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For the most part I agree with Michael Wilbon's stance, I just don't think it should be limited to black athletes. In my opinion it is all part of the celebrity super legal league that has made a mockery of the American Justice system. Michael Vick does hard time for conspiracy in a dog fighting ring, but PacMan jones is about to be reinstated into the NFL after conspiracy of attempted murder? That's another subject all together I guess. Perhaps Wilbon's point is more about the number of black athletes who seem to get themselves into trouble. This brings me to Whitlock's comments about hip-hop.
Now I'll admit that I'm not a big fan of where the state of hip-hop is, which is hip-pop. And the problem I think most people had was with the timing of his comments being on the heels of Sean Taylors unfortunate death. To even imply he was killed because kids listen to too much rap is ignorant. Still there is a big difference between hip-hop and gangster rap, and even so, who sits at the top and says who and what comes out? I think Jay-z only recently became one of the only artists who has total control over his distribution (could be wrong about that). But the point is, there is no market for "positive' hip-hop because that isn't what sells. Who dictates what sells? Most music industry executives are white and the bulk of the hip-hop consumer base is also. Yes, believe it or not more white people are buying rap and hip hop now than black people, and the artists are totally aware of this. Why aren't the people who have the power and control ever held accountable for their actions? The art imitates life, why should the artist be held accountable for the ugly picture this country has painted for its poor. Eminem is proof enough that it really isn't about race anymore as much it is about being poor. What came first, institutionalized racism, the prison industrial complex, bad schools in poor communities, the contras and crack cocaine being routed to inner cities, the white KKK, or hip-hop/rap. I am so sick of hearing that the world would be a better place without rap. I think the world would be a better place without country music or pop, neither positions will actually fix the countries problems.
As long as there are those willing to pay a gangster multi millions to talk about being a gangster, gangster shit is going to happen. As long as drugs are an easy way for a poor young kid to make money, kids will sell drugs. Music is not going to change that. As long as it is cheaper (actually profitable) for the government to build prisons and put people in them vs actually trying to reform those criminals and prevent crimes, people will glorify incarceration because too many people have to accept that as a lifestyle. Somebody they know is already there, and once they go, there is a good chance they'll go back. As long as professional athletes salaries allow them to afford lawyers who can get them off the hook, they'll continue to act as if they are above the law. Black, white, yellow, brown. All I'm saying is that if your going to talk about it, don't stop there, really try to figure out what is going on.
So if Bob Costas had made these comments first, there should have been a fire storm. Not because he is white, but because they are incomplete and therefore don't help solve either issue. Whitlock did catch heat for his article too.
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JFK-MLK-MX-A"B"C-Freedom
-assassinated.
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Posts:
13
Registered:
3/16/07
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(1 of 1)
To agree or disagree with Wilbon & Whitlock
May 3, 2008 1:45 PM
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For the most part I agree with Michael Wilbon's stance, I just don't think it should be limited to black athletes. In my opinion it is all part of the celebrity super legal league that has made a mockery of the American Justice system. Michael Vick does hard time for conspiracy in a dog fighting ring, but PacMan jones is about to be reinstated into the NFL after conspiracy of attempted murder? That's another subject all together I guess. Perhaps Wilbon's point is more about the number of black athletes who seem to get themselves into trouble. This brings me to Whitlock's comments about hip-hop.
Now I'll admit that I'm not a big fan of where the state of hip-hop is, which is hip-pop. And the problem I think most people had was with the timing of his comments being on the heels of Sean Taylors unfortunate death. To even imply he was killed because kids listen to too much rap is ignorant. Still there is a big difference between hip-hop and gangster rap, and even so, who sits at the top and says who and what comes out? I think Jay-z only recently became one of the only artists who has total control over his distribution (could be wrong about that). But the point is, there is no market for "positive' hip-hop because that isn't what sells. Who dictates what sells? Most music industry executives are white and the bulk of the hip-hop consumer base is also. Yes, believe it or not more white people are buying rap and hip hop now than black people, and the artists are totally aware of this. Why aren't the people who have the power and control ever held accountable for their actions? The art imitates life, why should the artist be held accountable for the ugly picture this country has painted for its poor. Eminem is proof enough that it really isn't about race anymore as much it is about being poor. What came first, institutionalized racism, the prison industrial complex, bad schools in poor communities, the contras and crack cocaine being routed to inner cities, the white KKK, or hip-hop/rap. I am so sick of hearing that the world would be a better place without rap. I think the world would be a better place without country music or pop, neither positions will actually fix the countries problems.
As long as there are those willing to pay a gangster multi millions to talk about being a gangster, gangster shit is going to happen. As long as drugs are an easy way for a poor young kid to make money, kids will sell drugs. Music is not going to change that. As long as it is cheaper (actually profitable) for the government to build prisons and put people in them vs actually trying to reform those criminals and prevent crimes, people will glorify incarceration because too many people have to accept that as a lifestyle. Somebody they know is already there, and once they go, there is a good chance they'll go back. As long as professional athletes salaries allow them to afford lawyers who can get them off the hook, they'll continue to act as if they are above the law. Black, white, yellow, brown. All I'm saying is that if your going to talk about it, don't stop there, really try to figure out what is going on.
So if Bob Costas had made these comments first, there should have been a fire storm. Not because he is white, but because they are incomplete and therefore don't help solve either issue. Whitlock did catch heat for his article too.
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JFK-MLK-MX-A"B"C-Freedom
-assassinated.
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