAVE STATED A 3RD EXPLOSION AT THE JFK LIBRARY  @ CAMBRIDGE. GOD BLESS EVERYONE!

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