Hip-Hop: Where Keeping It Real Goes Wrong
Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or have no clue what Twitter is) you’ve seen the recent piece on Vibe.com where Slim Thug gave his opinion on dating black women. The feature, told to Vibe contributor Starrene Rhett, caused a firestorm on the internet as everyone weighed in on his opinions regarding race and relationships. Here are some excepts from the article titled “Slim Thug: ‘Black Women Need To Stand By Their Man More’.”
“My girl is Black and White. I guess the half White in her is where she still cooks and do all the sh*t that I say, so we make it.”
“White women treat they man like a king and Black women feel like they ain’t gotta do that sh*t. Black women need to stand by their man more.”
“Black peoples’ mentality is real f*cked up in general [and] it’s affecting everything.”
The day after the feature went live, Slim Thug and professor/activist Marc Lamont Hill engaged in a back and forth discussion regarding the piece, with Slim making an attempt to defend his position. The entire internet went mad with opinions while some came to Slim Thug’s aid. The most notable was Talib Kweli. Kweli found some valid points from Slim and chose to highlight the general talking points, rather than pine over the negative. Points that Slim Thug made about people “making it rain” and women who “buy $3000 bags” were indeed valid. However, the problem with the piece was that Slim Thug painted his targets in a broad stroke of black and white, rather than addressing “some” people who do these things regardless of color. Although scattered with points that people should address, the stereotyping of many or all black women as gold diggers while white women are docile and passive was flat out wrong. Those stereotypes exist in both communities and are actually more prevalent in entertainment than they are in everyday life.
It was kind of like Bill Cosby‘s rant about African Americans back on May 17, 2004 where he lambasted a whole culture at the NAACP gala celebration at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Brown v. Board of Education. Although there were valid points that Cosby made, he was widely criticized by his own community for how he made them. The negative generalization of an entire community only reinforced what some outside of the community assumed, whether right or wrong. Slim Thug’s rant was similar in stature.
But this isn’t really about arguing semantics regarding who was right and who was wrong. There was one particular point from Kweli that stuck out like a sore thumb. After a Twitter user tweeted, “rappers often do not separate the entertainer persona from the person they are,” Kweli added “agreed, but consumers still should.”
My qualm with this statement is that hip-hop culture has prided itself on “keeping it real” for practically the entire lifespan of rap music. The fake and phony were lambasted and individuals such as “studio gangstas” were shown no love. Rappers were supposed to practice what they preach as they never wanted to be questioned about their credibility. While some rappers actually preached and then practiced, they still did their best to connect the entertainer from the individual. Unlike acting, when the cameras go off, the actors go back to their normal lives. Denzel Washington wasn’t Malcolm X when he walked off the set. But in hip-hop, Lil Wayne is Lil Wayne 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Sure there’s some embellishment, but most of the time what you see is what you get. According to what Kweli stated, the consumer is supposed to somehow figure out if Slim Thug or Stayve Jerome Thomas (his government name) is speaking on black women.
In my opinion, it’s a cop out to suggest your alter ego is the one that messes up while blaming the consumer for not knowing when it’s the artist or the person speaking. Slim Thug said what he said as Slim Thug. Maybe his mother and close family call him Stayve, but I dare someone off the street to call him Stayve and see how he responds. When Slim Thug raps about cars, clothes and hoes, I’m not sure if he thinks he’ll attract professional women with class or the $3000 handbag hounds that he cries foul upon. If Slim Thug was a character he turned off when he left the studio, I could buy this argument.
To look on the other side of the coin, does this suggest that Kweli, Mos Def, Common and other “conscious” rappers are playing a role when they rhyme about uplifting the community, empowering black women and saving our children? It would be unfair to question them about their dedication to the community. How upset would dead prez be if everyone called the music they made as strictly entertainment? Calling it an “act” would be blasphemous.
Ultimately, you can’t distance yourself from who you are when it is convenient and reap the benefits any other time. What Slim Thug did was “keep it real.” Even if what he said came out wrong or rubbed people the wrong way, he said it. You don’t have to agree with what he said, but as long as he can own up to his words, I can respect him saying what he felt. Whether I agree with his sentiments is a different blog for a different day.
You know slim thug is right and at that rate in 50 years there would be a lot more mixed individuals walking the planet in a black relationship theres always a power conflict whereas white girls treat you like a man that’s why plenty black women are single i live in the U.K and more than a dozen of my friends don’t even pay black women any attention and they all black and i know there might be some who might read this and disagree but if you a black woman and you are reading this just try and treat one guy differently and i promise you he’d stick around being strong and independent and all that nonsense doesnt mean you gotta be defensive.
“After a Twitter user tweeted, “rappers often do not separate the entertainer persona from the person they are,” Kweli added “agreed, but consumers still should.””
I kinda feel like thugga’s entertainer persona and the person he is are the same though. Don’t you? And furthermore, I think he’s a product of is environment, and around his way and the way he grew up, the girls were about the shit he was talking about I’m sure. Your ending paragraph is really what people should read, and I hope they get there, because keeping it real is what he did. Kept it 100.
