Another volley about the "N-word", does Hip-Hop music really make folks act up and wile out, etc. this time from a new video and song from long standing West Coast Hip-Hop MC Ice Cube.
To me, video is pretty good (and with the potent imagery, will surprise the hell out of me if it gets mainstream airplay) and listening to the words, the bro is bringing it on the utter hypocrisy of blaming everything on just Hip-Hop music's influence being put out here.
I have my issues with Ice Cube on some musical things (especially with the Westside Connection scenario - bleh at most of that catalog of beef and drama), but I'm a pretty strong believer of artistic expression not needing to be repressed.
The controversy with most of Hip-Hop music in my view isn't the quality of what's put out there (let's face it, in all parts of it from the "conscious" to "gangster/street" Hip-Hop there is great stuff as well as utter garbage) but that even with a lot of capitalistic viewpoints and whatnot being put in the mix after at least 30 years of existence, it is still a form that is artistically controlled and shows the viewpoints by the majority of folks who are either the disenfranchised of any ethnic background ("lower class", poor, whatever your definition is - see Eminem for the closest thing folks had to a "great white hope" pretty much telling folks to kiss his a**) and/or People of Color.
Well, that and the fact it makes money (for some lots, for some enough to make an independent living) for just being themselves, usually.
But that's just me.
Anyway, give this video a look and a listen (not a clean version of the song - NSFW for having on loud on your work computer speakers) - what do you think?
Ice Cube - Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It
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Bonus Video: Ice Cube feat. George Clinton - Bop Gun
Ice Cube Official Website
Ice Cube Official MySpace Page
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