Jazz star claims hip-hop acts are “ghetto minstrels”
Is today’s hip-hop just one big joke?
Jazz star Wynton Marsalis seems to think so, recently ripping into some of the biggest names in hip-hop, claiming the genre demeans African-American culture.
Marsalis – widely regarded as one of the best jazz musicians ever – claims rappers insult their own people with the language they use, the clothes they wear and the message they give out.
“I call it ghetto minstrelsy,” he fumes. “Old school minstrels used to say they were ‘real darkies from the real plantation.’ Hip-hop substitutes the plantation for the streets.
“Now you have to say you’re from the streets, you shot some brothers, you went to jail,” he continues. “Rap has become a safari for people who get their thrills from watching African-American people debase themselves, men dressing in gold, calling themselves stupid names like Ludacris and 50 Cent, spending money on expensive fluff, using language like ‘b**ch’ and ‘ho’ and ‘n***er’.”
How many people truly view hip-hop as being this one-sided?
I agree with what he’s saying, but you can’t lump all hip-hop acts together – there are still a number of positive, creative MCs still doin’ their thing.
He’s right. We are ****ing ourselves over.
HES RIGHT IN SOME THINGZ BUT “AROUND THE WAY GIRL” IZ RIGHT WE CANT BE BLAMING EVERYTHING ON HIP HOP IZ. HE JUZ TRYIN 2 BLAME ANYBODY
And “Sucker,” you’re a by product of those no style, no manners, uneducated rappers. Fix your speach.