Gerry how can you possibly be so ignorant. I swear racism is for the uneducated and low class. I am currently doing research on this exact issue. Rap music is ridiculously misogynistic towards black women and it is affecting the way others view black women as well and also the way black women view themselves. I am a black woman and have dated different races, black, Mexican,white. Overall I have mostly been disrespected by men who are black however my logic tells me instead of grouping all black men as disrespectful and rude. I realize that those who have disrespected me are individuals. I also think deeply and realize that it is just color. There are good men and there are bad men. There are good women and bad women. Color does not define that. Do you have any idea what it is like to be put into a category just because the color of your skin? Do you know why a lot of black women do have their guards up? It’s because of stuff like this. Having to fight for an education, to prove to people that you are more than just the color of your skin. Can you understand that? Plus if you want a woman who is passive and does not know how to speak up for herself or for what is right then what does that say about you? I would love to continue this conversation with you.
You know what. SLIM THUG IS RIGHT. BUT SLIM THUG IS WRONG.
He’s right:
1. I noticed this shit in black women. One of my ex’s was black she didn’t give back for shit, didn’t appreciate shit. Yet felt everything was supposed to be given to her. This was taught to her by her her sister and mom etc. One of the reasons why she’s my ex lol. Also I got extended family that berate the hell out of men (I’ve caught it and slung it back) when they don’t get the littlest thing done. Act like you never did shit, while they do everything. This is with the intention to break men down. Funny thing is the ones that aren’t like this, are mixed. My sister inlaw is like how he said, her female side of the family is like that. I’ve gone to class with sisters like that. You give them something, they don’t say thank you. They say shit like “well you’re supposed to” or “this is it”.
Why he’s wrong:
Women of different nationalities are somewhat like this. Thing is it’s more noticeable in black women, because lets face it, blacks still remain the top race under the microscope when it comes to noticing behavior and criticizing. With that said sistas are over the top with it. As a whole it doesn’t really matter because pretty much all female races within the US are slacking in treatment of men. Some are actually more than others and some get noticed more than others.
Entertainers/artists seek to provoke thought and debate in many forums not just their chosen profession ie music literature whatever. Mr.Thug Provided these comments for entertainment and for monetary gain,are you not entertained?
African American men have very large egos from the days of being the breadwinner of the home. Some people have large macho egos and some people have shallow ones.There is also a sect that must conform to predetermined example of success.All of these ego types need constant reinforcement,for the african American male ego is fragile indeed. They receive this reinforcement through consumption of products and by surrounding themselves with people who reinforce these particular stereotype.
Black women over the past three decades have shed the role of nurturer/homemaker as their white counterparts did in the 60′s and 70′s.They have also begun to exhibit these same large egos for good or ill of the black race time will tell.
For the better women have taken there place as equals in society. Education, higher salaries, CEO level jobs have made endless opportunities for the African American woman.They took their place as equals to the African American male years ago.This sends shock waves through some black men causing them to lash out with ignorance as a defence.
Over the next few decades the African American women and men will need to learn how to set aside their fragile fundamentally broken giant egos.People will be forced to deal whats in front of them.We all can’t be Beyonce and Jay-z, Cliff and Claire, Bobby and Whitney most of us are just Meeka and Darnell. So everybody on Steve Harvey’s little why can’t black women find a man moneymaker drop the act. Ladies you love that broke Kani wearing grill rockin crunkfest you call a man just be happy with him. Fellas learn how to be a men again too many of you were raised by all women and it shows.Be a man learn how to compromise, be stable, get a degree if you have a criminal record get it expunged,have more than five complete suits!Earn her respect and you might just get it.
Its true,you might not like it but its true!!!
i think one of the problems is how black women get all mad at hearing this like i previously explained reading this would bound to piss em off its the truth you cant deny it jasmine i wont expect you to understand because you haven’t obviously dated a white woman so you cant tell me you know the different it has a lot to do with race some women of other races are like that but nothing comes close to how many black women show that sorta behaviour i happen to be dating a black girl for about 4 years but luckily for me she grew up with her white relatives and luckily she didn’t have that upbringing where they are nurtured by mothers to believe in all that nonsense that the man is the enemy and you must never succumb because you have to be a “strong independent black woman” thats why shes still mine before i met her i had totally gone the other way dating nothing but white women maybe in america id look like a sell out but The U.K its a lot different all im saying is if this continues then there will continue to be a lot of black females out there single or with dead beat baby fathers because theres only so much a man can take if you want peace get a white girl…
What woman in their RIGHT MIND would EVER want a BLACK man anyway ? They are born to be ABSOLUTELY WORTHLESS!! You would be hard pressed to find one who even knows his fathers name, so why would you ever expect him to be a man or even know how to approach a woman, let alone knowing how to treat one ! Black men don’t know how to treat ANY race of women, 96% are GAY,DOWN LOW or locked up behind bars!!! Women should expect these kinds of comments from BLACK Men, this is the best they can do, SLIM THUG is the black MAN at his BEST, WHAT woman would want a broke , low self esteem, NO GOAL oriented, wounded Black Man, Ladies the world has so much more to offer you ! TAKE IT !!
Gerry you are ridiculous! I am mad because of your ignorance. How can you possibly group all people into one category! This is exactly what Hitler did with Jews! Whites with slaves! You’re a living contradiction. You’re dating a black woman yet you’re saying find peace with a white girl? Forget that fact that I am a black woman I am an educated person. Who reads and critically thinks about things. I don’t just base my ideas of stereotypes and then assume that they are true and apply them to everyone. I’ve been to the U.K. and I felt like some of the people there were cold and rude. However I don’t stereotype every person I meet from there and say “Oh don’t date people from the U.K. because they all have bad teeth and are cold people”. You don’t realize that you’re stereotyping makes it so much more difficult for people of different races to make something of themselves.
“i think one of the problems is how black women get all mad at hearing this like i previously explained reading this would bound to piss em off its the truth you cant deny it” What you did to me is called the self-fulfilling prophecy or the “Pygamalion effect”. Just because I called you on your bull you’re assuming that I am now an angry black woman. No I’m just someone who enjoys criticizing and correcting ignorant people such as yourself.
Not only are you prejudice you are also sexist. How do you think white women feel? So does this mean that all white women are just submissive….Latina women are just curvaceous sexual beings, Asian women are just silent…the list could go on. My point is, you can’t just group women into all of these categories and not expect those women to break the boxes they’ve been put in. EVERYONE is different and have different experiences. So if white equals peace and serenity…what does black equal? Asian? Hispanic? Don’t you see the fallacy in your ignorant statements? Please go educate yourself…I thought the UK had a descent education system…even though your previous statements prove otherwise. And based off of your typing and grammar errors, I’m going to assume that ALL PEOPLE FROM THE UK type like you.
I have many white, female friends who come from rich backgrounds that are just as or even MORE demanding than black women. It’s just because there’s this stigma attached to black women. All of a sudden if a black woman has high standards or chooses to stick up for herself she’s asking for too much. ALL women should have the right to stand up for what’s right.
If you want peace..get an education.
You just don’t get it do you! first off im not writing a report so don’t be checking my grammar errors thinking I’m some sort of uneducated black man I could bet anything in the world i am a lot more educated than you are besides its clear you are trying to bring up another topic to defend the fact that you are mad at my comments on this topic fact still remains slim thug is right! its not a stereotype thats incorrect for example there are white people out there that still think black people are worthless citizens because all they do is raise children that increase street crime rate and don’t attend school that stereotype is incorrect because you can clearly go anywhere in the world and find a lot of black citizens that are actually doing well in life however its a different story to this topic because there’s only a limited few black women you would find around who don’t tend to be defensive about men but there’s still toooo much of a majority who still think that men are the enemy like yourself im not here to argue with you there is probably a chance you are single if your the type that still thinks being strong and independent is to stay single and walk around miserable thinking no man is good enough because you think your better educated your just one of the many black women he made that comment about.
Men are not animals we don’t all growl and mistreat women or are unsuccessful like black women make out most of the time and if you cant see the good then stay single and die that way its not all about black women you don’t exactly see white women standing up for themselves to defend some nonsense cause simply because they believe men are all unworthy of their love, that’s why it works for them if you can’t accept that their system works and learn from it then this comment by slim will always remain true you don’t need to make it seem like i stereotype all women because i don’t but i have lived all my life around black people and if you have like me you can’t deny that its an issue that this whole defensive stand up for yourself and be an “independent black woman” bullshit actually makes black relationships a happy one .
Men have egos we want women not half a man that wouldn’t let you be at peace when you return to your home because they enjoy arguing and are less obedient to their partners because they are bred to believe men walk all over you if you aren’t strong and independent its nonsense a relationship can only flourish if you let a man be a man its that simple
No one is against you and please stop bringing other issues into this i am from the U.K i have a pretty good set of teeth and I’m not a cold person neither am i rude to people , I don’t know where you went maybe you went to Scotland or something but don’t ever assume anything i have said or done here like typing errors is how all people from the U.K are
You have white friends that are more demanding good for you that’s your white friends besides who said anything about demanding the topic was about slim stating “White women treat they man like a king and Black women feel like they ain’t gotta do that sh*t. Black women need to stand by their man more.” even if black women were demanding but still obedient and appreciative about the opposite sex I’m sure men will be willing to meet every demand.
If you want peace jasmine… change your attitude nobody wants all that inside anger from a woman there’s no need for the hostility and for your information I’m currently in my second year in one of the top 5 Universities in the world I am nowhere as uneducated as your idea of a stereotypical black man so if you didn’t or don’t attend Oxford or Cambridge you don’t stand any grounds of competition here so don’t judge me based on my typing and grammar errors its a Blog idiot!…and before you ask yes! i can prove the university i currently attend.
Cool. It’s true.